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I first encountered Jon while editing and publishing Previews Comic,a new talent showcase,back in the 1980s.  I believe he sent me a strip featuring a character called “Deman”.  It was quite obvious that the man had talent and I can recall showing some of his work to Steve MacManus and Gil Page at Fleetway.

 

Nowadays,Jon is Art Director at Classical Comics and back at the May ’08 Comic Expo I promised I’d do this interview..but better late than never!

 

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above:Cat-Woman [c]2008 DC Comics

Terry:Yes,it is a boringly traditional question as far as my interviews are concerned,but where and when were you born?

 

Jon: was born in Norwich in the mid 60’s

 

Terry:Were you big on drawing when a youngster?

 

Jon:Yes I always drew from a early age

 Dan Dare & Garth [c]2008 Dan Dare Corp. & Mirror Group newspapers

Terry:And at what sort of age did you first become aware of comics –and which ones?

 

Jon: I would say I was 5 when I used to love looking at my brothers comics

Lion,Valiant,Tiger,Buster,Whizzer and Chips,Mighty World of Marvel,

Countdown,Victor, and seeing the wonderful Frank Bellamy art in Garth for the Daily Mirror;my

mum used to buy Jack and Jill comic for me,I think Playtime was another one,but my brother would buy loads of comics where I would look at the pictures and try to figure out the story.

  

Dan Dare [c]2008 Dan Dare Corporation

Terry:Was there any particular comic or strip that made you,as a young lad,think “I want to draw comics!” or was it something you gradually thought about later on?

 

Jon: I loved Garth and Dan Dare,Mighty World of Marvel so it was a mix really.

My brother had a Dan Dare annual full colour with Frank Hampson art I would just

look and love the details and colour.

 

Dr Who [c]2008 BBC TV & Media

Terry:Can you remember your first attempt at drawing a comic strip and what the subject was –and how old were you?

Jon:Can’t remember that far back but I loved also Ken Reid’s “Frankiestein” and other strips by him like “Face Ache”. I also used to draw cartoons based on tv shows at the time.

above:Jon Haward art incredibly coloured by David Pugh [c]2008 Games Workshop

Terry:Another comic artist,John P.Britton,still has many of his first crayoned comic pieces –have you kept much of your early work?

Jon:After my mother died I found a bag full of my old drawings,she must have kept them and I’m glad she did. There’s some early Spiderman stuff and X-Men- all sorts of stuff .

 

Spider-Man,Dr Doom & other characters [c]2008 Marvel Comics/Panini Inc

 Below:Buffy The Vampire Slayer wonderfully rendered! [c]2008 respective copyright holder

Terry:So,okay,you decided “I am going to draw comics!”  There must have been something that really pushed you into taking that decision rather than a more secure form of employment so what was the deciding factor and how old were you –hey,we need this info for when Lambiek get around to doing a bio on you!

 

Jon:I was 13 years old when I wanted to be a comic artist,so it was around the time the new Eagle was launched and you had classic stuff in 2000 AD.  I can’t explain it but if you have a dream you follow it;I went to art college in Lowestoft and one of my tutors.Mick Sparksman,collected comics,he gave me encouragement to carry on drawing comics.  I did an art history project on Frank Bellamy and I kept sending out art samples for advice.

 

I sent letters to Dez Skinn who told me to get in touch with David Lloyd who then gave me his feed back on my work.

 ”DC Doodle” all characters [c]2008 DC Comics

 Below:Dr Who [c]2008 BBC TV & Media

Terry:David Lloyd seems quite good in that respect as he ran the Portobello Project and even helped encourage Paul Brown and Darron Northall with Vigilante Vulture.

 

Now,I know it can be scarey deciding what you are going to draw and send out as your first sample –what did you choose to draw and why? 

Jon: Can’t remember my first work –I think it was a sci-fi story about man in The future,different races,etc. So long ago.

 

Above:Jon’s pencilled “The Tempest” page. [c]2008 J. Haward/Classical Comics

Terry:And what were the reactions to this first sampler?  Jon:I think it was Deman that you published which then gave me courage to try to get published by other companies such as harrier comics.

 

 

above:Tales Of Telguth art[c]2008  Rebellion Studios

Terry:So at least I did one thing right!

I remember that on the morning I got your samples I had about twenty packages so around 50-60 pages of art and your work shone out.  At the time,Ben Dilworth was in Bristol and I can recall him asking if I was going to ‘adopt’ you –if there were really good artists I thought deserved it then when I went to London to see editors or publishers [usually about twice a month] I’d push those artists at them and Dilworth once said:”Woe betide he who criticises one of Hooper’s chickies!” Well,I pushed and pushed and then it caught up with me health-wise. 

