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Name: Marcelo Ferreira

Website: https://marceloferreira-art.com/

Favorite Comic Book Character Growing Up: Batman

Favorite Comic Book Character Now: Still Batman!

Latest Work: “Back To The Future” (IDW Publishing) – November 2015 to November 2017

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Ferreira: I have people telling me that my style is “dynamic” and “full of energy.” I think this is true, since I consciously try to bring a lot of movement into my art.

TrunkSpace: How important were comic books in your life growing up and is that where you discovered your love and inspiration for drawing?
Ferreira: Very important! In fact, the very first thing I read after I got alphabetized was an “Uncle Scrooge” comic book when I was six. And when I started collecting DC comics at the age of eight it never stopped. Around this same age I decided I was going to draw comics for a living when I grew up. Such love was developed for comic book art from reading all those books.

TrunkSpace: Was there a particular artist or title from your childhood that you remember being drawn to and inspired by?
Ferreira: Definitely John Byrne’s run on “Superman” in the mid-to-late 1980s. I remember grabbing those comics and being amazed at the art, and I sat down with every cover and tried to copy it to perfection. I also have to mention Jim Aparo’s “Batman” – also the 80’s run.

TrunkSpace: How did you decide to approach your career in comics? Did you formulate a plan of how you wanted to attack what is known for being a hard industry to crack?
Ferreira: Yeah, I definitely had a plan. Plan A was having an agent. Being from Brazil, here the most common way to break in is to get yourself an agent who will champion your portfolio inside the industry. I tried this formula, but it didn’t work out for me. Then I got to plan B, which was going to one of the biggest conventions, pace the show floor talking to absolutely every editor I could and show them my portfolio until at least one of them liked it! And one of them did at NYCC 2010.

TrunkSpace: What was your biggest break in terms of a job that opened more doors for you?
Ferreira: This is difficult for me to answer. My career so far is made of small steps – independent publisher to IDW Publishing to Dark Horse Comics to now hopefully one of the Big Two. And each step was made possible for some work done for each publisher. Let’s see what I will answer you after I get my first gig at one of the Big Two.

TrunkSpace: A lot of people say that breaking into comics is the hardest part of working in comics. How long did it take you before you started to see your comic book dreams become a reality?
Ferreira: From the time I actually started pursuing it seriously (with plans A and B in mind), it took me four years.

TrunkSpace: Is there a particular character or universe you always find yourself returning to when you’re sketching or doing warm-ups?
Ferreira: Not a specific character, but they are always from either Marvel or DC, for sure.

TrunkSpace: Is there a specific title or character that you’d like to work on in the future and why?
Ferreira: This is a two-step answer. Until I do my first job for Marvel or DC, working on any superhero title from any of the two would be awesome! And after some time in the Big Two environment, the dream would be Batman.

TrunkSpace: What is your ultimate dream when it comes to your career in comics? Where would you like your path to lead?
Ferreira: Being established in a way that getting steady work is pretty easy and a sure thing. If that comes with the ultimate fanboy dream, which is drawing exclusively superheroes for a living, then even better!

TrunkSpace: What would you say is the greatest strength as an artist?
Ferreira: I would say being able to professionally deal with editors, writers, and other fellow artists. This means meeting deadlines, willingly make changes to your work when asked to, being thoughtful to other fellow artists, etc. All the “behind the scenes” stuff that is just as important as drawing well.

TrunkSpace: How has technology changed your process of putting ideas/script to page? Do you sue the classic paper/pencil approach at all anymore?
Ferreira: Oh yes! And I don’t see myself changing anytime soon. What I did do was incorporate the digital into parts of my process, where it actually helps me speed up the whole thing, like making thumbnails (the storyboard thing), or editing work that is finished. And lately I have been experimenting with inking digitally, which has been proving a good experience and useful in a lot of cases. But the core of my process will remain paper/pencils/inks. Plus, I get to sell the originals! (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: What advice would you give another young aspiring artist who is considering a career in the comic industry?
Ferreira: If you already know you have potential to be in the industry, and if you already have put together a strong portfolio, just show it around! Go to the conventions and talk to the right people. Good and qualified work WILL find a place. And if nothing happens too soon, don’t give up. Ever!

TrunkSpace: Making appearances at conventions: Love it, leave it, or a combination of both?
Ferreira: Love it! Love being around fellow artists, the publishers and editors and, of course, the fans.

TrunkSpace: What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Ferreira: I wish I had a funny answer to that, but I have yet to be asked to draw these odd things.

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to for the rest of 2017 and into the new year?
Ferreira: For the rest of 2017 you can check out the wrapping up of “Back To The Future Vol.1.” I think we still have one or two more issues to go. And for 2018 I will be back to all-ages books for awhile, drawing a “Transformers” graphic novel for IDW. And there is also a new project for another publisher, but can’t talk about it. Sorry!

Name: Dan Mendoza

Website: http://www.zombietrampcomic.com/

Favorite Comic Book Character Growing Up: The Hulk

Favorite Comic Book Character Now: Hellboy

Latest Work: “Zombie Tramp” and “Dollface” are under Action Lab Entertainment. “Zombie Tramp” has been an ongoing series since 2010 and “Dollface” debuted January 2017.

I am now self-publishing under my own label, Still Ill Princess. My first title is called “Sad Girl Psycho Baby.”

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Mendoza: My art style is more on the European and Anime side. When I was a teenager, I read an article about these new styles that looked like Manga and American mixed together, calling it Neo Manga, so that’s what I call my style today.

TrunkSpace: How important were comic books in your life growing up and is that where you discovered your love and inspiration for drawing?
Mendoza: I’ve been drawing all my life. I used to make my own comics all the time with folded and stapled paper. I bought my first comic at age 12. It was called “Dynamo Joe.” The comic was a mech-styled genre just like the shows I would watch on TV, “Robotech” and “TranZor-Z,” but this was Americans making the books. After that was a bunch of artists from Marvel saying that they were leaving to do their own thing, which became Image comics. This inspired me the most to want to make my own comics for the world to see.

