900 seconds with the Master of The Macabre - A Bernie Wrightson Interview

It is April 1989 and a couple of 24-year-old fanzine editors are expecting to interview the Master of Macabre, a guest of the 5^th edition of the International comics festival in Montreal.

Waiting impatiently in a small room to meet the legendary artist, they survey their notes and check their watches nervously. It is way past 9pm, and the expo closes at 10pm. It seems more and more likely that they will miss their opportunity to sit with the man who breathed life into the Swamp Thing and inspired myriads of twisted nightmares. Their hearts are racing, sweat starting to glisten on their brows.

Suddenly, the door opens…

Berni Wrightson was born Bernard Albert Wrightson in Dundalk, Maryland a few days before Halloween on October 27^th 1948. Ink ran through his veins as he devoured EC comics admiring the works of Frank Frazetta. Jack Davis and Graham ‘’Ghastly’’ Ingels, just to name a few, and learning to draw by watching John Gnagy on TV. After a short unfulfilling stint as a staff illustrator for the Baltimore Sun, at age 18, he had his first fan art published in a 1966 issue of CREEPY, one of the Warren magazines that took over the EC Comics horror tradition. Fate was knocking at the door.

One of Bernie's illustration for The Baltimore Sun in 1966.

A piece of fan art published in CREEPY #9 (June 1966).

At 20, DC Comics editor Dick Giordano, knowing a good thing when he sees one, assigns him to some freelance work on their own lines of ‘’horror/mystery’’ comics like THE WITCHING HOUR, HOUSE OF MYSTERY and HOUSE OF SECRETS. Bernie also finds work illustrating similar kind of stories at Marvel for CHAMBER OF DARKNESS and TOWER OF SHADOWS. But it's back at DC that he created in 1972 with Len Wein the muck creature that would forever be associated with his name, THE SWAMP THING. (A prototype of the character appeared a year prior in another Len Wein/Berni Wrightson collaboration published in HOUSE OF SECRETS #92).

Original cover art for Chamber Of Secrets #8 (December 1970)

Original cover art for House Of Mystery #204 (July 1972)

A prototype for SWAMP THING first appeared in THE HOUSE OF SECRETS #92 (July 1971)

The ten issues of SWAMP THING he illustrated are still to this day considered a milestone in comic book art and the character became the star of a couple of less than stellar movies, the first one directed by Wes Craven in 1982 and the goofy follow up THE RETURN OF THE SWAMP THING by Jim Wynorski in 1989. The early 1990s also saw the release of an animated cartoon and a TV series. None of those managed to capture the atmosphere and pathos of Wein and Wrightson’s creation.

Original cover art for the first issue of SWAMP THING (November 1972)

Cover art for the last issue of SWAMP THING that Wrightson worked on as an illustrator.

The first SWAMP THING series got cancelled after 24 issues, slowly agonizing once deprived of the the artistic power that initially launched it. A 1982 reboot that tried to ride the ‘’popularity’’ of the Wes Craven film also seemed destined for cancellation until British writer Alan Moore took over by issue 21 and cleverly found a way to both respect the original work while breathing in new and exciting elements that redefined the very nature of the character. SWAMP THING was cool again.

Interestingly, Len Wein and Berni Wrightson planned to return to the muck creature in 1989, in a miniseries that would have bridged the Alan Moore reboot with their original concept, but after doing a full set of breakdowns for the proposed 3 issues series named SWAMP THING: DEJA VU, Bernie had a change of heart and abandoned the project, leaving behind a potential masterpiece hanging in limbo. (His breakdowns for the first issue can be seen here.)

What could have been. a striking splash page from the unfinished miniseries SWAMP THING: DEJA VU.

All through the seventies, getting progressively disillusioned with color comics work, Wrightson would also get his creative juices flowing by illustrating stories for Underground and independent comics, creating a monster-themed coloring book,  and started working for Warren Publishing, experimenting with his his gritty lush brushstroke style in black and white horror stories that would cement his reputation as the ‘’Master of Macabre’’.

''The Black Cat'' from CREEPY #62 (May 1974)

''Jenifer'', from CREEPY #63 (July 1974). Which was adapted by Dario Argento for the Series MASTERS OF HORROR in a chilling 2006 episode.