Next thing I know I get a copy of the new Eagle comic with this lusciously coloured Dan Dare strip –with a “thank you” from you on the page. 

What I’d like to know is how did you get the Dan Dare strip and how long did you draw it for?

 

 above:Hellboy [c]2008 Mike Mignola

 below:Guess who? Fantastic Four [c]2008 Marvel Comics/Panini Inc.

Jon:I had met David Pugh in 1988 at UKCAC [UK Comic Art Convention] and he gave me his card,a few years later he was drawing Dan Dare and I asked if I could buy a page of his art and he wanted to know if I could draw well as the editorial needed a fill in Dare artist.  I then sent Barrie Tomlinson a Dan Dare full colour sample;Barrie liked it but wanted David Pugh’s new designed Dare as my sample was based on Frank Hampson’s old designs. So I did another full colour sample page using David Pughs designs plus using the same colour method as David [ie marker pens] and got the job.

That was 1990 and I drew Dan for around nine months at the same time I was also drawing Charlie Chalk for Postman Pats Picture Weekly.

Actually,Charlie Chalk was my first paid job drawing comics;my mum alwaysthought it was my best work and I think the work since has been in reprint many times (alas no reprint royalties for me).

 

 Captain Britain & Spiderman [c]2008 Marvel Comics/Panini Inc.

Terry:I’ve never seen your Charlie Chalk work! As for royalties,there must be some creators rights angle?  But it’s the bane of many a good artist.

Over the years I saw the name Jon Haward turn up on various comics so I’d guess that you went from Eagle over to Marvel UK.  I know nothing about this period of your work so could you explain how you went from Eagle and what you drew at Marvel UK?

Jon: I drew alot of stuff for Fleetway Editions like Dan Dare the new Eagle,Shinobi and Eternal Champions for Sonic the Comic,Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles And 2000 AD -Judge Dredd,Thargs Future Shocks,Thunderbirds the comic,Road Maniax,newspaper strip Masked Rider for Young Telegraph.

 

I had a great agent Pat Kelleher Temple

Rogers

Agency who would get me

Work.  My first Marvel

UK job was Biker Mice From Mars but the title got cannedin the UK but I think my strip was used in

Europe.I’ve had periods where I’ve been out of work on the dole,but I kept drawing and getting published in non paying books like Negative Burn,Warrior Nun,Toxic Pie,Northern Lightz .,etc.

 

above Captain Britain.  characters [c]2008 Marvel Comics/Panini Inc.

I got,I guess my biggest break, by giving editors in the UK my website launch card which started up the 10th may 2000.  I remember that day well as Alan O’keefe ,Managing Editor of Panini,asked on the strength of my website if I would like to try out on Spectacular Spider-Man– and I got the job and worked on the title for 5 years.  I also drew for Action Man and Marvel Rampage .

below:pencilled page. All characters [c]2008 Marvel Comics/Panini Inc 

Terry:What I cannot believe is that you never got offered any work by Marvel US!! I’ve seen the art samples and more and when you consider the absolute rubbish they have and are publishing as “pro Art” in some of their titles I would have thought your services would have been snapped up –especially having worked at Marvel

UK.  Were you given any reason why you weren’t offered Marvel US work?

Jon: It’s strange. I got published once by Marvel US with the Spidey/Captain Britain vs The Red Skull story,written by Jim Alexander and inked by the great John Stokes in a title called Marvel Milestones,as this story was the first new UK Captain Britain story for over 10 years.  It got good reviews and was reprinted in the States due to fan demand to see it over there.  Sadly none of my other work has been reprinted in the States which is a shame as I did a lot of nice stuff with great writers, inkers and colourists.

I have tried to get work from the US but its hard to get in the door.  I’ve never had the money to go to San Diego or

New York conventions.  You get put on a slush pile

or the editor who likes your work either leaves or gets fired so I can’t say when I might work for the US.  I guess the time will come,but the website is a good starting point if there are any editors reading this interview. 

Simba-Khan [c]2008 Paul H. Birch & Jon Haward

Terry:I find mainstream comics are becoming less and less attractive these days as they have a “closed shop” attitude and use certain writers and artists but won’t bother with anyone else.  A pity.  That said,maybe Archie Comics?

But you still do occasional work for Marvel UK?

 

Jon: Basically due to my work with Classical Comics I’ve only had time to draw

Marvel Pocket Book covers over the last 2 years.

 

above:”Ancient Blood” by Jon. [c]2008 Games Workshop

Terry:It may be the loss of Marvel US but a lucky break for Classical Comics! How did this job come about initially –because you drew MacBeth,with an inking assist from Gary Erskine,I assumed that was it but then Art Director!

