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Tim Bradstreet:
Bad Planet
By
Gearalt Finlay
Tim Bradstreet
has joined Thomas Jane on his new project Bad Planet. Tim serves as both
inker and art director. Silver Bullets Comicbook's Gearalt Finlay talked with
Tim Bradstreet about the new project.
Gearalt Finlay: Was there ever a point at the beginning where you said to
your self, Thomas Jane is and actor not a comic book writer, why would I work
with him?
Tim Bradstreet: Heheh, that’s hilarious. But no, not for a second did
that ever cross my mind. You only have to know Tom a little to realize that he
means business. I took him very seriously from the get go.
Tom is a creative soul and that’s really the only ingredient you need with the
possible exception of having the guts to get out there and do it. Writing can be
intimidating to someone not well schooled in the medium. It’s intimidating to me
for God sakes. But Tom has written screenplays and it’s not a giant stretch to
make a jump to comics. It’s just telling a story, only the format is a little
different. And Tom didn’t jump in thinking he could naturally be gifted in the
comics medium, that’s why he asked me from the very beginning if I could help
him find a comic writer that he could work with. Tom is respectful of the genre
because he’s a true fan. All he really needed was a nudge in the right
direction, to get a taste and feel for the medium. Don’t be surprised if you see
Jane writing all by his lonesome real soon. The guy is passionate about the
craft and that passion has a way of ending up on the page.
Finlay: How did you end up working on Bad Planet ?
Bradstreet:
The short version is that Tom brought me this idea for Bad Planet when we
were hanging out promoting the Punisher film. He wanted to get into
comics but he really didn’t have a definitive idea about how he was going to do
it. He had this story that he’d dreamt and thought it would make a cool comic,
the kind of material we both grew up on in the old EC SciFi/Horror books and
Creepy and Eerie magazine. He asked me if I could recommend a writer and how he
could go about publishing this book. We looked at all the angles. We decided
right away that DC and Marvel were out because he wanted to retain the rights to
the property so I gave him a short list of independent publishers I thought
might be the ticket. I’d forgotten about this until we were talking the other
day but the first writer that came to my mind to write this thing with Tom was
Bruce Jones. We loved that idea because in a sense we’d have been able to
actually have a guy that wrote for Warren in the 70’s on the team. Sadly I
realized that Bruce had an exclusive contract with the big leagues. Enter Steve
Niles. This seemed like a great possibility because I knew that Steve had
recently met Tom and they’d hit it off. On top of that Niles and I both had a
good relationship with IDW, especially Steve. I knew that Steve would have no
trouble selling them on the concept. Tom and Steve got together shortly
thereafter and I went off to work on a film in Italy for 7 months. During this
time we struck out trying to get Richard Corben to draw Bad Planet and
Steve and Tom ran across this guy Chris Bolton. He did some really wonderful
concepts but in the end he didn’t work out. I got back from Italy and all the
sudden IDW was out too. We were back to square one. We three had a good skull
session at Tom’s one afternoon and we hatched our new plan. We brought in Lewis
LaRosa to pencil with me inking. Tom made the executive decision to go with
Image to publish the book and from there we were off and running.
Finlay: You are the art director of Bad Planet . What does an art
director do?
Bradstreet: Oh God. Had I known I would have never served myself up.
Seriously it’s been a challenge. I had no real idea how much work it would be.
For starters I am the hub between Tom and Lewis and Grant Goleash, the colorist.
I also deal with the letterer Jason. So I’m on the phone with one or all of
these guys daily in addition to inking the book and working on my own jobs
outside of RAW. My penciler and colorist are both internet challenged and when
files have to be uploaded or downloaded, scanned, the whole 9 yards, I have to
talk them through every step from getting the right software to understanding
what “login info” is. These guys grew up in the computer generation and I’m
teaching THEM how to do this stuff. It baffles the mind. I also do all the
graphic design and layout for ads, covers, posters, as well as assembling the
final interior art, adding the lettered files from Jason and color correcting
everything. Even early on it’s taught me a lot about coordination and logistics.
