Darick Robertson: Just One of The Boys
I have to admit, I was a little excited when I saw a flyer at the local comic shop for a signing with Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Come that day in mid-October, I felt fortunate that half of the creative force behind the knock-out new creator-owned series, The Boys, was willing to sit down with me and be interro- er, interviewed. So, after a great signing & Q&A with Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson accompanied me on a fun little adventure to find a quiet place to do the interview… and get some coffee.
Darick Robertson is considered one of the industry’s best artists, and his work can be seen in Transmetropolitan, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, New Warriors, Justice League, Fury MAX and Peacemaker, Spider-Man, Punisher: Born and of course, The Boys and Space Beaver.
Currently, he directs the visual world of The Boys, out on Wildstorm, where he does pencils and inks coordinating the effort with writer Garth Ennis via phone and email.
I would like to take the time to thank Darick for his enthusiastic participation, Garth Ennis for coming along and being a swell guy, and Gabi & Eric over at Olympic Cards & Comics for setting up the whole signing.
But you’re not here to read me thanking anyone, are you? Alright, then, on with the show! Enjoy.
Steven G. Saunders (SGS): What inspired the creation of The Boys? How did it all come about?
Darick Robertson (DR): It’s something that Garth (Ennis) has had gestating in his head for awhile, and he said he wanted to have his own take on superheroes, turn the rock over and see what’s going on under there. And I loved the idea! I mean, creator owned, Garth Ennis, need I say more why I would want be on that project? I was really happy because it was a great opportunity to ink my own work, design my own characters and not have so many cooks in my kitchen which was a very hard problem with the previous projects I was working on. So it came about from both of us having the desire to get back to doing something original.
He approached me four years ago, and I took Wolverine because I thought “Exclusive contract with Marvel, working on Wolverine . That’s the way to go.” But I really regretted not taking The Boys instead, but I got another opportunity a year later when he (Ennis) came back around and said, “You know, when you’re done at Marvel, you want to do the book then?” And I was like “Absolutely.” So I started planning at that point like designing characters and things like that.
SGS: So, how does the creation duty break down? Is it a fully collaborative effort? I’m assuming it is, but sometimes one person just does the art and the other just does the writing, et cetera…
DR: Yeah, in this case it was more of a collaborative effort, when I didn’t expect it as much. I’m running everything by Garth because I really want to bring his vision to this book as best I can, because he’s very prolific and ahead of schedule and so am I, so between the two of us we can really craft the book as a team. I feel like my role on the team is to make sure what he wants is what he gets. I’m inking it myself and so after that point, Tony Avina, the colourist, is coming in and he’s treating my work with the same respect that I’m treating Garth’s work. Tony’s making sure I’m getting what I want, I’m making sure Garth gets what he wants… I think ultimately it makes a very cohesive look for the book. So far it’s been very fluid. We are very collaborative. Everybody is looking at what each other is doing, and we’re all talking to each other, which is great because on a lot of projects you find yourself working in a vacuum.
SGS: How far do you think you are going to take this concept? So far The Boys has proven to be very adult themed-
DR: Oh, yeah.
SGS: -and you have both proven that you are willing to go the distance-
DR: Yes.
SGS: -is there something too far, in your mind or in anyone else’s?
DR: As far as crossing the line? Or the length of the story?
SGS: Let’s start with the length of the story, then…
DR: Well, it’s gonna be set at sixty issues, but we’re already planning some spin-offs… like origin off-shoots, maybe, for the Boys. But none of that’s firmed up yet. That’s just something we’re talking about.
SGS: And crossing the line?
DR: Generally, [Wildstorm] are being very supportive. Jim Lee especially has backed us up 100% when it came to the direction we are taking it in. We were very clear about what kind of book we wanted to do. You know, everybody should know that they’re in for something that’s going to be pretty extreme, and the fact that Garth and I are known for extreme material already, it shouldn’t be a surprise when we deliver that.
