Questionable Comics is a series where Dan Hill surveys professionals from every corner of the comics industry about their methods and experience. Boy Akkerman is a Dutch artist who co-created Captain Ultimate and also co-founded the Eurocomics mag DutchMetal.
What current projects are you working on?
I set up a new anthology style comicmagazine called DutchMetal. It features short stories from a set crew of me and six other Dutch comicmakers. Often paired up with other Dutch and/or international artists/writers. #3 came out earlier this month.
Use one word to describe how you work.
Happy.
What’s your workspace like?
A mess 🙂 I try to keep things tidy but that never seems to last long. Most of the time it’s just a big Cintiq screen surrounded by clutter (mix of scribbles, scriptpages and comics). It used to be worse back when I was working from home. But ever since the birth of my daughter Aaliyah a few months ago I had to move shop. I now have a small studio set up in a nearby store.
What do you listen to when you work?
When I’m inking I like to listen to comicbook podcasts like Talking Comics, Assemble After Dark or Comicsbound. But when I’m working on lay-outs or pencils I often find those to be too distracting.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Don’t go back to tinker with finished pages.” A lot of artists have this compulsion but it causes many of them to never get a book done.
How do you get into art mode?
I would love to get up out of bed and draw comics but most days I have other lifestuff (commercial projects, kid, house stuff) to get out of the way first. So when I finally sit down at the desk I’m usually already pretty pumped to get started. And in case I have a bit of an art block I just open up some comics, that usually gets the artistic blood pumping.
A page from Captain Ultimate, Boy Akkerman’s all ages title with Benjamin Bailey and Joey Esposito.
Is your work paper or digital based?
I’ve switched almost completely to digital. It just saves so much time and because I usually don’t have all day to work on the comics I need to get my pages out as quick as possible.
Nowadays, when I’m at conventions, I have to really adjust myself to working on paper all day. I mostly miss my undo-button.
What’s the one thing you wish you could improve about your work?
I wish I could put more time into it. Being able to drop other commercial illustration jobs to focus full-time on comics would definitely improve all aspects of my art. But then I look at that pile of bills ….
When’s the best time to work?
I prefer working at night. Less distractions and darker outside somehow makes it easier to focus and get in the zone.
Who do you consider to be inspirational creators in your field (classic and modern)?
There’s too many to name. But the big 3 that always make me want to push myself harder are Ryan Ottley (ideal mix of cartoony/traditional), Tradd Moore (insanely kinetic and supertight linework) and Skottie Young (master of cartoony). Over here in The Netherlands I really look up to Romano Molenaar, Chris Evenhuis and Gerben Valkema.
Iain Laurie is the artist behind And Then Emily Was Gone and one of the most unique artists in comics, with a style that sits between Salad Fingers and Stephen Gammell’s illustrations for the Scary Stories series.
What current projects are you working on?
I have a book called Quilte that was released in October through ComixTribe and went up this month on comiXology, it reunites the And Then Emily Was Gone team of John, Megan and Colin. Right now I’m working on a one-shot with Fraser Campbell who wrote the excellent Sleeping Dogs.
Use one word to describe how you work.
Odd.
What’s your workspace like?
Basic. A drawing board on the living room table but a lot of the time I just draw on a wooden board in front of the television. I’m not very professional in general!
What do you listen to when you work?
Mostly hip-hop or Hans Zimmer soundtracks. Depends on the mood though. Lately it has been a lot of Radiohead and Blur.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
That if you naturally have a weird style you should embrace that, do your own thing and hope people respond to it.Better that than trying to force yourself to draw more commercially just to maybe get work.
How do you get into art mode?
No real process. If it’s a deadline and it has to be done and I’m not in the mood I just sit down and get on with it.
Is your work paper or digital based?
Paper. I’m a caveman when it comes to comics
What’s the one thing you wish you could improve about your work?
Pretty much everything! I have real issues with perspective, drawing vehicles, buildings…all the stuff you need to be good at really! Mostly I would just like to make my stuff look a bit more professional and consistent.
When’s the best time to work?
I work full time in a regular job so pretty much whenever I can. I get a lot done on a Saturday.
Who do you consider to be inspirational creators in your field (classic and modern)?
So many. For me..Ken Reid, Alan Davis, Frank Quitely, Dan Clowes, Charles Burns, Jeff Lemire, Ian Bertram, Rafael Grampa, Brian Bolland, Kevin O’Neill, Brendan McCarthy. That’s the artists and I’m sure I’ve missed some. There’s a lot of writers too.
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