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The Comics Interpreter - George Pratt
The Comics Interpreter - George Pratt
The Comics Interpreter - George Pratt
George Pratt has had an enigmatic career. laboring over) produced authentic aircraft the flesh. Be it feudal Japan, Vietnam, or a
Despite being one of the finest painters that would’ve made George Evans proud, World War, Pratt’s fascination with large-
ever to work in comics, his name still rare- and military uniforms that might’ve even scale human conflict is one that even the
ly comes up in typical debates about the forced Harvey Kurtzman to keep the cap artist can’t explain fully. Still Pratt’s rumi-
medium’s best practitioners. Maybe that’s sealed on his red corrections pen. While nations on the brutality of war are perpetu-
because in the public consciousness Pratt’s not a huge hit stateside, the book’s depth, ally relevant, and never moreso than in
not easily associated with any one charac- artistry and attention to detail nonetheless eras of false patriotism, jingoism, and war
ter or series, any resulted in multiple translations worldwide profiteering. All of which sadly symbol-
one publisher, and Pratt recieved personal accolades from ize new millennium America.Thankfully
or even World War veterans touched by his empa- we’re not quite a half-decade into the next
thy and respectful accuracy. thousand years. But given his past history
While Enemy Ace was clearly a labor and current interests it figures that George
of love for the then-budding artist, Pratt will continue to touch on similar
George Pratt continues to put ample themes in his future projects, regardless of
the political climate. No doubt he’ll also
continue to pour the same ar-
tistic vigor and passion
for the craft into
any particular
movement. If he had research, energy,
come from an earlier gen- and creative vitality
eration he might have been a into even his most commercial
perfect fit for EC, and likely routinely projects. Never shortchanging the
placed in the pantheon among some of readers or himself in the process. Pratt sty-
the medium’s most respected and revered mies lazy conventional criticism that artists
artists. As it is, Pratt is still most readily can’t imbue mainstream work with person-
identified with his first significant com- al statement by infusing his own themes
ics work, Enemy Ace, which is easily as and interests into even the most crass com-
complex and textured as the best of EC’s mercial characters. To that end he was rec- his work,
legendary war comics. The 1990 graphic ognized with a 2003 Eisner Award as Best regardless of shal-
novel, published in DC’s premier format Painter/Multimedia Artist for his work on low trends and false
was based on the character created by Wolverine: Netsuke. In that work, as well movements; undaunt-
Robert Kanigher and originally drawn by as his 2000 graphic novel Batman: Harvest ed by inferior artists
Joe Kubert, and immediately announced Breed, Pratt still managed sequences de- trumping his sales, if not
Pratt as a formidable talent within the tailing the stark horrors of war and the in- his considerable talents.
medium.The intensely researched Enemy evitable human toll; both emotional and of
Ace (which Pratt spent three years
Robert Young: Let’s start with your own artistic development? to level out and you have to work
various artistic peers? You’re good harder to continue to grow. The nat-
friends with Jeff Jones, Jon Muth, Pratt: Early on, cer- ural tendency is to slow down and
Kent Williams, Bill Koeb, John Van tainly, that played a sort of repeat oneself. That’s death.
Fleet, Scott Hampton, and Tommy much bigger role than Complacency is murder. I continu-
Lee Edwards, among others. Is it it does now, at least in approach and ally struggle to find ways to interest
just a case of all the painterly types technique. Now we just sort of help myself as I work.
in comics sticking together? Mutual bolster each other and keep each
aesthetic? other in line or keep each other Young: Outside of your circle of
cranking. A nice support group. But friends are there any current comics
George Pratt: Well, John Van Fleet, early on Kent Williams and I spent artists whose work you particularly
Kent Williams, Mark Chiarello and loads of time together figuring out admire?
myself all went to school together drawing and painting. Kent was my
and became friends there. We found real spiritual painter buddy and we Pratt: Dave Mazzuchelli’s work is
that we had the same influences, learned an awful lot from each oth- always fantastic, and he’s a super
generally, and that sort of pulled us er. One would stumble onto some- nice guy. Mike Mignola’s work I
together artistically. Scott Hampton thing and pass it on to the other. It always enjoy as well. Mike does go
I met while in school, as well as Jeff was an extremely exciting time for back to the old days when we were
Muth. Jeff I met at a convention us. When you’re just all in school, though he was in Cali-
while in school and he sort of took starting out everything fornia we met several times in New
me under his wing and allowed me is a plateau, growth York. Most of the comics that really
to come to upstate New York to comes in great turn me on are either European or
paint with him. Very strides. As you get from the 40’s - 70’s. Milton Caniff,
cool. So there’s no older those pla- Hugo Pratt, Alex Toth, Noel Sickles,
conscious thought teaus start Dino Battaglia, Attilio Michelluzzi,
there of everyone Jacques Tardi, Hermann, etc. Just
sticking together brilliant stuff. These days I really
because of the enjoy Dave Cooper’s work, Dave
painter thing, just McKean’s work, mostly
a by-product of the work he writes
knowing each himself, Seth,
other. Happenstance. Jeff Brown
and Chester
Young: How big a role do your
artist friends play in how you
approach your work and in your