We here at Red Stylo Media, have a long list of contributors, artists and writers. Each of these individuals are crazy cool, and although this comes through in their work, sometimes the little details can be missed. So! We’re letting you on what makes these fellas’ tick.
Our next chat is with Robert Pollak, illustrator for several vignette posters in Shakespeare Shaken!
Q:What are major influences as a writer/artist?
A: I grew up reading newspaper comic strips and followed them for decades. Brenda Starr, Dick Tracy, Steve Canyon, Tarzan, Buck Rogers and so on. As a young boy I wrote to some of my favorite artists. I was fortunate to meet the makers of a few of these classic strips. Milton Caniff, Dale Messick and Paul Norris were a few that I met. Milton Caniff was an inspiration and we got together several times and communicated by mail often over the years. A real gentleman! Another inspiration was Dale Messick. She wrote amazing cliff-hangers for her heroine and kept fans coming back. Buck Rogers artist Murphy Anderson also was a positive influence on my work. We had met many times when I was a young art director working near the DC offices. Their style of art and story telling skills stuck with me.
Q: What’s your favorite place to get comics?
A: I like Saint Marks Comics in Brooklyn and the East Village location too.
Q: How did you get into comics, and do you have any long term projects?
A: I had graduated from Pratt Institute and was a free lance illustrator. Later, an art director. Cartooning is a form of illustration so I always looked at the unique line work and styles of cartoonists. Now I occasionally draw a strip called “Ellen’s Adventures at the Shadowland” for the Shawangunk Journal in upstate New York. It is inspired by all the artists mentioned above.
Q: Marvel, DC, or Indie?
A: I always wanted to draw a Batman cover for DC Comics.
Q: If you could have one super power what would it be and why?
A: Super vision so that my eyes wouldn’t get tired and I could keep on drawing.
Don’t we all wish we had super vision. I’d love to be able melt bricks with them, but that’s just me. Thanks Robert for the chat. You can check out Robert’s posters on our Red Stylo Media store, and don’t forget to check out his newest poster Eldorado Diptych.
Thanks Rob! All the best.
-RSM.