SGS: So, what would be too far in your mind as far as The Boys goes?
SGS: So, you’ve already said it’s going to go 60 issues…
DR: Yeah.
SGS: Is it always going to be you and Garth Ennis?
DR: Yes.
SGS: The whole run? No guests, nothing like that?
DR: If I do some spin-offs, I might bring on an inker. Or maybe I’ll bring in an inker to help me get ahead if I start to slip behind on the deadline, but I will definitely be drawing every issue.
SGS: Okay… I really like how the heroes, or “heroes” in quotes, are portrayed so far…
DR: Thanks!
SGS: …is there any particular source for inspiration for these “heroes”? I know you’re a big superhero fan, right?
DR: Yeah.
SGS: Unlike Garth, whose views on them are bit different…?
DR: Yeah.
SGS: But what are the main sources for your inspiration on the “heroes” you make? And by “heroes,” I mean The Seven.
DR: We’re drawing parallels to icons in a lot of ways, but in no way do I expect people to think that I think the icons would ever act that way, like they’re counterparts, I mean. There’s a reason we created our own universe to do this story in rather than trying to sully the name of any actual superheroes that we’re sort of parodying. My inspiration is that I’m trying to show what you see on the surface isn’t what’s necessarily going on under the surface. The costumes and things like that aren’t just symbolic, they’re also a distraction, because absolute power corrupts absolutely and in our story that is something definitely true with superheroes. The world of comic books enters into that because there are comic books about these superheroes and that world is very real in the world of The Boys. So, it’s trying to be realistic with it, is what I guess I’m saying.
SGS: Great answer… Okay, so Wee Hughie looks a lot like Simon Pegg. I mean A LOT. Is this intentional?
DR: It was homage, but when I designed the character, it was four years ago when Garth approached me about this project and at the time Simon Pegg was virtually unknown in the United States. I knew of him because a friend of mine turned me on to this TV series Spaced (that Pegg starred in and co-wrote). He’s a big comic book fan, and he really just fits the description. I like to cast people in my head for these roles so I have a look, and he really was the best choice for that. But at the time I didn’t think it was going to be a homage that people we’re going to pick up on, and by the time I got The Boys into production and was going for it, suddenly he sort of exploded a little with Shaun of the Dead , and it became a mainstream movie, and he was getting bigger roles like MI:3 and things like that. He suddenly became more famous in America. The good news is that I stuck with the homage because I thought he would get it. If you’ve ever seen Spaced , that whole thing is a homage to things and people he loves. The nice thing is that he’s since contacted me and has been very cool and gracious about it, is a fan of the book, is excited to be in it. It’s all good. At this point I’m shamelessly honouring Simon Pegg by using him as the basis of my character. But I’d always hoped that people would come up to Wee Hughie in his world and go “You know, you look a lot like Simon Pegg!” People say I look like certain people. That’s what it comes down to.SGS: I love it. I’m a huge Spaced fan myself.
DR: Great, then you know what I’m talking about! The structure of that show is a homage to everything that he loves. Shaun of the Dead is a homage to George A. Romero to the point where they had to say “This has nothing to do with George Romero.” Even the title sounds like Dawn of the Dead . So, you know, [Simon Pegg] gets it, and he totally got where I was coming from, and he’s been nothing but a wonderfully nice person about it. We’ve become email pals a little bit.
SGS: Cool. Now do you base any of the other characters in The Boys off of anybody?
DR: Not really, no. Everybody else just fell into place. There were a few types that Garth suggested and I went for that, but generally the other ones are just out of my head.
SGS: I have to know: Homelander at the beginning of The Boys #3, you know, the part where he says “suck it,” I noticed he, um, had a bikini tan-line… so did my wife.
[laughter]
SGS: So, I have to know, was this something you guys scripted? Or was it something more spontaneous?
