COMICS CAREER: 10 QUESTIONS FOR COMICS PROS COMICS CAREER: 10 QUESTIONS FOR COMICS PROS

because I don’t play by the rules. I COMICS CAREER: What writing, draw- got into comics really late so a lot of ing, or other tools do you use? the legends and names are off my radar - not to say I don’t know and ROBINSON: I’m on a Mac, I have an respect them, but I did not grow up intuos Wacom tablet. I’m using Pho- with them. I think Valentino saw toshop (old version), for color work, that and didn’t even try to hammer or Office Word for writing. For my my square peg into a round hole. He art I have a huge drawing table I pur- gave me a break, warts and all. From chased from a friend for $50 bucks. It there I grew up “in public,” making came with a Drafting Machine arm, my mistakes and learning the craft too. I draw in blue pencil so I don’t “in print.” have to erase and lighten my ink lines. I use a mechanical pencil (o.5) COMICS CAREER: What do you do to and it’s a Hello Kitty Sanrio pencil. I recharge your creative batteries? just wanted my comic on the shelf. use Cali Ink and art brushes. I can’t Jimmie Robinson is the ROBINSON: Sleep. I swear, there are do Crow quill pens. I used mark- Oakland, California, artist and writer COMICS CAREER: Who has had the times I think I only have so much ers once, but that had problems. I currently best known as the one-man biggest influence on you outside the creative power in me per day. With- also have an array of templates and force behind Bomb Queen, a not-for- comics industry, and how did they out sleep I won’t even get that. French curves. Lately my static / kiddies romp from Image Comics. His affect your life? COMICS CAREER: Describe your typical straight line work has comes from previous credits include CyberZone ROBINSON: My daughter and mar- work routine. rapidiograph pens. I like the *real* (self-published), Amanda & Gunn riage was one, it leveled me out and ink and it doesn’t fade like pens / ROBINSON: Get up and check email (Image), Code Blue (Image), Evil & gave me a tiny bit of early maturity, markers. from the editor and publisher, check Malice (Image), Avigon (Image), Comic I’d also say the writings of Joseph the news of the day and then eat. If COMICS CAREER: What element of your Book Tattoo (Image), Wolverine, and Campbell’s comparative mythology I’m not leaving the house and if I’m work gives you the most personal What If? (Marvel). helped me out, as well. But I’ve kept on a deadline I won’t even shower or satisfaction? to myself for so long, and I don’t do COMICS CAREER: When did you first get dressed. Then I put on talk radio, much outside of my sphere. ROBINSON: Since I create/write/ decide that you wanted to create usually NPR or the BBC. However, draw I can’t pick between them. But your own comics for a living? COMICS CAREER: Who has had the big- thanks to the porn style of election creating something really out there gest influence on your comics career, ROBINSON: I got in late, so somewhere coverage I have migrated over to always makes me happy. With Bomb and how has that person changed in my late twenties and early thir- music radio. Lately I’ve been stick- Queen I really put out as much as your work? ties. That would be somewhere in the ing with that -- even with the looping possible. It’s designed to be danger- 1980s. I wish I had started earlier, ROBINSON: Jim Valentino because he playlist and commercials. It helps me ous. A book about a villain and the but I got married young, started a gave me the break and the freedom keep somewhat in tune to popular society that loves her makes for some family and all that. I held off from to do things my way. Some folks talk culture. I use headphones to get into rather messy and sticky situations. comics until my daughter was in about how people have shaped them. my creative space. Then I just do the I can’t show everything I’d like to school and I would have the time For me it’s the opposite, it’s how I’ve work, no matter what it is. Writing, so I’ve been rather creative and I’ve alone. But even then I wasn’t think- been allowed to roam without shape. pencils, inks, coloring, lettering, come to really appreciate the satis- ing of making a living or a career. I Sometimes that gets me in trouble whatever. That’s the curse of being a faction of pulling the rug out from one-man-band.

