Artist Interview - Gabe Bush

You know how they say, "It takes a village to raise a child"? Well, publishing a book does not take quite that many, but it helps to have several talented people working together. In this case, Gabe Bush brought his skill as an artist to our little project Dinosaur George and the Paleonauts. Gabe designed and illustrated the cover, as well as some really excellent insets for the chapter headings.

Of course, Loki is not in our book, but I wanted to start this interview showing Gabe's range. He has an impressive background, drawing characters from Asgard to Oz and everywhere in between. And yes, he has done some of them professionally. Now check out the cover for our book:

MM: Gabe, thanks for taking the time to talk with me today. Why don't we begin at the beginning? Please share some of your background and where you honed your skill.

GB: I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. As a kid I remember drawing super heroes a lot, the typical ones like Superman, Batman, the Hulk and Spiderman. Every now and then I would draw some landscape scenes too. One landscape scene I remember drawing often were waterfalls crashing against the rocks below. I’m not sure why I drew that so much, a lot of Bob Ross influence I guess, hahaha. I don’t do a lot of landscape scenes now, though I should. Aside from that, I got my associates in sequential art at San Antonio College and interned a few times at a comic company in San Antonio called Antarctic Press.

MM: So, you went from a boyhood fan to an industry professional. I know you work in education. That is definitely a high value for the Dinosaur George Company. George Blasing has a way of attracting like-minded people. Ultimately, it is about the kids. It seems that you have similar goals. Beyond your drawing, what do you like to do?

GB: I like to spend time with my wife and two girls. It sounds cliche, but kids grow up fast and I only wish I had more time to spend with them. In addition to spending time with my family I try to spend time building up my portfolio. Splitting up my time between the things I enjoy doing can be difficult though. Looking back now, I regret not having spent more time and dedication building up my portfolio before I got a family of my own, instead of getting up at 4 or 5 in the morning to do that now. Hindsight right?

MM: When you are doing something you love, there is not much room for regret. It is great that you enjoy your family. For me personally, my wife and children are my motivation. At least in your social media, it appears that yours are the same. You seem to have a very supportive wife who is also your Number One Fan. What do they think of your artwork?

GB: They think it's awesome—at least that's what they tell me! My whole family is very supportive in what I do, my wife especially. So much so that she even saved up money from her photography business that she does, Heidi’s Portrait Design (shameless plug, I know) and had a portion of the garage made into a room to be my very own man cave/art studio. How awesome is that! She’s not too crazy about the buxom beauties that I sometimes draw though—I like the old school pin up art of the 50’s and 60’s (Gil Elvgren is one of the best)—but she is still very supportive.

MM: Old School Pin Ups, huh? Aren't we all entitled to a guilty pleasure? Mine happens to be zombies. I haven't missed an episode of The Walking Dead. As a writer, my job is to use words to create pictures in people's heads. You do things the other way around - taking something out of your head and put it out there for the world to see. Would you say that is the best thing about your work?

GB: I would take that a step further. It's being able to see the fruits of my labor. It's all well and good finishing a piece and seeing it on the computer monitor or on the paper I drew it on, but to actually have something of mine printed out and used by people, shared amongst people, seeing that people like it enough to talk about it, I think that is what is best about it all.

MM: And like the image above from Dinosaur George and the Paleonauts, it really adds something special. Both Dinosaur George and I were so impressed with your work. It transformed our little story and took it to a new level. And we have received great feedback from our young fans. We all enjoy the benefits of our creativity, but tell me what is the most challenging thing about your work?

GB: That would have to be. . . me! I am really one of the hardest critics of my work. I also have a hard time receiving compliments because of it. I’ll finish an art piece and look at it thinking that I could have done better or see the things I messed up on. The other thing that gets me the most is my attention span. I’ll work on a piece and then get an idea or see something that sparks another idea and then I’ll go off and try working on that. I'll keep doing that, until eventually I’ll have all these pieces that have been started on, but not completed. That is probably the MOST annoying challenge.

MM: Oh, the burden of being TOO gifted? Just kidding. I understand where the muse takes you, you have to go. I know you could see something on TV or hear something one of your children says and then you are off on a whole new tangent. It comes down to focus and discipline for any type of artist. I have a sense of what fuels your creativity, but who, or what, influences your artistic style and direction?

