Unarchived: An Interview with Comic Book Artist, Image Comics Founder Erik Larsen
An Exclusive Interview with Comic Legend Erik Larsen
By Kyle Willis
When it comes to comic book legends, few names are as synonymous with creativity and dedication as Erik Larsen. With a career spanning decades, Erik has left his mark on titles like Vanguard, Teen Titans, Adventures of Superman, Amazing Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Aquaman.
In the early 1990s, Erik joined six Marvel Comics artists to form Image Comics—a bold move that changed the industry. Reflecting on their journey, Erik explained, “We wanted to create things on our own, guide our own destiny, and form Image Comics. It’s been a wonderful experience for all of us.”
Erik’s Savage Dragon is not only the longest-running title at Image but also the only one still written and illustrated by its creator. With such an incredible career, I was thrilled to interview Erik and dig deeper into his thoughts on comics, creativity, and his legendary journey.
The Interview
Kyle Willis: Hey man, I want to start off by thanking you for your time. I am a huge fan, and I know you’re a busy guy, so I really appreciate the opportunity to ask you a few questions. That being said, I’ll get right to it.
You’ve been around for some time now. Your roots are firmly planted in the business. How much do you think the industry has changed since you started drawing comics way back when?
Erik Larsen: It’s gotten a lot smaller—with worse distribution and a tighter focus on older readers, and the coloring and printing are a world apart.
KW: How do you think YOU have changed in this time?
EL: I would hope that I’ve improved a bit.
KW: I doubt many people know this about you, but you have a very distinctive overhand stance for holding your pen or pencil when you draw. How did this develop for you, and do you write the same way you draw?
EL: I picked up a pencil that way as a kid, and I’ve been holding it that way ever since. There’s nothing thought out about it. In the last couple of years, I’ve taught myself to hold my pencil properly so that I can write like a normal person and not have people look at me strange when I sign my name, but I have less control holding a pencil that way.
KW: How do you feel about signatures? Do you give them with a smile, or have they become a nuisance over the years?
EL: Oh, I’m totally fine with that. With a smile.
KW: Any regrets?
EL: None.
KW: Were you strictly an artist, or did you collect comics as a kid as well?
EL: I collected comics then, and I collect them now. I’ve always been a fan.
KW: What do your two sons think of comic books? Are they nerds like us? If so, do they favor your titles over others?
EL: Joe (12) will read Scott Pilgrim and Umbrella Academy, but he has no interest in comics, really. I’ve read him comics as bedtime stories growing up, but he doesn’t seek them out. His older brother Chris (15) is even less interested in them.
KW: All comic nerds have a holy grail. Being guilty myself, my most sought-after comic is framed in my living room. What is your holy grail, and have you obtained it yet?
EL: Not a single comic book—well, maybe Whiz #2, and I’ve got that. I’d like to get my hands on every Captain Marvel appearance Fawcett published (or reprints).
KW: Do you have a favorite character (besides the obvious Savage Dragon) that you just loved to draw?
EL: As a kid? No, not really. Later on, I’d love drawing the Hulk or Thor or the Thing or any other blocky, Kirby characters. But I generally prefer drawing my own characters these days. I could draw Angel and Mr. Glum all day long.
KW: Your original sketches and splash pages can be found for sale for upwards of a thousand bucks. Are there any pieces that you were unable to part with? Where are they?
EL: I don’t sell Savage Dragon art. That may change at some point because it’s really gotten out of control, but years ago I sold a page from Vanguard, and it just felt wrong—like I was selling a piece of myself. There are a few other pages that I have held onto: Thor pages inked by Klaus Janson and some Nova covers, but for the most part, I’m willing to part with stuff.
KW: Looking back on a fruitful career at all you have accomplished with Marvel, Image, Savage Dragon, and everything else, how does it feel?
EL: It feels fine. But I’m not a guy who dwells on past accomplishments. I’m more focused on the future and what I’m going to do than the past and what I have done.
KW: Savage Dragon was something you created as a child—a dream you breathed life into as an adult. Has the accompanying success from the comic series allowed you to animate any of your other childhood dreams?
EL: Not as much as you might think. The closest to that was when I redrew two stories I’d done as a teenager and worked them into continuity. When I started doing Savage Dragon, that was my goal—I started at a different place, but the goal was to get to those stories and then pick things up from that point. I’m almost 100 issues past that by now.
KW: When you stepped down from publisher at Image Comics, I think fans understood that you wanted to devote more time to your comic, and you passed the wheel to the man apparent for the job. How was it, though, steering the big ship for the years that you were publisher? Did you learn anything you didn’t already know?
EL: It was okay. I like talking to people and putting things together. It was rewarding in its own way, but I didn’t get into comics to be an administrator. I did my tour of duty and happily backed off. At that point in the game, there wasn’t a lot I didn’t know. I’d been an Image owner for years and closely involved in the process anyway.
KW: Who inspired you as a kid? Did you have a favorite comic artist before you got in the game yourself?
EL: Herb Trimpe was the first artist I knew by name. He was drawing The Incredible Hulk at the time, and I loved it. I still love that run. It’s an amazing piece of work. Later on, I discovered Jack Kirby, and it opened up a new world for me.
KW: Having worked alongside some of the most talented and influential artists in the business, is there really anyone out there that you would like to work with if given the chance?
EL: Not really. I’m pretty much happy with what I’ve done, and I’m quite happy to work with myself. If pressed to name somebody—Frank Miller, maybe. That might be fun.
KW: Do you have any scheduled appearances coming up? Where can fans see you in the near future?
EL: WonderCon in San Francisco, San Diego, Baltimore, and likely the big NYC show.
KW: Is there anything else you would like to add for your fans out there?
EL: I would hope some might feel compelled to give Savage Dragon a look if they haven’t already. I like it.
Final Thoughts
Erik Larsen’s career is a testament to passion, creativity, and determination. Whether it’s his work with Marvel, his leadership at Image Comics, or the enduring success of Savage Dragon, Erik’s contributions continue to inspire.
As he once said, “I read a bazillion comics as a kid, fell in love with the art form, and liked the idea of telling stories through comic books.” That same love for storytelling is why generations of fans—myself included—are drawn to his work.
Thank you, Erik, for the inspiration and the stories.
†Unarchived are a series of interviews and essays originally published in 2009.