Entering Dark Times

Douglas Wheatley

By Lee Atchison
April 1, 2007

Star Wars: Dark Times is the latest mini-series from the popular science fiction movies to hit the shelves. Published by Dark Horse, it features writers Mick Harrison and Welles Hartley, artist Douglas Wheatley, and colorist Ronda Pattison. Taking time out of his packed schedule, Wheatley shows us a peak behind the curtain.

Sequential Tart: What can you tell us about Star Wars: Dark Times?

Douglas Wheatley: Dark Times is a regular 5-issue mini-series published by Dark Horse comics.

ST: How does the story fit into the Star Wars mythology?

"For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire."
— Ben Kenobi

DW: The events in Dark Times take place between Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope. We're really digging deep into the heart of Star Wars. Our focus is on the little guy and the surviving Jedi ... the average galactic citizen. What happens to them under the weight of the new Sith Empire? What do the surviving Jedi do, where do they go, how will they continue? Those are some of the questions we'll answer in the issues to come.

ST: What was your favorite part of doing Star Wars: Dark Times?

DW: Where do I begin? Reading the scripts, telling stories, drawing, designing new characters, and worlds, drawing existing worlds, the fact that it's Star Wars ... LOL! Everything; it's so much fun! A lot of that has to do with the stories. The scripts are incredible! The story is strong.

ST: Who else are you working with on Star Wars: Dark Times? How is it to work with them?

DW: Mick Harrison and Welles Hartley are on writing duties and Ronda Pattison is on color. I've never worked with 2 writers on one project before; the conference calls are a blast! There is this explosion of ideas being tossed back and forth over the airwaves in what seems to be total chaos, then reading the script, you'd think they had the same mother! Mick and Welles are both very passionate about this project, and it shows when you read their script. Ronda has been amazing to work with. Our conversations about color, the story, and Dark Times have been a lot of fun! It's been amazing so far.

ST: What influenced your work on Star Wars: Dark Times?

DW: Great directors and their story telling, and Alex Toth and Randy Stradley have been a fantastic influence on my story telling. It has been a great learning experience working with them.

ST: How did you create the look and feel of the characters and the environment?

DW: The Star Wars movies are my primary influence. I start with them, being very careful and paying close attention to style guides and small details.

ST: Did you have references from which you worked?

DW: Any book with the title Star Wars on it and had pictures, and the movies.

ST: So what made you want to break into comics?

DW: Frank Miller and Todd McFarlane. I picked up a copy of The Dark Knight Returns and Todd McFarlane's Amazing Spider-Man and fell in love with the medium. Thanks, guys!

ST: What's a typical "day at the office" like for you?

DW: I wake up at 5:00 am. I get to my studio between 6:00 and 7:00 am. I check my emails and make coffee. I sit at my desk by 7:30, and I leave the studio between 8:00pm and 9:00pm.

ST: What other comics that you're working on do we have to look forward to?

DW: Star Wars takes most of my time right now.

Dark Horse — The publisher's official web site
Interviews — More Douglas Wheatley interviews from Google