Darryl Knickrehm and Comic Book Illustration
Last year I caught of comic book artist Darryl Knickrehm to discuss about life, comic book artistry, science fiction and all those other things which keeps Darryl’s insanity at bay. Below is the interview in all its delayed glory.
: Hi Darryl, how are you going right now? How is this chaotic world treating you?
Darryl Knickrehm: I’m hanging in there. Trying to stay out of this summer heat and away from too much news. With covid, the war in Ukraine, all the problems dividing people in the States, and every other thing happening in the world, it’s been tough the past few years to get into a happy-go-lucky mood. But with all the projects I’m working on, things are looking up!
: Where in the world are you from?
Darryl Knickrehm: I’m from Orange County, California, just a stone’s throw from Disneyland. But I moved to Japan nearly 20 years ago. Holy crap, has it really been that long?
: What projects are you currently working on?
Darryl Knickrehm: Where to begin? I’ve got a 3 I’m prepping for release while drawing another and getting one more ready to start. Because of covid and the nightmare that was Action Lab, projects I’ve been working on for the past 4 years are all coming out at once.
First off is The Argus, a time travel extravaganza that Mark Bertolini and I put together a number of years ago. It was supposed to come out with Action Lab, and the first issue did, but then covid hit pretty much the same month it came out. Because of that, and other questionable things happening at Action Lab, they didn’t release any of the rest of the series and just dumped digital issues on Comixology. There’s a long story there, but Mark and I got the rights back and went to Source Point Press, who is putting out the entire series.
Second is Lost Souls: Haywire. It’s the prelude/first part of a sci-fi anthology series. Each part is a Twilight Zone-like story of an quirky character that was somehow linked to the mysterious Easter Square Incident in the huge tower city Eden. It’s based on a series of short novellas I wrote 10 years ago, the first of which I decided to turn into a graphic novel during covid lockdown.
Scout Comics liked it and decided to publish (this December). While it takes place far in the future (and was written a while ago), it is scary how many of the events reflect what’s happening in the world today. I hope Haywire (which is a oneshot btw) does well, because I have lots of even more exciting stories in the series I’d love to tell.
Third is Feeder. This is the big one. It’s Mark and my followup to The Argus. It’s an 80’s action hero homage about Lee Kidd, an action super star who lost it all and turned junkie/hitman, who is about to get a chance at redemption. Mark put together a very memorable character and I think we made a kickass story that will hopefully resonate with readers. Behemoth (but I think they’re changing their name to Sumerian) is set to release this in the beginning of 2023.
The project I’m in the middle of production right now is a sci-fi mystery written by Curt Pires. I just wrapped drawing issue one and this Ready Player One-like virtual world mystery is going to be coming out with Comixology.
I’ve also started prepping another one of my own stories, and I’m excited most about this one. Right now it’s called Finding God. It’s a dark sci-fi about a scientist’s journey to find her husband after he gets lost in the Space Between, a journey that will reveal who God really is. It’s a mix of Cronenberg body-horror, Lovecraftian madness, and intricate character-driven mystery, ala the TV show, Dark. I’m just starting to look for a publisher for this one and starting on thumbnails.
RELATED: Interview with Chris Mole – Creator of Pagan/Fantasy Series, Brigantia
: Sounds incredible. How did you first get started?
Darryl Knickrehm: Well, I wanted to be a filmmaker. I went to film school even. After trying to do indie film for years, I realized that my personality and location (living in Japan), made this all but impossible. But I had stories to tell, visual stories, so I fell back on a passion I had since I was a kid: drawing. So over a few years, I focused on getting good at drawing.
I think I’m finally there (but it’s not really up to be to decide, it’s if people want to look ar what I draw). However, while I’d love to draw for DC or Marvel or the likes, my goal is and has always been to be good enough to tell the stories I wanted to make as a filmmaker.
: What’s your favourite era of creative work by other artists?
Darryl Knickrehm: I really like 70’s and 80’s art. While I grew up liking Marvel comics and Batman, (I even tried imitating Jim Lee’s art as a kid), I didn’t realize there were other types of art until I hit university. I then fell in love with Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira and Domu, Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa, Kentaro Miura’s Berserk and found a new world in the intricate linework of Japanese manga.
That’s also when I discovered Moebius. His work in Heavy Metal (and a lot of other artists in the magazine) really opened my eyes to what could be done. I also really dig Frazetta, Wrightson and other greats from that time. I think I’m drawn to this era because on top of the art being technically so well done, it is also so creative and not exactly always politically correct. I love the dark, the trippy and the mind-bending.
: Are you more of a horror or sci-fi nerd? What are your go to films to check out?
