Bill Nichols’ Prescription:
Comics
10ccs of the Process with
Mark McKenna

My buddy Mark has inked THOUSANDS of pages for Marvel, DC and others and these days he’s working his own creator-owned projects like Banana Tail.

What inspires you to create and keeps you going?

Ideas! I have developed stories to tell over my 32 yrs of being a “work for hire” artist, stuff, possibly that I loved as an active reader and wanted to add my take on the subject or genre.

 

Do you have a set routine?

I did when I was on regular books at Marvel and DC.. most of the work Id generate would be after 6PM to maybe 2, 3AM but it had also to do with being a father to my little kids. Now, because I have created my own projects I meander to the drawing board anytime after 10AM, my kids are out of the house, but not because I kicked em out.. Theyre adults now 🙂 

 

What kind of output do you try to achieve?

A page a day is what I always tried for minimally when I was inking comics on a regular basis. If I was doing 2 books a month, I would try for 2, possibly 3 a day, but Id bring in an assistant to do backgrounds so I could keep the work moving.

When I write my own stuff, as I do with Banana Tail or Combat Jacks, Ill usually type any crappy synopsis on my desktop just to get the ball rolling and then go 5 or 6 edits or rewrites to get it, hopefully sensible and a smidge exciting.

 

What inspires you WHEN you create? Music? Noise? Silence?

Usually bad horror movies as background noise.

 

Who was the first comic book creator that influenced you to pursue this?

Boy, I dont recall.. I think John Romita’s Spider Man was huge.. and I was and still am a huge Brain Bolland Judge Dredd fan and everything he did after that… 

 

When did you realize you could follow this path yourself?

When I was in college about to graduate the School of Visual Arts in NYC. I met with the Illustration dept head and he introduced me to Sal Almendola, who was the new talent coordinator at DC Comics at the time. I inked some samples and once Sal said to me, the he thought if I stuck with it < I could become a professional, that all I neede to hear, then it was full steam ahead!

 

What do you find to be a challenge in creating?

Certainly the writing and when I have to redraw something that isnt quite right in pencils.

 

What else do you have to learn?

I’m a good idea man, but I can always improve in the scripting and you can never draw enough.  

 

What keeps you motivated to get better?

I dont think at this point Im motivated to get or can get better.. Im def past my zenith at 32 yrs and counting. Ive worked on over 13,000 pages of art. I do feel like I perhaps understand the fundamentals better then when I started out and reminding yourself of the simple things sometimes pays dividends.

 

Can you turn your brain (creativity) off (and on)?

 Harder to turn it on, then off.. but yes 🙂

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed by the above creator are theirs. This interview may not be reprinted or reposted without permission.

Bill Nichols

Author, Artist, Editor for ShoutFyre.com
Bill is the creator of Arteest & Ursula comics, writer for Ringtail Cafe, co-creator of Savage Family, writer and inker of HellGirl: Demonseed. Editor for ShoutFyre and Sketch Magazine. Co-author of Camelot Forever novel series.