Gabbing with Gavin: An Interview with Gavin Guidry

Derf: First, let me say it is an honor for me to interview you about your artwork.  When did you discover your artistic talents? 

GG: I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, and it was always the thing my family pointed to as like “hey, that’s your thing”. It’s just always been what I’ve done.

Derf: What artist or artwork inspired you to draw? 

GG: So, the first comic I remember reading, and recognizing that it was drawn by someone was Amazing Spider-Man #388, drawn by Mark Bagley. That’s the comic that I remember being the one to make me want to draw superheroes and comics.

** Excerpt from Amazing Spider-Man #388 **

Derf: When did you decide, I am going to draw for a living? 

GG: I got that ASM #388 back in 1994 when I was around 6, and from then on, I knew I wanted to draw comics or cartoons in one way or another.

Derf: What was your first comic to work on? 

GG: The first thing I ever did that saw eyeballs was a Kickstarter book, Smut and Jeff, with a pro from Lafayette, Kody Chamberlain. We weren’t able to kickstart it, unfortunately, but it was the first time I had a working pro pull me in and tell me I was good enough. Kody’s great, and we’re still hoping to revisit it, someday soon. The first full issue I got paid to draw was a one-shot called Night Driver, with one of my favorite people in the world Ken Lowery.

Derf: When you got the Turtles gig, what was your first thought?

GG: OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD. Haha. I was born in ’88, so the Turtles were a huge part of my childhood. It was an honor to get to draw them professionally, even if just for one cover, so far.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #115

Derf: Some artists do commissions in their spare time. I know you are remarkably busy, but do you offer commissions? If so, how can one contact you? 

GG: I actually open up a shortlist every month, usually in the first week or two of the month. I only take about 4-5 a month, so it usually fills up in a day or so, but I take them on my Twitter. I’m also open to them from my website, and carrying those over to the next list.

Derf: What projects are you working on now that you can share with my audience? 

GG: I’m currently penciling the 3rd issue of a 4 issue mini series, The Death Defying, I’ve been working on with Chris Sebela, Marissa Louise, and Micah Myers, off and on over the last couple of years, starring Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle, and a bunch of mischievous otherworldly shenanigans. Other than that I’ve got a few pitches in the works, that I’ll hopefully be able to talk about, soon, as well as a pretty neat freelance side gig that involves helping out on something with a Big 2 character.

Derf: NICE!  I heard you are now tackling the Transformers, what is that like? 

GG: That’s right. The folks making the new Beast Wars series let me come play in their playground. It was another childhood property that I adored. As a 90’s kid, Beast Wars was MY Transformers. I’ve even still got my original Cheetor figure from the mid-90’s.

Transformers: Beast Wars #7

Derf: Is there a comic book title that you would love to do work on but have not done so yet? 

GG: Oh, man. My bucket list still has Sonic, Power Rangers, Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman on it. And I think everyone has these B/C List properties they’d love to be given a stab at, and for me, that’s Hawkman.

Derf: Do you have any suggestions for new and upcoming artists? 

GG: It’s simple. Be present online, the comic industry is HEAVILY on twitter, be present at conventions, and MAKE COMICS. The biggest and best advice I can give people is to make and finish comics. They can be 2, 4, 8, 20 pages, doesn’t matter. Draw a story from beginning to end. That proof that you can do the job is the best weapon you have. There’s any number of people with a string of sample pages, or a handful of finished pages from their 1,200 page epic graphic novel. Be the artist with something completed under your belt. Not only does it show you can do it, but you learn more and more from every new thing that you finish.

Derf: What are your keys to success? 

GG: I guess this is still an extension of the last question. Make things. Once you start getting work, however, the best thing you can do is be transparent, be kind, and make sure you’re prompt. You always want to turn work in on time, but even if you can’t, make sure you let your client, editor, or collaborators know what’s up. Life happens, we all understand, going radio-silent is a lot of folks’ knee-jerk reaction, but it’s definitely the wrong one. The vast majority of folks I’ve met in this industry have been great people, and I think the best thing you can do, is try to pay that forward in whatever ways you can.

Terrus by Gavin Guidry & Simon Gough

Lightning Round

I'm going to ask you some random questions and you will provide the first answer that comes to mind.  Here we go.

Favorite Comic? 

GG: Oh boy, of all time? I think the single comic series I’ve read the most is Superman: Secret Identity. I reread it annually.

Favorite Villain? 

GG: I’m a sucker for the Goblins in Spider-Man. Harry, Norman, and most of the various Hobgoblins. I think, like Spidey, I think Green Goblin is one of those instances of all the right ingredients at the right time.

Like you, I am a fan of the Goblins as well but Hobgoblin is my favorite Hands Down!

Favorite Hero? 

GG: Spidey. Hands down. Though, as I get older, and become more of a softie, I love Superman and what he’s meant to stand for more and more. The unwavering kindness and caring is something we could all use a lot more of in media and the world at large.

Favorite Turtle? 

GG: Donnie is my boy. I’ve got like half a dozen piece Donnie memorabilia around my desk and my office.

Donnie is my favorite as well.

Favorite Autobot? 

GG: I’m gonna go Maximal, and say Cheetor.

Fair Enough, lol

Favorite Decepticon? 

GG: Again, I’mma go Predacon, and say its a tie between Terrorsaur and Waspinator. They’re kind of the villainous Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of Beast Wars, but I love them.

Favorite Movie? 

GG: That’s tough. I’ll say I watch the films of David Fincher probably the most. I’m also a sucker for Nolan. I can’t help myself.

Favorite type of music? 

GG: I’m an indie and alt-rock guy with a big love of folk, alt country, and alt bluegrass. I was never a fan of country growing up, and as the mainstream gets more and more pop driven, there’s been a groundswell movement of younger artists taking some of the old tenants of country and roots Americana and infusing it with indie rock sensibilities. You’d be hard pressed to find more earnest and impressive songwriting.

Favorite TV show? 

GG: That’s another one that’s hard to pin down. I love prestige dramas like Sopranos, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and I love stuff like Justified and Bosch, but I’m also a sucker for sitcoms like Scrubs, Psych, and Community. I watch A LOT of TV while I work.

Favorite Food? 

GG: I’ll never give up my Cajun and Italian staples.

Favorite Drink? 

GG: Abita Root Beer is probably the thing I’d consider as my rare treat to myself that I think is like gold. But on a more regular basis, I’m thankfully drinking a lot more water, but I can also go to town on some Arizona Green Tea.

Favorite Actor/Actress? 

GG: Probably the usual suspects for a lot of folks. I love Tom Hanks in basically anything. I think Walton Goggins is great. Mahershala Ali is always captivating. I think I could watch Mary Elizabeth Winstead in anything.

Favorite Author? 

GG: This one is easy. I love Michael Chabon. I think he’s brilliant, and his book The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is my absolute favorite.

Favorite Artist? 

GG: In comics, I’d say the two that I look up to the most as inspirations are Chris Samnee and Stuart Immonen. They both do different things, but they’re just working on a whole other level.

Favorite piece of Art? 

GG: I’m pretty proud to own a page from Immonen’s recent run on Amazing Spider-Man with Dan Slott. It’s the only bit of original art I’ve purchased, so far.

Free Comic Book Day 2021 Poster by Gavin Guidry

Well, I hope you enjoyed my interview with the great Gavin Guidry.  He is truly an amazing artist!  He will be hanging out at Umbrella Comics and Collectibles for Free Comic Book Day this Saturday.  He will have prints as well as other items for you to purchase and get signed for your comic loving pleasure.

Until next time, get your READ on!