#9: It's Morphin Time! with Gavin Smith

Welcome!

Before we dive into Angel Grove, I’m obligated to let you know we are down to our FINAL DAYS on the MADAM Kickstarter.

If you haven’t backed it yet, this is your last chance to join Madam McQuillen’s cult and get yourself a print copy of the book.

We’re already funded but this is likely gonna be the only way to get your hands on a physical copy — so I hope you’ll check it out! You can read more about it in last month’s newsletter.

BACK MADAM ON KICKSTARTER

Gavin Smith is an incredible illustrator who’s done a lot of rad shit, working on everything from TMNT to Godzilla to Star Trek and the badass creator-owned HEARTPIERCER with Rich Douek.

I’ve been an admirer for some time, but only recently got to meet him at SDCC after we were paired up for POWER RANGERS: ZORD QUEST.

The hiring editor suggested something “Zord-centric” and ZORD QUEST is what resulted — a globe-spanning adventure that reveals the Zord Sanctuaries, or where the Dinozords recharge when they’re not in use.

You’ve seen ‘em in the show — it’s where they emerge from when the Rangers call upon them — but in ZORD QUEST, you’ll get to see their connection to the Morphin Grid and the secrets that lay within!

In the first of hopefully many conversations with collaborators for the Soup Dad Comics newsletter, I picked Gavin’s brain about making comics and working on MMPR.

Coming in hot: why did you love Power Rangers as a kid?

I think it was something that my brother and I discovered together, and we were watching from the very beginning of MMPR.

We’re the same age, so I get it. It was this and TMNT all day every day. Maybe a side of 3 NINJAS.

We were just the right age and really into any sort of martial arts media that was coming out and so we latched on to Power Rangers pretty quickly.

What do you love about it now, particularly from the perspective of a creator?

I think what I love about it now is that the world is so full of possibilities. There’s so many cool places you can take them and situations that they could be put in… and none of it would be boring to draw.

Do you have a favorite team/iteration?

Definitely MMPR. I think once Zack, Trini, and Jason left the show I checked out.

Hey man, the teen world peace conference can’t accommodate a Ranger’s intense schedule. But I hear you, and no disrespect to Rocky, Adam, or Aisha. What does Power Rangers offer, as an artist, that makes it fun to draw?

I think what’s most fun about it is that it has all the right ingredients to be this really rad property. Super-powered ninjas, kaiju, mechs, teen angst… what’s not to love!?

[Speaking of teen angst, readers who don’t know: Gavin’s been doing ongoing commentary on a DAWSON’S CREEK rewatch on his Instagram]

Which Ranger’s helmet is the toughest to get right? 

I’d say Green Ranger’s helmet for sure. I think it’s the visor with the teeth that can sometimes throw off the whole look if you don’t get it right. Otherwise it just doesn’t feel like the Green Ranger. Same with this shield.

What about Zord?

Maybe the Tyrannosaurus? That guy’s a handful… and I had several panels where I was drawing him from either an up or downshot. Luckily I bought a Megazord that breaks down into the individual Zords for reference.

That’s what we call a business expense! Tell me about the panel or page from ZORD QUEST that you’re happiest with or was the most fun to draw.

Anything with Alpha-5. Also there’s a panel with flashback Zordon fighting Rita and her Minions on the moon that was super hard to figure out, but ended up being one of the best drawings of the book. Also, the Lord Zedd page. Also, anything with Dragonzord. I could go on for a while here.

Does working on properties you grew up with, like TMNT or MMPR, change the way you approach working on those comics?

Definitely. I think just knowing them more intimately provides a nice shorthand. I’ve been drawing these characters all my life, so when I get the opportunity to draw them professionally, I feel like it just pours out of me more organically.

“Shorthand” is a good way to put it. It’s like part of the work is already done because you’ve been living with and thinking about the characters for so long. What are some things that are important to you in a collaborative partnership like making comics?

I think it’s having the freedom to make some executive decisions on the page that add to the script. That makes it feel like more of a collaboration rather than someone dictating to me what to draw. I think that’s why we ended up working so well together.

I wasn’t fishing for a compliment but I’m glad you said it. Where can readers find you/what have you got coming up besides ZORD QUEST?

Nothing I can talk about yet, and some stuff that’s not even confirmed.

