CS: First off, Hi, Brett, thanks for doing the interview!
BB: You are most welcome!
CS: Brett, how does drawing a solo book like Nightwing compare to a team book such as Teen Titans or even crossover stories, like the Culling story?
BB: It's different. WAY more backgrounds! There are different tricks you need to do. In a team book you can use the other characters to create depth, in a solo you have to do it with backgrounds. The Culling was a bit different, that's a crossover kinda thing and that can get messy. So much in every panel, you just want it to end!;) With a solo you can focus on just the main character more, so he or she needs to look good!
CS: Is there any particular aspect of a character that you add or exaggerate when you're drawing Bat-related characters like Dick and Tim?
BB: Well, I try to make their agility pop. They are the more acrobatic characters so they move with more of a purpose. And Dick needs to reflect this even more than Tim. He needs to be agile yet graceful, flashy yet elegant. Hard to do right and I have plenty of scrapped pages to show this. It needs to be 'right'.
CS: How closely do you work with a writer when you're drawing a book? And do different writers control different amounts of the storytelling duties?
BB: It's different with every writer. Scott left me alone after some headbutting at the beginning. Took me a bit to figure out how to do the panels for him to show the story and not over panel the page. I usually call them up and talk to them if I want to move something around or tweak it. Most times they're game, anything to make the book look better!:)
CS: Now, onto some questions about your new book, Nightwing!
How does it feel to be joining the book in what seems like a new beginning for the character and the series? With Dick Grayson moving to Chicago after Gotham, and, I'm assuming, a new supporting cast.
BB: Well... MOSTLY new cast. It's both easier and harder. Now everyone has to be introduced and this can be a slow process. With the old city you could just drop a name and you knew who they were, now you have to explain everything. On the other hand I'm not stuck drawing to someone else's designs so more freedom
CS: I've noticed that your Nightwing costume is a little different to Eddy Barrows and Juan Jose Ryp's. Specifically the finger stripes, belt and neck. Were the small changes your idea?
BB: Kyle and I were talking and he mentioned the finger stripes. They couldn't figure out a way to do them with the new gauntlets. So I took a stab. After the stripes, we decided to see what else we could tweak and after a few designs we had something we liked. We were going to work up to the changes but our Editor said to just go for it, and we did.
CS: Is there anything specific you like to do for drawing Nightwing? Any specific research for his style of movement?
BB: Not really. Because you sort of have to pose him for what he's doing. Forcing him into some pose just 'cause I saw it doesn't quite work. He really needs to flow on the page but that needs to work with what he's doing
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| Nightwing Design, by Brett Booth. With added finger stripes! |
CS: Now, you've drawn a lot of Nightwing for your weekly Sketch Saturday that you do on your twitter page, did drawing Nightwing in a book feel slightly easier than drawing a character you'd never drawn before?
BB: Yeah, because I already have a feel for him. With all those sketches, they serve a few different purposes, one is me getting a feel for a character. It usually takes me a few issue to get a proper feel for someone. This way I knew what I was doing right out of the block!
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| Sketch Saturday Nightwing, by Brett Booth |
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| Sketch Saturday Nightwing, by Brett Booth |
CS: How much research do you do before drawing a city? Is it harder to draw real cities than Fictional cities, and which do you prefer?
BB: It depends, if I have to do something specific I'll try and get some shots of what I need. Most cites look pretty much the same. Average person wouldn't know the difference if they were magically plopped into one.
I prefer fictional, because I can make the city do exactly what I need it to do! And what's in my head is simply cooler;P
CS: Is it nice to still be working with the same inker and colourist, Norm Rapmund and Andrew Dalhouse, that you were on Teen Titans?
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| Nightwing print, by Booth, Rapmund and Dalhouse |
BB: Yep! We're one crazy dysfunctional family! But we can count on each other to get stuff done!
CS: Can you say which issue you're on at the moment?
BB: Was in the home stretch of 21, but got pulled off to help on another book. So 21:)
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| Sneak peek at Nightwing #21, by Brett Booth |
CS: Is there anything you can tease for the upcoming arc in Nightwing?
BB: Nope;)
CS: A few more general questions here.
Now, you do a lot of costume designs for characters in the New 52, if you could re-design any of the existing characters who would you pick?
BB: Hmmmm.... not sure. Earth 2 Flash I think. I just don't like that helmet... I know, WW 1 but with all the changes on Earth2 that would have been a good one. I know I'm in the minority on that!
CS: are there any characters, from any company that you'd like to draw in a regular book?
BB: Besides Wally West and Ted Kord? Booster Gold! Cyclops from the X-men. He was may favorite character growing up!
CS: And one crazy question, if Dick Grayson was a fruit, what would he be?
BB: Pineapple... Wait that's Ted Kord.... Blueberry
CS: Thanks again, Brett!
