Marvel oslavuje 80. výročie vydaním komiksových špeciálov
Aj Spider-Man medzičasom vyrástol… ako dobre kŕmený pavúk…
Už ako pulec, späť v 90kach som vyrastal na komiksoch. Nie len československých, ktoré boli samozrejme najdostupnejšie, ale aj na tých „zámorských“. Vtedy hlavne od Marvel-u. Jednak tu boli edície Semic-Slovart-u, v českom a slovenskom preklade. Medzi týmito prekladovými titulmi bol aj Amazing Spider-Man, pod názvom Záhadný Spider-Man (cca. podľa USA číslovania čísla 181-268, a nášho 1-34). V tomto rune ešte nefigurovali budúci spoluzakladatelia Image Comics, Erik Larsen a Todd Mc Farlane, ale k ich runom som sa dostal spätne vďaka vydavateľstvu Crew a rôznym edíciám a reedíciám Spider-Manovských komiksov. Samozrejme dnešní čitateľ má lepší prehľad aj vďaka internetu a edícii UKK, či NHM.
Tento rok vydavateľstvo Marvel oslavuje svoje 80iny a tak medzi inými oslavnými titulmi vyšiel (04. 09. 2019) aj špeciál Amazing Spider-Man: Going Big, kde sa k stenoleczcovým príbehom vrátili aj klasickejší autori ako Gerry Conway, Ralph Macchio, Mark Bagley, Todd Nauck, Victor Olazaba, Andy Owens, Dexter Vines a na moje potešenie aj Erik Larsen. Larsen prebral Spideyho hneď po Mc Farlanovi a nadviazal na jeho víziu veľmi úspešne. Keď Mc Farlane priniesol do hry čierny kostým a Venoma, tak Larsen zas hostiteľa Carnage-a a to Cletusa Kasadyho. Larsenove komiksy sú veľmi nápadité ako po scenáristickej, ale hlavne kresebnej stránke, čo nám doteraz dokazuje svojim opus magnum Savage Dragon.
V spomienkovom titule sa k Spider-Manovi vracia v staromilnom štýle, napriek tomu, že mierne nevážnom, až parodickom štýle (ale takto je celkovo špeciál špeciál Amazing Spider-Man: Going Big nastavený, dynamika jeho kresby a celkového story-tellingu je proste AMAZING! Tento fakt dokazuje aj obálka špeciálu od samotného Larsena. Nádherne mu v tomto one-shote sekundujú koloristka Laura Martin a letrista Ferran Delgado.
Porozprával som sa o tom so samotným Larsenom (ENG):
1, How did Marvel contact You about co-working on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN GOING BIG #1, and did you agree right away?
It wasn’t a complicated process. I got an email from the editor asking about it and I mulled it over and decided that it’d be fun.
2, Was this return to Spidey after a (longer) while pleasing?
For the most part, sure. I came in with the understanding that it was just a short story. I knew it couldn’t be terribly involved. But I enjoy drawing the character a whole lot and I enjoy writing the character a whole lot and it was easy to fall back into it with relative ease. There were a few things I updated this time out–I wasn’t giving MJ the big hair that we were giving her back in the late ’80s and early ’90s. I actually tried to make her as on-model to how John Romita drew her as I could, which was a real change for me. I tried to do a Steve Ditko Peter Parker and a Johnny Romita Romita Mary Jane Watson. I think I got closer on MJ than I did on Peter but it was fun regardless. As with everything, things change. My style has moved on a bit and the style of the book has moved on as well but it was fun to slip back into those well-worn shoes.
3, Did You have free hand while working on the one-shot?
As much as one gets. There weren’t really any barriers put in place. I knew going in that it would be essentially a Comics Code approved book, even if they weren’t submitting books to the Code anymore so I knew what the rules were and I’m fine with that. Those are fun parameters to play with.
4, Why did You choose the antagonist character Nightshade?
I liked the character. I thought Alan Weiss did a nice design and I liked the story Steve Englehart crafted. And, yeah, she died in her first story but Marvel being Marvel wiggled their way out of that years ago and I was happy to be able to use her. Because it was such a short story, I didn’t want to use one of Spider-Man’s more famous foes. I thought it’d be a pity to waste a Venom appearance in ten pages (which is a bit ironic, given that I used Venom in my single-page Marvel Comics #1000 story). I decided instead to shine a spotlight on a lesser-known character who could use some more attention. Marvel has a huge catalogue of characters and I thought it’d be nice to bring her back and give her some more exposure.
5, If it’s not a secret, will You be working together with Marvel again in the future?
I will. Possibly quite a bit more but at this point at least a 30-page one-shot that’s coming up. Since it hasn’t been formally announced, I can’t say what it is but it’s a character that I have never written on drawn in a solo adventure and one which I have a great affinity for.
6, What else are You currently planning except of course sequel of the amazing Savage Dragon?
Savage Dragon does fill up the bulk of my time. I’m gearing up for the 250th issue of that and it’s going to be another 100-page Super-Spectacular. There are other things as well–I do want to get cracking on an ANT book, but I can only do so much. It really comes down to what excites me the most as a creator. If I’m excited the work is exciting. I want it to be fun for me and the readers.
