A&A The Official Jan Duursema Discussion Thread

I was disappointed it wasn't her...Adi Gallia is one of my favourite Jedi.

 

Hi Jan!
I normally post on the Aayla Thread but too lazy to come over here! Anyway, yeah your art style would look good on Sojourn. How 'about a "quick" fill-in story? Was never big into D&D junk but loved the CBS cartoons! Thought the new movie was gonna be based on that but nah. I did buy your AD&D books back in 91 because the early intro stories got me hooked.
Has DH asked you to commission an Aayla poster or pin-up yet? Don't mind if it includes Quinlan!
Iaido---cool sword forms! I think Budo is wooden sword fencing or somethin like that.
Laters...

 

Negation is another awesome comic you might score on.

 

Sojourn and...Scion?

Never been to a comic convention. Do i need a coupon(s) to get stuff signed? I'm gonna be askin for that A'Sharad with new headress so heads up, Jan!

(Nova)Richard Ryder and (DC)The Ray are my fave characters...would you accept assignments to do those characters if you weren't busy with DH?

 

Elegant Weapon---Dark Woman took over Ki Adi Mundi's duty as A'Sharad's new master. At least that's how Hunt for Aurra Sing ended...

 

Congratulations to "Iron Jan" for her mention in the new OS Aayla EU to AOTC article!

Lightsaber Salute! (all draw sabers)

 

Hi!

Kampilan and Darth L--
>>Anyway, yeah your art style would look good on Sojourn. How 'about a "quick" fill-in story?<<
>>(Nova)Richard Ryder and (DC)The Ray are my fave characters...would you accept assignments to do those characters if you weren't busy with DH?<<
>>Negation is another awesome comic you might score on.>>


Sojourn and the rest would definitely be fun, ...but it looks like I'm going to be very busy on Star Wars for quite a while!

>>Has DH asked you to commission an Aayla poster or pin-up yet? Don't mind if it includes Quinlan!<<

No poster of Aayla in sight (with or without Quin.) It would be fun to draw one though. Maybe I'll do some 'fan art' and post on Amy's website (for those of you who haven't been to her thread and haven't seen the site--it's www.blueamy.com) That might be fun!

>>Never been to a comic convention. Do i need a coupon(s) to get stuff signed? I'm gonna be askin for that A'Sharad with new headress so heads up, Jan!<<

No coupons required. I sign stuff for free! I guess I'd best do my A'Sharad homework...

See ya all at Wizard World (whoever's going there that is!)

Got lots of good things in the works here on the comic book front. Almost done with Rite of Passage and then on to more cool stories!

 

Hey Jan!

How's it going? Yeah, just taking a break from your assignments, right?

Cool to know you sign for free. My first stop in San Diego is the Dark Horse SW Booth! Okay, how about I go visit Amy first since she is becoming more known now?!
I asked her if she was going to SD and she e-mailed me back that she will be there
(duh, its Cali!)
Yup, I still want an A'Sharad but if you can sqeeuze an Aayla headshot ,time willing?

I'm sure Amy (and the fans)will love seeing your "fan" art...you co-created Aayla so why not?! I am (God-willing!)going to try to get a photo of you, Amy and I together...Its my main goal for going. Sure, we can squeeze in your family and Amy's in there! Awesome!

 

Jan---Who came up with the idea of Master Zao? I've been a fan since his first appearance in DH SW#33 and thought he was the coolest "Asian-influenced" character since Master Yoda. Zao may not be as powerful but he has that same kinda old wiseman philosophy.
I know its another expansion on TPM characters like Quinlan but its still great!
News of Teemto Pagalies figure coming out and rekindled my fascination with Zao. I like to imagine Zao's voice to be like Mako's currently voicing Aku in Samurai Jack...

 

Hi Jan

It is Tom AKA Villiemace here.