 

In 1975, he joined fellow artists Mike Kaluta, Jeffrey Jones and Barry Windsor-Smith to form an artist commune in a Manhattan loft, challenging each other to defy the limitations of mainstream comics. Ironically, it’s the release of the art book compiling work by its members that lead to the disbanding of the Studio. As Wrightson explains: "constant arguments about the layout of the book and how it was to be written and whose work was going to be on the cover” basically meant that as the book was released in 1979, the group itself was no more.

A rock band without instruments. The members of The Studio; Bernie Wrightson, Mike Kaluta, Barry Windsor-Smith and Jeffrey Jones.

It’s during that time that he started his seven-year long endeavour to create lavish illustrations for Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, and many, including myself, consider those 50 pen and ink plates the absolute masterpiece of his career. However, an allergic reaction to the combination of the metal at the tip of the brushes he would use, and the type of ink, would create lasting damage to his fingers in the following years.

One of the Gustave Doré inspired illustrations for Mery Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN. Wrightson's masterpiece.

Not a fan of the superhero genre, he nonetheless went where the money was, and illustrated a couple of Graphic Novels for Marvel in the 80s (HOOKY, starring Spider-Man and THE BIG CHANGE, teaming The Thing with The Hulk). And he produced with his friend Jim Starlin two books that would feature a jam of artists that would donate their work for the cause of famine in Africa (HEROES AGAINST HUNGER for DC and HEROES FOR HOPE for Marvel).

Original artwork for the graphic novel HOOKY, written by Susan K. Putney. (1986)

He also notably illustrated a couple of miniseries at DC in 1988, THE WEIRD and the grim BATMAN: THE CULT. While tackling the superhero genre, he still remained true to his horror roots, sending the dark knight down a terrifying rabbit-hole.

Artwork for the promotional poster for BATMAN: THE CULT, written by Jim Starlin. (1988)

His long relationship with movies started in 1981 when the film HEAVY METAL adapted one of his stories (CAPTAIN STERNN, which first appeared in the magazine that inspired the film in 1980) in one of its best animated segments.

The squared-jaw parody Captain Sternn. (1981)

In 1983 he adapted the George Romero/Stephen King team-up CREEPSHOW in comic book form, an ironic turn of events since the film itself was inspired by the same EC comic books that Wrightson loved as a child. This began a long-time collaboration with King, where he illustrated many of his novels, including CYCLE OF THE WEREWOLF (1983), THE STAND (1990) and THE DARK TOWER V: WOLVES OF THE CALLA' (2003).

A page from Wrightson's CREEPSHOW comic book adaptation. (1982)

But his most enduring work in film, and arguably his favorite to do, is as a concept artist. Over the years, he worked on GHOSTBUSTERS (1984), THE FACULTY (1998), GALAXY QUEST (1999), THIR13EN GHOSTS (2001) and the extraordinary THE MIST (2007) amongst others.

Back to Montreal, in April 1989.

Bernie Wrightson enters the room, taking the two fanzine editors by surprise. They are allowed only 15 minutes for the interview, so they decide to focus on his involvement in film, since they were also hosting a radio show about cinema, and 15 minutes would never be enough to cover his illustration career anyways.

The day has been long, and it shows on his face. He is tired, and sitting with two novices is most likely not the way he wants to end a long day spent signing autographs, sketching and talking to fans. But he tries his best to hide this fact and puts on his warmest smile as he sits down with them.

Q: Are you satisfied with your experiences working in film?

BW: I can’t complain. I think that overall, I managed pretty well with cinema. The work I did on GHOSTBUSTERS, at least the little part that got on the screen, was fantastic.

Q: What part of your work made it to the final film?

BW: I worked on the dogs, mainly their proportions. Like high at the shoulders, and low to the ground near the back. And, huh…the librarian at the beginning of the film, in the library’s basement. I did a whole bunch of other stuff that ended up being unused in the final script. 

Q: And Slimer?

BW: Slimer? I had nothing to do with Slimer. He had already been designed by the time I came on to the project.

Q: How about the Swamp Thing movie?