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someone, or going over the top with- ously the best I’ve heard is to keep out spilling the beans, or pulling off at it - especially if the creator’s style some crude antics without crossing doesn’t match the designs of various the line. But that’s just with Bomb publishers in the direct market. Queen. The creative aspect applies Having an off brand style makes to all my books. Each has a special everything an uphill battle. The only satisfaction. way to overcome that is to just ham- COMICS CAREER: What has been the mer away at that wall - or change the most rewarding project in your pro- style to a marketable range (which I fessional career – in or out of comics hope people don’t do). I’d rather see – and why? diversity out there. So my advice is to be yourself and stay that way. ROBINSON: I’d say my all-ages book, Evil & Malice (Image). I really liked COMICS CAREER: Time to get philo- making a comic that kids could read, sophical: What’s the most important affect your life? and it was rewarding to see kids at “big idea” that you’ve learned in life Phil Hester is based in conventions. Later the property went – in or out of comics – and why is it small town Iowa, and his credits HESTER: My wife for never questioning into TV animation development and important? include Swamp Thing, Green Arrow, what I was doing with my life even The Wretch, Nightwing, Super- when she probably should have. Her my agent got me signed on as the ROBINSON: That there is no account- man Confidential, Ant-Man, Taboo, constant patience and support give principle art producer, so I was not ing for another’s taste or desire. The Coffin, The Darkness, Fire- me a safe harbor when the comics only drawing the book for comics, What one person likes, another will breather, Golly, and much more. business kicks me in the ego or wallet but I also had the chance to draw the hate. Thus, I’ve come to this stage in You can find out more about Phil and (Hint: often). TV version, as well. It was reward- my life where I don’t say if a book his work at shocktraumastudios.com ing to see my work move from one is crap -- because it’s not up to me. COMICS CAREER: Who has had the big- medium to another and for me to gest influence on your comics career, Sure I personally may not like it, but COMICS CAREER: When did you first still have a solid hand in the process. and how has that person changed if we’re talking about the big pic- decide that you wanted to create your Sadly, it never went all the way in TV, your work? ture, the big idea/ideal, then it goes own comics for a living? but I still liked the experience and it beyond a single person’s opinion. HESTER: My inker partner Ande Parks. all stemmed from my creation. HESTER: Probably age twelve, maybe I have the right to my opinion, but I was very shy at the beginning of my eleven. I had all those crazy Marvel COMICS CAREER: We’ve all met very sometimes people listen to what I comics career and had to be prodded stickers from the 70’s plastered on talented newcomers who are trying say, and I’m not going to influence into talking to other pros. Ande’s a my dresser and after countless hours to get their first professional proj- others that way. So I’ve becomes very very confident guy, at least he proj- of idle gazing it dawned on me that ects. What’s the best advice you’ve tolerant of things. Comics, movies, ects confidence, and he sort of pushed each was drawn in a different style. ever heard given to a promising new books, whatever. I’ve learned to get me into doing things like going to I started paying attention to the cred- creator? closer to the middle. Play both sides New York to look for work or chatting its in comics and began to daydream of the coin. Appreciate the view of up editors at cons. ROBINSON: To just do the work, and about being there myself. others. Open my mind to new ideas... then do it again. Nobody gets any- We also have a shared aesthetic that and it all starts with tolerance. COMICS CAREER: Who has had the big- where with just one project, one grew out of our collaboration and gest influence on you outside the book, one time (well, okay there pulled me toward a more minimalist, comics industry, and how did they might be a few lucky ones), but seri- high contrast style than I would have

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developed on my own. My early, early with a plain old Dixon Ticonderoga put yourself to work. Now. battle.” Or Jesus’ “Do unto others...” Or Vonnegut’s “God damn it, babies, work looks like a feeble imitation of #2 school pencil, Bruynzeel Design F, COMICS CAREER: Time to get philo- you’ve got to be kind.” Being alive is Mike Ploog, but after working with or mechanical pencil with a Pentel .5 sophical: What’s the most important sometimes very scary and very dis- Ande for twenty years I’ve honed a mm F or HB lead. “big idea” that you’ve learned in life couraging, so the best thing we can do modern, hard edged style with its COMICS CAREER: What element of your – in or out of comics – and why is it for each other is offer comfort, either roots in the old school economical work gives you the most personal sat- important? through art (doesn’t mean it has to be ideals of Toth or Wood. All that said, isfaction? I think spending countless childhood HESTER: Be sweeter. comforting art, just engaging), friend- afternoons soaking up Kirby comics HESTER: I love storytelling, so the Which is a simpler way of restating ship, good works, whatever. I forget might have made the most indelible thumbnail stage is always my favor- that old saying of Plato’s “Be kind, for all this immediately in traffic. mark on my artistic mind. ite. I am not a big fan of my draughts- everyone you meet is fighting a hard manship skills, so everything looks its COMICS CAREER: What do you do to best before I start pencilling proper. recharge your creative batteries? I enjoy writing and drawing short HESTER: I stop working. I work a lot, so stories a lot, so whenever I get the taking a day off really clears my head. chance to do that (like in The Wretch, COMICS CAREER: Describe your typical or Postcards) I’m most in my element. work routine. COMICS CAREER: What has been the HESTER: Kids on the bus at 8. I try to most rewarding project in your pro- write until noon or so, then switch fessional career – in or out of comics to drawing until the kids get home at – and why? 3:30. I go back to work, usually draw- HESTER: As a writer probably The Cof- ing, from 10 until I can’t stay awake. I fin with Mike Huddleston or Fire- quit caffeine a year or so ago, so that’s breather with Andy Kuhn. As an usually 1 AM at the latest. artist probably the Daredevil vs Mag- COMICS CAREER: What writing, draw- dalena crossover I did last year. As ing, or other tools do you use? both writer and artist probably the short story I did for Postcards: True HESTER: I don’t have any kick-ass writ- Stories That Never Happened. ing tools. I mean, I have a template that I print out so i can draw little COMICS CAREER: We’ve all met very tal- thumbnail layouts to accompany ented newcomers who are trying to my scripts, but I don’t have any cool get their first professional projects. screenwriting or comics writing pro- What’s the best advice you’ve ever gram. Does anyone? heard given to a promising new cre- ator? I draw on smooth Strathmore 400 series bristol. Ply matters not. I do HESTER: Don’t wait for anyone’s per- small thumbnails then sketch directly mission to do your thing. Just go. on the board with non-photo blue Make mistakes. No one’s keeping (Staedtler), then do finished pencils score. Nothing teaches like work, so

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