Q&A – Nate Van Dyke

Were you a fan of professional wrestling as a child? If so, what are your fondest memories?

I used to watch it as a kid in the eighties. It was fascinating for me because I read a lot of comic books and it was like being able to watch comic book characters actually fight each other. It brought comics to life for me because it was well before all of the comic book movies out now which are over the top.

Who was your favourite wrestler and why?

I really liked Brutus the Beefcake Barber for some reason. I think I just loved how he would cut off everyone’s hair once they were knocked out.

As a youngster, which artists inspired you the most or had the biggest influence on your decision to become an illustrator?

The first real influence for me was the Garbage Pail Kids art by John Pound. For the first time I realized, “Wow, you can draw cool shit like this?!”, that was the first real spark for me. There are many other artists I look up to, Bill Watterson, Frank Frazetta, Simon Bisley, Stephen Platt, Marc Silvestri and on and on. 

Are we alone in the universe or, in an infinite universe filled with infinite possibilities, are there other intelligent lifeforms out there somewhere…

There is no way in hell that I believe we are alone in the universe. I don’t necessarily think it’s the little green men with big eyes but there is something. There has to be other life but, due to travel limitations, it may be too far away for us to explore…

Do you have a motto or code of conduct that you live your life by?

“When in doubt, black it out”, that’s an old inking rule I live by.

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