 

 

Jon: Clive Bryant saw my website and his thought was how to make Shakespeare

as cool as Spiderman;so he got a Spiderman artist to draw a Shakespeare play. Gary [Erskine] helped so I could meet the tight deadline on the MacBeth book. While I was working on MacBeth I was only art directing Declan Shalvey on Frankenstein .

 

 

Terry:I think that,as far as graphic novels are concerned,Classical Comics has done a brilliant job.  Most people were telling me:”Shakespearean graphic novels –no way!” and “They won’t last five minutes publishing that!” –who is laughing now?! The quality of work and printing is as good as I think any publisher can get.

 

Jon: Yes,the Team Classical,Clive,Karen and Jo have done a fantastic job on the

production of the books –a lot of hard work by everyone but the books will be in

print (fingers crossed )for along time .

 

Terry:Oh,I’ve no doubt Classical Comics will be in print for a very long time as more and more people become aware of them.

But it was a major leap for you,as an artist,to draw so many pages;you must have seen that there was “something” there or was it simply just another job to start with?

 

Jon: It was a huge thing for me at the time.  I had been told by Panini there was no

more regular Spiderman art so I was looking for work when Clive got in touch. MacBeth is a major play and it was 54 weeks of my life on that project -36 character designs but its been a team effort;Clive was a great help,Nigel Dobbyn did a brillant colour and lettering job and Gary Erskine helped greatly with his inking skill to get the job finished.

 

 

Terry:At what point were you offered the position of Art Director and in a business famous for its twists and turns,was it a difficult decision to make –enjoyable so far?

Jon: Well,I’ve just art directed Frankenstein for Classical and I’ve had a hands-on art direction on MacBeth and The Tempest,but I have given Clive consultation on artists to work on a few titles like John Stokes on Great Expectations,John M.Burns on Jane Eyre.  Joe and  I discovered Will Volley,who is drawing Romeo and Juliet,at BICS.  I remembered his fantastic art that appeared in Negative Burn.  I introduced Staz Johnson,who is now drawing Dracula,to Clive.  When Henry V was being pencilled I recommended Bambos as inker and Jason Cardy and Kat Nicholson as colourists.

So thats been all the help Ive given Clive Bryant. At one stage he offered me the full time job of art director but Clive  was worried it would conflict with my work load on MacBeth,so I didn’t get the full time job as Art Director.  But I’m proud that I’ve helped Clive Bryant in a small way to produce a line of beautiful looking books.  Hope that makes things a bit clearer?

 

Terry:Still with a credit as Art Director that certainly pushes you toward the top rung on the comic industry ladder –will it give you a little more time to work on other projects outside of Classical Comics?

Jon: As I’ve said I only art directed Fankenstein for Clive  plus given art direction on MacBeth and The Tempest.

After The Tempest I will be looking for other paid work so any publishers reading this –get in touch as I need to fill my slots for 2009!

 

above:”Head Hunter” by Jon.  [c]2008 J. Haward

Terry:To round this interview off,as I’m sure you are getting quite busy,can I ask where you hope to see yourself in the industry in,say,five years?

 

Jon: Well,next year the Tales of The Buddha book will be published by Bad Press;if it sells well I’d like to draw more of his humourous adventures.  I’d like to draw more Creator Owned material and basically still drawing comics or creating characters for other media.

 

below:Tales Of The Buddha [c]2008 respective copyright holder

 

below:The Facts Of Life [c]2008 respective copyright owner

  

Terry:Just to push Classical Comics here;how would you sum-up the publications to someone who might see a copy but can’t quite make their mind up whether to buy or not?

Jon: If you are like me ,turned off by reading thick small print books but would like to try the classics Classical Comics brings to the table the excitement of the full stories/ plays drawn by quality artists produced to the highest production standard and you can read the books again and again and enjoy the play or story like stills from a movie full of atmosphere and style. it’s been a real pleasure to be part of it.

 

 

above & below wonderful Joker sampler pages painted by Jon. [c]2008 DC Comics

Terry:Jon,I know you have artwork for sale and if someone is interested how can they view samples or get in touch –your web site?

Jon: I have art to sale but I’ve not got my art for sale gallery set up yet,but it will be soon, any one who wants any of my art can email me via my website

 

www.jonhawardart.com

 

Terry:Final points,comment or anything memorable you want to end with?

 

Jon: Yes. I would like to thank my family,friends and fellow pros who have

kept me going all these years and I would like to thank the editors who have

given me work and lastly the readers who over the years still remember my work,

thank you all.

 

Terry:Jon,thank you very much and may your luck get even better in the future!

 

Above:Incredible Hulk painting by Jon. Hulk [c]2008 Marvel Comics/Panini Inc.