Just writing in to say that I am really enjoying Rite of Passage at the moment. The story is really excellent and the artwork is fantastic. Full credit to you and John Ostrander. You two are the best team since Qui gon and Obi Wan. It was very interesting to see Count Dooku at the end of the first issue as he is my favourite new bad guy at the moment, besides Villie of course.

I would also like to say that I am very happy as I passed my Business Studies course at College. The reason I am telling you this is because to keep me motivated on getting the work done and completing the cours, my dad promised he would get me Rites of passage and the devaronian version if I did well on my course and got all the work done. As villie is one of my favourite characters, I agreed and fully focused on my assignments. The result was that I got an A for my last assignment and I passed the course with a Merit. So I would just like to say thank you for creating a character that inspired me to work hard and get me focused on completing all of my work. Even if Villie probably would not do the same thing that I have done.

Keep up the good work

All the best

Tom

By the way congratulations on getting Aayla to the big screen!

 

I just wanted to post that I love Jan.
Her art too.
thank you

 

Just got SW#43 ROP 2, and was worth the wait(and then some). See, it came out 10 July but had to wait until today to pick it up since my comic shop closes when I get off during the week!
Yes, I do see your new Aayla look and is great work. Love Ord Mantrell's Vegas look.
I saw preview cover for SW#44 and it looks to be the best so far. Can't wait for that one when it ships...
Laters!

 

Hi all!

Been away at Wizard Con in Chicago the past week. Great fun con! Got to see old friends and make new friends. The comic book community and the Star Wars community are both just full of the nicest folks you could ever want to meet!

Kampilan--If you want to get a shot with both me and Amy at San Diego--I'm sure we can arrange something. Just let me know, ok?

As far as Zao goes--I mentioned to John that I wanted to draw a Jedi who was a Veknoid (sp?) like Teemto (my favorite podracer) and I'd always liked the character of Zatoichi--the blind masseause and swordsman. So we combined the two in Zao--who has also become a favorite of mine. I can't wait for the Teemto figure--it's about time! Got to find someone who can make a Zao out of Teemto for me!!! Funny, I imagined the same voice for him!

Did you know there is going to be an Aayla figure as well!? Saw David Vennemeyer working on it at C2!

Glad you are liking RoP so far and the cover for 44. the Ord Mantell casino area was tons of fun to draw--and Brad Anderson did a bang up job giving it that garish 'Vegas' look!

VillieMace-- So, let me get this straight-- a Devaronian scoundrel inspired you to do well in your courses and pass with an A and Merit... I'm not sure how Villie would feel about this inspiring good deeds stuff...but I think he could be swayed by seeing the profit in it by getting the books and all. Don't get Villie wrong though, he works very hard at what he does--and thoroughly enjoys every minute!

Seriously though, I think it is terrific that John O and I were able to bring inspiration to you with these characters and these books. That's the kind of thing that really makes this all worthwhile for me!

Thanks too on the congrats about Aayla! Awesome to see the EU come alive in AotC, wasn't it?!

Darth Ludicrous-- --Thanks--that means a lot!

Almost done with RoP. And BIG changes are in the wind--good things are coming--can't wait til after the announcements from LFL and Dark Horse at San Diego to be able to talk about it! (at least some of it!)

--Jan

 

Dear Jan,

I was first bombarded with your work in the star wars comics and i'm now a junkie who's going through a heroin withdrawal. Your art evolves, gets better and is more and more strikingly beautiful to look at with each issue of Star Wars that I buy. I loved your work in Star Wars Tales where you illustrated a young Han Solo story where he encounters and old, and still amazingly powerful Quin-lan Vos (who is my favorite EU character). I've never seen comics drawn so beautifully. Most comics are just drawings with Superhero's that have such huge muscles that it takes over the details in the outfits, but you do not do that at all. The clothing you added to that powerful "older" Quin was proper and suited it perfectly. I find myself reading comics that you have worked on more than once, I sometimes forget to actually "read" what's happening, your drawings convey what is happening so well.