TrunkSpace: Was there a particular artist or title from your childhood that you remember being drawn to and inspired by?
Mendoza: I was always more inspired by stuff from Japan rather than American comics. Shirow Masamune of “Ghost in the Shell” fame and Yukito Kishiro from “Battle Angel” I’d say influenced me the most.

TrunkSpace: How did you decide to approach your career in comics? Did you formulate a plan of how you wanted to attack what is known for being a hard industry to crack?
Mendoza: When I was young, I would submit my page samples or wait in line at conventions for portfolio review. No one liked my style back then. I kept cracking at it though and ended up going to animation school at CalArts. After graduation and working at a few studios, I went back to my love for comics. I decided to just make my own book and submit it to studios as a portfolio piece representing my work. That comic was called “Zombie Tramp.”

TrunkSpace: What was your biggest break in terms of a job that opened more doors for you?
Mendoza: Self-publishing comics with my friend Jason Martin was great! We accomplished a lot together. My fan base kept growing and growing. The first break was with Action Lab. Signing with Action Lab helped me get my books into a lot of stores and helped me increase my fan base.

TrunkSpace: A lot of people say that breaking into comics is the hardest part of working in comics. How long did it take you before you started to see your comic book dreams become a reality?
Mendoza: From the time I was 17, I would submit my work to studios and get rejected. It wasn’t until I decided to make my own books at age 33 that it all started to happen for me. It goes to show what persistence and believing in yourself can do.

TrunkSpace: Is there a particular character or universe you always find yourself returning to when you’re sketching or doing warm-ups?
Mendoza: It’s always “Zombie Tramp.”

TrunkSpace: Is there a specific title or character that you’d like to work on in the future and why?
Mendoza: It’s funny, as much as I’m known for drawing pretty girls and stuff, I’d love to draw the Hulk or Conan.

TrunkSpace: What is your ultimate dream when it comes to your career in comics? Where would you like your path to lead?
Mendoza: I’d like to have my own movie, TV/animated series.

TrunkSpace: What would you say is the greatest strength as an artist?
Mendoza: The greatest strength is to have “Ganas.” I love Edward James Olmos movies. The movie he made about math teacher Jaime Escalante, “Stand and Deliver,” stood out for me when he would tell his students to have “ganas,” meaning the will and the desire to do something. Keep that ability to self-drive yourself. Constantly be drawing. Believe in yourself and treat the craft like an addiction. Keep at it.

TrunkSpace: How has technology changed your process of putting ideas/script to page? Do you use the classic paper/pencil approach at all anymore?
Mendoza: Since I have bought a Cintiq, my whole world has changed. I mostly work digital now. It’s quicker and cleaner. But I still draw on paper here and there so I don’t lose that traditional craft.

TrunkSpace: What advice would you give another young aspiring artist who is considering a career in the comic industry?
Mendoza: It’s a hard road, just like every art career. What stands out to me again is that word, “ganas.” Arnold Schwarzenegger is a hero of mine. His career, from nothing to legend, is incredible. He came up with the six rules of success. Look up these six rules and be inspired by them. My favorite rule is rule # 5 – work your butt off. Make your dream a reality through hard work. If you’re too busy talking about doing something and going out every Friday night, having fun, there is someone out there with that same idea who works on it every day and night. He will get that idea out there before you do.

TrunkSpace: Making appearances at conventions: Love it, leave it, or a combination of both?
Mendoza: Me and comic book conventions have a strange relationship. On one hand, I love them. I love meeting my fans and talking with them and drawing for them. On the other hand, I have bad anxiety problems. Overly crowded areas and traveling eat at my brain, but I power through it because my fans mean everything.

TrunkSpace: What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Mendoza: Okay, this is a bit gross but here it goes… I was asked to draw that one Spider-Man image where Peter Parker has his back to the wall and he is dodging a bunch of Dr. Octopus’s arms. Not that bad… but then, switching Peter Parker to his friend’s face and all the Dr. Octopus’s arms into veiny penises.

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to for the rest of 2017 and into the new year?
Mendoza: 2018 is going to be a fun year. We got the coming of “The Death of Zombie Tramp” story arc and my first solo published title, “Sad Girl Psycho Baby” coming out. The Kickstarter campaign began yesterday and can be found here.

Name: Brett Parson

Website: Blitzcadet.deviantart.com

Favorite Comic Book Character Growing Up: Simon Bisley’s Lobo

Favorite Comic Book Character Now: Barney from “Tank Girl”

Latest Work: “World War Tank Girl” published by Titan Comics.

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Parson: I guess my style is a mix of Cartoon/Animation and old school comics. There’s a little bit of everything I grew up loving… from “He-Man” or Don Bluth to Ren & Stimpy and Jack Davis. And a little dash of a retro 70s vibe in there somewhere.

TrunkSpace: How important were comic books in your life growing up and is that where you discovered your love and inspiration for drawing?
Parson: They were definitely one of the biggest parts of my life as a young artist. I think I always wanted to be a cartoonist. My mom used to staple little blank books together for me when I was little, and I’d fill them in with stories… usually Ninja Turtles, Indiana Jones or Ghostbusters. Later, when I discovered underground stuff like R. Crumb, “Tank Girl,” “Love and Rockets,” “Judge Dredd,” and “The Maxx,” I saw that comics didn’t need to have DC or Marvel style art/stories and didn’t need to play it safe for kids. That became what I really wanted to do.

TrunkSpace: Was there a particular artist or title from your childhood that you remember being drawn to and inspired by?
Parson: I was pretty obsessed with Simon Bisley as a kid in middle school. Kevin Eastman used to own a comic book museum near where I live, and I would go there all the time and just study the originals. Bisley, Richard Corben, Frank Miller, Jaimie Hewlett, all kinds of killer artist’s stuff came through there. Looking back I was REALLY lucky to have that place so close. Then in high school when I stumbled on “Danger Girl” by J. Scott Campbell, that really melted my brain!

