Interview with Deadpool #900 Artist Shawn Crystal

How did this idea of a collection of Deadpool stories come about?

I believe this is an anniversary issue? My editor, Axel Alonso, called me one day and told me about this. He said he’d be reserving a story for me, he just had to pick the right one.

What drew you to the project?

I LOVE anthologies and i LOVE Deadpool. A bunch of artists and writers with a bunch different looks and tones. So, i was very excited. A short story was something i was really looking forward to drawing. Something small, something i could put my entire self into. After hearing Kyle Baker was in there, thats when i got a little nervous. Kyle’s a hero of mine, his work has had such an impact on me and my work. I knew i couldn’t bring anything short of my “A” game. The more i found out about the talent in this book, i just was in a state of shock. Such an AMAZING group of talent, and i got to be a part of it. The i read Duane’s script. I LOVED it. I buckled down and got my grind on.
What went into the creation of this story between you two guys?

Duane had already written the story, it’s a spoof on the CSI shows. On my end, it was all about the character design. In order for the story to work, I had to really nail the CSI archetypes. I worked hard. Axel and Duane pushed me as well, they both were great soundboards. The final result was just what they story needed.

One thing i really enjoy about working in comics, is the collaborative process. I love teaming up with writers, and working together to tell the best story possible. I don’t see my end of the work as mine alone, we’re a team going for something specific. I’m always asking for feedback and ideas. Duane was great to work with, full of insight. Axel is always amazing. He has taught me so much, and helped me shine in ways i didn’t know i could. I’m really lucky to be working with people like this.

Is Deadpool a character that can simply be dropped into any situation or are there precautions that need to be taken in order for him to truly shine?

On the art side, it’s all about  schizophrenia. At one moment, Deadpool’s a masterful assassin, deadly and cunning. At the next moment, he’s playful numbskull. So with the drawing, it’s all about the manic acting, the extreme shifts from panel to panel. I have found that  the expressions in his eyes are of the utmost importance. You can’t see his face, so (in close up), his eyes have to to tell you a lot. I’ve found that to be fun.

So, getting back to the question, i think Deadpool works best when he’s up against  a deadly challenge that forces him to to use his stealth, while letting the clown in him make light of the situation. It’s the yin and the yang, thats where Deadpool is on his grind. When he has a sword through his chest and an army of foes piling up on him, that when he can let loose a snarky remark, break the tension, then take out some b*@ch a** mo fo’s.

Was knowing that you guys had fewer pages to tell a story for this collection scary in any way or did you find the shorter format to be better than you hoped?  Did it change your usual style in any way?

Short stories are great. I do end up putting a lot more work into a page, because I have less space to tell the story. Less space to set the stage, less space to move the camera, etc… So, the pages tend to take me little longer. Because of that, the pages tend to be a little more dense. There’s something nice about that. It slows down the pace a bit. It’s a nice break from doing issues. I think the short story is a challenge that really puts every artist and writer to the test.

Did you guys have any idea what the other writers and artists were doing their respective stories and did you find yourselves striving to outdo them?

I had been told about a few of the other stories, and the talent working on them. Like i said earlier, i realized early on that i was in the presence of greatness. So, it wasn’t about outdoing them, i’m still a newbie. I can’t hold a torch to most of these guys. Kyle Baker is a master of the medium. So, for me, it was more about trying to not drown in the sea of talent. Trying to make sure i held the weight on my end.

I’m also a full time professor at SCAD Atlanta, where i teach sequential art. Shifting between that and comics always poses its challenges. I NEEVR want my comic work to suffer from being busy, so thats also an area where i need to make sure I’m doing the best work i can, not just getting it done.

Can you give the readers an idea as to what your story’s about and might you guys be up for any future Deadpool Team-up Issues?

When it comes to our story, you’ll never look at a CSI episode the same way. I am currently working on an issue of Deadpool Team-Up with writer Stuart Moore. That issue will be one HELL of a ride, i promise. I’d really LOVE to work with Duane again, on something bigger/ longer. I had a great experience working with him and would love to continue doing so.

Still want more?

Check out our Deadpool tag, Deadpool #16 Review, and our previous interview with Shawn Crystal.