POP MHAN: "Yo! Where da battle at?"
An interview with Pop “…dead hooker on my bed, and a hypodermic needle in my arm” Mhan by Jonathan Ellis.

Pop Mhan is the ever evolving artist of such titles as GHOST RIDER, FLASH and the recent SPYBOY. Straight out of Bangkok, Thailand this artist is like a chameleon, taking on titles and adapting his art style to make the book look the best it can. From a varied number of influences, Pop Mhan’s art style will intrigue and entice you.

What art education do you have?

I came here [from Bangkok] when I was three, and attended county schools. As far as art training in particular, I took classes in high school and one in college. I actually wanted to be an architect so I didn't really take many classes in drawing and art beyond what was necessary for the architectural curriculum.

How did you break into the biz? What was your first published work?

One person had a big hand in helping me break into the business. My mentor, Hoang Nguyen. He drew the PUNISHER for a bit, and he lived right in the same area I did. When I was first collecting comics, the idea of drawing them was more of a novelty for me. Then I met Hoang who made the idea of drawing professionally much more tangible.
I later bacame Hoang's assistant helping him on some projects, and my first published work (although not credited) was LAWDOG VS. GRIMROD: ALIEN LEGION for Marvel Epic. What I did on the book was horrible, but thankfully Hoang was very patient with me.
I worked with Hoang for about a year and when I went to a 1994 Chicagocon, I was picked up by Jim Lee and became part of Wildstorm.

What were the great trials & tribulations you had to face to gain entry to the comics industry?

Well, first off, one of the greatest trials was the practicing in and of itself. Since I wasn't formally trained, I knew I had to work harder than the next guy in order to develop enough skills that I may break in. The other was actually hounding Hoang Nguyen until he just gave up and made me his assistant.

Your art has been an active and noticeable transition through your career, from UNION to ASYLUM to MARVEL FANFARE to FLASH, are you on a constant evolution of your art or do you adapt your style to fit with each of the books you work on?

Ok, the question I get most. First, I have the attention span of a fruit fly; eg. I get bored of how I am drawing VERY easily. I am also never satisfied with my work. I feel that I am always evolving, and I would really hate to be stuck on an artistic plateau where I draw the same thing day in and day out. I think that other artists can do that and be great, but I don't think that is me. That is more likely a fault in my art, but I have to explore artistically, or otherwise I would be bored to death during my career. However, I am currently working on one thing that I have never worked on, and that is consistency. Also true is that I try to adapt my style to fit the book. Most importantly, I want the book to look good.

There's obviously the cartoon and manga influence in your art, but also a very keen attention to detail, who were your influences that caused you to combine these aspects into your artwork?

Hoang Nguyen, Jim Lee, Aron Wiesenfeld, and more recently, any manga I can get my grubby hands on.

Why comics?

If I didn't have comics, you would probably see me on Hard Copy or COPS in a hotel somewhere with a dead hooker on my bed, and a hypodermic needle in my arms. Good thing, eh?

Favourite characters? Heroes? Villains? Flaming furry demi-gods?

Furry demi-Gods? You must be referring to my editor Phil Amara, God of the Underworld.

Most influential Author?

Thomas Jefferson. He wrote the Declaration Of Independence, and by golly, how many people's lives has that influenced?

Favourite old school artist? Writer?

Alex Toth kicks butt. Stan Lee was doing some great things in the day, I hear, but all of that was a little before my time.

Best Kirby creation?

Silver Surfer

Most under appreciated creator currently in the biz?

Casey Jones is a tremendous artist, but not too many people has heard about him yet. This guy rocks the house a little too hard, and next time I see him, I'll just have to break his wrists.

Worst fanboy experience?

I like fanboys. I think everyone should have some, I don't have any yet, but soon, I tell you, soon.

Proudest body of work?

I think SPYBOY is the best thing I have done so far. It's the combination of all of the experience I've developed over the years.

Advice to those trying to make it in the Biz today?

Practice hard, anybody can do this. Lastly, find an artist who's currently working, and hound him/her until they let you be their assistant.

What has been your favourite book to work on?

SPYBOY.

Current titles everyone SHOULD be reading?

