Mike Oeming is one of the busiest guys in comics. His mind is in constant motion with projects and art pages on his table just waiting for him to bring his trademark style to life before our eyes. This year, he and Brian Michael Bendis celebrate ten years of their book, POWERS and bring us a new #1, Volume #3!! I got the chance to toss a few questions to Mike about POWERS, RAPTURE, MICE TEMPLAR, GOD COMPLEX and his many other projects he’s got lined up. And it never stops. Just this week, it was announced that he will be doing FOX for DC’s RED CIRCLE! I’m amazed I got a few minutes to chat with this guy with all this stuff going on!
Q: Congrats on Powers Vol 3 #1! I read the issue and its killer, as usual! There are some big things coming up in POWERS is that right?
A: Oh yes. Lots of things Brian and I have been talking about for some time now between ourselves for awhile now. Also, with the Powers Encyclopedia that just came out, we got to look at a bunch of our characters we kind of forgot about or saw plot threads we would like to revisit. Most importantly, Im excited about the book coming back monthly. We took our time to get ahead to insure that.
Q: How does it feel to have been doing this book this long, with all the critics enjoying it and a potential TV show in the works with it?
A: It’s horrible. A horrible, horrible burden! No, of course not, it’s a dream come true on every level. Ten years and in some ways it feels like we just started. I’m always excited when Brian has news about the TV show. Lets keep our fingers crossed.
Q: Is this book with Brian, your longest collaboration? and how does it compare to other collaborations you’ve been associated with?
A: No doubt, it’s my longest running collaboration with anyone constantly. Bryan Glass of Mice Templar and I have worked on and off since 1991, but not on a consistent run like Bendis and I on Powers. I love the “Brians” as I call them.
Q: I would call you one of the most busy guys in comics right now. You’ve got all sorts of side projects going on. How does that effect your work schedule on books like POWERS?
A: Its a bit deceiving. I really don’t have that many projects that I am actively involved in page to page. On Mice Templar and God Complex, both of those projects I did my end of the writing on a few years ago, so now I’m only doing covers. Rapture, the book I do with Taki Soma is finished and in the can. Typically I work on projects way ahead of time, so it only appears I’m doing ten things at once.
Q: As we look to Volume three, what characters are we to keep our eyes on?
A: Well, we have the flashbacks into Walkers past. The only one I’ll give a heads up on is a character called Nick Roberts, whom I based on my uncle, Larry Pastuszak, he raised me like a father, so this is my homage to him. I promised him a horrible death that involved women, he seems very excited about that. The Golden Ones look like they will be making some appearances too. We have seeded so many characters in Powers, so along with creating new ones, Im looking forward to revisiting old ones.
Q: As far as the art on POWERS, do you find yourself attracted to the superhero aspect of it, or the film noir style? What is your favorite stuff to draw in it?
A: The NOIR stuff hands down. The Super hero fights are fun, but it’s a different beast. It’s hard to explain.
Q: I gotta say that Nick Filardi’s colors complement the book very well. Are you blown away by what he contributes to the work?
A: Absolutely. We’ve been through two other colorists and while they both defined their period of the series, Nick has become my favorite. I ask a lot from him on the effects end of things and he’s great at taking the extra steps. He has a unique pallet that really makes the work have its own look.
Q: What other comics do you read right now? What artists and writers are you jazzed about currently?
A: I just ready Thor by JMS and Copiel- it’s taken me awhile to get to, but now that I have I love it. I think Copiel is one of the best artists working in comics today, in the top 3. Not only is he a great artists and storyteller, but he can actually produce work on a regular basis. I despise talent that slouches. Stuart Immomen has blown me away lots recently. Eric Canete, Sean Galloway and Gabrial BA also get me excited about work. Paul Azeceta, whom Nick Filardi works with a lot is another favorite. Every time I see his work I feel challenged.
A: I listen to a lot of Electronic music while I work these days. I just downloaded a bunch of music by Ming & Ping and the Polish Ambassador. I plugged a local NY band, Americans UK in Powers, you’ll see it in issue 2 or 3.
Q: Whats happening next with Mice Templar?