Darryl Knickrehm: That’s a tough one. I think probably the sci-fi nerd wins out. I’ve always loved sci-fi (I grew up on the Original and Next Gen Star Trek). I got big into horror, especially Japanese Horror, in film school. Mostly because it’s not about the story so much as the atmosphere. For filmmaking, you don’t need a big budget or big film stars if you can suck the viewer into the atmosphere and keep them on the edge of their seat.
Films that I absolutely love and I go to for inspiration are 2001, Cronenberg’s work (Videodrome and The Fly especially), Dark City, The Thing (1982), Evil Dead 2 & 3, Hellraiser, Dark Water (the Japanese one) and too many more to list. I’m a bit of a cinephile, so I draw on everything that really hits home with me really (my favorites aren’t even sci-fi). I love taking non-sci-fi elements and turning them into sci-fi. As for recent films, I really loved Annihilation.
: Who are your main creative influences and what aspects of your creative work can we find them in?
Darryl Knickrehm: Well, probably number one is Moebius. I don’t know why, but I’m obsessed with his linework. I guess I like lines. No black fill, no dark areas to cover the work, just lines. I guess that’s why I’m a big fan of Geof Darrow as well. I also can’t get enough of Franklin Booth, Francois Schuiten, Virgil Finlay, and of course, Katsuhiro Otomo. While I don’t try to mimic their styles directly, I think some of the ideas in their works and methods of drawing are in my own.
: Who are your go to musical jams to put on while you’re working?
Darryl Knickrehm: While drawing my last project, Feeder, I listened almost exclusively to Beartooth. The rage and energy in the music definitely helped evoke the angry anti-hero story of the comic. In general, I haven’t kept up with music that much recently and usually just rotate through music from my youth like Bad Religion, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, The Offspring, Weezer, Ellegarden (a Japanese band) and the like.
What I usually listen to while drawing, however, is documentaries. Most of the visuals of documentaries are filler anyways (it’s usually people recounting an event or giving an opinion), so they make perfect listening material.
RELATED: Rylend Grant and his Crazed Tokusatsu Jaunt with Suicide Jockeys
: What strengths in previous jobs have helped strengthen your creativity?
Darryl Knickrehm: All the visual storytelling from my past in indie filmmaking translates perfectly to drawing comics. Telling stories in scenes, showing feelings through actions (not words), and making everything a visual experience is pretty much the same. It’s one reason I decided to go down the graphic novel/ comics route.
: What weaknesses have you identified in your current project that you’re going to work on in the future?
Darryl Knickrehm: Well, I rely on a lot of reference for my imagery. I like to get super detailed, so having references helps with that. But I’d like to be able to draw from simply imagination. At my age, though, I’m not sure how great my brain is at developing new habits.
: Let’s talk about some memories that you had when you first started getting creative? How has this changed from childhood to adolescence to creating as an adult?
Darryl Knickrehm: As a kid I drew a lot. Just for fun, but people said I had a talent for it. When I got into junior high and high school I got into X-men, Batman and comics, but not too hardcore. I don’t think I really read them for the stories, but mostly for the art. I drew my own little comics too. All just for fun. Something to fill the time. When I got older I stopped drawing (although I took the occasional art class) and got into film. I’ve always been making stories in one form or another.
Now I’m still doing the same, but it’s a bit different. It’s not for fun. It’s because I’ve seen/read/watched so many stories out there, and now that I’m older, it’s hard to find the kind of story that I like and that I think is cool. So now I feel compelled to make the kind of story that I want to see. Plus, I’ve been doing this for so long, it’s the only thing I’m really good at any more. I need to pay the bills somehow, and this is the skill I’ve developed most.
: What’s the worst nightmare you’ve ever had?
Darryl Knickrehm: Hard to say. I generally don’t remember dreams clearly. I remember as a kid having some pretty scary dreams in the traditional sense (monsters, being chased, etc). I think my dreams now are less like that and more mundane. Things like disappointing someone, being alone or being unseen. I find these nightmares much more disturbing.
: Do you have a favourite soft drink?
Darryl Knickrehm: Mountain Dew. Probably because I loved it as a kid and it’s hard to find over here. Every once in a blue moon I find a vending machine that has it and then stock up. It never seems to be as good as I remembered it though.
: Who’s your favourite telepath or gifted character in pop culture?
Darryl Knickrehm: Probably 11 from Stranger Things. She has all the kickass abilities from Akira and Domu (and the 80’s nostalgia) that I can’t help but like her.
: Which creative work would you most like to be remembered for?
Darryl Knickrehm: The work that I will put out in the future. I have lots of things I’m getting ready to make and am writing now. Of the works I have made or talked about here, I hope Finding God is the most memorable one.
: Where can my readers find you online?
Darryl Knickrehm: My site has info on my latest releases and has previews to read. I post some work-in-progress pics from upcoming releases and drawings for fun on my instagram. I also tweet from time to time.
What did you think of this Interview with Darryl Knickrehm?
Have you checked out any of Darryl’s comics yet?
Let us know on social media.
