Nate Simpson on Process, Bikes and Nonplayer #3

In 2011, Nonplayer took the comic book world by storm. A beautifully illustrated introduction to a world where the lines between fantasy and reality are incredibly blurred, the first issue sold out everywhere forcing additional printings. The intricately detailed artwork was sure to keep the book on a slow schedule. Comic book fans were hungry for more but Nonplayer creator Nate Simpson found himself in a cycling accident that further delayed the book. Now it’s 2012 and Simpson is back in action but the second issue still hasn’t been released.  Kabooooom checked in with him through e-mail to learn more about the accident, his process and when we can expect a new comic.

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Pierce Lydon: Your cycling accident set Nonplayer back but you wrote recently on your blog that your work days are approaching their former length. Has getting back up to speed been harder than starting altogether was? Have you had to change your work habits at all to accommodate your recovery?
Nate Simpson: Physically, I’m back to 100 percent. The bigger problem has been regaining creative momentum. When you’re working on a comic, you get into a daily routine, and if you interrupt that, it can be a bit of a challenge to get back into the swing of things. But it’s moving forward again now.

Nate Simpson, post-crash

 

PL: How does a normal work day for you go? What is your process like? What tools do you use to make Nonplayer?
NS: Nonplayer#1 was drawn completely in Photoshop, but I’m trying out a new program for the linework for #2 — it’s a Japanese program called IllustStudio. The coloring still happens in Photoshop. Tools-wise, my setup hasn’t changed at all. I use a Wacom Cintiq 21UX tablet monitor with an Ergotron armature, so I can swivel the screen off the desk. My computer’s a pretty standard three-year-old Gateway PC.Because I’m using digital tools, I skip the traditional penciling stage entirely. Instead, I start with inks, and then revise them until they look right. There’s a lot of undoing/redoing, which is part of the reason I’m so slow. When it comes to coloring, I’m all about layers. Some of the pages for Nonplayer #1 had more than150 layers. I like to fiddle with blend modes and color sliders. Again, a very slow process.

As far as hours, I’m usually in my studio from about 9am to 6pm.

PL: Despite the pressure of having such a hyped comic delayed, what’s been the best part about the whole Nonplayer trip? What are still looking forward to?
NS: I’ve made a lot of new friends through this comic — some are people I’ve admired for a long time, some are fans of the comic, and some are folks like me who are trying to figure out how to make comics of their own. My life has gotten a lot richer, friendship-wise.

And for the future? There are some big moments later in the story that I’m looking forward to drawing. The buildup will take a while, but I’m confident that the payoffs will be worth it. The whole story is sort of a giant crescendo. I suppose there’s some danger of jumping the shark, but if I do, I intend to clear that sucker by a few hundred feet.

PL: What’s your favorite part of the comic book medium?
NS: Independence and scope. I get to do exactly what I want to do, and it can be as big or as small as I want it to be. I don’t have to worry about budgets or schedules or actors or the weather — all I need is my brain, my right hand, and a computer. Also my eyeballs.

PL: You’ve cited Geoff Darrow and Moebius as influences, what outside of comics and video games has influenced your work?
NS: There are a number of non-comics illustrators that I’ve worshiped over the years: Arthur Rackham was a big influence, for example. I also love a lot of late-70s British sci-fi illustrators, like Peter Elson and Chris Foss. Those old Terran Trade Authority books definitely played a major role in getting me to pick up a pencil. If you haven’t seen Spacewreck, get thee to a used bookseller!

I read a lot of science fiction, as well. My favorite authors are Vernor Vinge, Neal Stephenson, Frederik Pohl, and Kurt Vonnegut.

PL: Favorite comic book sound effect?
NS: I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but I’m currently enjoying the word “PAKK” as a pistol-firing noise. I am really trying to move away from “bang.” Though I do use it once in Nonplayer #2. Oh, the shame.

PL: What kind of bicycle do/did you ride? Are you a cycling enthusiast?
NS: I ride a 1983 Nishiki Ultra Tour, now featuring a new, non-color-matching fork and handlebar set. I’m not sure I’m an enthusiast, but before I wrecked I was doing a 40-mile ride every weekend. Seattle’s great for developing those hill-climbing muscles. I can’t wait to get back out there.

PL: Weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
NS: When I lived in Korea, there were a few occasions when I ate mysterious things that I never really identified. Mostly sea organisms, I think. I hope.

PL: What advice do you have for other aspiring comic book creators?
NS: Get your stuff on the internet. There has never been a better time to get discovered. Put your work on DeviantArt, post it to your blog, post it to the penciljack forums, share it on Facebook. It’s an invaluable way to obtain constructive criticism, and once you cross the quality threshold, you’ll have plenty of adherents out there in the world to vouch for you.

PL: And finally, when can we expect Nonplayer #3?
NS: Almost certainly not after #4.

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Thanks again to Nate Simpson for taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk to us. We’re looking forward to seeing more from him as the winter months wear on.  For more from Nate, visit his blog, Project Waldo, and the Nonplayer official website.