I am not normally this organized so maybe I’m getting some benefit from this
that I can carry over to my own day to day routine. It forces you to be sharp
and on the ball because no one else is worrying about this stuff with the
exception of Tom. I do love it though. Tom gives me a lot of freedom and control
over what I do graphically and that is MOST satisfying. He trusts my eye and
together we make a great team.
Finlay: You mentioned that there was a change in penciler on Bad
Planet between the time it was announced and the time you joined. What
happened?
Bradstreet:
Yep, originally Tom and Steve had picked Chris Bolton. I had nothing to do with
the decision to hire him or to let him go, and letting him go was pretty much
decided by the time I got back to the states. I do know this – Chris had done
some spectacular work with the concept drawings. Everyone loved them. The stuff
had a really different look that was perfect for what we had in mind. Different
and really grotesquely strange and interesting. But when it came down to doing
the actual pages my understanding is that he did a 180 in terms of style and it
wasn’t suitable for what Tom ideally wanted the book to look like. I don’t know
Chris personally but I think his concept stuff was very cool. It’s a shame it
didn’t work out.
Finlay: What were you looking for in terms of an artist?
Bradstreet: Not necessarily a throwback artist, but someone who’s style
was singular and interesting. Someone who either had a unique vision like Corben
or that had a mix of that feel along with a stronger realistic style. Someone
like Frank Quietly would have been wonderful. Frank’s name was thrown around
quite a bit but as with Corben he just seemed too unattainable. We begged
Richard but alas, he was too booked. We will nail him down on something though.
In the end I think we got the best of both worlds because Lewis has an excellent
grasp of realism but he can also turn it up a few notches and blow us away with
his creatures and aliens. I think the most important thing we were looking for
was someone with a style all their own. We wanted Bad Planet to have a
very distinct look .
I had no intention of working on interiors when this all started so it wasn’t a
case of finding me someone to work with. That just ended up being the way it
worked out.
Finlay: There is an amazing line up of cover artist for this series, was
this a process of saying "this artist would be great for this cover" or was it
"well he's available in November lets get him to do the cover then"?
Bradstreet:
The whole thing is an interesting story and you know it was more of a brainstorm
than anything else. Originally I was going to do all the covers, that was the
idea. Then the book got rolling without me while I was out of the country and I
couldn’t handle the workload I had there along with my regular monthlies at the
time AND Bad Planet . So then I was going to do every other one and then
I was going to skip the series entirely and just do the trade cover. I think the
idea at the time was that Chris Bolton would do the series’ covers. Then Tom
pulled the series from IDW when Bolton was let go. Once I was onboard for
interior inks I took a more active interest. I’m not sure if it was me or Tom
who first brought up the idea of Wrightson doing a cover for us. But after we
got Bernie to commit I thought this could be a nice direction for the covers. I
came to Tom with the idea of bringing in other legendary illustrators to
contribute. The idea was not a hard sell. So Tom’s like “who should we get and
how do we contact them”? I threw him a short list of names, guys like Kaluta,
Stout, Dave Stevens, Gary Gianni, Steranko, Mark Schultz. The idea was that we
would only use artists that were still at the top of their game, and who also
either contributed to the kinds of books that inspired Bad Planet or were
themselves stylistically influenced by that period in comics. Tom and I
tag-teamed them. I’ve known all those guys for years and all we had to do was
talk them into it. There was never any real plan with assigning specific issues
to specific artists. The order was based on who was available first and so on.
Finlay: As art director do you do a rough sketch of each cover for the
cover artist to work from?
Bradstreet: Not at all. My only art direction is try and stick fairly
close to what the characters look like. I believe in very little actual art
direction when it comes to dealing with an artist. In my experience you tend to
get an artist’s best work when you don’t tie them down to a preexisting concept
in the form of “key art” or someone else’s sketch idea. I work best when I have
room to breathe and I figure that’s the best way to get the best effort.
Everyone knows Tom and I are available if there is a need for more direction or
reference. They get the script and it’s up to them to pull something from the
page that interests them, something that plays to their individual vision and
strengths. It could be a scene from the book that they are showing literally or
it could be something more ambiguous. As long as it ties into the story or
characters. It’s amazing to see these guys run with the material and create this
world through their own eyes. Every piece we get in just leaves us drooling.