DR: On, no. [laughs] That was Tony Avina (the colourist) all on his own. That was him stepping up and being part of the creative process. And when I saw it I went, “Beautiful, perfect.” I didn’t ask for it, but it definitely needed to be there.
SGS: It’s nice to hear a colourist get some props…
DR: …And a colourist be creative! That’s the thing, Tony’s really good. He got the job because the first audition page we had given to a number of different colourists that we were trying out was Wee Hughie holding the (torn off) arms (of his girlfriend), because it was one of the only completely finished pages at that time. Everybody turned in something interesting and good. Tony’s was particularly good because not only did it look just like the world that I wanted, especially in mood and time of day, everything was there, but I loved how the arms looked like they were more pale, as if they had drained blood.
SGS: I was going to ask, did Garth script the whole arm thing?
DR: Yeah, very much so, and I wanted to nail that scene. That’s where Tony stepped up with the colour and added to the storytelling because now the arms looked like they were losing life. That was really cool. You see the colour of Hughie’s hands compared to hers. Some people would colour it and not think about that, but Tony thinks that way.
SGS: The colour is very vibrant and very nice in the book.
DR: I think he’s doing a great job!
SGS: It’s very cinematic…
DR: Yes! That’s what I want. That’s what I want out of it. I don’t want it to be “comic booky,” I want it to look like a lush reality.
SGS: You certainly succeeded there! I notice The Boys is creator owned, right?
DR: Yes.
SGS: Obviously this is you and Garth’s baby, but whose idea was The Boys in the first place?
DR: It was Garth’s idea, initially. Garth came to me with it, and I had a lot of ideas for it that didn’t really fit because I didn’t really understand where he was taking it. Once I did understand, and I’m still getting on board because The Boys is still in its infancy in a lot of ways, I realised the world that he was trying to create. Originally, he wanted them all in black leather trench coats, and I tried to talk him into putting this symbol I designed on their (the Boys themselves) backs. He said “Absolutely not.” I said it was something iconic, and he said it was completely against what he was going for. Now that I’m reading it and seeing how they are and what they’re doing it makes more sense to me. I’m really trying to get on Garth’s page with this, but that’s great because what it’s doing is challenging me to be more creative so my contribution is now more in the subtleties of the storytelling, all the costumes and stuff are mine, things like that. I feel really satisfied with the way it’s gelling. It’s something I’m very proud of.
SGS: Is it harder work? Doing your own project with your own ideas, your own property?
DR: It’s more work, but it’s more fulfilling. I put in more hours now, but I don’t notice them.
SGS: You don’t have to worry about fans shouting “Hey, he screwed up that character,” yeah?
DR: Right! There’s that, and I’m inking my own work, scanning my own work, I’m overseeing the colours, getting to see it on paper before it goes to press. All those things are so essential for quality control, and I am a stickler as much as I can be. I want it to be good. I don’t like it when people’s eyes aren’t coloured, like when the whites of the eyes are flesh coloured and those little details that people will miss. Or I’ve had people ink me and they change the expression somehow because they didn’t take enough time with it. I’m not that great of a penciller anymore because I’m just burned out on it. I mean, I really like honing the craft of inking. I’m learning to be a much better inker. I’ve already grown in the short time that I’ve been on my own monthly book. I’m getting better with my brush, and I’m learning to use Photoshop more… It’s been really great where it’s like I’m handling all ends of the production. That way I can really amp up even more what I would like to see when it’s a completed comic.
SGS: Back to an earlier topic, sort of, if I may…
DR: No problem.
SGS: So, you’re doing a sixty issue run for The Boys. Is the story all written out? Is it all set or do you not know and it’s going to change a lot from the original story arc ideas?
DR: Garth and I have had a long talk about where it was going to go. He wrote an overview, and that’s how we pitched the book. I know how it’s supposed to end and where it’s going to ultimately going to go, and so does Garth. All the little nuances? No. That hasn’t been worked out yet. For example, at the end of the issue that I’m pencilling right now, there’s a comment he said, “Alright, Hughie, practise your Ivan, we’re off to Moscow.” I said [to Garth Ennis], “So are they going to Moscow in the next issue?”