In the meantime I suggest going to pick up HEARTPIERCER from Dark Horse Comics by myself and Rich Douek, DEAD LEGENDS Volume 1 & 2 by myself and James Maddox from A Wave Blue World, TMNT: BLACK, WHITE & GREEN TPB has a story I wrote and drew featuring Casey Jones and Michelangelo (my favorite TMNT characters), or TMNT REBORN: Volume 8 DAMAGE DONE has my full run on the TMNT ongoing, and in June a new collection of STAR TREK: THE MIRROR WAR will be coming out from IDW. Hopefully more that I can announce soon!

Thanks, Gavin!

Final Order Cutoff for MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: ZORD QUEST is NOV. 17, so make sure you tell your local comics dealer to snag you a copy!

ZORD QUEST goes on sale in comic shops on Dec. 31.

Baby steps to the elevator,

-Joey
[email protected]
PO Box 1093, Bath, ME 04530
Buy my comics

MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: ZORD QUEST — Hey, we just talked about this! Pre-order online or at your local comic book shop by Nov. 17, on sale Dec. 31!

MADAM — You know about this one too. Last chance to pre-order on Kickstarter!

THE PEDESTRIAN VERTICAL SCROLL EDITION A new vertical scroll version of THE PEDESTRIAN is exclusive to GlobalComix and offers a new way to read! Check it out.

SOUP DAD MERCH!!! 

THE PEDESTRIAN THREADLESS SHOP is still available for all your PEDESTRIAN needs. And as always, if you haven’t snagged a copy of THE PEDESTRIAN yet, it’s available in my web store, online, and on GlobalComix. 

THE PERIL OF THE BRUTAL DARK: AN EZRA CAIN MYSTERY by Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips

Vertigo’s been gone for a bit, but it’s back now. I don’t know if it will be as influential on today’s teenagers the way ‘90s Vertigo was on me, but including a new noir adventure series by Condon & Phillips can’t hurt. I got a sneak peak at this one and can vouch for its quality, but if you’ve read the creators’ other work, you don’t need me to tell you this is a must-read. Tell your local comic shop, this goes on sale Feb. 25!

DROME by Jesse Lonergan

Sometimes you read a comic and immediately after finishing, you realize you just ingested something monumental. DROME is one of those books, a contemporary mind-alterer that will change the way you think about comic book storytelling. That sounds hyperbolic, but it’s earned. You’ll be seeing this one on all the best-of lists this year! Buy it now!

WITCHING SEASON anthology by the most talented people you know

This is a witchy anthology currently on Kickstarter from our friends at Lifeline Comics, including Michele Abounader, who has been an incredible resource helping me with the MADAM Kickstarter but also a very skilled writer/editor who has assembled some of the best talent in comics for this book. It ends the same day as MADAM, so why not engage in a little witch shopping? Back it now on Kickstarter!

PROJECT SLICE-N-DICE (WFH) — Writing this newsletter is the last task I have to check off my list before I start the script for issue #2 in earnest. An artist I’m super excited to be working with has started on the pages for #1 and it’s looking great.

PROJECT ROLLERCOASTER (WFH) — One day you’re offered a cool project, the next it’s on pause for reasons out of everyone’s control. This one is a tentative wait-and-see-how-things-shake-out before I get down to brass tacks, but everyone involved seems excited to work together once details are ironed out. It’s a bummer that I spent a few precious evenings prioritizing this before things changed, but there is no such thing as wasted work.

MADAM — ~*a few days left on Kickstarter*~

THE PEDESTRIAN  — Baltimore Comic-Con was a blast and an honor. THE PEDESTRIAN won two (!) Ringo Awards and we are incredibly proud of our accomplishment. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth and brought their comics!! Sean and I also had an unhinged amount of meats at Fogo de Chão the evening before this photo and I can’t believe I was still standing.

PROJECT PUKE — This one is still burrowing into my brain, but on the back burner while I wait for some editor feedback and focus on more pressing deadlines instead.

SHITKICKERS — The latest from Zoop is that the books arrived to the fulfillment damaged from the printer and now they are waiting on new copies. Thank you to the backers for their patience.

Thanks for hanging out. If you have any suggestions or questions, please feel free to drop me a line at [email protected].