First Impressions: Staz Johnson
A hotchpotch of 70s pop culture left a lasting impression on this comic artist
A hotchpotch of 70s pop culture left a lasting impression on this comic artist.
What was your childhood like?
I had a pretty normal childhood. I was a British kid growing up in the 70s, so in addition to playing lots of sports and making about a thousand Airfix kits, I was exposed to some of the best comics, telly, movies and music ever made (Star Wars, Jaws, Rollerball, Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns, 2000 AD, Action Comics, Starsky & Hutch, The Professionals, Led Zeppelin, Sex Pistols, to name but a few).
What, outside of art, has most influenced your artwork?
When it comes to drawing comics, the largest influence is films and TV. I’ve lost count of the number of storytelling techniques and tricks that I’ve lifted from cinema.
You’re a child, you see a painting or drawing that changes everything… what are you looking at?
I can’t think of anything that had that kind of effect on me as a child. It wasn’t until I was in my mid- to late teens when I saw the work of people like Roger Dean and Frazetta on record sleeves. It was then that I realised fantasy stuff didn’t have to be ‘just for kids’.
What was your next step in art?
Although I enjoyed art, it wasn’t a driving force in my life. I preferred doing other stuff, but it was just that I was better at drawing than those other things, so I just stumbled from school on to a foundation art course at sixth form college, more because of a lack of a better idea than any design or plan.
How much does graphic design play a part in your comic art?
It plays a minor role, mostly on a composition level, but everything comes secondary to the storytelling. If the best way of telling the story means some dreadful graphic design, then so be it.
What comic character that you’ve painted do you most identify with?
Well, since they’re all fantasy characters, I don’t identify with any them. I think if I were to identify with a character like Judge Dredd or Batman I’d have some serious psychological issues.
What positive changes have you seen in the comic industry?
I think the trend in recent years for creator-owned material – whether that be via a recognised publisher or self-publishing using a crowdfunding facility – is a good thing.
What does the future hold for you?
My immediate future holds the next episode of the Judge Dredd story I’m drawing (I try not to plan too far ahead – it fends off disappointment).
I’m also working on a personal project that I’m hoping to launch through Kickstarter this year. The basic idea behind it is to make the ultimate high-concept genre mashup comic book. I want to do it in an old school “the way comics used to be” style. It’s an alternative take on World War II in which werewolves, Sasquatch and dinosaurs fight the Nazis. Along the way there’s a superpowered WRAF officer who flies with the aid of a jetpack, and (for some reason) Nazi werewolves on motorbikes. Watch this space!
Staz has been working for over 30 years as a comic book artist. His clients include DC Comics, Marvel and 2000 AD. See more of his art at www.deviantart.com/stazjohnson.
I’ve lost count of the number of storytelling tricks that I’ve lifted from cinema