An interview with a Vampire (ok, a penciler that, might be a vampire).
1) The first and most obvious question is, where did the pen name "Kool as Heck" come from?
LOL - (deep sigh) technically it’s very close to the pronunciation of my last name but it's really kind of where and when I grew up. I am the amalgamation of a perfect storm of Hip Hop, Gangster Films, Superheroes and a New York town, little above the City, where everyone seemed to have a nickname. It was very much a generational thing. My Italian-American stepfather had many friends with the nicknames Lefty, Whitey, Black, Bucky, Macker, Stumpy (usually followed by their last name since it was hard to distinguish who was who. I knew at least four of my Pops’ friends named Lefty ).
Growing up, I knew guys by the name of Chewey, Duce, Munchie, Che, Cornbread, PorkRindz, Crimson, Mod Squad, Scoop, Boobie, B-Bronx, Fresh, NO-EL, Fly, E and a dozen others with one letter names. Within the first few days of 7th grade, I was deemed KOOLasHECK or KOOL for short after hearing my name in home room roll call. And thus, my secret origin to my alter ego is revealed to all.
2) How did you approach the artwork to Marshal Law?
Most of my previous sequential work has been pure black and white so it’s a different thing to be creating for color. But I bring that stark b/w look to the story then the colors on top of that really comes across on the page.
3) As an artist, what is Marshal Law about and why would readers enjoy it?
Redemption. It’s about the story of everyone who does their best to make up for the errors of the past. The elevator pitch I use to describe it is “ Tombstone with Demons”.
4) Why is this your favorite panel?
One of my favorite parts of being a sequential artist is conveying the movement of time and juxtaposition of images. After reading through and creating the page
breakdowns. I joked with Jaimie Engle (the creator of the gloriousness that is Marshal Law) that the panel description would be the deathblow to many a comic artist. Jaimie’s panel description was “ Angels falling from the edge of a cliff through the sky by the ten-thousands, their white wings changing to black)." But I love the challenge and I think I nailed it. In the overlaying image, it showed Simeon passing his memories to another in vivid colored and conveying the images in sepia tone where Kristal Sayers (our Color artist) nailed perfectly. I think it is the perfect panel where we all just clicked as team and it shows.
5) What would you like readers to know about you?
Nothing. Y,know, witness protection and all that.
6) Any last words?
Nope. LOL. Seriously, I just that hope everyone sees my passion for sequential art on every page and every panel. And they better read Marshal Law or I’ll send Lefty and Munchie to have a lil chat with you! And if you see me at a convention, ask and I’ll give your own nickname.