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Carlos Ezquerra Interview
Recently I had the privilege of being able to put a few questions to Major Eazy artist and all-round comic legend Carlos Ezquerra (many thanks once more to William Logan of
Class Of 79).
Carlos's work over the last quarter century and more has been without parallel in UK comics. He was co-creator of Judge Dredd, and has drawn countless episodes of Strontium Dog for 2000AD. See here for a full run-down of his work on 2000AD.
CM - Colonel Marbles
CE - Carlos Ezquerra
Interviewed on 14/05/02
CM: I understand from reading a
previous interview (the "Class of '79" one with
William Logan) that you "started working in England in '71 drawing
girlie
comics for Mirabelle and Valentine, then in '72 I was given an script
for
the magazine Wizard, from DC Thompson, about the Boer wars. After
drawing
the first episode I decided to go to London". So my first question is,
why
did you come to England to draw comics ? Is there a parallel universe
somewhere where you stayed in Spain or went to France instead and became
a
doyen of the European comics scene ? Any regrets there ?
CE :
I came to England because the work was in England, its as simple as that.
And no, I don't regret having lived there, the proof being that my first intention
was to stay in England for only a few months and I ended up being there for almost ten years!
CM: Can you fill in the blanks between working on 'Wizard' and getting
the
job on 'Battle' ? How did you end up getting the 'Major Eazy' artist
slot ?
CE : There was no gap, I went straight from Wizard where I was drawing a series
called 'Chained To His Word'
to Battle , just about the time when it was being created.
CM: What was your inspiration for the look and feel of 'Eazy'? Obviously
James Coburn and perhaps the classic Clint Eastwood/Donald Sutherland
WW2
film
'Kelly's Heroes' spring to mind ...
CE : I don't remember too well, but I think 'Kelly's Heroes' was out after the
strip.. My idea about him was, as you said, James Coburn , mainly from
his role in
'The Magnificent Seven'.
CM: What was writer Alan Hebden like to work with - how collabarative
were
you ? Presumably the whole Bentley/Sniper rifle thing was his idea ? Do
you
know what happened to him ?
CE : It was easy to work with him, and the ideas came from the two of us,
that's the way I've always worked. The sniper rifle and the Bentley
were his, but I think he was thinking of a more classical Bentley than the
model I finished drawing. After those times. where we also came up with
another story for Battle, 'El Mestizo', I never heard anymore from him.
CM: Do you recall how the strip was received in the early days ? It must
have been pretty popular to receive the number of covers and colour
double-spreads that it did.
CE : Yes, I think was one of the most popular characters, and practically it
lasted until Battle disappeared.
CM: Did you colour the strip yourself or did someone else do that ?
CE : Originally I was colouring Rat Pack, but then when they changed to a
cheaper paper, I think it was done by the editorial, but frankly I don't
remember...
CM: How do you rate the work you did on the strip looking back on it now
? I
have to say I think its up there with some of your best stuff !
CE : Thanks, I always been very proud of Major Eazy, it was my first big
character
and I really enjoyed doing it very much , so I suppose that fact was always
reflected in my artwork.
CM:
Is there *any* chance of getting the old 'Major Eazy' stuff
reprinted in
Graphic Novel form ?
CE : I don't know, that's in the hands of
Rebellion, the present owners of old
Fleetway.
CM : Any possibility of reviving the character ( mebbe with Garth Ennis
as
writer) ??
CE : I wouldn't mind, as I said it was one of my favourite's, so who
knows...Maybe I could convince someone to do it with a new light...
CM : Ok so my guess is the answer to the two previous questions is a
resounding 'no'! How about just slipping in a 'Judge Eazy' into the
background of a JD strip one time, for the old-timer fans like me?
CE : Mmmmm, good idea... I'll do my best to convince John...
CM : Thanks very much Carlos for giving me, and many others, such pleasure
with
your art over, well its fair to say my entire life !! Good luck with all
your future projects (I'm really enjoying 'Just A Pilgrim') and I hope
you
like the fan site.
CE :Thank you very much, and congratulations for your nice site, I really
enjoyed it.
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