September 2006.

How did you become involved with the project?

It happened while discussing possibilities with Will Dennis about eventual & desirable collaboration with Vertigo. I was pretty much "caught on the spot" by Will's speed about all, he really is 1st class in just about anything that comes to mind in this profession. Real pro, amazing connoisseur & above all good person. It all happened in matter of 5 or 6 e-mails. He offered to jump into some already well known serials right on, but for some reason I wished something more modest in the beginning...To get to know each other better first, I suppose...& so it happened: the very first synopsis he sent was Scalped, and for me that was it...Will likes to call it kismet & I'd agree...;

What attracted you to Scalped? Do you have an interest in this type of material?

First, the synopsis was clearly written with heart. With heart, but technically serious. Pretty long, but not one emotional dead spot in it. I thought, “Just who is this guy?”…Twas different, but somehow totally familiar, and above all it red like something in desperate need of realistic approach. That made it for me...
Anyway, it's difficult to say what you exactly like about something that falls so natural to your imagination. I grew up on westerns, so for me it was like putting 2 & 2 together...Totally natural, I don't even call it choice nor decision, y'know, twas simply made for me to visualise...I think Will somehow smelled that...;

Was there any particular reason for wanting to illustrate this comic?

Yes, there was. Twas seeing absolutely clear what's NOT written in the script and floats the air between characters. What should be felt. I don't even know how this sounds, but twas maybe the most important thing for me...;

How would you describe the concept?

It's a character driven crime serial, with action sequences moved about & violent events dosed around (the plot). But let's say where they naturally fall into place. Not forced to happen. So when thinking about the concept, the word realistic again comes to mind...;

What about the basic storyline?

It's about the pure blood Indian who has to go back to something he wanted to run away from...
Apart from that as main emotional guide, everything else is mix of the life realities in Indian reservation nowadays. And lots of strong & defined characters mixture all around...As Jason explored the whole area to the very bone (stone), story is really thick, there's not a sec of empty space, all the time opening...;

What aspects of Jason Aaron's script inspired you the most. 

Pure quality writing. Atmosphere. Dialogue. It's dry & direct, but human & possible. Juice obviously belongs to HOW you say it & so it's clearly left to me. Indicated but left to be completed. Extraordinary as road material...;

What elements in particular do you want to emphasise through your art?

 That's a tough one. Let's see... First & foremost - common sense towards what's written in the script. In other words  -storytelling.  I think that my task, or even duty if you like, is to put in the final stamp to the    emotion & atmosphere of the story. Something that should be visually essential for the script.  But in order to complete it. Not to compete it. I don't think it's possible to make a good comic out of bad script, and the good script reaches the point with average art...It's all about the story...;

Did you have any freedom to design new characters and/or settings? 

Jason's textual character design was pretty much interior description, so yeah, I was visually totally free, but guided safely when felt I should ask this or that...;

What influences and inspirations did you bring to any such designs?

My influences when creating character could be just anywhere. Life, book, music (most times song), neighbour, old photo, movie. Never comic. Never painting. I think that the inspiration in its source of the search, should be as far as possible from the final aspect... Raw feel about something inside the particular character... Also, you do lots of them, but for some reason one sketch appeals more than others. And you never really know why. I suppose that actual casting choice depends on a particular life moment you're in, as you yourself must act all of 'em ... All in all, it's a mixture of impressions I do not really know how to clarify (maybe intimately don't want to have it defined)...;

In what ways, if any, have you altered your normal approach to storytelling when working on Scalped? 

Well, it is different from what I'm used of in European album/book/style comics, but true answer would be - no, not real alteration included. I think it could be called adjustment...It's all about the story, really, so from some point on, it's simply other language using the same words. It just looks different because of the type of publication, but inside me happens the same thing: I try to tell a story visually...;

How would you describe the style you are using on the project?

Awh....Realistic maybe, but I'm too close to it to know (or to want to know). It's mine too much... When I work, I (like to) feel that the "Scalped" style existed long time before it was written or drawn, we're just trying to help this story to be on it's natural path...Y'know, to help it breathe "exclusively Scalped" life environment...;

Are you working traditionally (i.e., from full script)? 

Yes. But I like to jump pages or sequences. With no particular reason... It's a vice, I know...;

Do you have any plot interaction with Jason? 

We'd write more about things like movies, dialogues, music...I think this interacts afterwards, while each of us actually work alone, but precise moves are left to ones decision. I never felt I should, or had to, interfere there. If I write about plot to him, it's because it's fun to say it, or opens some interesting subject to talk about...;

Do shortcomings in the script lead to frustration for you or do you rework the story to correct the error (in conjunction with Jason or otherwise)?

