Ch-ch-checkin' In With Cliff Chiang

By Jim Beard

The other day it occurred to me that I just don't see enough interviews with one of my most favorite artists, Cliff Chiang. Well, I'm here to remedy that.

Cliff's been toiling away over a scorching hot drawing table, and in very undeserved near-obscurity, on such DC projects as Golden Age Secret Files, Josie Mac, Beware the Creeper, Human Target, Nightwing, Detective, Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre, and umpteen covers. But recently he and writer Brian Azzarello took readers by surprise with a quiet little back-up tale in Tales of the Unexpected entitled Architecture & Mortality. With a diverse cast of intensely obscure DC characters and a crazed story that reflects upon both reality and unreality, Cliff has once again made a bid to expose his unique art to a much larger audience.

Jim Beard (JB): Cliff, where as an artist have you been, and where are you going?

Cliff Chiang (CC): Wow, that's a pretty broad question. Guess we're not starting with the easy ones, Jim?

JB: Hey, this is Silver Bullet! We don't do easy!

CC: I'd like to think that my path as an artist has been an interesting one thus far. Stylistically, there have been a lot of changes since the beginning. I started out with a chunky, organic brush style, hopefully reminiscent of Milt Caniff, Noel Sickles and Frank Robbins. Back then I'd had a feeling that comics were just too precious and I wanted my work to be bold -- a real statement. I still enjoy working that way, but since then my interests have changed. Halfway through my run on Human Target, I moved towards a more linear style, which is something I've always loved. I've been trying little variations on things out since then, adding more rendering, then taking it away, and now I'm trying to push towards a more graphic look. I really love doing color work, and I'm excited about the look of my new covers.

JB: I'd say your projects have been fairly eclectic in tone and story…do you agree? How would you quantify your work to date?

CC: Yeah, eclectic is a good word for it. I try to take on projects that seem interesting to me, and given my leanings towards quirkier material, I've got a strange body of work so far. I can't imagine working on just one kind of story for the rest of my life.

JB: Strange is good! You're an, for lack of a better term, “all-inclusive” artist, meaning you usually ink your own pencils. Can you stand to be inked by someone else?

CC: I've been inked by others in the past, and they've all done an outstanding job. Different from how I may have imagined the final artwork, but that's the nature of collaboration, isn't it? The thing is, I really enjoy inking, and having control over the final look of the artwork. For me, the ink IS the drawing, so I prefer to do that myself.

JB: Looking over the list of your work, it's very clear that you've been predominantly a DC man, even being under contract with them. What is it about the company that you've given it so much of your time and effort as an artist?

CC: It's a very nurturing environment. My editors are all open to new ideas, and have encouraged me to push my abilities and grow. It's a great place to be, and I'm honored they keep renewing my contract!

JB: How did the Architecture & Mortality (A&M) story with Dr. Thirteen come about?

CC: Brian [Azzarello] called me up! My name was on the short list of artists sent to him by the editor. We've always wanted to work together, and this seemed to be a perfect fit. I said "Yes" immediately.

JB: Wait, sounds like you have some history with Brian?

CC: We used to play the same NY jazz clubs back in the 60's. He came over after one of my blistering sax solos and said, "You're doing it wrong."

JB: Uhh…what?

CC: Actually, I met Brian when I was assisting on 100 Bullets. We became friends and the rest will be history.

JB: Okay, got it! Architecture & Mortality is obviously not your run-of-the-mill super-hero story. What was the very FIRST thing you thought when you saw it was Nazi apes, cavemen, vampires, ghost pirates, etc.?

CC: About f---in' time! I was getting tired of drawing grim and gritty stuff. I think Will Pfeifer did a wonderful job writing our Spectre mini-series, but it was just so dark. As an artist, I have to live in that world the whole time I'm drawing it, and it started to wear on me.

JB: Is A&M the type of story you'd like to do more of, then?

CC: Absolutely! It was such a joy working on it. I know Brian enjoyed himself as much as I did, and we both got a kick out of working against expectations…

JB: What was your most favorite part/scene/moment/character in the miniseries?

CC: I think the Black Manta panel really is it for me. It completely encapsulates how bizarre and ridiculous the story can be. Throw in a StarWars reference, and it's gold! Plus, I had a blast drawing Black Manta and his ship.

I also had a lot of fun drawing the girls. Traci's got such a cute, modern look, while I imagined Infectious Lass as this alien Russ Meyer chick, down to the go-go boots. That Dave Cockrum costume is groovy.

JB: Okay, then! You brought this on yourself, Cliff: who's really hotter, Traci Thirteen or Infectious Lass?

CC: ...that's like choosing between the Gilmore Girls. Because they're NOT REAL.

JB: Cop-out! So, do you ever use live models for the characters, then? What kind of research do you typically do?

CC: Sometimes I try to use models, as it can help my find the characters' personalities a little bit faster, but these days I just try to let things happen organically.

JB: I think A&M shows that your art often walks the tightrope between serious/gritty and humorous/cartoony. How do you set this balance from project to project?

CC: That's the thing, it depends on the project! You try to think what's appropriate for the story and adjust things to fit. I'm glad that I've gotten a chance to do some humor now, as I think it shows a different side of my storytelling and drawing.

JB: And wonders of wonders, A&M has just been solicited as a tpb…even before the lead “Spectre” story in Tales of the Unexpected! Who's idea was it to do that Super Friends-inspired cover for the collection, and is there any debt to legendary artist Alex Toth in your art in general?

CC: I think it might have been Brian's idea initially to do the Super Friends. We were also batting around a Kingdom Come homage, too. I split the difference by adding the black bars, and as a result, we have this weirdly somber yet funny image.

Alex Toth is definitely one of my favorites and is a huge influence, on both a pop culture level for his animation designs, and for his comic book work, too. Truly unique.

JB: Is there a future for the good Doctor and “Team 13”, with you on-board?

CC: I certainly hope so! We have a truckload of ideas…

JB: And speaking of tpbs for worthy back-up stories, where the heck is Josie Mac, man???

CC: Ask DC! But I'm glad you remember her!

JB: Back to the hard questions - what past project of yours has been a dream…and which one a nightmare?

CC: I'd say Beware the Creeper was a dream in a lot of ways. Editor Will Dennis gave [writer] Jason Hall and I a lot latitude, and while I don't think my stuff was perfect, I still look back at it very fondly. It was the first chance I had to really create a world of my own, give it a look and a style that meant something to me. I'm always happy when people bring issue of that for me to sign...

Nightmares? I don't know if I'd call them that, but any time I don't have the kind of creative freedom I mentioned before, it's been difficult to work. I really try to put as much of myself into the books as I can.

JB: Any past work that you are proud of personally but maybe disappointed by the reaction from readers?

CC: Disappointed? No. I'm lucky -- I think my readers, or at least those who follow my work, have all gotten what I've tried to do in any given project.

JB: All right then, what about the future? How do you follow-up Architecture & Mortality? Can you give us a hint of where you go from there?

CC: No hints! DiDio will send his goon squad after me.

JB: Ha!

CC: All I can say is it's monthly, it's superheroes, and I'm happy to be working with the writer again.

JB: Hmm. Lastly, you're what I consider to be one of comic books' best kept secrets -- how do you feel about this level of, well, 'popularity'? Like it? Wish it were greater?

CC: I just hope people continue to enjoy what I do. If my work can find a greater audience, that's fantastic, but for me, I can only hunker down and try to do my best work.

JB: No better way to end an interview! Thanks for your time, Cliff, and much success to you as you go forward!

For more information about Cliff and a lot, lot more of his art, visit his site!

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