TrunkSpace: How did you decide to approach your career in comics? Did you formulate a plan of how you wanted to attack what is known for being a hard industry to crack?
Parson: I spent close to a decade after I graduated just working a day job and doing freelance illustration on the side, self-publishing my own books when I could. I’d basically given up on the idea of “breaking into” the comics industry. Marvel wasn’t accepting portfolios, and I didn’t even know if the big guys would go for my style. My plan was to develop something creator-owned and pitch it around, or do a Kickstarter.

TrunkSpace: What was your biggest break in terms of a job that opened more doors for you?
Parson: A few years ago Alan Martin, the co-creator of “Tank Girl,” came across some of my stuff online. He contacted me about possibly working together on some “Tank Girl” comics, and we’ve basically been working together since. It was really Alan taking a chance and giving me a shot that led to my career in comics.

TrunkSpace: A lot of people say that breaking into comics is the hardest part of working in comics. How long did it take you before you started to see your comic book dreams become a reality?
Parson: Yeah, people always talk about how impossible it is to get into the business, so I really didn’t think too hard about it. I just kept doing my thing, trying to have fun. I started posting all my stuff online… I figured if I was good enough something would eventually come along. I really wasn’t shopping a portfolio around at all, so if it wasn’t for social networking outlets like Instagram, Facebook, and DeviantArt, I doubt that I’d be drawing comics professionally today.

TrunkSpace: Is there a particular character or universe you always find yourself returning to when you’re sketching or doing warm-ups?
Parson: Not really. I’ve always been more into making stuff up and drawing from my imagination. I used to draw ugly, weird-looking Batman faces to warm up, but usually I just doodle random stuff to try to get things going.

TrunkSpace: Is there a specific title or character that you’d like to work on in the future and why?
Parson: Tank Girl has been pretty amazing. It’s been one of my all time favorite books since I was a kid, so getting to work on this title has been like a dream come true. Other than that, I’d love to get a chance to do an old school Lobo book, or maybe Ghost Rider. I feel like those characters and worlds would be a blast to draw.

TrunkSpace: What is your ultimate dream when it comes to your career in comics? Where would you like your path to lead?
Parson: At the moment I’m just happy to be doing what I love for a living. If I can keep drawing comics for years to come, and make ends meet… then I’m pretty happy. I get to be home with my daughter, listening to music, and drawing cool stuff!

TrunkSpace: What would you say is the greatest strength as an artist?
Parson: Not being afraid to have fun, and be yourself.

TrunkSpace: How has technology changed your process of putting ideas/script to page? Do you sue the classic paper/pencil approach at all anymore?
Parson: For a long time I’ve been going probably 95 percent digital. The control and speed it allows has been my best friend when it comes to doing a good job while trying to meet tight deadlines. But I’ve been getting back into doing things traditionally more and more. This series I’m working on now – I’m only using the Cintiq for rough-layouts and coloring. I’m doing all the finished pages with pencil and ink. Nothing really compares to that feeling of a soft pencil on paper. It’s one of the best things in the world.

TrunkSpace: What advice would you give another young aspiring artist who is considering a career in the comic industry?
Parson: I guess the main thing is, be sure that you LOVE drawing comics. You won’t get rich, so if that’s what you’re looking for go into animation or illustration. And be patient, don’t expect things to always go your way or fall into place immediately… it takes lots of patience and persistence. Messing up. Falling on your face. You really just have to love it.

Name: Ed Luce

Website: www.wuvableoaf.com

Favorite Comic Book Character Growing Up: Wow…this is a hard one! Difficult to narrow it down. I think I’ll go with Wolverine, as drawn by John Byrne in Uncanny X-Men. He was very… textural… in his rendering. Lots of hair, which was very influential on my own drawing.

Favorite Comic Book Character Now: Agh! How do I pick one?! At the moment, I’ll say Jim Rugg’s Street Angel. It’s a series of mini comics about a 12 year old girl who is “a dangerous martial artist… and the world’s greatest homeless skateboarder.” Image Comics has been releasing deluxe hardcover editions of her recent adventures and they are beautiful.

Latest Work: Wuvable Oaf: Blood & Metal from Fantagraphics, released just this past winter. And I just self-published Wuvable Oaf #5, which continues the story from the first Oaf Fantagraphics collection.

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Luce: I’ve been very influenced by 19th century illustrator Aubrey Beardsley, the Hernandez Brothers and Erik Larsen…so I’d say a combination of all those guys!

TrunkSpace: How important were comic books in your life growing up and is that where you discovered your love and inspiration for drawing?
Luce: My folks were largely responsible for my love of drawing. They put a pencil in my hand as soon as I could hold it and kept it there throughout my formative years. Comics entered the picture in a more serious way around puberty. At that age it wasn’t cool to buy toys anymore, so I switched to comics rather than becoming interested in girls. They were there to entertain me as I was figuring out my sexuality.

TrunkSpace: Was there a particular artist or title from your childhood that you remember being drawn to and inspired by?
Luce: Certainly the Chris Claremont/John Byrne Uncanny X-men years. There was so much character diversity in that title and the art was some of Byrne’s best. Those stories got me to love and appreciate continuity, long form storytelling and character arcs.

TrunkSpace: How did you decide to approach your career in comics? Did you formulate a plan of how you wanted to attack what is known for being a hard industry to crack?
Luce: I really fell ass backwards into comics. I’d moved to San Francisco and suddenly didn’t have a lot of space to make art (I was a fine arts painter at the time). After a few months of living there, I’d met several cartoonists and decided to pursue that medium because I could work small, on a desk top. My paintings had become increasingly cartoony anyway, so making a comic based on one of my art pieces made sense to me.

Beyond that, I always had a multimedia approach to crafting an expanded comics world. Early on, I released shirts, records, scratch & sniff cards… even figures (with the help of Phoenix-based sculptor Erik Erspamer), all spinning out of the main Wuvable Oaf book. This helped demonstrate I had a vision and brand, which definitely attracted the attention of publishers. To this day I think that approach led me to working with Fantagraphics.

TrunkSpace: What was your biggest break in terms of a job that opened more doors for you?
Luce: Releasing the first Oaf collection with Fantagraphics opened the most doors. That book got me illustrating for VICE, Slate, Grant Morrison’s Heavy Metal, a slew of variant covers for Image and Oni Press. Currently I’m in talks to sell the TV rights for Wuvable Oaf. I can directly trace all that back to the Fantagraphics debut.