BW: I had nothing to do with it. It was ridiculous and I felt…I felt disappointed because it’s a good story, and I feel that a great film could be made out of that story, if it was done the right way with the right people, with the right sensibility, and taking the right direction.

Stuntman turned suit actor Dick Durock, taking a break on the set of Wes Craven's misfire SWAMP THING.

Q: Tell us about HEAVY METAL THE MOVIE.

BW: HEAVY METAL…I was really pleased with my part. (Captain Sternn)

Q: I think it’s the best Part of the film.

BW: I think it’s the only part that was perfect for that format.

Q: And also the closest to the original, with the characters…

BW: Yes, and as far as being close to my original style, it was perfect. It was marvellous! I could never had animated it better, even if I was an animator…the animators themselves seemed to have been influenced by the Warner Brothers cartoons, which is exactly what I had in mind when I drew the strip. We couldn’t have been any closer. So for the film version, it came out pretty good. 

Q: What can we expect for GHOSTBUSTERS II? What did you work on?

BW: It’s hard to say because I worked pretty much in the same conditions as with the first film, which meant the script kept changing as I was drawing. So I really don’t know what will end up in the final film and what will be left out.  I know that at least half of what I did isn’t even in the new script.

Q: I guess it also depends on the SPFX budget. If, for instance, they allow only enough money for three creatures, they will have to adjust the script accordingly.

BW: There you go. It’s much easier to draw monsters on paper than with Special Effects when it costs millions of dollars and months to do requiring a team of 50 people…

Q: Have you seen the concepts for the second SWAMP THING film?

BW: No…I…I got a copy of the script and I didn’t make it past page 5. It’s terrible…

Q: (Showing photos of some designs) These are supposed to be the new Un-men.

 

The Dr. Moreau-esque un-men from RETURN OF THE SWAMP THING.

 

Nowhere near as nightmarish as the sublime grotesqueries from Wrightson's comic art.

BW: (with disgust) oh marvellous!...just ridiculous!

Q: Wouldn’t you say that this looks more like something Jim Starlin could have drawn?

BW: Yes. Yes. The Swamp Thing’s costume looks somewhat better than in the first film, but I talked to someone that saw the trailer, and he said it makes the first film look like GONE WITH THE WIND.

Laughter.

Q: How about CREEPSHOW?

BW: Hum…CREEPSHOW. I’m pretty conflicted about it. I had a lot of fun...going to Pittsburgh and meet with (director) George Romero and (writer) Stephen King and hang out with them…I stayed over there about a week, and I was there for the shooting of the segment starring Stephen King (‘’The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill’’ Based on the 1976 Stephen King short story ‘’Weeds’’). I’d never been to a movie set before then and It was a great experience. Everybody was nice to me, and it wasn’t like a closed Hollywood set with its union workers…it was pretty relaxed atmosphere, very mellow. The crew would show up in costumes every morning. For instance, they once showed up one morning all dressed up like lumberjacks, with plaid shirts and all. The following morning, they showed up wearing tuxedos…for no reasons whatsoever. The whole crew carrying cables, setting up lights, all wearing tuxedos. It was fantastic! And the actors too! I met (make-up master) Tom Savini and I was able to play around in the make-up studio with the monsters…you know, the monster from ‘’The Crate’’. 

Make-up maestro Tom Savini on the set of CREEPSHOW (1982) with the creature from ''The Crate''.

Author Stephen King with friend on the set of CREEPSHOW (1982). ''Where's my cake?!''

Two giants of horror; director George Romero and Author Stephen King.

It was really a lot of fun! And George Romero, this huge bear of a man…Stephen King is 6 foot 4 inches tall. He’s a big guy! And George Romero dwarfs him! (Laughter) So walking around everywhere with these jolly giants…(laughter)

Q: This might have been the inspiration behind your Hulk/Thing Graphic Novel. (laughter)

BW: Yeah! (laughter)

Original artwork for THE INCREDIBLE HULK AND THE THING: THE BIG CHANGE. Avatars for Romero and King?

Q: Any other movie projects down the line?

BW: No, no. Nothing of the sort right now.

Q: Do you enjoy this type of work; Creature Designer?