“No, no, I just want to give the impression that they’re going places. They’re going to go somewhere,” he replied. I said, “Where? Because I want to start looking up references” And Garth’s like, “I don’t know yet.” I’m like, “Okay.” It’s sort of comforting to know that Garth is formulating this stuff and figuring it out just like I formulate stuff and figure it out the page.
SGS: Your art has an amazing way of telling the story (or helping tell the story) and compliments the dialogue very, very well.
DR: Thank you!
SGS: Do you ever have a moment of “DAMN! I could’ve done that better!”
DR: Oh, all the time. [laughs]
SGS: Where you do it over and over again just trying to get it right?
SGS: Totally understandable. Okay, this is a pretty generic question, but what are the biggest influences on your art? Whether they are other artists, events, feelings, space aliens, whatever, what are they?
DR: Fear. And the need to feed my family.
[Laughter]
SGS: A step up from space aliens, that’s for sure.
DR: [chuckles] I realised this recently, but I tend to like to draw things that I’m afraid of. I like to draw horrific violence because I don’t like it. When I draw it, I feel released from it. I like to draw things that influence my work artist-wise from various movies and directors. News, politics, things like that fuel how I channel my stuff. As far as artists styles go, I really love Brian Bolland, and now that I’m making my own stuff, I’m really trying to learn and hone my work to that crisp, sort of realistic, subtle line work that he does so well… without cloning him. I don’t want to become another him, I’m trying to learn. So, Brian Bolland, Kevin Nowlan, Paul Neary, Dave Stevens; these are all people who I’ve been learning from their inking. As far as storytelling goes, I’ve been pencilling so long I feel like I have my set pencilling style that’s working, and I‘m good at storytelling, and I’m okay with that. I’m trying to push myself now to draw more challenging angles, things like that. Frank Quietly is one of my favourite storytellers. I think as a storyteller he’s unsurpassed right now. He intimidates the hell out of me. Very nice guy.
SGS: Personally, I feel that The Boys is the best work you’ve done so far. And you have done some excellent work in your career.
DR: Thank you.
SGS: I mean you’ve got Punisher: Born under your belt…
DR: [beams] I’m very proud of that.
SGS: You also did some Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Nick Fury…
DR: Yeah.
SGS: Fury MAX and Peacemaker , right?
DR: [Chuckles at the mention of Peacemaker]
SGS: Hey, I thought it was pretty good, and I’m a big Nick Fury fan…
DR: I am too, but that was… not fun.
SGS: So, what other works of yours would you say that you would rate highly, either over or near The Boys?
DR: Transmetropolitan. I’m proud of the run on that. I put a lot of time and work into that. The ones you just mentioned. Punisher: Born I’m really proud of, the first Fury MAX series I really am proud of. Anything where I have had more creative control as far as inking my own work, things like that. Those are the books I feel best about.
SGS: Okay, here you go, you’re about to sit down and get cracking on some work. What do you do to get, for lack of a better term, “in the zone”?
DR: A lot of caffeine. I tend to wake up early with my kids and my wife, if I hadn’t been up all the night before, because I pull all-nighters like twice a week. I usually read the news, check on my forum, and cruise around the web a little bit. Sometimes I play guitar…
SGS: You have your own online forum?
DR: Yeah, it’s www.darickr.com/speak... It’s attached to www.darickrobertson.com, my website. I like to check my forum, participate with that…
SGS: You like staying in touch with your readers and fans?
DR: Yeah! All five of them!
[Laughter]
SGS: Well, I’ll join up so you have six.
DR: It’s pretty fun, actually. It’s a good forum. There are good people in there; they post funny stuff, so I usually find something entertaining every time I check it. It’s not a lot of bitching about comics; it’s a wide variety of topics. There are huge topics/threads on politics, religion, we bitch about the stuff that, well, you know... It’s a lot of preaching to the choir, unfortunately, but at the same time we’ll talk to anybody who wants to… It’s all about communication.