GB: Here is another indecisive moment for me. There have been a lot of different artists that have inspired me throughout the years. To name a few and in no particular order, they have been well-known comic artists, Joe Madureira, Jim Lee, J. Scott Campbell, Humberto Ramos, Edgar Delgado, Adam Hughes, to amazing digital artists like Stanley Lau (Artgerm), Warren Louw, Charlie Bowater, Ray Frenden, Loopydave and Serge Birault (PapaNinja) to famous illustrators and designers such as Sam Spratt, Olly Moss, Drew Struzan, Norman Rockwell and Alphonse Mucha!!....ARRRGH! I can’t do it!...I can’t!...I just can’t say that there has been one person who has influenced me the most. I guess that's a good thing though—art is a living thing, it changes with the times and so should your inspiration.

MM: That is an impressive list. I will leave it to our readers to Google those names. I am sure they will have a rich gallery to view. Now, we have come to the part of the interview where I like to have a little fun. Sometimes, I think asking unusual or humorous questions gives us a special insight that the "safe" questions don't. So, going off the path, tell us something that is not common knowledge about you?

GB: I’m not crazy about swimming. I’ll get in the pool every now and then with the kiddoes, but God gave me two legs to walk with, not two fins to swim with, hahaha.

MM: I'm not big on swimming either. I'm sure it had nothing to do with watching Jaws as a young child. As an artist and a big time superhero fan, if you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?

GB: Ugh, I'm a very indecisive person, well sometimes I am...dah, see what I mean! I like many characters for many reasons. I like Superman and Hulk because they can fly or jump really high and are really strong (I've had many dreams where I'm flying and upon waking up I've had to actually confirm it was just a dream). I enjoy running, so I also like The Flash because of his super speed. That would be awesome to get around that fast! I also really like Batman and Wolverine for their ferocity, cunningness and fighting skills. Hmm, since you are asking for ANY fictional character, I'm going to have to go with the hardly spoken of character, Superhulkflashbatverine, its a mouthful I know. He exists, really, just take my word for it and don't ask anyone.

MM: Superhulkflashbatverine? Sounds a little suspect, but I will let you have that one if you can produce an illustration. I will be watching for it on your Facebook page (link below). Since you mention both Superman and the Hulk, I will bring up a debate that I have had with my own children. With you being something of an expert, who do you think would win between Superman and the Hulk, if they crossed over from their respective universes?

GB: Hmm, thats a tuff one. Superman was always my favorite growing up, but my wife and kids say that I act like the Hulk sometimes because I can get pretty grumpy, hahaha. I'm going to take the middle road and say that it would be a tie. I imagine that they would both eventually just tire each other out and fall on the ground for a nap.

MM: A draw huh? Sounds like you took the easy way out. Then we will leave it to the readers of this interview - please comment below who you think would win that epic battle. Whoever gets the most votes (Superman or Hulk), will be declared the winner. For the sake of our poll, they exist in our current reality - that means no Kryptonite, no additional Gamma radiation and no other superheroes. Gabe, thank you again for visiting with me today. Let's wrap this up with where people can connect with you.

GB: I have a few places on the interwebs that I hang out at. Like I said earlier, I like pin up art so beware the buxom beauties. Consider yourself warned :P

https://www.facebook.com/gabebush.fanpage

http://pgmb.deviantart.com

http://gabebush-art.tumblr.com

Dinosaur George and the Paleonauts is available on Amazon Kindle and will be a Kindle Countdown Deal beginning March 20th. You can get it here: http://amzn.to/18R8WNt

Autographed books are available from the Dinosaur George Store: store.dinosaurgeorge.com

Also available from Dinosaur George Media:

(in print at the DG Store or on Kindle)

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. If you enjoyed this interview, please let me know in the comments below or join me on Facebook.

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Watchout! Zombies!

Okay, you know my books, The Fourth Queen and The Lost Queen. You know my short stories from One and Small World Global Protection Agency. You know my writing is safe, clean and fun for the whole family.


Maybe you don't know I have a guilty pleasure: Zombies!


I watch the movies. I read the books. I play the video games. So when my fellow Trestle Press authors Darren Sant and Sam Lang started a new zombie series called Severed, I was hooked. The debut story, In the Beginning, was strong on characters and had such a huge scope. So, I got with them and dazzled them with my hard-hitting journalism.


Without further ado, I would like to welcome Darren and Sam to the Land of Empyrean.


ME: What made you want to write about zombies? What is their appeal to you?


SL: It seems that many of the horror greats have tackled the subject. I've wanted to do a zombie story for some time. When I heard Darren on Giovanni Gelati's G-Zone talking about it, the opportunity presented itself. I wanted to do a different take on what's been done and working with Darren, I think we are going to accomplish that. My appeal to zombies is the sheer hopeless, faceless horror. With a vamp or a werewolf, you can give it a name then kill it. Zombies keep coming and they come in droves. They are mindless, but with a singular purpose. Kind of like trying to stop the ocean from hitting the beach with a five gallon bucket.