Finlay: Bad Planet also changed publishers and went from a 12
issue mini-series to a 6 issue-mini series, how did this come about?
Bradstreet:
Tom or Steve could probably shed more light on this question than me but it is
my understanding that when Bad Planet was pulled from the former
publisher it was decided that splitting the project in half would serve the
material better. Sometimes these little things like switching publishers and
having time to reevaluate is a blessing in disguise. You suddenly realize that
you can slow down and give the material and how it is presented a bit more
thought. The split also allows the art team to get a breather and get ahead
before the next chapter. Monthly deadlines can be brutal so it’s nice to be able
to relax and take your time making sure the pages are the best you can make
them. We can get ahead of the game and not feel so pressured. It also gave us
pause to rethink how to tell the next story which may include a 4-5 page backup
story in each issue. Maybe that’s where we’ll get Corben involved.
Finlay: Switching to your role as inker, you are primarily known as a
cover artist, why take on the inking assignment on Bad Planet ?
Bradstreet: It’s funny, Palmiotti used to get on my case for this very
same thing. He used to say “Why would you waste your time inking when you could
be making way more money doing covers”? The simple truth is that I love the
medium, I love the collaboration. I don’t do a lot of interior sequential on my
own, for a whole lot of reasons, so it’s nice to get involved and contribute to
something special once in a while. I do it every so often when the right project
comes down the pike. The last thing I inked was Batman/Deathblow with Lee
Bermejo. I just love to work with talented people and since my covers don’t
really allow for that I opt for inking now and then. That’s how I started in
comics before I was given the opportunity to do cover work and I’ve always had
the bug. There is something infinitely more relaxing about only having to ink
the page instead of worrying about the composition and everything else that goes
along with penciling. I also feel I bring something to the party this way.
Finlay: As Jimmy said, you have such an amazing talent as a illustrator,
why would you want to tie up so much of your time inking?
Bradstreet:
I ask myself that question all the time. Not the way you’ve phrased it there but
I think, why am I doing this for peanuts when I could be doing my own thing? The
answer is I believe in this story. I want to contribute because it’s something I
want to be a part of beyond doing a cover or two. Inking is a very
underappreciated component to the process. I like to believe that what I do on
the page makes a difference, that I can bring something more to it than this guy
or that guy. I’m putting my stamp on this stuff and I’m very proud of the final
results. Ultimately it comes down to love of the medium. I wouldn’t do it if I
wasn’t working with a very tight penciler. I’m only as good as what I’m given to
work with. But if it’s tight and well done then I can do the little things that
can take it up another notch. When it all comes together it is very satisfying
and it gives me pleasure. What more could you ask of a job . . . Besides the
extra money I mean?
Finlay: What is the experience like, going from being in control of the
subject matter on a cover, to enhancing someone else's art?
Bradstreet: It’s a different dynamic to be sure but it can be as equally
gratifying. If I wasn’t still doing covers and having that almost total control
on other projects then I’d probably find it wouldn’t be enough for me. But this
is a choice. I have the luxury to do both if I choose. Which means that I can go
from a collaboration with a really talented artist and being one cog in a larger
machine to calling all the shots on my own stuff from one day to the next. I’ve
reached the point after working professionally for almost 20 years that I can
pick and choose to an extent what I want to do. I’m fortunate. I get a lot of
juice from working with other illustrators. I like to learn what makes other
guys tick and I actually learn a lot when I’m working with another artist. It
forces me to let go of what I’m doing for a while and focus on what will serve
their vision best. It’s a nice exercise and I highly recommend it. It can keep
you fresh and on your toes.
Finlay: Do you find the experience more or less creative?
Bradstreet:
Well I’d be lying if I said doing my own covers and illustration wasn’t
infinitely more enjoyable and creative for me. But having said that I can also
honestly say that inking is my favorite part of that process. Inking is where I
really feel it, I feel the craft of it. When I get into a good groove when I’m
inking I lose myself in it. That applies to inking someone else’s work as well.
