10 QUESTIONS WITH SUPER FAN

SUPER FAN is at at again. This time she is interviewing ALAN BROOKS the artist on the new Bluewater series RAY HARRYHAUSEN PRESENTS: FLYING SAUCERS VS THE EARTH. Alan also does a ton of sci-fi novel covers!

QUESTION1:
SUPER FAN: HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE ILLUSTRATION FOR THE COMIC BOOK "RAY HARRYHAUSEN PRESENTS: FLYING SAUCERS VS THE EARTH"?
ALAN: I have lots of sketchbook ideas that I grab ideas from and I happen to have been interested in Flying Saucers for a long time. So it wasn't hard to come up with something. What was a problem is knowing what to leave out ! Composition and color are a big deal to me, after that if the ideas good I pile on the detail. The work is pencilled out and finished in Photoshop. Maybe I should have said I wait for the saucers to go overhead and then I take photographs of them with my camera !

QUESTION 2:
SUPER FAN: WHAT'S THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT FOR YOURSELF, JUST FOR FUN?
ALAN: Need for Speed Carbon Collectors Edition and Queen Elizabeth The Golden Age dvd

QUESTION 3:
SUPER FAN: HOW MANY SCI-FI NOVELS HAVE YOU ILLUSTRATED?
ALAN: Probably sixty or seventy in total but I have done a lot of sci fi or fantasy for concept or design projects. My first sci fi job was for the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy designing illustrations for the weekly radio serialization that were in the Radio Times Magazine in the U.K.

QUESTION 4:
SUPER FAN: DO YOU HAVE ANY RITUALS YOU FOLLOW WHILE DOING A PROJECT?
ALAN: I am always watching movies for atmosphere or lighting, thats an ongoing thing with me. When I am on the project I usually listen to music. I can't say what music as it changes all the time to fit the mood of the piece I'm working on.

QUESTION 5:
SUPER FAN: WE SEE MANY SIGNS EACH DAY THAT SAY NO SMOKING, NO TRESPASSING, NO PETS, ETC. IF YOU COULD PUT UP AN ORIGINAL NO _____ SIGN ON YOUR FRONT DOOR, WHAT WOULD IT SAY AND WHY?
ALAN: No Signs !

QUESTION 6:
SUPER FAN: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?
ALAN: Rainbow !

QUESTION 7:
SUPER FAN: IF YOU COULD HAVE A SECRET CAMERA IN ANY ROOM IN THE WORLD, WHAT ROOM WOULD YOU PUT IT IN?
ALAN: The Basement at Area 51

QUESTION 8:
SUPER FAN: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COMIC BOOK AND CHARACTER?
ALAN: Batman and the Batman comics of the 40's 50's and 60's. Wild !

QUESTION 9:
SUPER FAN: PAPER OR PLASTIC?
ALAN: Paper.

QUESTION 10:
SUPER FAN:IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
ALAN: Flight. But I might be like the guy in the movie Meteor man. He only wanted to fly about three feet off of the ground in case he fell ! Once I got the hang of it though, man, watch out !