A: We’ve just expanded the storyline by a few issues, and Victor Santos keeps cranking out amazing pages. The next trade should be solicited soon and we are closely looking at the electronic frontier for publishing Mice.Q: Another side gig you have is RAPTURE with Taki. Is it difficult to put on that business/collaborative hat on when it involves your wife? And do you drive each other nuts with your own respective work schedules on other projects?
A: Man, this should make for some fun stories about us fighting mixing it up because we are married and all that, but the sad truth is we work together like peanut butter and jelly. Sweet and yummy. I got crunched for time with Rapture, because we moved across the country just as I started it, so Taki ended up laying out the whole thing, not just co writing and swapping covers. It is a great relief to have a partner who can step up when extra help is needed. Pretty much every panel beat is her work and I’m very proud of the project and very grateful to Dark Horse for giving us our first opportunity to work together. Editor David Land, we thank you sir!
Q: As time goes on, have you found that you enjoy writing more than art? Or is it a welcome break from sitting at the table once in a while?
A: I don’t see much of a difference anymore, to me they are both the same part of storytelling. Art comes easier for me, but certainly there are times I prefer to write. I’m grateful that I enjoy both have and have great teachers helping me out.Q: What keeps you motivated to keep doing all these various projects?
A: I love comics! I want to do original stuff, and do some more work for Marvel and DC… Just love comics:)Q: As an artist and writer, do you ever feel any limitations or desire to push yourself harder to evolve to something you want to accomplish in your work?
A: All the time. I’ve been playing more with the layouts of the page, trying to find new things to do. In issue 3 of Powers I think I even managed to have the reader follow the page backwards… it starts out left to right and then goes right to left. I’m also very interested in the Iphone comics- I want to do some comics just for iphone, it’s a new form of layout that I think can really be fun.
Q: What do you think of the comics industry right now?
A: It continues to be in a flux. I think the future of comics will be electronic for the individual issues… I think the “floppy” may not exist for the most part in 5-10 years but TPB and Hardbacks will. I think most people will be reading their comics on various forms of electronics such as a larger color Kindle or a tablet and on their phones. I still like paper, but I think there is a huge number of people who would read comics if they were easily available to them in the electronic future. And lets face it, our kids wont care if they are reading on a computer or paper.
Q: Any horrific convention stories to share? Whats your oddest commission request?
A: Good lord… the best stories I can’t really talk about. The oddest sketch request was Powers related, had some thing to do with a severed body part…
Q: Are you a collector? If so, what do you collect?
A: Hmm… MP3’s I guess! I listen to lots of music while I work. Lots of techno pop. Right now listening to a lot of Ming & Ping.
Q: Besides a fresh, new awesome run on POWERS, what else can we expect from Mike Oeming in the future
A: I’m working on a short story for DC… I’ll see if I have the greenlight to give you some art… Mice Templar and God Complex and the Rapture TPB. —(It was recently announced that Mike will be doing ‘FOX’ for DC’s RED CIRCLE.)
Q: Lastly, I gotta tell you, a few years ago when I was starting out in the comics, I asked your advice and you told me something that I printed out and still have on the cork board by my desk. Its that “Keep a job, work your books and be patient. Keep your work true to yourself and your experience and you will make it.” First of all, thank you for that. But anything to add to that for anyone else wanting some advice on following their dreams of doing this for a living?
A: Thanks man, thats really awesome of you. I would say to also make a plan- what is it you want from your life? How can you accomplish that? What are the things that can get in your way? And just never never never quit!
Mike’s work can be seen at www.michaeleoeming.com
For more from the author of this writing, please visit: www.idiothead.com
Raised primarily in central Michigan all his life, Adam is a successful writer, artist and self publisher. He is best known for his comics: PLEASANT LIFE, THE EXPENDABLES, WISE INTELLIGENCE and the upcoming ANNA POCOLYPSE. He also wrote a free online how to book called "IN THE TRENCHES: HOW TO SURVIVE AS A SMALL PRESS COMIC BOOK PUBLISHER." He also has done some pinup work for ANTARCTIC PRESS and logo designs for many other clients. He has been featured on web sites, newspapers, television and magazines talking about his work and travels around the country promoting it. He resides in Southwest Michigan. 
