Annihilation: Nova artist Kev Walker generously took some time away from penciling the mini-series to answer some questions about the upcoming four issue Nova mini-series that is part of 2006's cosmic event 'Annihilation'! I'd like to thank Kev for the interview!

Could you give us some background on your career, how you got interested in art and what lead you to the comics industry?

Ok the short and sweet version. Went to Art college for 2 years at the beginning of the eighties. Got asked not to return. Got a job working in packaging. Spent four miserable years designing confectionary packaging for people with no imagination. Quit went freelance, got dome work for Games Workshop doing RPG illustrations, used those illustrations to get my first strip work for 2000ad in the UK. Most of the work I've done over the last 20 years has been for the UK market, though in '89 I did ink 2 issues of Hellblazer for DC. I'd always been into comics since my childhood. My dad was a fan and used to bring me home comics as a kid. He liked Doctor Strange, which back in the early 70's was very funky. I had a personal fondness for the X-Men. But who didn't (doesn't?).

How did the Annihilation: Nova mini-series assignment come about?

I owe it all to Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett. After a short conversation a few years back they got me a fill in slot on Legion of Superheroes for DC. Then another contact of theirs wanted to use me on Exiles, which I pencilled, though only inked the first issue. That was a three part gig, before I got the six-ish mini-series 'Eternal'. Then I switched briefly to DC to Work on Superman. I did three issues, none of which will ever see print, for reasons never actually explained to me. Licking my wounds I returned to the pages of 2000ad, drawing and colouring a 72 page Judge Dredd strip, before, again, Andy Lanning interfered with my life and put me in touch with Andy Schmidt at Marvel.

What lead to the redesign of Nova's uniform? What is a creative decision on your part, Dan and Andy's, or a directive from Marvel?

Nova's uniform was nothing to do with me. It's down to the whims of fashion. What's in what's out. And as for being creative, I draw stuff that 'feels' right to me, if I'm unsure I chat to the guys, then ignore their comments and draw what I feel like drawing. Ha ha.

Will the new uniform have new or expanded capabilities and, if so, what might they be?

It's all new to me. I've never read Nova before.

How do the writers/artist dynamics work between Dan and Andy and yourself for the mini-series?

Oooh, think I already answered that one. They tell me what to draw, I ignore it, and give them what they need instead. Then I tell them it was all their idea anyway.

How does your storytelling technique change from a team book (for example, your work on the Exiles) to a single character book like Nova?

hmmm, don't know that it does. Except that you have to be more creative. With only one character to focus on you have draw the same figure more often. It's easy to fall into character shortcuts and draw the same headshot over and over. With a group book you have multiple characters all competing for attention. With Nova it's all on him, single spotlight. If I draw him badly there isn't another kick ass character standing next to him to draw the eye away from bad figure work.

If given an opportunity, would you like to expand to writing duties? If so, what characters would you be interested in writing?

I already have writing credits, but only one to my name in the US. A one off 'Hellboy' related strip in the Weird Tales anthologies.

What other projects will we be seeing from you in the near future?

After this? What, you mean there'll be an 'after'? Cool, never thought about that. Have no idea.