With Jason this was never the case, his scripts fit like a glove to me, really.  And I rarely keep my mouth shut if something doesn't fit.  To me, it's the other way around - wonder is that he approves my pages so much, as I tend to see there lots of discussable spots... But shortcomings in general - yes, in my career I did have to fill gaps like these (lots of times)...I don't call it good experience, but I say you do learn a lot about yourself. It's kind of test, because writer rarely knows he did this, or if he does twas never "on purpose", so you're in a danger of war there, and we're supposed to be on the same side...All in all it doesn't have to be all-frustration. It can bring problems, yes, but is also great accomplishment if you're lucky enough to succeed... Or just plain fond of improvisation (which I am)...;

What sort of working relationship do you have with Jason?

After he writes it, I read it. Than I say “WOW!” & start drawing it as soon as Will confirms the draft. I'm working on 6th book now & this has happened exactly 6 times, so in one word: excellent... As long as I keep the dynamics & dialogues as written, he lets me change anything I want:  house, order or number of panels, even the mood... In return, absolutely every time I finish the page, I (almost) demand Jason to confirm that it's OK with him, as if not, I couldn't  go on working until he's satisfied, or until we're both sure I had some really good reason behind it... But it should be pointed out that Will, his tact, timing or just plain experience largely encourage all this. He and his assistant Casey Seijas are SO helpful in all this, simply priceless really. You get the feel that the reader already understood all you're working on. Even when doubting if something works, exchange of thoughts with them gives confidence all the time...;

How many pages a month can you comfortably produce?

Right now I do totally calmly 22 pencil & inked pages in a month & a half. I did lots of insane records in my career not to be afraid of dead lines ever again, but Will planned it in such a way that we'll be ahead at least 9 or10 books when the first one appears in bookstores. So he tells me all the time to do it exactly as I want it, not to think about time, & everything is going so smooth (his words), that I'm starting to be afraid of it. Y'know, outer space equilibrium is the only thing I fear... (There is something mysterious inside Will & Casey's act towards artists. You simply never ever sense tension or pressure. Nothing surprises them, ever. I have heard lots of stories about "American dead lines" & things like these. All fears I still don't know nothing about.
So, I thank "Thee"...)...;

What level of research do you feel these characters required?

As much as one can find. All the related movies I could get my eyes on, all National Geographic with "Powwow" photos, re-reading Dee Brown's "Wounded Knee" again & again...Ed Curtis' photos...Maybe I was lucky enough that my real research was done years ago, when I watched all those westerns, I really think there are very few in western movie history I haven't seen... But, I don't do too much sketches once characters are accomplished, I leave that to be inspired with the dynamics script requires, it is THEN that I do it & it's mostly pretty rough drawing... But than again, I'm capable of changing the entire, finished page if it doesn't tell the story. Two or three times - as average when it refuses to "work"...For me, if there's not story behind the drawing, it's just an empty aesthetics exercise...Doesn't offer much...It must have life of some kind behind the line you make - it is than it appeals to me, and I'm capable of doing it endlessly...;

Do you maintain a comic collection for research?

No. My comic collection is for having a good time once or twice a year with each title & then I like to forget about it. To keep looking at it requires state of emotion that is expendable, and it's easily the very same one you'll need afterwards while doing your own stuff, so while creating it, you won't be gallant enough, your nerve could be spent... When I do look at them, if not for short analysis, than it's in order to envy the good times its creator had with it. To remind myself on how much better I could be doing mine & that's about it...I have really lots of fiction in my studio, books, documents,  movies, comics, but I think that the real research is inside the non-fictional-old-fashioned-life. Nothing tops that...;

You are inking your own pencils on this project. Do you prefer this to a third party providing the finishes? Why?

Well, my pencils & roughs are SO rough, that I really doubt anybody could do anything with them...When working on a page, I very rarely define too much in pencil, as it sucks life from inking if you try to do the same thing once already done...I mean, what's the point?... I try to pencil to define, but I'd stop while it's still "rough enough", so while inking - to have the feeling that I'm simply finalising the pencil... I think this profession is  privileged enough as it is: we are expressing our beings here, not "just our hands or imagination"...And so I think it's natural & part of the same job to do both pencil AND ink yourself. No more no less than natural…Well - to me, it should be said...I'm not against anything here...Question of personal choice, I suppose...;

For you, as an artist, what was the most challenging aspect of the project?

To tell a good story. If you do it as a good story should be done, that's a challenge enough... And also - let’s say - being yourself inside the variety of characters, interiors, landscapes. Achieving honesty to all-of-them by using all-of-you...Trying to expand your personality to these limits... But I think that the main condition is to have the NEED to tell a good story...