5 Quick Questions with Liam Sharp

Liam Sharp is a British comic book artist, writer and publisher working mostly in the US marketplace.

Liam made his debut in the late 1980s drawing Judge Dredd for 2000ad. He later moved to Marvel UK, where he drew the best-selling Marvel UK title ever, Death's Head II. Thereafter he began working mainly in the United States on books as diverse as the X-Men, the Hulk, Spider-Man, Venom, Man-Thing (for Marvel Comics), Superman, Batman, and The Possessed (for DC Comics and Wildstorm), Spawn: The Dark Ages (for Todd McFarlane and Image) and Red Sonja for Dynamite comics.

Liam has also worked on more mature themed books for Verotik, drawing Frank Frazetta's The Death Dealer, and a strip originated by Stan Winston called Realm of the Claw.

In 2004 Sharp set up his own publishing company, MamTor™ Publishing, with wife Christina. This saw the launch of the critically acclaimed and award-winning anthology Event Horizon, and the prestigious collaboration with Mother (London) Advertising, Four Feet From a Rat, which appears as a quarterly comic in Time Out magazine.

Liam recently finished the controversial DC Vertigo title Testament with best-selling novelist and media commentator Douglas Rushkoff, and is currently drawing the comic adaptation of the seminal Xbox game Gears of War.

Liam also worked on designs for the movies Lost in Space, Small Soldiers and the animated series Batman Beyond.

Liam's critically acclaimed first novel GOD KILLERS: MACHIVARIUS POINT & OTHER TALES was published in 2008 with a second edition in 2009.

He agreed to answer 5 Quick Questions:




1) What would you say is your greatest achievement in comics?

Man, I've been so lucky I couldn't say any one thing. I started out assisting one of my heroes, the great Don Lawrence - who was knighted in Holland, sadly posthumously, where he's a national treasure - even though he was an Englishman through and through. I drew Dredd for 2000ad, a magazine I grew up on. I created the design for and drew Death's Head II which was the biggest selling comic ever to come out of the UK. I've drawn the Hulk, the XMen, Spiderman, Batman and Superman. I drew the Verotik comic of Frazetta's Death Dealer... all of these things were milestones, and far beyond any expectations I ever had for myself. It's nuts, really, looking back on that.

My most creative time was on Manthing I think, with J.M DeMatteis. We had an amazing time on that book, and again, Manthing was a character I loved as a kid. I also got to work on a book with brains - Testament with Douglas Rushkoff for Vertigo. For whatever reason I've found myself a drawer of monsters and muscles, which really doesn't reflect who I am, so Testament was important because of that.
But my GREATEST achievement would have to be the formation of Mam Tor Publishing with my wife Christina and art collector John Bamber. Event Horizon was produced during a fallow period for me, a time I thought I might have actually run my course career-wise (comics can burn up the best of us!) but Mam Tor gave me a chance to come back somewhat re-invented, and it let me spread my wings a little creatively, and also do some writing. We're publishing novels, artbooks and working with agencies like Mother (London) on projects I would never have been a part of had we not taken that chance. Event Horizon also launched a few careers, and that is enormously gratifying. It's been a busy career!

2) Who was your favorite writer or artist that you worked with & why?

Honestly, it's just not possible to say. It's like I don't have a favorite musical style or band, or type of clothing or color. I don't have a favorite anything because it changes all the time! I've loved different people and creatives for different reasons - De Matteis for his generosity and for letting me be part of a team, a real contributor to the story. Rushkoff for his wonderful, visionary content. ALL the guys who contributed to Event Horizon for their selflessness, goodwill and passion - and for trusting me. And, of course, Don Lawrence, who was my comics father.

3) What character you have never worked .., would you like to do & why?

Conan! And lord knows I've tried to get their attention! Somebody tell them to see sense! It's so OBVIOUSLY the book I was born to work on. LOL!>

4) Who are your influences?

Man, where to start - Don Lawrence, Moebius, Serpieri, Corben, Frazetta, Druillet, Bilal, Manara, Fabry, the Biz, Jim Lee, Sienkewicz, Al Williamson, Wrightson, BWS, Jeff Jones, Bolland, Liberatore, Wally Wood, Kaluta, Toppi... I could go on forever! You can never stop learning from the masters!

5) What hero or villain would you like to change if you could and why?

I made the Rhino a good guy in Death's Head II, which was fun. I have no strong feelings on this really. I'd only really think about it if I was writing a story about them, which hopefully I'll get to do more of in the future!

Check out Liam at his web site at http://www.liam-sharp.com