TrunkSpace: A lot of people say that breaking into comics is the hardest part of working in comics. How long did it take you before you started to see your comic book dreams become a reality?
Luce: I’d been releasing comics for about six years before signing the first book contract with Fantagraphics. Touring hard and publishing several books a year, along with producing the aforementioned merch, was a big part of my business plan during that period. I feel like I paid my dues, even though I was a latecomer to the genre.

TrunkSpace: Is there a particular character or universe you always find yourself returning to when you’re sketching or doing warm-ups?
Luce: I rarely sketch or warm up. It takes me a long time to draw, so I usually jump right into work!

TrunkSpace: Is there a specific title or character that you’d like to work on in the future and why?
Luce: I’m very committed to working exclusively on Wuvable Oaf for the foreseeable future, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love to do some variant covers or short stories. I tend to have very weird tastes in mainstream comics. Puck (from Marvel’s Alpha Flight) and Flex Mentallo (from DC’s Doom Patrol) are my two favorite superheroes, but I doubt either will be getting their own series any time soon. Maybe that would be the main reason to work on them?!

Image’s new series Shirtless Bear-Fighter would certainly be fun to take on, too.

TrunkSpace: What is your ultimate dream when it comes to your career in comics? Where would you like your path to lead?
Luce: Nothing has been finalized on the development side, but if it does and Wuvable Oaf is brought to animated series, that would be the ultimate path. If it’s successful, I could keep releasing comics well into old age, which would be a charmed existence, for sure.

TrunkSpace: What would you say is the greatest strength as an artist?
Luce: I feel like I have a good character design sensibility. It’s always my goal to make memorable, diverse-looking characters. It’s my favorite phase of creation, even if it can be the most challenging.

TrunkSpace: How has technology changed your process of putting ideas/script to page? Do you use the classic paper/pencil approach at all anymore?
Luce: I shifted to a Cintq screen a few years back, to get faster with color. But in the last year, I’ve gone back to paper, coloring it in Photoshop after scanning. I can’t say I have a preference for either process, usually it has more to do with my deadlines than anything.

TrunkSpace: What advice would you give another young aspiring artist who is considering a career in the comic industry?
Luce: Remember that the world owes you absolutely nothing. You have to work hard, even if you think you’re the most amazing artist around. Don’t fall into a trap of entitlement or narcissism. Be nice to everyone around you, because it’s a very small comics world out there. Getting a publisher won’t solve all your problems… it’ll just create new ones (but definitely still get a publisher, with a good PR person). Don’t read the comments section.

TrunkSpace: Making appearances at conventions: Love it, leave it, or a combination of both?
Luce: I do enjoy conventions quite a bit! I spend so much time alone in a room drawing, it’s often the only interaction I get with the audience and other creators. Internet interaction isn’t particularly satisfying for me, I prefer to see and actually talk with people. Some shows are definitely easier than others (San Diego Comic-Con is the highest level of difficulty) but ultimately all the stress and exhaustion gets washed away after you hit the floor and chatting. Conventions recharge my creative batteries and remind me why I do what I do.

TrunkSpace: What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Luce: I’m not a big commissions guy, mostly because mainstream characters and portraits are outside my wheelhouse. I did draw Yoda once, in bikini underwear, for Mike Baehr. That might be the oddest…

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to for the rest of 2017 and into the new year?
Luce: My next show is the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD, September16-17. All the stuff I’ve been working on for that last few months will be available there, including my variant covers for GI Joe, Redneck and Deadly Class, a story I did for the Judas Priest tribute comic Metal Gods, as well as an uncensored, self-published version of the comic I did for Heavy Metal. Most of that will be available on my site too, wuvableoaf.com.

My new Fantagraphics book, which will focus on the pro wrestling aspects of the Wuvable Oaf comic, will be coming out in summer of 2018. So I’ll be laying pretty low for the rest of the year, trying to get that done!

Feature Image By: Christopher Ferreria

Name: Paul Renaud

Website:Click HERE

Favorite Comic Book Character Growing Up: Captain America, or maybe Phoenix from the X-Men

Favorite Comic Book Character Now: Captain America

Latest Work:
Interiors for Captain America: Sam Wilson #20 for Marvel, March 2017

Cover for Nightwing #24 for DC, July 2017

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Renaud: I’m a mix of my European and American influences in comics and illustration. I love the classics, and take pride placing myself in their footsteps.

TrunkSpace: How important were comic books in your life growing up and is that where you discovered your love and inspiration for drawing?
Renaud: Comics have been the happiest memories of my whole childhood. They’d bring excitement, comforts, tons of virtual friends, and a form of stability in an overall dramatic family life. I became a fan of American comics by 10/11, avidly reading the X-Men and most of Marvel comics. The artists drawing those books were my first influences, John Byrne, Paul Smith, Alan Davis, Frank Miller… and created the appeal for me to draw and tell stories.

TrunkSpace: Was there a particular artist or title from your childhood that you remember being drawn to and inspired by?
Renaud: If I had to single out one name, it would be French artist Moebius. He’s the one who opened my eyes to the world of arts. He’s the one who truly made me want to become an artist.

TrunkSpace: How did you decide to approach your career in comics? Did you formulate a plan of how you wanted to attack what is known for being a hard industry to crack?
Renaud: I first tried to work for the French market because it was the easiest thing to do back then, but I had a bad experience with my first experience in the business. Fortunately, my work was spotted by an American art dealer, Rich Dedominicis (who’s still one of my best friends to this day), who showed my commissions online and to art collectors. That lead me to get published in the States.

TrunkSpace: What was your biggest break in terms of a job that opened more doors for you?
Renaud: That would have to be a short story I did for Rick Remender’s Fear Agent. I did that book for free, because I loved Rick’s work. That job got me on the radar, and got me offers from most publishers. After that, Rick and I did a Red Sonja book that got me noticed by the fans. Rick has grown to be my favorite collaborator over the years, and he’s always been a very loyal friend.

