Liam Sharp Joins The Green Lantern Corps

Liam Sharp's popularity has been rapidly increasing. He did an awesome run on WONDER WOMAN with Greg Rucka followed by THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, which he wrote drew himself.

Earlier this month he launched THE GREEN LANTERN with Grant Morrison, and it was an instant hit.

HIs art on the book has been nothing short of phenomenal. His adetailed work is reminiscent of Neil Adams mixed with a little Jack Kirby energy. This book is set to be one of the best in DC's stable of titles. I caught up with Liam to get his thoughts on the new title. Enjoy guys!!!

Comic Lounge: You just launched THE GREEN LANTERN with Grant Morrison and it was a huge success. Was this a book you've wanted to do for a while and were you surprised at such a positive response?

Liam Sharp: It was more that Grant and I have never worked together before but had been talking about doing something for a couple of years. When Dan (DiDio) called me and said "this may sound a bit left-field, but what do you think about doing the Green Lantern with Grant?" it was just a no-brainer. I jumped at it, and at the chance to do some sci-fi, as the previous few years had mostly had a fantasy bent (WW). As for the response to #1 - neither Grant nor I were sure how it would be received as very early on we knew that what we were doing was unlike any one DC comic either of us could think of! It had a euro, band dessinee feel, a UK 2000ad feel, and a classic US Americana feel all-at-the-same-time! So of course we hoped it would land with the readers, but we certainly had no rigid expectations for such. It was quite nerve-wracking!

Comic Lounge: Your detailed art suits this book perfectly, what has it been like for you, being able to design new characters and new worlds?

Sharp: I think even in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD and WONDER WOMAN my love for world-building is writ quite large. It may be that it's because I write too, so I have a desire to populate the backgrounds with elements that make the worlds seem lived-in, and full of artifacts, culture and even a degree of symbolism. THE GREEN LANTERN takes this to a whole new level, and I'm getting to visit famous and new places from Hal's past, and to hopefully gift these with a rich veneer too. And drawing weird aliens is just bloody good fun, frankly!

Comic Lounge: Is the collaboration between you and Grant pretty open? Are you able to input some of your own ideas?

Sharp: It's certainly a collaboration, yes, but you don't want to get in the way of Grant's plotting! You just stand back and watch the fireworks!

Comic Lounge: Are you approaching this book differently than previous projects? If so, how?

Sharp: Only, really, from an art perspective - but then every book is different. Each issue so far has embodied a complete unique tone - light to dark, and back. Some issues feel gothic, and heavy, and need to be stripped of light. Others are all about the light. Some are full of foreboding, and others are funny. It's part of what makes it so much fun to draw - being able to bring fresh approaches to bear depending on the tone of each episode.

Comic Lounge: Are in this for the long haul? Is there anything you tease that's coming up that will get readers excited?

Sharp: I'm in for 12 at the very least, but we're already looking beyond that. Somewhere in my future there should be more of THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, but for now I'm having the time of my life!