FLINCH from DC, Vertigo.

Favourite character(s), title(s) to hopefully some day work on?

Maybe X-Men, definitely Spider-man. I would like another shot at Ghost Rider.

Upcoming projects?

For now, it's just SPYBOY.

For all those out there, what is SPYBOY all about?

SPYBOY chronicles the adventures of a boy named Alex Fleming who was trained by the bad guys as a baby to be a sleeper agent; spy. His father takes him on the run and has been on the run until recently, when a good friend of theirs was captured and forced to tell the baddies the whereabouts of Alex. The baddies find him, activate the sleeper agent and all hell breaks loose. Alex is forced to find out who he really is: a dangerous international spy, or a teenager just trying to make it through school.

Must be interesting for you, sort of like being allowed to mix james bond with degrassi?

I vaguely remember a tv show called Degrassi High, same one?

What's your dream project? If you could work with any companies, characters, writers, artists, no restrictions, no rules, complete creative freedom, crossover as many characters from as many different companies as and if you wanted without any complaints, put together whatever creative teams you wanted, and no one would stop you, what would you do?

Hahaha it depends on some things. One, (and people will hate me for it) I would like to take over X-men. And then kill almost all of them. I think the X-men are jaded in the fact that they are in a state of impermanence. I would like to kill off a bunch of them and start over with a new generation. Not like Generation X, but like a whole new X-men, with the surviving X-men as their mentors. In order to work, it would have to take place in the current continuum and not one of those cheesy "alternate dimensions" thing. I think that people will be pissed, but hey. A change is needed in order to breathe new life into the book. Heck, the whole comics medium. The impermanence, I tell ya! If a hero dies, god bless him, lay him to rest. He doesn't need to rise back up, all stinking like, and sayin' "yo, where da battle at?"

O-Kay, 'twinkle-twinkle', poof! Genie Jon declares you are now master of the X, who lives? Who dies? And what up with the newbies?

Ok, Cyclops and Jean Grey bite the big one (hard), Reason: To me, X-Men's foundation and stability has always drawn from the strength of this couple. They are practically the institution that the X-men are founded on. I would kill them off as a toppling of symbolic X-men infrastructure. Which is also a sign of the end of the old and in with the new. Their death has to be very classy though.

The next to go is Storm. Her death has to be gruesome. Why? Tons o' reasons. The way I would handle offing her would be to break her down emotionally. She has such a hard edged personality that at times, I feel that she's rather unapproachable. I think that a lot of people like her for that, and that's cool. But I want people to see her real feelings, that I feel she hides underneath. Maybe for only a brief second (for dramatic effect) before she get beat down. Why? Because could you imagine the hatred and emotion that the audience would have towards the antagonist at that point? Impact. The Bad Guy would be put in a class of his own.

I would make Wolverine one of the guru's that would teach the next wave of X-men. He has that side of him that would a great teacher. You don't know when he's going to get a rage on and beat his students for mistakes, or wisely scold them. He's the sage and barbarian all rolled in one. Good stuff.

Comics journalism, in any form, how important is it?

I say that journalism is great. It's the fine line between whether it's objective or a "paid advertisement" that is the problem.

So how does a day in the life of 'Pop Mhan' work out?

Oh man, I wake up at around 8:00 am every morning. I work (I do a lot of designing for companies like Hasbro Interactive and Creative edge Software) on design work, then I draw some layouts (or finishes, depending on the day) then I go to bed. Kinda boring actually.....

Anything we'd recognize?

Ummmm....I did designs for some of the Beast Machines Transformers on the new Transformers TV show. Yes I tried to get them to go back to the cars, but I just didn't have enough pull....

Just how did you get the name 'Pop' anyway?

I was born in Thailand. Most Thai people don't have middle names. We get a first name, last name and a nick name. Mine was Pop.

You've just been given a chance to rework the industry, starting with the major publishers and distribution companies, what do you do, what DO you do?