TrunkSpace: A lot of people say that breaking into comics is the hardest part of working in comics. How long did it take you before you started to see your comic book dreams become a reality?
Renaud: It happened pretty fast, but I think I’ve made poor career choices over the first 6 years. I thought I wasn’t ready for Marvel in spite of their offers, and chose to work for smaller companies first. Today, I can say I’ve been happier working for Marvel than anywhere else.

TrunkSpace: Is there a particular character or universe you always find yourself returning to when you’re sketching or doing warm-ups?
Renaud: Not just one. I love fantasy, sword and sorcery, and I love drawing superheroes, like Batman or Captain America.

TrunkSpace: Is there a specific title or character that you’d like to work on in the future and why?
Renaud: I’ve already drawn most of my favorites, but I’d really love to draw a Batman book. He’s probably the coolest looking character out there. Gotham, and all the gothic settings would be a blast to draw.

TrunkSpace: What is your ultimate dream when it comes to your career in comics? Where would you like your path to lead?
Renaud: I’d love to be able to develop a creator owned project while keep playing with Marvel and DC‘s toys. But I really feel the need to create my own book.

TrunkSpace: What would you say is the greatest strength as an artist?
Renaud: Being able to do the whole thing has always been a great asset for me, from pencils, inks to coloring. I like doing my own lettering too when I can.

TrunkSpace: How has technology changed your process of putting ideas/script to page? Do you sue the classic paper/pencil approach at all anymore?
Renaud: I do a bit of both, traditional, and computer art. Working digitally has allowed me to work faster, and meet the tight deadlines that comics are accustomed to. I’d just draw layouts, and directly ink them. That way I can do one to two pages a day.

TrunkSpace: What advice would you give another young aspiring artist who is considering a career in the comic industry?
Renaud: Show your work online as much as possible. Work hard to be reliable, and consistent.

TrunkSpace: Making appearances at conventions: Love it, leave it, or a combination of both?
Renaud: I love meeting the fans, but the deadlines must come first. I don’t do as many conventions as I should, because I’m always working on tight deadlines.

TrunkSpace: What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Renaud: An old lady asked me to do a portrait of her dog once.

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to for the rest of 2017 and into the new year?
Renaud: I just finished the covers for a new upcoming Star Wars series featuring Captain Phasma, and leading to the Last Jedi. I’ll be also doing a 30 page one-shot on Captain America, part of the Marvel next event GENERATIONS.

I’m still discussing what comes next, so I don’t want to say too much.

Name: Franchesco!

Website: www.patreon.com/franchesco

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Franchesco!: People refer to my artwork as “pin-up,” which is perfectly fine by me. Most folks associate that term with vintage images of beautiful women… so that’s winning as far as I’m concerned.

Plus in comic books, pin-ups are considered full-page illustrations, inside the issue (not the cover itself). I’ve always enjoyed full-page illustrations, as opposed to sequential art. That’s not to say I don’t like sequential art, just that I enjoy the big beautiful splashy images most of all. So why not do “that thing” all day, every day!

TrunkSpace: What is the earliest memory you have of applying your talent of art in the creation of a particular drawing or picture?
Franchesco!: The earliest recollection I have is when I would draw all kinds of trees… no leaves or anything, just the trunks and branches… not sure why, but yeah. (Laughter) Tons of trees, go figure. Wishing I had at least one of those tree sketches today. Weird that I can remember that, now that I think about it. Great question! I do have some images stored in the Fresco Vaults that are from when I was in 1st or 2nd grade. I should scan those up one of these days. Just for kicks.

TrunkSpace: Did kids/peers you grew up with also recognize your talent as an artist and ask you to draw things for them?
Franchesco!: I would get a lot of attention from people around me when I drew stuff, so I would do more of it.

I recall in grade school, drawing a “rose” for a girl in my class. Her friends saw it and they wanted one too… I was like a rose drawing machine that day… but I didn’t mind… it made them happy, so I was happy to do it. It got so that I could draw roses from memory, so it made folks even more impressed. But like anything, we do it long enough, it becomes second nature. More of a parlor trick, than anything else… but it made them smile… so that can’t be a bad thing. I still enjoy making people happy with my humble parlor tricks.

TrunkSpace: Now, as an adult, people are asking you to draw things for them all of the time and, you get to make money doing it! What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Franchesco!: Surprisingly enough… I don’t get a lot of crazy requests. I either have very well-adjusted folks asking me for stuff… or I have a very high tolerance for crazy, that it feels normal to me. Not sure which, but I do have really awesome patrons.

TrunkSpace: You have a knack for drawing gorgeous, sexy women that look like Tanya Tate in porn. What is the key to translating sexiness to the page? As the creator of these pieces, what is it that you set out to achieve?
Franchesco!: It’s never been a goal of mine, to do “sexy.” I guess it’s like when I used to draw those roses for all the girls in my class… it’s what people responded to, so I would do more of “that” thing. Turns out that pretty girls is what folks seem to respond to the most these days. I enjoy drawing pretty much everything and anything… but like they say… “Let Them Eat Cake!” Or cheesecake, because that’s how I roll.

I’m guessing at this point, I would have to work hard at “not” being sexy… because it’s just how I do it, how it feels the most natural for me. I never tried to “be sexy.” Not sure I have it in me to be un-sexy. Bow-Chicka-Bow-Wow!!

Just recently I was commissioned to do a cover, and we went through the whole process… concept, sketches, blah, blah, blah… and I did a little extra doodle of sorts, that might be used as a variant, as an aside, featuring a beautiful woman… and everyone who saw it said “THAT” is what the cover should be, not the one we had completed. So we switched gears and went with the pretty girl instead. So yeah… it is what it is, not that I’m complaining.

TrunkSpace: In looking at your body of work, we notice a theme of going back to classic pin-up style icons like Betty Page and Marilyn Monroe. What is it about those particular women and that particular time period that ignites a creative spark?
Franchesco!: Not sure what it is, and that’s probably the answer… the thing that we can’t put our finger on… that “X-factor”… they both had that… by the tons.