There are different challenges to inking someone else because they will have
different tendencies. To me it’s all creative.
Finlay: Some times pencilers are extremely happy with their inkers and
other times there is a lot of conflict. What has you experience been like on
Bad Planet ?
Bradstreet: Nothing but pure cane sugar. Lewis has had bad luck in the
past with inkers. Quite a lot of inkers are not illustrators in their own right.
Lewis needs a guy that understands his line and his sensibilities.
As an illustrator myself I feel a connection to his line and his technique. He’s
said as much about my inks. If he sticks with it I think Lewis has the ability
to become a master in this field. I’m trying to help him let go of conventional
stylistic comic moves like feather lines and crosshatch, to do more with less,
replacing the common technique with texture and shape, black and white –
chiaroscuro. If he could simplify his style as he continues to evolve it could
result in a very singular vision.
Finlay: With your dual role as inker and art director what could the
penciler say if he was unhappy in any way?
Bradstreet:
Lewis knows I’m no bossy, know it all taskmaster. He’s a friend. He knows that
if he has a better idea of a way to approach something he can tell me. If it
makes sense to me and I am capable of doing what he asks then I’m more than
willing to make him happy and change something. We have a good rapport so this
has never been a roadblock.
Finlay: I am intrigued with the idea that part of Bad Planet #3 is
3D, how does that change the way you approach the art?
Bradstreet: See? I get to sit back and not have to worry about that!
That’s entirely resting with Lewis. I’m sure he’ll try and be more dynamic where
it’s called for. But I think the 3D process is more of an enhancement than a
gimmick. I don’t think the idea is to blow stuff off the page. I think it’s more
a situation where there will be significantly more depth to the art that is
there, giving the material a more dramatic tone. It’s not like a “Lawrence
Woolsey production of MANT!”. It’s more a case of Star Wars VS The Day The Earth
Stood Still. They’re both good but one is more visually stimulating.
Finlay: Why not do the entire issue in 3D or for that matter why not do
the entire series in 3D?
Bradstreet: That’s not a bad thought but I think it might be too
expensive for a little independent like us. Plus I don’t think Tom is interested
in having Bad Planet be known as “The 3D comic”. He’s not trying to break
the confinements of the medium or to create a car that runs on sawdust. He’s
doing it to have fun and to possibly serve a purpose. Doing the whole thing 3D
would be too much of a good thing.
Finlay: What has the experience, working on Bad Planet , been like
so far?
Bradstreet: Pretty amazing. It’s not all been a bed of roses but the
positives far outweigh any stumbles there have been. It’s been challenging, I’m
on the phone too much, I don’t see my wife enough but I’m having a ton of fun
working on the pages, keeping the guys in line, and getting to flex creative
muscle with the graphic design. Working for Tom is like working for a great
friend. There is trust, there is freedom and there is great communication. It’s
an ideal working environment.
Finlay: After the 6th issue comes out in May, will this be followed up
with a Trade Paper Back, or another mini-series?
Bradstreet: It is my understanding that we will do a trade following the
first 6 issues. I’m not sure of the exact schedule. I’d hope to have the Trade
out or to have the second series begin by the time San Diego roles around. It’s
the perfect opportunity for us to promote and with a guy like Tom in charge
we’re never sure how ambitious that promotion will be. I’m up for something
crazy though. Also, there is serious discussion about doing a black and white
edition of the TPB. We are fairly in love with that possibility. Regardless,
whenever the TPB comes out we are planning some very special things for it
including a gallery by a group of artists that will stun you. It’ll also be
stuffed with production art and unused material. One thing I feel I should
mention is that Tom isn’t interested in doing a cheaply printed book. The TPB
will be a cut above the standard fair at a price that won’t be detrimental to
the casual buyer. The regular monthly comic is special too. We’re having it
printed on a heavy, flat, bright Baxter stock, not that flimsy, glossy crap.
That’s all due to Tom. His main focus with RAW is quality. If the book breaks
even we’re happy. It’s never been about the almighty dollar. It’s about making
the best comic we can.
Second-String Sanctuary
Discuss it at the Supernaturals MB
