CALL-ME-CARLOS: A CHAT WITH ARTIST, JUDGE DREDD CO-CREATOR, AND MEGA-CITIZEN CARLOS EZQUERRA

Carlos Ezquerra was a legendary comics artist, best known for his work with 2000 AD and for co-creating the visual identity of Judge Dredd.

Carlos Ezquerra on Dredd, drawing and creative freedom

LORE: Let’s get this out of the way: the Dredd movie. What did you think?

CE: I saw the film in London and it was a pleasant surprise! It captures the essence of the real Dredd, plus it is a return to the earlier one before it was on steroids, and Karl Urban does it perfectly!

LORE: The sheer volume and diversity of your work is amazing. Is there a character/story or writer you’ve not worked with that might be on your “short list” for future projects?

CE: There are several of them I’d love to work with, but never had the opportunity. Perhaps in the future…

LORE: Could you give us any names or hints? Are you in a position to request or suggest collaborations?

CE: I can’t. I might like their work, but maybe they don’t like mine…

LORE: Your figures look more like real people than stylized superhero models. Still, they convey a sense of strength and dynamism. Did you find this a help or hindrance when breaking into the comics industry? Was there ever a call to compromise or adapt your own style?

CE: I always had my own style, and, since I enjoyed it, I avoided working in places where they asked me for a different style or characters I didn’t identify with. I value very much the freedom of working that way. I prefer my characters to act like real people even if they are caricaturized, not like doing ballet.

LORE: Were there any such missed opportunities that might have been memorable to comics fans? I, for one, would have rushed to buy a Batman or Captain America comic penciled by Carlos Ezquerra!

CE: I’ve done one Batman story with John Wagner many years ago. It came out after a challenge over dinner with Archie Goodwin.

LORE: Do you still enjoy drawing your beloved characters? Do you manage to keep them “fresh” in your own mind as you work?

CE: Oh, yes, they are a bit like my children, and when I think of them, they are like real people to me.

LORE: How has technology affected your production? Any tools or software that have made a particular impact on the way you create art since the ’70s or ’80s?

CE: The computer, and especially internet. It’s great to be able to send your work with the stroke of a key from anywhere in the world, and to have a huge library at your disposal.

LORE: I understand you don’t do any writing, though you do have some interest. Are there any Carlos Ezquerra original stories out there that we’ll get to see someday?

CE: My problem is I’ve always worked with such great writers I feel it would be impossible to reach their level, but… maybe soon I’ll try.

LORE: I would be very interested to hear some of your thoughts on what stories you’d like to tell.

CE: Oh, at the moment, they are just that… thoughts.

LORE: Where should we look to find you online?

CE: I am a lazy guy. I’ve got a website I haven’t touched in ten years or even more. The closest thing I’ve got is Facebook.

LORE: What can we tell fans to look forward to from you in the near future?

CE: I am doing the saga of Strontium Dog called The Life and Death of Johnny Alpha with John Wagner, and in January 2013 I’ll start the third miniseries of The Tankies with Garth Ennis. It’s a nice story with the same character, Sergeant Stiles, but this time is set in the Korean War. I love the war stories from Garth. After that, I don’t know, nothing on the horizon but Strontium Dog.

LORE: That sounds great to us!