Artist Dan Jurgens Returns In 'Heroes Reborn: Marvel Double Action' #1

Welcome back, True Believers!

We’re bringing you more HEROES REBORN tie-ins and the inside scoop with veteran writer and artist Dan Jurgens, who has returned to the House of Ideas to take the pencilling duties in HEROES REBORN: MARVEL DOUBLE ACTION #1!

But what is this tie-in title about? We’ll tell you this much…it’s a look into the Squadron Supreme’s past: the Night Sam Wilson Died!

Dan gave us a peek into his process tackling this familiar yet brand-new world without the Avengers—and with Nighthawk headlining as the hero. Let’s get to it!

How did you go about tackling this retelling of the famous "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" story arc? Did you reread the original and go from there? Did you want to deliberately stay away from the source material?

There are a couple of components to how this worked.

First of all, I still remember reading the story as a kid and the impact it made on me. So I started with the overall sense of what the reader experienced—at least, this particular reader.

After I read Tim [Seeley]’s script to get a feeling for what he was doing, I went back and read the original, just so I could reacquaint myself the story and build something of a cohesive vision for it in my mind.

It’s been a bit of time since you’ve drawn for Marvel; was coming back to the Marvel Universe (albeit an alternate one) like riding a bike or did you need to stretch your legs a bit?

Very much like riding a bike! It was great fun seeing the Marvel Art Boards on my drawing table again.

Oddly enough, I think the last thing I had drawn for Marvel was the SUPREME POWER: HYPERION (2005) miniseries so there was a certain sense of appropriateness in doing a character like Nighthawk.

Has your artistic process changed much since you last worked with the House of Ideas?

In truth, it probably has.

It’s been a good 15 or 16 years since my last Marvel work and I think it’s fair to say that creator’s approach is always changing and evolving. Since I’ve written so much myself, I really try to identify what the writer’s specific point of emphasis is, both on the overall story and page-by-page levels.

What were the particular challenges you came across when creating this issue?

The challenge existed on two levels. The first was trying to recapture the visual essence of the story, which was so brilliantly handled by Gil Kane in the first place. The second was in trying place the story in the ‘70s, without going too over the top. It’s not like the original story had peace symbols plastered all over the place, for example. Go too far and those things get in the way.

The other thing I’d add was the challenge of drawing the Green Goblin. I hadn’t ever drawn him before and really enjoyed doing so. It’s such a great character design that I wanted to stay quite true to that, all the while giving him the villainous personality he embodies!

Be sure to check out HEROES REBORN: MARVEL DOUBLE ACTION #1, on sale now! Pax et Justitia!