B-Squad Banter with Lead Artist, Sean Sutter
AS THE ARTISTIC LEAD FOR B-SQUAD, SEAN SUTTER IS CHIEFLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHARACTER DESIGNS FOR NEW ROOKIES, ASSISTING EBEN WITH DIRECTING THE OVERALL ARTISTIC QUALITY OF THE BOOK, AND THE GO-TO ARTIST FOR VARIOUS PRODUCTION NEEDS.
IN ANY GIVEN COLLECTION OF B-SQUAD MISSIONS, SEAN WILL ILLUSTRATE AT LEAST ONE OF THE FIVE MISSIONS AND HAS CURRENTLY ILLUSTRATED 3 OUT OF 10.
What are your preferred implements for illustrating?
It depends on the mood I'm going for. Lately I've been really into my Kuretake pocket brush pen. The lines get real expressive, and I'm pretty interested in that crap.
What was your favorite illustration in B-Squad made either by you or a colleague?
I'm super pleased with the volume one wrap around cover. It was a great opportunity to draw all those characters again, and for some of them for the last time. I also had the chance to know the characters better by the time we got around to that illustration, so I think I captured some of their personalities. There's also a bunch of really crazy stuff going on, and the montage scenes are always a delight to compose.
Tell us a little bit about how you decided to get into illustrating comics?
My big brother is the coolest person I've ever met, so when I became self aware and saw him reading comics I just wanted to make him happy. I think I was in fourth grade when I decided to become an professional illustrator, and I felt like comics were the best way to use drawings to tell stories. I have almost no investment in a major comic franchise, but I am completely invested in drawing and storytelling.
What aspect of working on B-Squad did you find the most challenging?
Probably all the wieners. I drew a lot of wieners. In all seriousness though, drawing fake Bill Murray. I'm not an especially talented caricature artist, so that was realistically the most challenging part of drawing B-Squad.
Who is/was your favorite character so far?
That's obviously a hard question. But I'll say MacGoogle, today. I love drawing that guy, and he got to do a bunch of awesome stuff before he died... I actually don't know if or when he dies, but statistically speaking things aren't looking good for any of these guys.
Whoa! B-Squad buddies! If you haven't checked out Sean's miniatures game, go get on it and visit www.relicblade.com - do it!
What are you working on now?
Right now I'm working on a tabletop miniatures game called Relicblade. I love tabletop games, so I decided to make one. I wrote the rules, sculpted all the models, and did all the illustrations. I released the game in mid-November and it's been amazing so far. I'm going to continue expanding the game with new characters and monsters. The game is fun, and making it has been a real treat.
What other culture, comics or otherwise, is inspiring your work the most right now?
I've been on a major tabletop gaming kick lately. I love the way they bring friends together. I've got to recommend a game called Machi Koro. You and your friends become mayors and use cards and dice to build your little farming town into a metropolis. It's a ton of fun. You should also buy a game called Relicblade, too.
Is there an artist who you'd like to see illustrate B-Squad in the future?
Guy Davis (B.P.R.D., The Marquis) is my favorite. Make him draw the B-Squad, and make sure there are monsters in that issue!!! Oh boy, I'm going to go sit in a corner and imagine what it would look like now.