TrunkSpace: Another set of themes we notice in your work are thigh high stockings and heels… once again, a classic pin-up style look. How important is that outfit selection in creating your work and what does that process look like? Do you research a look? Will you alter an outfit after the fact if you’re not happy with the results?
Franchesco!: I have a love-hate relationship with my art. I hate it when I’m working on it… because I want it to be “better,” whatever that means. Never feels like I’m quite good enough. It’s only after I have the benefit of the passage of time that I can look at my stuff with a less critical eye. Having said that, I still look at the stuff and think of all the things I would probably change… to make it “better.” So yes, I’m constantly making changes, hopefully for the better. And yes, its pretty important… especially when it comes to pin-ups… nothing is more of a downer, when someone can’t get the stuff right. Putting clunky clown shoes on a sexy woman instead of a pair of sleek stilettos just looks wrong… although, now that I think about it… I really wanna draw a sexy babe wearing clown shoes now… and nothing else. Just to see if I can make it work.

TrunkSpace: Is there one piece of work you’ve done in your career that you are the most proud of, or, are they all like children and it’s impossible to pick a favorite?
Franchesco!: I love them all, but the one piece I’m most proud of… is the one I happen to be working on, at any given time. I really enjoy the creative process… and tend to cherish it more than I probably should, which is why working on monthly comics are no longer attractive to me. It’s such a fast-paced process, generally super rushed, forcing far too many compromises… requiring letting go of the piece way too soon. I have gotten to a point where I know when to say when. So I hate to let a piece go off to press until that achievement has been unlocked.

TrunkSpace: Has technology altered how you approach your work at all?
Franchesco!: 100 percent yes. When I first started, there was no “traditional” term used, when creating art. You either drew it with actual pigment on actual paper or canvas or whatever, or you didn’t. Now that we have digital means of creating art… I enjoy incorporating more and more of that into my process. Digital plays heavily in my work these days, but I still enjoy creating the line art traditionally… for no other reason, because I still can. Plus there is something special about the idea of “Original Art.” There can be only one. Digital art allows us to spit out beautiful/flawless prints all day every day of the same image. But because of that very fact… its no way near as special… as one and only one piece of art, that exists in traditional format.

There are millions of images of the Mona Lisa in this world… but… there is only one that constantly draws massive crowds, being displayed under bulletproof glass in Paris, France. The one we believe to be the original painting created by the artist’s own hand.

So, even if we are creating digital images with our own hand… there is still that disconnect… it’s not quite as tactile as when we hold an original piece that was not only constructed by, but was held by its creator.

TrunkSpace: Songwriters are always said to have “voices,” and not in the physical sense. They find their voice when their art becomes inherently theirs. Do artists have voices and if so, do you believe that you have found yours?
Franchesco!: Great question. (They are all great questions actually.) Not sure if I’ve found my voice yet, but I’m having all kinds of fun making it up as I’m humming along. Not sure what the future holds… but it looks bright. I can’t wait to get the images swimming around in my head, onto a sheet of Bristol board… so everyone else can see them as well.

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to in 2017?
Franchesco!: The folks who follow me on my Patreon and I… are creating a really fun project I’m really passionate about. The plan is, that once we’re all done with it… we take it to Kickstarter and share it with the rest of the world. Crowdfunding has become a great new way for creators to follow their muse, without having to ask permission from others, to make art that day. We’ve all had to sing for our supper as artists in some way… and sometimes, we may not like the music that is being played… but we don’t enjoy starving… so we sing that song… even if it’s not a personal favorite. With Patreon, my followers are allowing me the luxury of doing that very thing that makes my heart sing… without having to worry about putting food on my table and a roof over my head. And that’s a very beautiful thing… most beautiful indeed. I love my Patreon family so much… because with their generous support, I get to make more art!!

Name: Zach Howard

Website: www.zachhoward.com

Hometown: Don’t have one, but I live in badass Colorado nowadays.

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Howard: Foolishly time consuming. A mix of fantastical representations of objective reality, mixed with hyper-rendering for a tangible sense of depth. My work has evolved to this over the years to help hypnotize readers into following my storytelling without distraction. I feel it is my duty as a storyteller to keep the viewers of my books trapped until they finish… no mental hiccups or it lessens the impact of anything I’m trying to accomplish. In other words, I just try to give the readers reasons to never look away and get lost in my work.

Whether I’ve ever accomplished that or not is up for debate, but it’s most definitely my goal for every page.

TrunkSpace: Your work is extremely detailed and you can really get lost in the imagery as your eyes wander to all the background aspects of the world you bring to life through that detail. On average, how long does it take you to draw a single page with all of that detail added in?
Howard: A single page takes me about two to four days. Covers and double page spreads can take me a good four to seven. I’m not exactly going to be breaking any production records anytime soon!

TrunkSpace: Has your art style changed dramatically since you started working professionally, either through technology or via a personal desire for creative diversity?
Howard: My style has definitely taken a dramatic turn over my 16 years as a pro, but technology has had little impact on it. Tech has definitely helped disseminate my work, along with give me opportunity to live wherever I wish. However, you hit the nail on the head with the latter option of your question.

One of the vices I have as a comic book artist is that I work in a field where repetitiveness is rewarded for speedier production and visual consistency for longer projects. For whatever reason I get bored easily and I need to evolve my style a bit more rapidly than what is often looked for in this industry. So I’ve had to figure out a way to make myself happy while still being able to find success professionally.

I like each book I do to have a specific feel. Each story has its own fingerprint and should evoke a specific emotional response. That desired effect forces me to adapt my style each time I take on a new job. This slows the process down considerable, but in the end makes for far better literature, I believe.

TrunkSpace: You’re currently working on a sequel of “The Cape” with Joe Hill. What can you tell us about the new series and when will it drop?
Howard: Well, Jason Ciaramella had been asking me to do a sequel for about five years, but no ideas were really getting me excited. That along with other scheduled books I had in the hopper kind of derailed any initial thoughts of continuing “The Cape.” However, I was just drawing some Marvel covers and thinking about Eric one day… Eric was missing for three days in our original story. Where was he and what did he do during that time? I drew him with new clothes and a bit darker when he returned from this hiatus, so there has to be a story in there somewhere. So I hit up Jason and Joe Hill about the thought and they ran with it.

