Creator Interview: Javier Saltares

Javier Saltares

In 2008 I was lucky enough to get to speak with Javier Saltares, an artist whose work is synonymous with Ghost Rider, right before the launch of the "Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch" mini-series (reviews of which will begin posting this week).

Vengeance Unbound is honored to present an interview with Javier Saltares, who has had not one, not two, but THREE distinct runs as the definitive artist on Ghost Rider!

 

1) Let's start as close to the beginning as possible: how did you get involved with the Ghost Rider relaunch in 1990? How much of the book's concept and design were you responsible for?

I started with Marvel in 86' as a post production artist under the great John Romita Sr. It was a great time to be at Marvel. It was like being at the comic geeks frat house back then. As I did my post production work, editors began to take notice and offer me some small gigs. Marvel was just gearing up to put out their "Marvel Comics Presents" title and all of us wannabees started jockeying for position to get work in what really was their unofficial "new talents title". I did a dozen of those before I got what I consider my first serious break which was the first Spider-Man Annual "Atlantis Attacks".

 

After that I took a short break and went to Puerto Rico in 88'. When I got back I had a couple of phone calls waiting for me from Bobbie chase who said she wanted to speak with me. (No e-mails back then. Man I'm old.) I called back and all she wanted to say over the phone was "I want to speak with you about an ongoing and see if you're interested". After the cartwheels, I ran down to see what it was about.

 

They were starting their "heroes reborn" line and wanted to know if I would be interested in revamping Ghost Rider with Howard Mackie. DUH! They had me at hello. Then I saw the script. Ghost Rider takes Manhattan ! And as if that weren't enough, "we need the whole thing redesigned". Seriously, I don't even remember the ride home on the #4 train back to the Bronx . I just kept looking at the buildings and the streets whizzing below and imagined this badass from hell zooming down those same streets. It was a great time.

 

Then a bump in the road. I had never developed anything from scratch before. It was harder than I thought. First Ghostie himself. I wanted the "street biker" look as opposed to the "country tour biker". I was very intimidated by what kind of response I would get. The late Mark Gruenwald was in charge of the approval back then. He was not a very animated person emotionally, so when he saw it and said, "That's good, we'll go with that." in his always subdued manner, I was floored because I knew that was the best I would get out of him. No redo's, no tweaks, just "we'll go with that". Then I got cocky. Never get cocky. "The bike".

 

Truly believing I would get the same response for my bike design, I strolled into marvel feeling like I owned the place. "Pride goes before the fall!" Instead all I saw was a bunch of shaking heads. “Oh no! That's too tech!" or "Where's the chopper?!"

 

It felt like people were coming out of the wood work to express their bewilderment at this abomination I had brought before them. What to do? I held my head high, stuck out my chest preparing to defend my creation but thankfully a little voice screamed, “This is a dream job dummy! Don't blow it!" So I begged them to give me another chance and promised I'd do better next time. After some compromising with Howard, Mark and Bobbie we got the bike you see now.

2) After a successful first year on the title, you left to pursue other projects. What were your reasons for leaving such a popular book at what was arguably the height of its popularity?

 

Honestly? I got fired.

 

I was struggling to keep the book on line. I had never done a monthly before. It's a huge under taking for a pro, never mind a novice which I still was. It was a very painful and humiliating experience at the time. I was hurt. It took a while, but time really is the great healer. Comics are a business and you have to understand that if you want to get involved with it.

 

Also, the old saying is true. "Whatever doesn't kill you, will make you stronger." In this business you have to learn to be the best you can within a time frame. That's true of commercial art in general.

 

3) You returned to the book in 1998, shortly before its untimely cancellation. What were the circumstances behind the book being canceled just as you and writer Ivan Velez were gearing up for a new status quo? And how did you feel when Marvel finally published the book's final issue last year?

 

I did a one shot for Tom Breevort, "Naomi Kale" and then he asked me to come back to the series. The industry was still really shaky and I believe marvel was trying to save the title but I think it was a case of "too little, too late." That's why the book got cut the way it did.

 

As for asking us to finish it later, I felt that was great of course. Ghost Rider has some of the best and craziest fans I've ever seen in my experience. Marvel knows this as well.

 

4) Your work, especially when paired with finisher Mark Texeira, has long been held as the “definitive look” for the character. Why do you think your work on the book managed to strike such a chord with the fans?

 

I honestly don't know. There are some super creative guys and gals out there that I actually envy. I drool when I see their stuff and some have done their take on GR. I'd see it and think, "oh no, I'm out of a job!"

 

But the fans, god bless them, they like my stuff when it comes to Ghost Rider. (Told you they were crazy.) Seriously though, I'm grateful to them. Really.

 

5) Care to tell us a little about your involvement in the new Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch mini-series? Did you ever expect Marvel to resurrect the Ketch character?

 

I was fishing for more work when Aubrey Sitterson contacted me and basically hinted at me not to take on anything too big because he had something in the works and he really wanted my involvement. Axel and Aubrey helped me acquire some short gigs to fill my time until they were ready to tell me what was going on.

 

(Marvel loves those cliff hangers, don't they?)

 

As soon as he said "Danny Ketch", I thought, "Well it's about time!"

     

6) You're one of the very few artists to work on both the Dan Ketch and Johnny Blaze versions of the character. Which of the two do you think should hold the permanent mantle of Ghost Rider, Blaze or Ketch? Do you have a preference between the two?

 

I honestly don't think I can answer that without getting shot. The fans are crazy remember.

 

7) You've now had the opportunity to work with four different writers (Howard Mackie, Ivan Velez, Daniel Way , and Simon Spurrier) across nearly two decades. What is it about Ghost Rider that keeps you coming back to illustrate him?

 

Hands down the most fun character I've done in my professional career.

 

Wolverine second.

 

"X" for Dark Horse third.

 

And believe it or not G. I. Joe fourth.

 

8) What did you think of the Ghost Rider movie, which used your designs for the character?

 

Good or bad, it was just soo cool for me as an artist to see some thing I had a hand in creating brought to life on the big screen. Got some great ideas if they ever want to do another. Hint, hint.

 

9) What other projects do you have in the works right now? Any other new Ghost Rider material outside of the upcoming Danny Ketch mini-series?

 

I'm never that far ahead of myself. I'll start looking for the next thing when I'm almost done with this one.

 

Would love to do a Wolverine mini though. start your petitions guys!

 

10) Mr. Saltares, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview with me. Any last remarks for all the Ghost Rider fans out there?

 

All I would really like to express to the fans is "thank you!" really. You pay so I can play. That's the way I see it. Not many get that opportunity and I truly appreciate the privilege. Thank you again.