Of course you don't do this alone, you have the fortunate luck of having fantastic inkers and colorists alongside you, as well as a fantastic writer supplying you backbone of what turns out to be ART.

I only ask this one thing, if there are any plans to (I shudder to think) "kill" my man Quinlan Vos, then please, let him go out with a bang, where it's the most fufilling end to a fantastic character, leaving us as if we ate a great steak dinner!

Do you plan on doing more comics that are not Star wars related? I would love to see your take on something like The Punisher, Transmetropolitan, or even the staples of comics like Superman, Spider-man, X-men and Batman? (actually, I think you'd do fantastic on Batman).

keep up the good work, because you can't draw fast enough and I need more!

 

Jan i have a question, in the Darth Maul comic Maul is able to rather easily take down the criminal organization Black Sun without much effort,only the Barabels come come to slowing him down, is it hard to write or draw Darth Maul?hes such an awesome Sith Lord and seems to deal with any threats easily.

And out of his worthy opponents the Dathomir Witch Mighella and Alexi Garyn which one of them is more powerfull?i have a feeling that Mighella is because only she feels a disturbance in the force and she holds her own against maul in their battle until he breaks her Sith Sword, Master Lex recognizes Maul as a Sith and attacks him with the dagger hitting him so quickly that maul cannot react,however maul recovers quickly and kills him, it seems as though Mighella is loyal to Lex only out of gratitude for taking her away from Dathomir,but could kill him easily if she wanted to.

 

Hi Jan

Tom AKA villiemace here.

I have just got rite of passage issue 2 and read it. I thought it was excellent. I like how Count Dooku is secretly in charge of everything and that the kidnapping is part of the plan to make Ryloth join Dooku's Confederacy. Superb stuff.

There were two things in this issue that made me laugh:

1. When Tholme is being tortured and interrogated by Kharis, he says to Kharis that he will accept his surrender. A bit cocky of Tholme in the situation he is in!

2. When Quinlan and Aayla are at the casino with Villie and Quinlan uses the force to affect the game, Villie calls Quinlan a NAUGHTY Jedi. Absolutely hilarious!

Believe it or not Teemto is my favourite Podracer as well! When I first saw the Phantom Menace i did not pay that much attention to him but after seeing the movie, I went out and bought the Phantom Menace computer game. To my surprise when I walked into the cantina in Mos Espa, there was Teemto. He introduces himself as Teemto Pagalies the fastest Podracer on Tattooine! It turns out he is very fond of getting drunk at the various different Cantinas in Mos Espa, which made me laugh. He is voiced by an actor called Michael Sorich who in my opinion is a really good voice actor. If you have not played the computer game I reccommend you have a look at it. It is not my favourite star wars game, but it does have some memorable moments in it, such as meeting Teemto at the 7 gee lounge!

The next time I watched the Phantom Menace, I looked out for Teemto and was pleased to see him in the movie even though he does not win the boonta eve classic! I was also pleased to see him in the Emissaries to Malastare series as a podracer and suprised and delighted to see him making a small appearence in issue 3 of the twilight series.

Looking forward to issues 3 and 4 of rites of passage plus the other big news that you have hinted at in previous posts.

I recently read the attack of the clones graphic novel and was pleased to see that you managed to slip both Villie and Quinlan Vos into the story even if they don't really do anything. Good on you!

I have one or two questions for you:

1. Will Villie or Teemto for that matter be making any appearences in any future stories? I have noticed that for the last two or three summers of the years that have gone by Quinlan and Villie have been the main characters in the various stories that have been existing and I would just like to say that it is nice to have two characters to read the adventures of during the summer holidays that I have.

2. I noticed that as Quinlan and Aayla are walking towards the Casino on Ord Mantel to see Villie, there is a guy walking the other way wearing what can only be described as an oxygen mask over his face. Who is he? The reason I ask is because in a preview of the new series Star Wars Empire that is starting in September, one of the covers has Darth Vader killing what lookes like to be the same guy. I was just wondering who he was.

