 WIZARD UNIVERSE WEEKLY FEATURES |  | [TOP COW SPOTLIGHT] SHELDON MITCHELL | | Wizard chats with Sheldon Mitchell, penciler of the Freshmen: Summer Vacation special and newest member of Top Cow's team of artists! | | | By Kevin Mahadeo | | Posted 4/9/08 | |  | | ![[TOP COW SPOTLIGHT] SHELDON MITCHELL](http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/wizarduniverse_2063_244046512)
The penciling world welcomes Sheldon Mitchell, the newest member of the Freshmen class—in more ways than one.
This summer, Mitchell lends his artistry to the pages of the Freshmen: Summer Vacation Special, which continues the story of the superhero class after the end of volume 2. The issue marks Mitchell’s first major Top Cow work, so to celebrate, we planned to throw the Freshman artist a kegger. That didn’t pan out. Instead we talked about the issue, what it’s like working for the Cow, and what it would be like being a super-intelligent beaver.
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How did all this get started? Did they approach you? Did you approach them?
I actually didn’t get approached. I approached the guys at Top Cow [at Wizard World Philadelphia 2006]. I showed Matt Hawkins a submission I did. At the time, I wasn’t aware there was a contest going on for new artists. I gave him the submission, and he liked what I saw. He took my information and gave me his card. Shortly after that, they called me. I was very excited to say that least.
So, you had no idea there was a contest? You just kind of stumbled in on it?
Yeah. Pretty much. And actually, I was not going to go to that con. [Laughs]
Really? Seems this was all very fated for you. How did the gig on Freshmen come about?
They asked me to come out here last year January. So, I was here for a while before I was given the Freshmen book. They actually asked me to do some character sketches for Hugh [Sterbakov] to look at. And after he saw the sketches, he gave me the green light to do the book.
Were you a fan of the book beforehand?
I hadn’t read the Freshmen book beforehand, but when I came here to Top Cow I read both trades. Yeah. It’s some funny stuff. [Laughs]
Did you meet up with Hugh and Seth Green to talk about the book and stuff?
Yeah. It was more of a get together than anything to do with business.
Just hanging out and having a good time?
Yeah.
Any crazy stories from that?
Uhhh… Yeah. [Laughs] They share those when they’re on panel.
| |  What’s it been like drawing the book? Are you enjoying drawing it so far?
Yeah. It’s actually action-packed, which we all like to do. I can’t really talk about the details, but it’s going to be fun to draw. I can say one thing: at least I get to draw tanks!
[Laughs] Who doesn’t like tanks? Is there a character you really like drawing?
I like drawing Anna. Annalee the Puppeteer.
Very nice choice. Why her?
I guess the outfit. [Laughs] I just like her character.
Is it weird when approaching these characters, considering how strange most of their power sets are?
You always try to be creative with everything. You try things, and if looks good, you stick with it. If it doesn’t, you kind of can it. But, mostly I look at what’s been done and then see if I can do it in an interesting way.
Did you do any redesigns for the characters?
No redesigns for the characters. But it would have been fun though. I’ve just been concentrating on what I’m working on now as opposed to what might be later.
Is it pretty exciting starting with his and getting everything going?
Oh yeah, very exciting. I’ve been here learning from Marc [Silvestri], eager to try things I’ve been learning.
How did you start with doing pencils? I heard you were originally a colorist?
Yes. It’s weird because I’ve always wanted to be a penciller, but I thought by coloring it might get my foot in the door. But instead it worked against me, where everyone would be interested in me as a colorist. So, I had to just stop cold turkey—just stop coloring and focusing only on my pencils. And sure enough, here I am.
Would you be interested in doing a Freshmen ongoing?
You know, I’ll take any work. [Laughs] Work is work. I’m pimping myself out. I want to keep drawing and if there’s something that comes my way, I’ll do it.
What book do you really want to work on?
I really want to see Cyberforce back. I was reading a lot of the Image books when Cyberforce and WildCATS and Spawn and the others were the hot thing. So, I just feel like Cyberforce is one of the flagships that started everything. So, you have to show it some love.
| |  Who is your favorite Cyberforce character?
I would have to say Ripclaw.
I knew it! [Laughs]
[Laughs]
Is it just because of that awesome appeal he has or is it something that as an artist you’d love to draw the action?
