Lex & The City Interview with Howard Porter

DC Comics' Valentine’s Day anthology Lex & The City will be released on January 29th, 2025. The book will feature epic romance short stories told in DC’s great fictional cities, including a story about Hawkman’s current romantic struggles that lead him back to his Silver and Bronze Age home of Midway City. That story was written by me and drawn by DC Comics and superhero artist legend Howard Porter.

The story, titled “Heartbreak Lake”, is one I’m deeply proud of and it’s personal to me on a couple of different levels. I used Hawkman, a blast to write, to express the simple but frustrating feelings of heartbreak I felt I shared with him. The kind of heartbreak I only felt as an adult, this kind of aching, sometimes haunting feeling, when someone you think should be in your life isn’t there. I think I expressed it well as a writer, and I hope it comes across to you when you read it.

Artistically? I know Howard got every single visual across and then some. The story is a tour de force from him. His work exceeded every single expectation I had. Huge shout out to my editor on this story Michael McCalister for not only picking this Hawkman story because he felt like it was the pitch of mine that I would execute the best, but for enlisting Howard Porter to draw it after he asked me if I had any wishlist artists for this, and I told him Howard was number one.

Today you’ll read an interview I conducted with Howard about the Hawkman story, his influences, and his illustrious career. If there was a DC Comics Artists Hall of Fame, Howard would be in there. He was one of the first artists who showed me the whole scope of the DCU with his work on JLA alongside Grant Morrison and Mark Waid. And time and time again with multiple runs on The Flash, Trials of Shazam, and more projects we get into.

Enjoy the interview! Lex & The City FOC’s on Monday, December 16th, please order it, I think you definitely will want to once you see the first two stunning pages in this interview from Howard and colorist extraordinaire Hi-Fi.

Interview With Howard Porter

DAVE: As I wrote the script for this Hawkman story, “Heartbreak Lake,” that will be running in the pages of Lex & The City, I knew that the script would best be drawn by someone who had a deep artistic history with DC Comics, someone who had drawn most of the characters beautifully and with great reverence. When our editor Michael McCalister asked me if I had anyone I would love to see draw this story. You were the first person I thought of, Howard. 

And with all sincerity, that goes back to the first time I interacted with your work. One of the first comic book storylines I read was JLA: World War III, the last Justice League story you and Grant Morrison did together. I would also argue that, outside of DC’s Crisis events, it is the biggest Justice League story ever told. You drew every active DC superhero at the time in that story, so when I think of most of the DC characters, your art often is some of the first that comes to mind. 

So first and foremost, that’s the secret origin of how I became a lifelong Howard Porter fan, and why I’m so appreciative that you drew this story. Thank you, Howard. 

HOWARD: Thank you, David, I appreciate that so much and thank you for writing such a touching story, it was a treat to spend time with it and you as well.

DAVE: That means everything to me, Howard, thank you! I’m so glad to hear that.

This story, “Heartbreak Lake” focuses on Hawkman, who I think is one of the most visually striking characters at DC. Maybe one of the most visually iconic too, minor details about his costume have changed from the Golden Age of comics to today. Still, most of the big details have remained consistent: No shirt, big wings, hawk helmet, a mace at his side, and this distinct harness/weapons holster. 

In addition to this story, you’ve drawn him as a guest star in a few books in the past. Is he a fun character to get to draw or do those big wings he has make you go, “How is this guy going to fit in a room with everybody else?” 

HOWARD: I do enjoy drawing that winged fella, he always makes for an interesting composition. I’ll find myself spinning his wings in all directions like a Rubik’s cube to make him fit down a hallway and to use the restroom. He’s always leaving those little down feathers everywhere, sure he apologizes and offers to clean up, but he never does. I truly do enjoy drawing those wings, especially when in flight, they are a great tool to show motion and help with covering up any buildings you don’t feel like drawing.