SGS: That’s right; it’s what makes the world go ‘round.
DR: Exactly.
SGS: Now, what do you want the readers to come away with after they have just experienced an issue of The Boys?
DR: I want them to feel immersed. I want them to feel like they’ve been to our world and that these characters are real people somewhere, and that they are experiencing the story with Wee Hughie. Hughie should be the conduit to the other characters. I want the reader to feel like it matters, like what they’re reading about is affecting them somehow. My job is to make them feel Hughie’s feelings. I want you to feel something. If you don’t feel anything, or if you feel completely disconnected from it, then I feel like it’s a failure. Even if feel is like “I hated that!,” that’s good. I want you to feel something.
SGS: Right, right, exactly. You want it to be visceral.
DR: Right. I just don’t want apathy. Apathy worries me way more than antithesis.
SGS: Working with Garth Ennis… Is he really the taskmaster he says he is?
[Chuckling]
SGS: You ever think of taking a shot at writing your own material?
DR: Yeah, a little bit. Actually, Garth and I have discussed there might be an opportunity down the line for me to do some stuff within The Boys universe where I write and draw. Wildstorm, a couple of the editors there, have been very open to some things that I’ve talked about. They’ve solicited some ideas from me and liked what I had. In the next couple years, once I think The Boys is on even footing, I might brave sticking my neck out of the turtle shell and let people hack me apart. [laughs]
SGS: I look forward to it.
DR: Thanks! Well, I’m concerned because I always worry that people are going to say, “Huh, the pictures are still good, but what happened to all the words?”
SGS: Yeah, there are a few examples of artists in the past not faring so well as writers.
DR: But it’s strange because I started out my career writing and drawing my own stuff ( Space Beaver ). Fearlessly! And I got published a couple times at Marvel writing and drawing a couple little things that nobody really paid any attention to, which is fine. But I got published. So it’s not like I can’t write a comic, and it’s not like I don’t have stories in my head. I just… you know… When you’ve been a guitar player for Elvis Presley, stepping up to the microphone to sing seems kind of stupid. Know what I mean? Why am I singing? I’m working with Elvis. So I have a great deal of respect for Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis and Greg Rucka. I’ve worked with some of the best people in the business, hands down. For me to… I’m a little intimidated by the idea of bringing my own stuff out there. I write too… well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. [laughs]
SGS: Who’s more like Elvis, Garth Ennis or Warren Ellis?
DR: Garth Ennis. Warren’s more like David Bowie. He’s the big show.
[Laughter]
SGS: Well, we can’t keep going on or people are going to get pissed off. I’ll begin to wrap this up with an interview standard: Any last things you’d like to say?
DR: I really want people to stop trying to compare The Boys to Preacher at this point. It’s only three issues out. [chuckles] A lot of people are saying “It doesn’t out-Preacher Preacher”.
SGS: Didn’t Garth Ennis also say that?
DR: Well, he did, but not in three issues! [laughs] I mean, give it a chance. That’s the thing, a lot of people expect us to hit that mark, and it’s a five year thing. Even Preacher didn’t hit its stride until about two and half years in. I think people are foolish when they bring the “out-Preacher Preacher” comment up this early into the series. Well, it can’t do that in two or three issues. We’re still setting it up. It’s an unfair expectation that every issue is going to blow you away. Each issue is a piece of a chapter of a larger story, and if you enjoy it, we’ve done our job. Relax, have a little faith; it’s Garth Ennis.
SGS: A final shout-out to anyone?
DR: Ben Abernathy, my editor, because he rocks consistently. He makes life easy for me, and that’s why the work is looking as good as it is because he makes sure that I have all the things that I need to do the best job that I can do. So, Ben Abernathy, editor extraordinaire.
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