DS: For me the appeal is not so much the zombies as the scenario. I’ve always enjoyed post apocalyptic end of the world stories. How do people cope? How do they survive? What do they do?  I like the thought that we could all start again afresh from the ashes of the Old World that has so much wrong with it.


ME: Wow. Hopeless and apocalyptic. You two must be barrels of fun when you get together. Of course, I'm aware that Sam is in the US and Darren is in the UK. Now, writing is a typically solitary endeavor. How is it collaborating? How do you divide the work/ideas? Any unusual challenges?


DS: The challenge is keeping up with Sam. The man is a turbo charged Energizer Bunny of ideas. We’re looking at sections and chatting about how they might pan out. My flair as a writer of short and flash fiction primarily is for creating short scenes. Sam, he may disagree with me, has a better idea of the big picture.


SL: I typically prefer to be alone, writing or not. Darren is a fantastic writer and so easy going. We get along famously! Luckily, we are basically on the same page all the time. We email back and forth only to find out we have each had the same idea. As to dividing the work, it's been organic so far. We both contribute equally to the end result and I think you will see that flourish more in the second installment. The only challenge I've encountered is the difference in our time zones and that is not really a factor.


ME: It seems that you compliment each other very well. I'm excited to see where you take this series. Can you give any hints to what we can expect? Is there an end goal?


SL: Oh, I don't like to give away the surprise. We'll see what Darren has to offer, but all I will say is that it is shaping up to be quite huge.


DS: Nope. Because then we’d have to kill you.  Let’s just say you’re in for a wild ride that will feature more super natural creatures and action from around the globe.


ME: I definitely don't want to be zombie food! To be safe, I'll change the subject. What else are you working on at the moment?


SL: I've turned over my contribution to the Drunk on the Moon series to Paul D. Brazill. Beyond that, we should see the next chapter of Reprisal very soon. I've got some more convicts to parade out before we get to the really gruesome stuff.


DS: My third Longcroft story, which I can exclusively reveal, will be called Temple and the Cross is nearly finished. I’m working on a collaboration with Cody Toye, another Trestle author.  I have a hard boiled story for Trestle in November and various other projects that I shouldn't have taken on because I want a social life! 


ME: Very nice. You both seem to be extremely busy. Darren, thanks for giving me the exclusive on the title to your new Longcroft story. I did read the first two stories and thoroughly enjoyed them. Back to the zombies, what are your influences?


DS: Night of the Living Dead as a film.  The excellent new series Walking Dead.  Fiction wise there was an excellent zombie anthology I read this year by Wild Wolf publishing called Holiday of the Dead.  That was a huge anthology and it has inspired me a lot.


SL: The first and last movie to ever truly scare me was the original Night of the Living Dead. George Romero keeps doing it right, Land of the Dead was excellent as well. Bookwise, I've got my eye on Death Troopers. What could be a better combination than Star Wars and zombies?


ME: Star Wars undead? Sounds fun. It seems that you both must have been warped by the Night of the Living Dead. One of you being from Florida and the other from Hull, do you find your nationality playing a factor or bringing something unique to the stories?


SL: Other than some familiarity with some of the settings, I can't think of anything specific. Horror is one of those genres that speaks to the heart in any language.


DS: Hmmm. A good question.  I think my Britishness is more a state of mind. I have a certain humour that is very British. I also do melancholy very well, perhaps because we are a cold miserable rained on lot over here in Blighty.


ME: England does seem to be quite dreary. Just kidding. Darren, I suspected you were a bit of a comedian. Does anyone ever mistake you for the actor Matt Lucas? I saw him in Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire. Funny guy.


DS: Annoyingly that comparison has been made. It makes me want to swear. I wouldn’t mind the little man’s cash that’s for sure.  Joking aside he’s a rare comic talent and I could have been compared to worse.


ME: Well said. Sam, my last question is for you. I'm on Facebook too much and I've noticed a lack of photos of you.


SL: Some of the skulls on my covers are more attractive. But seriously, I enjoy my privacy and solitude.


ME: That's understandable. Social media can easily become pretty invasive. I want to thank you both for taking the time to answer my questions. I'm sure our audience will enjoy reading what you have to say. By the way, as of  this writing, I saw Severed made it to #78 on Amazon UK. Congratulations and I hope it keeps going!


Severed: In the Beginning is available from Trestle Press on Kindle for ONLY 99 Cents.