DAVE: I can get behind that! As a writer, I enjoyed how straightforward Hawkman was. It was liberating to write a character who yelled and hit things when he was overwhelmed. His behavior, I think, also makes the story much more visual. 

I was speaking to my friend and another world-class comic artist, Riley Rossmo, recently, and I asked him what the appeal was of drawing angry characters. He told me that characters who are overly emotional in some way are often more fun/easier to draw. They’re not always his favorite characters, but anyone with a loud personality tends to be easier to bring to life. I was curious if you felt the same way. 

HOWARD: I agree with Riley (what a talented individual, his work is so alive and fun) - any emotions that are extreme are easiest and most fun to convey, and the exaggerated comic form thrives on that. It’s similar in music, the loudest busiest parts are the easiest/most fun to play and the subtle, sparse parts are the trickiest. I have read about countless actors expressing how much they enjoy playing the “bad guy” and I get it. It can be a therapy of sorts, giving us the freedom to let loose and release your frustrations and anxieties without impacting anyone. When an artist is drawing, we are acting as well. We are putting ourselves in that character’s world and trying to react physically and emotionally the way we feel they would. Often putting ourselves in the physical positions and making sound effects, which can be either very enjoyable for the people around us or the complete opposite.

DAVE: I love comparing it to an actor playing a bad guy. The catharsis and performance of it makes so much sense, and is a great insight!

We only had ten pages to play with in this story. I would say we made the most of them, but this is a rare occasion where you drew one main character in a story. You’ve had a few runs on various Justice League titles all of which had teams with robust rosters, you’ve drawn Titans and Marvel’s first family/superhero team, The Fantastic Four, and even your two big runs on The Flash the writers made sure to include every villain and ally the Flash had ever had in the supporting cast. You excel with books with large distinct casts, is that something you have always loved and wanted to be known for, or did that just kind of happen as your body of work grew? I ask because I was once read an interview with the late, great George Perez where he said from the outset of his career he desired to draw team books and books with huge casts. And his vision for his career came true! 

HOWARD: I have drawn TONS of characters, haven't I?! I must confess, sometimes I will just put more in because I can’t stop myself! I never had a desire to draw every superhero in the world, it was more of a compulsion to draw everything in a world and heroes are there as well. We grew up remotely and were left to ourselves for entertainment, to keep us busy my father would give us giant rolls of paper from the Texaco plant where he worked. I would lay on the living room floor creating never-ending side scrolling worlds filled with civilizations, heroes, villains, wars raging, farms, oceans, underworld cities, and on and on. This is what I enjoy most, creating places to escape to and scenes that form postcard memories we can revisit. You mentioned Fantastic Four and The Flash, those are two books with an incredibly deep cast of characters and awesome locations and this is the recipe for the casserole I enjoy most.

DAVE: Anytime I would get my hands on a legal pad, a pile of printer paper, or a notebook I was the same way, just filling it with drawings. I still draw now, I just don’t tend to show those drawings to people, or make a profession with them!

I know The Flash has a specific big place in your heart. I also think that you are one of the great superhero team book artists because you draw every character with that level of reverence. Sometimes, when an artist draws a team book, you can tell, this person wanted to draw Wolverine, or Batman, or whomever, and everyone else on the team is getting second banana treatment. In JLA, one of the things people loved most about that run you and Grant had was that every superhero who came through the team got to have at least one iconic moment. 

Likewise, when you’ve drawn The Flash, I’m always excited to see you draw The Rogues, Zoom, Gorilla Grodd, or even the Greek chorus human characters that populate Keystone/Central City as I am The Flash himself. Everyone seems to get equal love when they’re drawn by you. Is that something you're mindful of when working on a book with a big cast or are you just making the most out of every page in the script? 

