We started to title this "Keeping Up with the Jones", but thought better of it...
Back in 1988, artist Kelley Jones got people's attention when he started doing Deadman stories in Action Comics Weekly. The way he interpreted the character was completely different from how he'd been done in the past. It was quite odd for the time.
Up to that point, Neal Adams' version of the hero was still considered the most popular, but even Neal's rendering was fairly conventional. Kelley took Deadman and made him all skeletal and emaciated—turned in on himself, he likes to call it. It was a brave experiment that absolutely worked. Fans (and editors!) began clamoring for more as they all realized they had something and someone, special on their hands.
Jones went on to shake things up on Neil Gaiman's Sandman, another Deadman project with Mike Baron and many a Batman graphic novel with his long-time collaborator Doug Moench. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the man's three year stint doing the monthly Batman series with Moench and inker John Beatty (over 36 issues in a row, I believe).
In our talk with Lil' Kel, we cover his approach to comic art, how he ended up doing Deadman and eventually Batman, some stories about talented friends like Sam Keith and Marshall Rogers, and of course, his recent return to Batman with Steve Niles on Gotham After Midnight.
Before we go though, allow Dwight and I to end things here a little cryptically. There's a very special reunion that takes place on this one, but you'll have to tune in to find out what that means. It's worth it, we promise. Embarrassing as hell, but worth it!
**For this episode, we played a snippet of Peter Gabriel's Red Rain in honor of Kelley's first Batman outing with Doug.
Click here to download the show.
Wow, what an aawesome interview. You know, Kelley Jones is my all time favourite artist but he seems so unreachable. I tried so hard to find him somewhere online to tell him how amazing I find his art. I'd like to buy some too, I just don't know where it could be available. If anyone knows, please tell me, it would be greatly appreciated.
It's funny, there's a part in the podcast where they comment that in today's age, everyone's contact info is easy to find. Maybe so, but Kelley is still really tough to find :) I know I can't find him.
Posted by: Will Morizio | September 19, 2008 at 06:51 PM
Thanks for this. Good to see his passion for the medium!
I stumbled upon Kelley's work in The Hammer TPB. He really drew me in with his quirky take on the Lovecraft mythos (giving a face to unnamable and indescribable terror). Brilliant art held together by a great horror storey with just the right atmosphere.
His Zombieworld story is also very enjoyable, along with his other Hammer tales. But it's all great! Wow.
(re: Thank you Gavin, we are glad you enjoyed the show!
Welcome to the nation~ D)
Posted by: Gavin | July 23, 2009 at 06:17 AM