Aside from the appeal, it’s the action sequences. I like gritty characters like that, who will get in there and get their hands dirty. Like Wolverine. My favorite Marvel character is Wolverine. Who wouldn’t like to do their favorite characters? I would love to draw Wolverine.
You could do a Wolverine versus Ripclaw special
Yeah! I’ll see if Marvel will go for something like that. [Laughs]
Do you have anything coming up in the future?
Not yet. They haven’t discussed anything with me. I’m just concentrating on this. Don’t need too many distractions.
How many hours a day do you work?
I will work until the pages are done. Actually, I went to bed at 7:30 this morning. But, yeah. Whenever the pages are done, that’s when I stop. [Laughs]
What was your favorite scene to draw?
Well, I can’t really…. Hmmm… Let’s just say a double-page spread that involves the plant woman wrecking havoc. Destruction, destruction and more destruction.
If you could pick one of the powers of the Freshmen cast, whose would you want? They’re all pretty strange.
Beaver. [Laughs] Super intelligence.
Is it just the super intelligence, or do you want to be a beaver who is also super intelligent?
No, just the super intelligence. [Laughs]
Beavers do build pretty good homes though.
Well, with that level of intelligence [as a Beaver], I can build something equivalent to the Hoover Dam.
| |  You said you grew up on the Image stuff, but as an artist, who are some of your influences?
I’m going to start from the beginning. I used to look at Bart Sears on the Justice League. After that, I looked at Dan Jurgens on Superman. But at that point, I hadn’t really thought of comics as a career. I was just a collector. The one day in high school, some guy brought Jim Lee’s X-Men to school, and the artwork just blew my mind. After that, I made up my mind that I wanted to become a comic book artist. And for a while, Jim Lee was a really big influence. Then through collecting X-Men, I stumbled onto Marc. Marc is an amazing storyteller and an amazing artist. After seeing him stuff… that was it. I feel so honored to be here at Top Cow learning from him. It’s not often you get to work with one of your idols.
Is it weird?
Yeah. You do a lot of sweating because you want to impress him with everything you do. [Laughs]
[Laughs] So all your pages get wet with all the sweating you do?
[Laughs] Just a little bit.
What are some other creators you want to work with?
I would like to work with some of the old Top Cow guys. David Finch. Michael Turner. I missed that boat. I missed when they were here. But, I also think Olivier Coipel is a really good artist. I would actually like to work with Phil Hester. Ron Marz, also. There are others that I can’t think of right now.
Is Witchblade a book you’d like to work on?
I would really like to draw a Top Cow book. [Laughs] I would draw Witchblade, Magdalena, any Top Cow book.
Well, Velocity won Pilot Season 2007. You should throw yourself on that one.
If they throw me on that, I’m happy. I think she sort of goes along with Ripclaw. She reminds me of the relationship between Wolverine and Jubilee. I look at her fondly as a character, and I wouldn’t mind drawing her.
| |  You said you decided to be a penciller after seeing Jim Lee’s work. But did you have inclinations toward art before? Were you drawing stuff on your parents wall as a kid?
Always. Well, not on the walls though. [Laughs] Videotapes we had of “Transformers,” I would pause those and do five-minute drawings of the characters.
Were you a big “Transformers” fan?
Yeah.
Who was your favorite?
Optimus Prime, of course. But I also liked Jazz and Bumblebee. I actually, I got interested in drawing before that. I picked up an old textbook of my mom’s from college and looked at her drawings. I was shocked. “My mom can draw?” I started drawing also. That’s how the whole thing got started.
So, you got into drawing because you figured, “Hey, if my mom can do it, I can do it”?
Yeah, pretty much. It’s funny because all my siblings have talent, in my opinion. But I was the only one interested in pursuing a career in art.
You know, you went to that WWPA as a fan. Is it kind of weird being on the opposite end of the stage?
Yeah, it is. You don’t get to walk around the con. [Laughs] “Is there anything cool I can get? Nevermind, I can’t get to walk around to see.” I definitely appreciate fan support, so I’ll sit there and draw sketches. I did sketches for almost the entire day on Saturday [at Wizard World Los Angeles]. Literally. The only time I took a break was to do the panel and sign with Seth.
What were most people asking you to draw?
Mostly Marvel characters. I did Iron Man a lot. I did an Iron Man sketch for one person and the other person behind that person saw it and said, “I wanted someone else, but give me an Iron Man.” And I did Iron Man a couple of times in a row. [Laughs]
Click Here for information on extras inside the Freshmen: Summer Vacation! | | | |
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