Kill everybody!!!!!!!!! Raaaarrrrrrraaaapptthhb!!!!!!! First I think the major companies really need to do a "house cleaning" of their stall of characters. I have always been a fan of stories that have a lasting impression. True that if you were to kill off Wolverine, you will have many people freaking out and Marvel may lose their icon. But, if you were to REALLY kill off some of the major characters in a memorable story that touches your soul. I believe that fans will be back for more. Surely they won't have Wolverine or some other major player anymore, but the fans will have renewed faith in the company in that they are able to produce a good book. It's kinda hard to explain. But for instance, in the movies: Production House A makes a kick ass flick about a hero who does some cool things, teaches a lesson, but in the end he dies. The movie is over, but people will come back for more! It's not necessarily the death of a hero, but the impact of the story. It's all about the story.
My point, companies nowadays are too set on a formula. So much so that I feel they are prisoners of their product. They no longer have the freedom to tell a good story for fear of the outcome. I know this might sound horrible, but I think companies need to listen less to the voice of a few fanatical fans and tell a beautiful story that will renew faith to older readers, and pave the way for new readers to come. Heck I am a fan. Lord knows the last time I actually READ an issue of X-men. I collected and read that title fanatically for about 2 years. In the end I quit because I realized that nothing new is happening on the book. MOST books on the market now.
I say that companies need to remember that this wonderful medium we are working in is a vehicle for telling stories, not an advertisement for merchandising.

Finish these sentences;
Right now, in the industry we need more...

People that want to do and are doing quality books (oh and at cheaper cost)

And less...

Whiners.

In Japan they make books at a rate that would make me cry to try to attempt. I think a lot of artists here have a lot of excuses (I have a BIG book full of them myself) as to why we aren't doing the same. They slave away at making funny books. I think some artists here get caught up in the glits and glamour side of comics and forget the job we are trying to do. Lord knows I'm sometimes like that too.

another one of those oh so fun interview games; here's how it works, I say the name of a certain creator and you say whatever comes to mind. Here goes;

Garth Ennis

On my wish list of writers to work with...

Grant Morrison

Also on the list...

Mark Waid

Got the chance and loved every minute of it...

Ted McKeever

Has more artistry in his ear wax than I do in my entire being... he's one of my idols.

Steve Ditko

I really don't know that much about Steve Ditko, because he is a bit before my time. But I heard that he's great.

Matt Wagner

He's another of my idols. I have all f his GRENDEL work.

Joe Kelley

A hell of a nice guy, and a very great writer. On my wish list also.

Neil Gaiman

On my "That writer is too damn good" wish list. I tried to sell my soul to be able to work work with Mr. Gaiman, but the devil laughed in my face and said,"You're not good enough to ever work with that dude."

Dave Sim

A genius.

Kevin Eastman

My childhood memory of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Warren Ellis

This is one insanely great writer. Also on the list.

Peter David

Was on the list, and again, I am having a great time learning from him.

Frank Miller

One of my influences.

Scott McCloud

Made me understand comics a lot better. A genius.

Alex Garner

The best inks I have ever had on my work. He is one of the best draftsmen in the business.

Jim Lee

He is the reason for everything that I am today. Without Jim, I would be flipping burgers fulltime, instead of part-time.

Carl Potts

Before my time. But also heard some great things about him.

Alan Moore

See Neil Gaiman......

Before we go, tell us something no one else knows. Something you've never told anyone...

If I went toe to toe with Stone Cold Steve Austin...
He'd kick my ass.

And now...
Plug time! This is where you plug as many things as you want, comics, websites, movies, your homemade cotton candy, novels, anything old, new, current and upcoming, cow hearts, where to buy your books, scripts, your 'through the mail learning courses' to earn diplomas in gynecology, and whatever else. Anything that could somehow lead to so much cash in your pocket you could take it all out and make a couch, a cash couch, a couch, made out of cash. And then you could have people over and say 'Check out my couch. It's a cash couch. A couch made out of cash. Sweet eh'?

Thanks a lot guys!

Pop

PopImage and I would like to thank Pop for participating in this interview and recommend you check out SPYBOY while you’ve still got the chance. Also check out The Pop Mhan Collection

All characters, titles, images mentioned or shown are copyright and trademark their respective creators.

Jonathan Ellis is Interviews Editor for PopImage.

Back

Attitude | ProFile | Industrial
Interviews | Reviews | Pi Comics
Talkback | Archives | Gallery