Now we have a new and fun little miniseries that fills those missing days. Chock full of evil and Eric’s patented sense of murder. It beautifully expands the character without falling on any of the worn out sequel ideas for comic book reincarnation. Couldn’t be happier with what the guys came up with and I think the fans of the IP will be rewarded.

TrunkSpace: What is your favorite visual that you’ve put to paper thus far for the follow-up? Is there a particularly fun panel or sequence that you had a chance to draw?
Howard: Oh, sadly I haven’t gotten to the fun chaos of Eric tormenting the future victims of the new series, but Jason has given me some of his brilliant nightmares to work with. The first issue has one of my favorite double page spreads of Eric being consumed by his evil deeds and tragic relationships. It’s a great set up for me to really visually kick people in the chest as we close this first issue. Get the fans all hot and bothered while they wait for the second issue.

I haven’t gotten a chance to draw these yet, but Eric always has a mountain of creative ways to kill his intended victims, so there will be a ton of fun and visceral chaos yet to come. We plan on taking the height we hit with the bear scene in the first series, pump it full of creatine and really take fictional murder to a new level in this one.

Oh, another aspect of this story is that it involves a group of LARPers in a closed setting with Eric. So we will have a great time torturing them throughout while the pages unfold. It’ll be quite fun to work with fantasy archetypes while visualizing this miniseries. Lots more fun chaos to come.

Very excited!

TrunkSpace: The first installment of “The Cape” was nominated for an Eisner. What was that milestone like for you and did the book have that special feeling when you started working on it?
Howard: We all knew about halfway through the first one-shot that something special was happening with Eric as a character, and that we needed to expand the story past Joe Hill’s initial short story published years before. Every once in a while you get that feeling during a project and it needs to be exploited because it’s quite rare… at least in my experiences.

However, and this will come off as a bit much, but I don’t really care at all about Eisners. Awards are nice for PR, but I don’t need five guys deciding my worth by giving me a plaque. I draw books for myself and hopefully fans that get something significant out of each story. My reward is to know that I’ve positively affected someone who read my book. I want it to stick with them, and maybe inspire them like I was as a young turd. Seeing someone smile and be excited to talk to me about a book I’ve done is better than any plaque I’ve ever gotten. It’s a more sustaining fuel for the future.

TrunkSpace: You’re launching a new miniseries that you co-created through Line Webtoon later this year. For those unfamiliar with the platform, can you explain what it is and how you and your upcoming title became involved with it?
Howard: Webtoons is a platform for reading digital weekly original content comic books on your phone or tablet. It was wildly successful in Asia and now they are bringing the platform to the US. They’ve rounded up a handful of established creators to launch a library of new books for readers on this side of the ocean. Luckily myself and my partners’ company, Noble Transmission, were asked to be part of this. We are now developing an OGN for release later this year on the free Webtoons app.

“Buck” is our company’s flagship title. It’s a fantasy story about the last rabbit warrior alive and how he redeems his father’s name while saving the last survivors of his species. I’ve always wanted to do a Conan the Barbarian type story, and now we can, but this time with rabbits. And a world full of crazed animals, both enemies and allies. This story is more of an all-ages tale so it’ll be available for younger readers. The violence is handled about the same level as “Star Wars” is nowadays… people die, but we don’t concentrate on the grossness or horrific depictions of death. Quite the opposite of “The Cape!”

TrunkSpace: Can you discuss any part of “Buck” in terms of the creative team involved?
Howard: “Buck” is written by Mike Raicht, drawn by legendary artist Mark Nelson, colored by Eisner-nom Nelson Daniel (who colors me on everything I do). The series was created and developed by the Noble Transmission founders… Austin Harrison, Mike Raicht and myself. I’ll be Art Directing and editing the series.

TrunkSpace: How important were comic books in your life growing up and is that where you discovered your love and inspiration for drawing?
Howard: I grew up an Army brat all around the world so I didn’t get access to a wide or consistent variety of comic books. Luckily, at the Base Shopettes I could always find the Conan magazines and those always sent my imagination spiraling. Those that grew up on military bases in foreign lands can empathize with the need to fill the days with nothing to do… that led me to drawing Conan fighting robots and ninjas. Countless hours were spent in my formative years having Conan vanquish mountains of poorly drawn adversaries. My favorite being a Valentine’s day project in school where I constructed a giant version of him out of construction paper hearts, lopping off the head of a fellow heart-constructed nemesis.

Didn’t go over all that well in class, but it’s one piece of childhood artwork I would love to get back for posterity.

TrunkSpace: Is there a particular character or universe you always find yourself returning to when you’re sketching or doing warmups?
Howard: You’ll laugh at this, but I never do warmups and only sketch when world building. I’m pretty odd and shitty like that. I like to story tell… drawing, for the most part, is just an ends to a means for me. I enjoy creating nice drawings, but they are the vehicle to express my true passion… making books. I chose drawing comic books because I love the medium and feel it best suits my passions. But yeah, I’m odd as hell when it comes to having to answer this question.

TrunkSpace: What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Howard: I have basically quit doing commissions so my stories on this will be pretty weak compared to most pros in this industry. I’ve always felt like a trained monkey when forced to do commissions. I’m a storyteller… if you want to buy my artwork, it’s all for sale and better than anything I’d draw for you personally. However, I have no desire to be a puppet for people. No, I don’t want to draw Ant-Man for you, or an even worse, a batshit crazy idea you might have. It makes me feel like a slave, and that is the worst space an artist can be in.

That being said, I do cave because I don’t like letting fans down either. So I end up doing a lot of free sketches for people… especially kids. I know kids aren’t putting my drawings up on eBay, for the most part. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to in 2017?
Howard: Noble Transmission will also be releasing a phone app version of “Wild Blue Yonder” by the end of the year. It is a fully animated motion comic book, voice acted and has an originally-scored soundtrack (which will also be available for purchase). We can’t wait to show people this project. The artwork is even manipulable so that viewers can interact while the story plays out in real time. It’s going to be a one-of-a-kind and hopefully embarrass all the current motion comics out there.

