First Comics News: How does being an artist enrich your life?
Mahmud: The thing about making art is just that – Making art. There is joy, frustration, learning, discovery, and satisfaction in it. That is why I do it and it gives me purpose. Aside from that, sharing my work with the world and having it bring entertainment and meaning to others is pretty gratifying. Finally, earning a living with what I enjoy most doing is the ultimate bonus, I suppose.
1st: What was your first comic book published art and how did you feel when you saw it in print?
Mahmud: I guess I have a few answers to this. I first published some fanzines. Was a great learning experience and a great way to start. Later I made some work that got published in independent publications. These led to my first break-out work which was Dynamo 5 with Jay Faerber. It was a wonderful experience. Starting with a creator-owned book was a very eye-opening experience in many ways. It was a pleasure and a sign that I made it in the business.
1st: Your “Giant-Sized Hulk # 1” Variant Cover looks amazing how did you achieve such a powerful action-packed drawing?
Mahmud: I was given the concept of Hulk being on a train chase. There were a few ways to handle it but showing the front of the train would probably lead to featuring Hulk less prominently. So, I thought he’d be breaking through the back of the train. Of course, with a lot of destruction behind him. The recent theme of the Hulk series involves some horror elements so I tried to make him look scary and menacing.
1st: Do you enjoy doing different variant covers with different characters in them?
Mahmud: Yes! It’s a chance to break away from my regular work and flex my artistic muscles in different ways. Also, I get the chance to itch some scratches in regards to drawing characters or situations that I normally wouldn’t get a chance to. And since I’m not under contract anymore I get to work on a wider variety of books. Unfortunately, as illustrators, we don’t get to work on multiple projects at the same time as most writers do nowadays. This way, I get to play with other things while working on my book.
1st: For the ” Edge of Spider-Verse # 1″ Foil Variant Cover you got to draw a lot of different Spider characters did you have a favorite of the ones you drew?
Mahmud: I think the most fun was the new spooky Spider character just because it was very different. Also, the cyborgSpider-Mann was a fun throwback to my youth.
1st: You got to draw Lobo in the “Superman 2023 Annual”Whatt characteristics did you bring out for him in your art?
Mahmud: I love the punk-y crazy side the character has. So that was the priority when I was portraying him. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to draw him much. However, that was compensated by my getting to draw o whole bunch of Czarnians just as crazy as him.
1st: You worked on both DC and Marvel characters which one was your favorite character to draw?
Mahmud: I’ve enjoyed drawing most of the characters I worked on. However, I’ve always been a fan. So, working on X-books and characters like Jean Grey, Storm, and Wolverine has been the most enjoyable.
1st: How was “Dynamo 5” created and any chance of it coming back?
Mahmud: As I said earlier, Dynamo 5 was a great way to start my career. First of all, I was happy to have such a talented and nice collaborator as Jay. We got to do our thing and I got to learn the ropes while doing it. It taught me a lot about being a professional while affirming that I am now part of this business and can realize my dream of becoming a comic book artist. I’ve always thought the concept of the story was strong and fun and would love to do more with them, however, working on my current creator-owned project has all my interest and time.
1st: Would you like to do more work with Conan, do you have any ideas on how to update his look?
Mahmud: He’s one of my favorite characters and I’ve had some of the best experiences working on Conan The Barbarian and King Conan. So, I’m sure I’ll end up doing something more with Robert E. Howard’s creation in the future. As far as updating his look, I wouldn’t change much aside from always trying to do better every time I draw him.
1st: Does Turkey have much of a comic community?
Mahmud: It’s been 10 years since I’ve been away from Turkey so I don’t have my finger on the pulse, per se. However, as far as I know, Turkey does have a decent comic community. Of course, it’s still a niche market so it’s not a large group. However, more artists are cropping up along with a growing readership as a lot of comics are being published. More than ever. Manga readership is growing exponentially too.
1st: How do you feel about doing commissions and have you ever had any strange requests?
Mahmud: Making commissions is enjoyable for the most part. It’s usually not very draining in terms of brain power but it is very satisfactory along with being a chance to practice. I find it a great side benefit of the work that I do. As for strange requests – At one of my first convention appearances, a client asked for a sketch of their pet parrot. I found this to be both unexpected and endearing.
1st: What projects of yours are you currently working on?
Mahmud: I’m working hard on BUG WARS, a new series we are cooking up with writer Jason Aaron. It’s about a kid who ends up shrunk in the backyard of his house to discover warring clans of tiny people who live with and among insects. It’s “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” meets “Game of Thrones”, in a way. Comes out on February 12th from Image Comics.
1st: If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?
Mahmud: Right now? I’d love super speed so I could draw faster.
1st: What would you like to say to the many fans of your art?
Mahmud: Always appreciate knowing people enjoy my work and/or get something out of it. Being a comic book artist can lead to a very isolated life. It’s good to know what I do positively affects people. Also, it is because of their interest in what I do is how I earn a living and contribute to my family. So, in short, I’d say thank you!
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