BW: Yes! It’s very pleasant, yes! I especially like being able to work from home. Not to have to go to California…They offered me years ago to work on the CONAN THE BARBARIAN movie, the first film with Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I would have had to go to California and work there…

Q: William Stout ended up working on that project, didn’t he?

BW: Yes, Bill Stout did a lot of work on the film. They also wanted me to work on the MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE film, but it would also have required me to go to California, so…

The moment I hear this, I really don’t…It would take something really exceptional for me to want to…because I hate to travel and I have a hard time working outside of my own studio.

Q: With all the comic book based movies set to be released this summer; BATMAN, PUNISHER, SWAMP THING II, etc…what do you think of comic book movies?

BW: It think that if it’s well done, if it’s made with a certain seriousness…the worst thing is when the filmmaker takes a patronizing attitude towards the subject…just because it comes from a comic book. And I think that’s what killed the SWAMP THING movie. This attitude of ‘’Oh, this comes from a comic book. Comic books are for kids, so the film is for kids, and kids don’t care.’’

It was simply that attitude…that attitude of ‘’we can afford to be superficial and negligent, we can totally just do something dumb, because it comes from a comic book, and everybody knows that comics are dumb.

My attitude is; forget it comes from a comic book. Consider the project as if it came from a novel, or a script as legitimate as any others. Forget it ever was a comic book in the first place. If it’s a monster movie (about Swamp Thing), you know there are good monster movies out there, if you’ve seen CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, ALIEN, THE THING…

(Resolved) It IS possible to do! It’s been done before and it can be done again! And SWAMP THING is a darn good story! It would break your heart if done properly. The comic book broke your heart. The comic book broke MY heart. To draw it…simply to live through it…it was amazing! And then to see what they did with the film…it was really disappointing.

The fifteen minutes are over too quickly, and after a bit of chitchat about his love of the TUROK comic book, his work on the ultimately doomed project SWAMP THING DÉJÀ VU, and the usual pleasantries, he leaves two grateful young men in the small room, still thrilled from having been so close to greatness.

Wrightson would go on to keep working sporadically in comic books, illustrating series with THE PUNISHER, ALIENS, HELLRAISER or TARZAN, and doing work for DARK HORSE or IDW Comics. All the while, he would do the occasional cover, or movie concept work.

Original artwork for PUNISHER: P.O.V., written by Jim Starlin (1991)

He made a remarkable return to his monstrous muse, Frankenstein’s creature in IDW’s FRANKENSTEIN ALIVE, ALIVE!, written by Steve Niles, which earned him his first National Cartoonists Society's award in the category Comic Books for this work in 2013.

Wrightson returned to his monstrous muse in FRANKENSTEIN ALIVE, ALIVE! for IDW Comics in 2012.

Over his appropriately illustrious career, he received many Shazam Awards and nominations for his outstanding work on SWAMP THING in 1972 and 1973. Wrightson was co-recipient of the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award in 1986, along with Jim Starlin, for his work on Heroes for Hope. He got the Inkpot Award during the San Diego Comic-Con in 1987. He was recognized as an excellent horror author with the H.P. Lovecraft Award in 2007, and the Ghastly Award (named after "Ghastly" Graham Ingels) in 2011. He was awarded an Inkwell Special Recognition Award for his entire body of work in 2015.

The award-winning comic book produced by Jim Starlin and Bernie Wrightson in 1985 to fight Hunger in Africa.

Bernie’s health started to falter as he suffered a series of small strokes in 2014. Then a brain tumour required many treatments in the following years. One of those surgeries would cause enough damage for his wife to announce his retirement by January 2017.

On March 18, 2017, the man who had invoked death thousands of time at the tip of his brush, finally sank peacefully in the deepest, darkest inkwell.

He leaves behind a legacy of horror fraught with unnerving grace and beauty. He made abject terror palpable and elegant, and brought an indelible sense of melancholy to the shadows.

Posthumous portrait by artist Bill Sienkiewicz.

The interview was held on April 8 1989 by Sylvain Mallette and Eric Lavoie in Montréal, Québec.

For an in-depth interview about Bernie’s early life and career, I highly recommend this 1982 interview with Gary Groth. http://www.tcj.com/the-berni-wrightson-interview/