2-in-1 writer/artist Gene Ha is returning to work with DC Comics and Marvel Comics, after spending time away from the Big Two for the past few years.
“I’ll be nailing down the script for Mae Vol. 3 while I work on some unannounced short projects for Marvel and DC,” Ha told Newsarama. “The Marvel project is a short story with almost complete creative license. The DC project is with a writer I deeply admire and haven’t worked with yet. Again, the writer has been given near carte blanche creative control.”
Besides working on comic book covers, Ha last collaborated for DC Comics on a short in 2015’s Fables #150 and for Marvel Comics’ Young Avengers Special #1 published in 2006.
“I love Marvel and DC’s superhero books, but there’s much less creative license than when I first worked there. In the early 1990s, the creative team and editor on a book at Marvel or DC were usually left alone by the top management. Line-wide crossovers weren’t the norm yet. Now, the whole superhero line is like an orchestra playing one symphonic suite. I admire writers who can craft great stories in a tightly-shared story universe but I can’t imagine writing that way,” Ha said.
For the unfamiliar, Ha created his own characters and world with Mae. The series began on Kickstarter, where its successful funding led to publication with Dark Horse Comics. From there, the series moved over to Lion Forge/Oni Press where the second volume is coming out on September 25.
“Mae will always be where my heart is, but as long as the writer gets creative freedom I love drawing stories for DC and Marvel,” Ha said.
For a list of appearances Gene Ha will be making to promote Mae, please go to his official website.