The last half of 2017 is going to be a good one for fans of my crap.

www.zachhoward.com
@spacefriendZach (twitter)
https://www.facebook.com/zach.howard.359 (Facebook)
http://spacefriend-krunk.deviantart.com/ (Deviant Art – has a full gallery in there to peruse).
@spacefriend_z (Instagram)

Name: Rolando “Rolo” Mallada

Website: http://rolomallada.tumblr.com/

Hometown: Montevideo – Uruguay

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Rolo: I’m a son of the “Cliffhanger Age.” I was enormously influenced by Bachalo, Madureira, Ramos, Campbell, Meglia and Mignola. They were my teachers and from there my style was molded to where it is today. But if I had to describe my style? I’d say it’s cartoony with fine details.

TrunkSpace: You’re handling art duty for the TrunkSpace exclusive series “Preston-Digitation.” Can you tell us about what you were looking to bring to the series visually?
Rolo: Visual dynamism, good storytelling, charismatic characters. It’s all I always seek when I work on a book.

TrunkSpace: The series is a hero book, but based in the world of magic. Does that give you a lot of room to play with interesting set pieces and characters?
Rolo: Of course! Let’s do the math: World of magic + hero theme = lots of fun!!! Seriously, the mix of these two themes gives me the opportunity to draw super interesting things that any artist would be happy to do.

TrunkSpace: “Preston-Digitation” is also part of a bigger shared universe that TrunkSpace is involved in, including “Imprinted,” which just finished up issue 1 at the site. How much of that shared universe were you involved in?
Rolo: Beside “Preston-Digitation” work, I did some nice character designs for two other books from the TrunkSpace universe, including “Imprinted” and a book they have yet to announce.

TrunkSpace: What is your favorite character to draw in “Preston-Digitation?”
Rolo: Karnoth the squirrel is my favorite. I always enjoy drawing bad guys too… Qara Oyugun in this case.

TrunkSpace: In your opinion, what is the most important aspect of your job as an artist when you’re given a script? Is it character development? Is it pacing? Is it something else entirely?
Rolo: Undoubtedly the character development and the design of the pages (developing the storytelling) are the most important aspects when I receive a script.

TrunkSpace: You were the head artist on the Sesame Street comic book series for Ape Entertainment, which was geared towards little kids. You have also worked on some more mature reader titles. For you, what is the most fun to draw… comics geared towards all-ages audiences, or something a bit more mature?
Rolo: It all depends on the story. If the story has a rich narrative and interesting characters, I enjoy it the same way no matter what audience it is intended for.

TrunkSpace: You were once responsible for art duties on the most popular digital comic book of all time in “Pocket God.” What was that experience like for you?
Rolo: It was a very nice time. I enjoyed and learned a lot with “Pocket God” and with all the nice people that I shared that work with. I fell in love with all of the characters. It was hard to leave the book after so many issues.

TrunkSpace: What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Rolo: I reserve the answer. I don’t want to be smutty. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: If you could grant yourself the ultimate comic book industry dream job, what would it be and why?
Rolo: I don’t know. Maybe do some big original project with Joe Hill or Stephen King. That would be a dream job for me.

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to in 2017?
Rolo: Variety, and more interesting and stranger things (insert 80’s music here, please!) will be coming out soon. There are some awesome secret projects waiting for the opportunity to show themselves. Who knows, maybe this year is the time?

CHECK OUT PRESTON-DIGITATION BY CLICKING ON THE COMIC PAGE BELOW

Name: Drew Moss

Website:

https://twitter.com/drew_moss

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 10^th 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.

Name: Kat Leyh

Website: www.katleyh.com

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Leyh: Hard to say. I’ve pulled inspiration from a lot of different places and my style is still evolving. It’s simplified but not especially cartoony.

TrunkSpace: Can you tell us about your run on “Lumberjanes” and how you came to be involved with the series?
Leyh: I had been writing and drawing my own comics for a time and posting them online. That’s how I became acquainted with Shannon Waters, which led to me doing short comics for several KaBoom series. When Noelle decided to move on from the series, based on my previous work, the team thought I’d be a good fit for the series.

I was nervous about working on an already beloved series, but I did my best to blend my writing style with my predecessors’. Once I got a feel for it, I found writing for the series to be delightful, and right in my wheelhouse. It helps that my co-writer, Shannon, and the rest of the “Lumberjanes” team is supportive and encouraging.

TrunkSpace: You’re bringing your art styling to “Lumberjanes” with the covers, but creatively you’re spending more energy in the writing of this series, correct?
Leyh: Yeah, I’ve been doing the main covers since issue 24, but at this point I’ve written over 20 issues, so that’s where I spend most of my creative energy for the series.

TrunkSpace: What aspect of working in comics is a bigger thrill for you? Is it with the writing or with the art?
Leyh: There is something very exciting about writing something and not quite knowing how the artist will interpret it. That is usually a lot of fun. But I’m an artist at heart and at the end of the day, drawing is still my favorite part of creating comics.

TrunkSpace: When did you first discover that you had a talent for drawing?
Leyh: I don’t recall ever NOT loving to draw. In elementary school the other kids liked my drawings, and so I just never stopped.

TrunkSpace: Were comics an important aspect of your upbringing and if so, what did they offer you that other pop culture platforms could not?
Leyh: I didn’t read comics growing up. I was really into animation (still am), and started reading manga in high school, my interest in comics took off from there. I adore it as a medium to tell stories because of how much creative control one, or a handful of people have, in telling a story.

TrunkSpace: What has been the biggest surprise thus far for you in terms of working within the comic industry? Have you learned or discovered something that you were not aware of before you started your career?
Leyh: I suppose I’m always surprised when people know who I am? That’s a treat.

TrunkSpace: If you could grant yourself the ultimate comic book industry dream job, what would it be and why?
Leyh: I would say I already have it!

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to in 2017?
Leyh: I’m working on an OGN right now – getting back to the drawing I love to do – but I can’t say much else about that right now 😉