Superhero Superstar: An interview with Mike Zeck

Ask any self-respecting comic book fan to come up with a list of books they’d consider to be among the best and chances are you’d find Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars and Kraven’s Last Hunt at the very top.

This is not surprising. After all, both books are considered landmarks in comic book history: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars was the first major crossover event to be published, while Kraven’s Last Hunt solidified the graphic novel — then widely considered as a book format fit only for children — as a major player when it came to serious storytelling.

The two books too, have one other thing in common: they both feature illustrations from esteemed artist Mike Zeck.

I got to chat with the noted artist — he’s among the guests and panelists in this year’s AsiaPOP Comicon — during which we got to talk about his art, his creative process, his favorite characters, and yes, the Internet’s impact on the comic industry.

Here, our conversation:

How did you get started in the comic book industry?

I never wanted to do anything else! As far back as I could remember, I always surrounded myself with comic books, even as a toddler during the early 1950s. By the time I was in elementary school, I already knew what I wanted to do when I grew up — draw comics. I never stopped practicing and working toward that goal throughout my school years, including my college years at Ringling School of Art.

By the early 1970s, a combination of my work for fanzines and an art portfolio, which I submitted to publishers, eventually led to professional work.

What’s a common misconception that people have about the comic book industry?

Throughout my 40+ years in the industry, almost everyone who discovered what I did for a living confessed to never giving any real thought to what or who was involved in creating those comic books that appeared at newsstands and on spinner racks every month. It seemed that my fellow creators and I, who were easily spending an entire month to create 22 pages of art, were in most part working in anonymity.

Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars (1984-1985) was the very first major crossover story to get published. How does it feel, being part of that historic endeavor? Did you expect the story to blow up the way it did?

It’s pretty much impossible to plan success, so no, we didn’t expect the stellar sales numbers that were to come. The thing that makes me proudest of that series, and what I consider to be it’s greatest success, is the amount of new readers it generated.

At every single convention I’ve attended since that series was published, a large number of fans point to a Secret Wars issue as their entry point into comics fandom. I can think of other comics series which have sold well but none which have brought that amount of new readers into the industry.

Secret Wars saw the introduction of Spider-Man’s black suit, which, as fans would come to know, eventually became the iconic character Venom. How does it feel, seeing that character take on new life in recent storylines?

When I designed that costume, I thought Spider-Man might wear it for just a few months, go back to his red and blue suit, with the black costume eventually forgotten. Now more than thirty years later, I sit at convention booths and see my design passing by on costumes, t-shirts, hoodies, action figures, toys, and more.

The alien costume from Secret Wars eventually giving birth to the Venom storyline ensured that my design would live on forever, and I couldn’t be happier.

You worked on another crowd-favorite, Kraven’s Last Hunt, which, noticeably, was a lot darker and more mature in tone compared to the other Spider-Man titles that came before it. What were your initial reactions when you first got hold of the story’s script?

When I received and read the story plot from J M DeMatteis, my initial thought and my thought to this day, was that I was about to illustrate one of the best Spider-Man stories ever written. My hope was that fans would react as I did to the story and I’m pleased that they did. Very gratifying to see that story considered as a “must-read” Spider-Man arc even 30 years later.

Out of all the projects you worked on, do you have a favorite?

As a fan and reader, I always liked Captain America. It was a bit of a “dream come true” experience to later grow up and pencil that title.

As for my own projects, The Punisher Limited Series and the Kraven’s Last Hunt story arc are favorites. With our vision of the Punisher, writer Steven Grant and I were able to define the character and raise him to flagship status at Marvel Comics. My collaboration with writer J M DeMatteis on the Kraven saga is still considered to be one of the greatest Spider-Man stories of all time in many polls. Very gratifying.

You have been in the comic book industry for three decades now. What do you think is the biggest change in the industry so far?

Abandoning newsstand distribution in favor of direct sales.
I grew up seeing spinner racks or comics displays everywhere my parents took me: the grocery store, the pharmacy, the five and dime stores, convenience stores, newsstands, etc. It’s sad for me that recent generations no longer have that exposure and access to comic books.

What does it take to be successful as a comic book artist?

For me discipline is the key to freelance work. If you can get up, tidy yourself, gather your reference, sit yourself down at the drawing table, and put in the necessary hours, you’ll likely succeed. Without it, the self-employed world may not be for you.

What are your thoughts on the impact of the Internet and social media on comic book artists and writers today?

For me it’s receiving too many emails to answer! As a fan, I didn’t know where any of my favorite artists lived nor had any way to contact them. Kind of a mixed bag with me now since I’m always happy to hear from fans or connect with them at conventions. At times, it can become something of a part time job though.

By far, what’s the most rewarding part of being a comic book artist?

I achieved a lifelong dream. It allowed me the opportunity to travel the world and mingle with other fans and fellow creators. And it gave me the honor of inspiring a younger generation of comic book fans just as those who came before me inspired me.

This interview first appeared in the pages of GIST Magazine.

Special thanks to AsiaPOP Comicon.