Interview: Justin Jordan And Brad Walker On 'New Guardians'

From MTV Geek

As we reported this morning, up-and-comers Justin Jordan and Brad Walker will be the new team on the Green Lantern spinoff book "New Guardians." We caught up with Jordan and Walker to get the scoop on this new phase of the popular comic book.

Justin Jordan Interview:

GEEK: You're currently working with the adventures of Superboy, and now you're making the leap deep into space; how do you make that transition as your write?

JUSTIN JORDAN: With some difficulty. Heh. There is a mental gear shift I need to do. "Superboy" is a pretty big book, in terms of the action and the kind of things we can do - it's good book to take advantage of the idea that comics have no budget, so I can have Superboy batting a character into outerspace using a skyscraper as a bat.

"New Guardians" is like that too, only waaaaay more so. The books are, obviously, taking place on this titanic scale, with an operatic feel to it. So, you know, BIG. So getting my head in the right space for that is a mental adjustment. It's miles away from, say, "Team 7" or "Luther Strode". Looking at a lot of old school space opera helps. This isn't quite that, but it gets me in the right ball park, brainwise.

GEEK: How much of the previous tone and continuity will you retain on this title; or are you going off on an unique new direction?

JORDAN: Continuitywise, everything that happened stays having happened. Wait, does that make sense? No retcons or such. But in the wake of the events in Geoff's final issues of "Green Lantern," things have changed, so we are taking the book in a new direction. Lots of changes there. For one thing, the title has just become a lot more literal.

GEEK: Were you a fan of the Green Lantern comics?

JORDAN: Sort of? I liked (and like) the books, but I go in and out of reading them. The idea behind it, of these people given the most powerful weapon in the universe and having to save it from itself, I really like. And I like the idea of stories that are unfolding on this giant scale, with consequences that are universe wide.

GEEK: Talk to me about artist Brad Walker: what is working with him like?

JORDAN: It's early days, yet, but I really like Brad's work, and I hope I can write something that gives him fun stuff to do. Be a shame to waste all that talent.

GEEK: I know you can't give away any spoilers, but is there going to be any surprises we might see in your "New Guardians" run?

JORDAN: A few, I hope! One of the big ones is what exactly Kyle's role in the GL corner is going to be after the First Lantern arc. But I've got a few things up my sleeve.

Brad Walker Interview:

GEEK: You have a bit of experience drawing "cosmic" comic books...do you have a preference between "street level" and "galactic" stories?

BRAD WALKER: I love doing cosmic stuff. Growing up, I was probably more of a street level fan, but what I think I loved about that was the connection to humanity, which you can still do in cosmic stories, and it almost plays better because of the contrast. And I love drawing the expansive scale and depth of outer space stories. Your imagination gets to run wild in terms of setting and FX. It's fantastic!

GEEK: What of your own personal style do you think you bring to "New Guardians," in terms of design?

WALKER: The design of the GL universe is already really strong. It's one of the reasons I feel privileged to have landed this particular job. The characters retain their classic simplicity and grace in appearance that goes back to the original Hal Jordan design. That's one of the best, ever. I draw plenty of detail and realistic elements, so I'm able to do that without getting bogged down in complicated, busy costumes that slow down the flow of the story or confuse the eye. And, as far as everything around the characters, the limit goes far beyond the sky, you know?

GEEK: What is it like working with Justin? Do you two have a collaborative relationship on this title?

WALKER: Well, we're just getting started so, fingers crossed, yeah, we can fall into a real collaborative groove. I'd love to be able to bring everything I can to the book and contribute beyond just transcribing the script; because that's when I think comics are at their best, when a couple people are all really working together and feeding off what each other are doing.

GEEK: Who is your favorite "New Guardian" to draw?

WALKER: This book has a strong cast. I tend to fall into one character in a series that I identify with, as a reader and an artist, putting myself in their place. I like Kyle Rayner. I was always a die hard Hal fan, but I could never help liking Kyle, even when he took Hal's place. I think he has that perfect everyman element to ground a science fiction story. You can see the bizarre and fantastic through his eyes and understand its scope, even though he's no longer a rookie. So, hopefully we'll pull that off!