Interview with Bernard Chang Pt. 2
This is an ongoing series where I interview API comic writers and artists with questions that dig a little deeper into who they are, how they got into comics, and what their thoughts are on API identity in the comic book industry.
Quick Bio: Bernard Chang is an Asian American artist/designer, best known for his work in the comic book industry and entertainment design. Bernard has been tied to iconic comics such as Wonder Woman, X-Men, and Superman, and is currently at the helm of the Batman Beyond comic series. Back in 1992, Bernard successfully pushed to have a mainstream comic with an Asian American lead superhero character named Dr. Mirage.
Here we go with the last part of my interview with Bernard Chang, where he shares more about current projects, as well as how far Asian Americans have come since he’s started in the industry.
King, a recent comic of yours, is a story about the last human survivor of the apocalypse (Asian American!) who unfortunately lives each day working at the Los Angeles Department of Reclamation for the new populace (mutants, aliens, dinosaurs). Love the artwork on this. How did the idea for the story come about? Any plans to go beyond 5 issues for this story?
Thanks. Throughout my professional career, a large part of enjoyment from the craft comes from working with people you like and respect. Josh Fialkov, Marcelo Maiolo and I were suppose to have worked together a few years ago on “Green Lantern Corps” for DC comics, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out. Since then, Josh and I would bump into each other at comic book conventions and always chat about maybe doing something together. When “King” came up, almost all of the stars aligned… and when I asked the magic question, “let’s make the lead an Asian American male”, it fell into place! The book is about the last human on earth, where all the apocalypses have occurred at once, so you have zombies, aliens, dinosaurs, etc, and he works for the Los Angeles Department of Reclamation and his last assignment is to find the “seed of life”, which is a mythical item that has the power to repopulate the earth.
It was a very fun project, albeit exhaustive since I was also drawing Batman Beyond monthly for DC comics. At the end of the day, it was very rewarding to own your own property. Jet City Comics, which is part of Amazon, published the books and the graphic novel was made available May 18th, both in paperback and kindle. Josh has floated some ideas to push the story past this first arc, but right now I’m just trying to take it easy and enjoy my newly-married life and only one book a month. I’ve really noticed a difference in my wife, Amy’s, attitude towards me since I wrapped up king.
You’ve been in the comics game since 1992 (congrats)! Can you share more about what it was like as an Asian American back then in the biz, and what it’s like now? What has changed?
The comic book industry is, in my opinion, the only American entertainment medium that has a fairly hefty list of Asian American professionals in the forefront. From the top on down, there is a good number of brothas and sistas creating some of the top books coming out today! If you stroll down artists alley at any major comic book convention, you will not only see a sizable representation of artists and writers behind the tables, but also fans and readers of the books.
When I first started out, I was a big fan of Jim Lee, who is perhaps the most influential artist of the modern day comic book industry, and also now the co-publisher of DC comics! To see another “similar face” at the very top of the field I was looking to break into, helped give me much needed encouragement. At Valiant, I met one of my best friends, Sean Chen, another artist, and we had an instant bond. Although the people in the office would often get the two of us confused for one another (we look nothing alike), it helped forge a friendship that has lasted 23 years.
A few years ago, I was honored to participate in both volumes of “Secret Identities”, an anthology series which featured Asian American creators telling Asian American superheroes stories.
I make a conscious effort to draw all ethnicities and to draw them with specific ethnic features and not just to add brown tone on their skins.
And major companies are also making efforts to launch multi-ethnic casts in their books. DC comics just announced a new title called “New Super-Man”, written by Gene Luen Yang, about a Chinese teenager who gets infused with the powers of Superman. I mean, that’s fucken amazing! And we should all go out and buy multiple copies to support!
In my own efforts, I always try to populate the stories I draw in a diverse world. I make a conscious effort to draw all ethnicities and to draw them with specific ethnic features and not just to add brown tone on their skins. But we shouldn’t be too satisfied, because things aren’t exactly “equal” just yet. There is still much more work to be done. More paths to be paved. Everyone needs to do their part, whether it’s to create new properties, or supporting projects making those efforts.
Okay geeky question. If the powers at be decide to make a live-action movie using your Batman Beyond run as the source and they gave you full power to pick the cast, who would be in it and why? #AABatman?
I don’t focus much on movie interpretations of comics. My passion and drive is purely on the comics medium in its literary format. I want to make the most kick ass comics you can read. Hollywood has it’s own ongoing racial inequalities and it becomes enraging just talking about it, which is quite often these days. And don’t even get me started on this “Ghost in the Shell” or “Doctor Strange” thing.
Off the top of my head, either Daniel Dae Kim or John Cho would make an awesome Batman Beyond, but I’m also sure there are a field of yet-to-be-discovered brothers or sisters that can step into that spot with equal shine. And I would push to make a cameo as terry’s teacher (to show my mom i did become a professor, haha). But really, we should get someone to make a King movie or cartoon.