Anyway got to go. Keep up the good work

Best Wishes

Tom aka Villiemace

 

Hi Jan! Cool Beans!

Betcha' can't wait for the Teemto figure, eh VillieMace?!

 

Jan,
(without gushing too much)
I would just like to thank you for the experience at Wizard World.
I had some experience with your D&D stuff, but not too much with your Dark Horse works.

However, after you did the wonderful Aurra Sing sketch( which is hanging above my computer)and actually talked with us fans, I am now a die hard Duursema fan. I went out and purchased Twilight and Tales the next day.

I would just like to thank you for proving that "insiders" can be even more enthusiastic than the fans....

ps ( I agree with you- Aurra vs. Aayla would be a tremendous battle!!)

 

Aayla would win. No doubt.....cant beat her.....unstopable....shes the best......I did not know Jan was a girl.....Aaylas awsome........the hottest star wars hoty.

Your doing great in ROP. Keep it up Jan.

 

The awesome Jan Duursema!

(I'd repeat my Aayla Secura thread action of Wayne's World 2 'I'm not worthy!'scene but I am concerned I'd give off the wrong impression.)

If I may be so bold to say your artwork -it is pure art- from 'Twilight' on has captured me together with the great character that Aayal Secura is. Aayla Secura is a fantastic and mesmerizing character, splendid and wonderful! She has really added to my passion for Star Wars and inspired me in my life.

I'll say it again a great many thanks to you Jan Duursema -as well as Amy Allen- for bringing this epic character to life in the comics -and on the movie screen-.

I do not read or have any comics except the ones featuring Aayla Secura or your artwork, so I might not be knowledgeable regarding comics. I'm just a great Aayla fan (trying to be the greatest but it's passion, not competition) and a fan of your work.

Especially the last 'Rite of Passage' issues, the evolution is visible and the degree of detail and art. This is no longer a comic, it's so much better in quality and beauty. (I plan on buying double copies so I can frame the pages and hang them up. I hope that doesn't sound too obsessive.)

The drawing of Aayla's face seen from the side after Quinlan Vos affects the dice toss Villie made! Her facial expression. (Seems she thinks what Villie's NT droid says.) This is just stunning and awesome, one couldn't tell the difference with a picture of Amy Allen as Aayla. Outstanding!

I'm E-mailing with Raymond Stewart from 'The Comic Art Warehouse' (www.comicartwarehouse.com) regarding a possible request for a Single Figure Commission of 'Aayla Secura' from you.
(No idea if he already forwarded anything about my exploring making such a request to you? My real name's Nicky.)
I'm really considering requesting one because you pencil Aayla so well.

I like the artwork that's at starwars.com (http://www.starwars.com/eu/news/2002/04/news20020401_3.html)featuring Aayla in the foreground with Quinlan and the Morgukai in the background. Must have been done by none other than you seeing how great it looks.

Anyway, to state the obvious my wish for Dark Horse would be to have many more stories centered on Aayla Secura. (The greatest Jedi ever!) Quinlan Vos, Villie and Tholme could join in too. (Be nice to see Tholme and Tra'Saa team up, there was chemistry there.)

Hopefully someday I'll be able to express my thanks in person and meet you!

 

You mentioned a 'lightsaber pen'.

Not sure if it's the same item but I do know that the Australion Collector's Edition of Lucasarts/Raven's Jedi Knight II Jedi Outcast came with a lightsaber keychain and the lightsaber blade actually lights up thanks to small led light.

Just a tidbit. Not sure if it'll help you out in any way. Just trying to be of assistance.

 

Hello Elven Jedi! Jan is not a girl she is a woman like your mother is a woman!
I don't think Jan will mind a bit though.

More Aayla fans means more Aayla Secura recogintion!

