Name: Drew Moss
Website:
https://www.instagram.com/drewerdmoss/
Hometown: Hampton, VA
TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Moss: I never really thought about it. I guess I would say a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new smashed together into this thing that is me.
TrunkSpace: Have you attempted to alter your style at any point in your career, either due to technology or a desire to try something different?
Moss: All the time. I tend to try and fit whatever the project or piece needs. I wouldn’t do a gritty kids book or a cartoony style on a serious book.
TrunkSpace: How did you get involved with “Copperhead” at Image?
Moss: Jay Faeber contacted me on Facebook or Twitter and asked. I said I never read “Copperhead,” but I would take a look. He sent me the first 10 issues and I was in love. I messaged him the next day and said I would do it.
TrunkSpace: Are there butterflies as an artist to jump into an existing series with an established fanbase and hope that those fans accept the new art?
Moss: Yes. Scott is an amazing artist. I admire his work a lot. I try and keep true to his style, but as the issues go on and I get more comfortable I start to be myself again. Issue #14 is my favorite so far.
TrunkSpace: How important were comic books in your life growing up and is that where you discovered your love and inspiration for drawing?
Moss: I seemed to always be drawing as long as I can remember. I think I was inspired by the old Hanna-Barbera cartoons, Looney Tunes, MGM cartoons and Tex Avery stuff. John Romita’s Spider-Man, Gil Kane, Alan Davis, Mike Mignola, Bernie Wrightson… the list goes on and on.
I worked at a comic shop through high school and college and gained a love of creators in general there.
TrunkSpace: You have kids of your own. What are your thoughts on the future of comic books and future generations discovering the medium enough to maintain it from a business standpoint?
Moss: I think kids are important to our future. They are the future consumers and will hopefully sustain the business for generations to come. When I do cons or anytime I talk to kids about art, I try and make it engaging for them and hopefully make an impression. I had a kid tell me that a book I did was the first they ever bought and it melts me. I talk at my son’s school from time to time and try and get involved. I try and make them aware that being an illustrator is a real thing and they can become one if they apply themselves.
TrunkSpace: We noticed some really cool “He-Man” images that you’ve been working on. Can you tell us about that (is it for fun or because of a gig?) and are you a nostalgia junkie?
Moss: (Laughter) I did a few because of nostalgia and after that it caught on. People just started commissioning me left and right for them. I am glad to oblige because I love the subject matter. I
think I will do “Thundercats” next.
TrunkSpace: Is there a particular character or universe you always find yourself returning to when you’re sketching or doing warmups?
Moss: I have a thing where I draw a profile of Captain America at every con. I look at them and see how I have grown as an artist. I tend to draw Venom a lot. All the teeth, tendrils and that giant tongue… what’s not to like about monster Spider-Man?
TrunkSpace: What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Moss: I had to draw Batman and Wonder Woman sharing a milkshake once. That wasn’t weird, but not the normal kind of request I get. I did do a Miracleman head shot that was odd just because of the face he was making.
I was at Heroes Con in Charlotte, my favorite con, and was asked to do a Miracleman head shot. I was glad to do it and started sketching. As I am sketching I smell this awful smell… someone had crop dusted me. What some people don’t realize at cons is that the tables are at waist height and if you decide to pass gas the people sitting at the tables catch the brunt of the blow. The commissioner comes to pick up the head shot and he notices the odd expression… the expression of someone that is smelling something awful and asks me why is he making that face. I told him the story and he laughs and he gets a commission from me every year.
TrunkSpace: If you could grant yourself the ultimate comic book industry dream job, what would it be and why?
Moss: When I was five-years-old I lived with my grandparents… this was the early 80s… and we watched a lot of old programming. One of my favorites was the 1960s Spider-Man. I would eagerly watch episodes every day and after dinner my grandfather and I would sit on the porch and he would tell me the makes and models of cars driving by and I would tell him what happened on Spider-Man that day. I weave these ridiculous stories about Spidey and his adventures and embellishing as much as I could. Not because I was a great storyteller but because I probably forgot what happened on the episode five minutes into my story. He would sit, smoke his pipe and listen, sometimes for hours it seemed. Then when I was finished he would tap his pipe out and say, “Don’t forget to watch tomorrows show, I need to know what happens next.” Then I didn’t appreciate the time he spent with me and I couldn’t imagine how hard it was to listen to a five-year-old ramble for hours, but he did and I will always love him for that.
Fast forward to 1990. I was in the 10th grade and my grandfather passed away. I made a promise to myself that I would draw Spider-Man professionally for him. It is a promise I work to fulfill to this day.
TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to in 2017?
Moss: I will be drawing “Copperhead” for a bit. I am working on issue 16 right now. I am developing some stuff with friends and maybe a book featuring a popular band. Best to follow me on twitter and IG to find out anything new.