HOWARD: It is getting incredibly hard to do that anymore, my fingers, eyes, and back aren’t what they used to be. This response will circle back to the previous one, in that everyone is important when you are trying to create an immersive world filled with those snapshot memories that stay with you. If there is time in the schedule, every page/panel gets the same love. The reactions of a family walking on a sidewalk as a hero swings by will help you experience that reality much more than some ambiguous shapes resembling a crowd in the background. Also, every character is important even if I have not heard of them before. I guarantee you that there are fans out there who love and know everything about them and I need to respect and honor that.

DAVE: I appreciate the honesty in that answer and letting us know where you’re currently at!

Is there a DC character you’d love to get to draw again or a comic book character you’ve never drawn before where, even for a cover, you would get a kick out of drawing?  

HOWARD: The Creeper.

DAVE: Everyone loves the Creeper! And I can see you in my mind’s eye having a great take on that character!

Howard, you have worked with so many writers who I admire immensely: Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, Judd Winick, Keith Giffen & JM DeMatteis, Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Christopher Priest, and most recently, you have had a tremendous creative partnership with Joshua Williamson who is himself a modern-day DC Legend. 

All of those writers are very different, but are there similarities you have found when working with people, when reading scripts, and when collaborating in general that make you feel you are going to be in for a good time when working on a project? 

HOWARD: What these writers all have in common is a really unique vision and voice, not to mention insane talent. They all love and respect the characters, and know how to balance big, exciting moments with heart-wrenching ones. When I started, I'd get a script and just go for the ride. There wasn't much interaction with the writers, and even when there was, I was too shy to say much. It worked out okay, but over time, I realized how important it is to collaborate. Talking with the writers has really helped me connect with the story. I have been blessed with the greatest collaborators in the industry and I’m grateful for it. 

DAVE: And I know from talking to a number of them, they feel the same way about you. As I’ve said before and will say many more times, you’re one of the best, Howard!

One last question, and then I will let you go. I’ve said that you are one of the DC artists I have a great reverence for. Who were those comic artists for you who inspired you and drew the books that you had to read?

HOWARD: This is the easiest question to answer Dave, more of these please, ha! First there was Wallace Wood from Mad Magazine, my little-kid head connected to the way everything he drew had weight and a three dimensional quality while being cartoony and expressive. Wrightson from the horror fantasy magazines for the same reasons. Jack Kirby’s art scared me, everything looked like monsters to me, it could be that my first introduction was OMAC and it freaked little-me out! As I got older and John Byrne came along I was hooked for life, through him I was able to understand and appreciate Kirby’s genius.

DAVE: Howard, thank you so much for saying yes to doing this interview. And again, thank you for working with me on the Hawkman story. Both were an absolute thrill. I hope we get to talk again soon! 

HOWARD: Thank you, David, I hope we do indeed!

Getting to do that interview with Howard Porter was a tremendous honor. I am glad I got to show you all firsthand that he is one of the many people I have met and worked with in comics who proves the adage “Don’t Meet Your Heroes” can be awful advice. Howard is awesome, and I’m glad I got to meet him, and work with him. Both are huge highlights of my career. And did you see those first two Hawkman pages? They’re gorgeous. I think you’re really going to get a kick out of the story when it comes out on January 25th, 2025. So much so that I implore you to go to your local comic book store to put your order in for the book before the FOC date of December 16th, 2024!

And speaking of local comic book stores. Where I grew up in Western Massachusetts has an amazing comic book store called Comics N’ More located in Easthampton, Massachusetts. If you are going to be in the Springfield/Hartford area on December 21st, you should come on down to the store because I will be doing my first-ever signing there! I will be there from 1 PM-5 PM. You can bring books for me to sign, you can buy books that I will sign, you can buy books that I had nothing to do with in order to support the great store, and you can just shoot the breeze with me about stuff! On the day I am there, the store will be having a buy one get one half-off graphic novel sale which is very cool!

That’s it for this week. Next week we will be doing another installment of “Seen Anything Good Lately?” and…I saw a lot…it’s going to be a dense one.

Stay safe!

—Dave Wielgosz