 

Hi! Been busy finishing up issue 45 and starting issue 49 this last week. John has written a couple of incredibly intense stories and I'm having a blast drawing them!

bulent_hasan-- Thanks for the nice comments on my art! I've drawn a lot of muscular superhero types too, but what I like to do most is to try to give the characters power through attitude and expression--it makes them more 'real' to me. So glad you liked the SW tales story GHOST with a young Han Solo and an older Quinlan Vos. Illustrating it was a joy--mostly because of the characters involved. Han and Quin are two of my favorite characters and I enjoyed the opportunity to portray both of them in one tale.

>>I only ask this one thing, if there are any plans to (I shudder to think) "kill" my man Quinlan Vos, then please, let him go out with a bang,<<

When Quin's time is up--and if I am asked to portray his demise--I promise he will go out with a bang.

>>Do you plan on doing more comics that are not Star wars related? I would love to see your take on something like The Punisher, Transmetropolitan, or even the staples of comics like Superman, Spider-man, X-men and Batman? (actually, I think you'd do fantastic on Batman).<<

No plans at this time to do anything but Star Wars! (Yeehah!) I actually have done work on X-Factor, Uncanny X-Men, Professor X and the X-Men and X-Men 2099 in the past.

I will try to draw faster! I'd hate to see you go without your 'fix' of Star Wars!

Mateo-->>Jan i have a question, in the Darth Maul comic Maul is able to rather easily take down the criminal organization Black Sun without much effort,only the Barabels come come to slowing him down, is it hard to write or draw Darth Maul?hes such an awesome Sith Lord and seems to deal with any threats easily.<<

Maul is an awesome character! He can also be a difficult character to draw. When I first began the project, I spent a lot of time sketching him and trying to understand what he really was--beyond the darkness that you could feel just by looking at his eyes! The moment Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan met him on Naboo there was a feeling that they sensed his darkness and his purpose for being there. They didn't need to speak about it. What I began to understand about Maul was that he was truly driven by his devotion to the dark side and his dedication to Sidious and his teachings. That is his honor and what drives him on. To me that is the heart of Maul and that's how I drew him. Physically, he flows with energy and his moves are precise and powerful.

Who is a more worthy oponent--Mighella or Alexi Gary? I think you are right--Mighella. Alexi was a failed Jedi candidate--who chose to use what ability he had in the Force in evil ways. He did not have the training that Mighella or Maul had. I think the story of why Mighella was loyal to Alexi is one of those untold Star Wars stories...but yes, she could have taken out Alexi in one move.

VILLIEMACE-- Hi Tom! Good to see you are liking ROP 2!

>>When Tholme is being tortured and interrogated by Kharis, he says to Kharis that he will accept his surrender. A bit cocky of Tholme in the situation he is in!<<

Kinda reminiscent of Luke walking the gangplank on Jabba's skiff... except I think Tholme was in a worse position to be so cocky--guess it was worth a try though...

Oh YEAH! Teemto in The Phantom Menace computer game! (actually, I have it on Playstation) I've played it quite a bit--loved Teemto always having a 'little pre-race celebration'! He talks to Qui-Gon in one bar and speaks highly of Anakin as well. Fun stuff!

>>I was also pleased to see him in the Emissaries to Malastare series as a podracer and suprised and delighted to see him making a small appearence in issue 3 of the twilight series.<<

Teemto gets around! At the time Twilight came out there was still some debate as to whether Teemto had been killed in the Boonta Eve race or not. I put him in Twilight anyway with the thought that even if he had been killed, having him there would be like an 'Elvis sigh

 

If anyone is interested, after having had a Quinlan Vos entry for quite some time now, the Official Site starwars.com has finally made an entry in the character databank regarding Aayla Secura.
(Together with several other Jedi, but even with Ki-Adi Mundi's entry, Aayla's is definately one of the most comprehensive entries.)

It even features some of the events from 'Twilight' and 'Darkness'.

You can find it here: http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/aaylasecura/index.html

 

if any of the people on this forum are from England like me, do any of you know if I will be able to get Teemto in Forbidden Planet. I would love to have him.