02) Bob McLeod over Wrightson

It would be pretty tough to come up with a character that Bob McLeod hasn't worked on. That's probably because the guy is a superstar. And as a bonus, I've also found him to be a great guy to engage. When trying to determine who to try to be my second inker, a friend of mine quickly suggested Bob. It was like a light bulb going off...OF COURSE! He's perfect. So I contacted him. His reply said that he would be glad to ink the piece in his style rather than trying to keep with Wrightson's style. So I asked him what he meant.

"Generally, I think my inking is subtle, meaning I make subtle adjustments to the drawing. I'm concerned with making the art as good as possible to my tastes, and less about the penciller. And I do subtle things with my linework that are less immediately apparent. My linework is generally thinner than some artists. And I tend to correct anatomy. I'll make Wonder Woman more attractive, for example. I'd add blacks on the left/front of her hair, and make it grayer in front of the tombstone to make her pop out more to add depth. I always try to add depth and form in my inks.

I'm influenced by Neal Adams, who is about subtle linework, but also about subtle drawing. Neal knows anatomy and that has a huge impact on your inking."

I also asked Bob who he enjoyed inking and which inkers work he liked and respected. "I mainly just wanted the penciller to give me a starting point. So my favorite to ink was John Buscema's breakdowns, which were the barest of bare layouts. But they allowed me to do whatever I wanted with the inks. But good drawing is always fun to ink, as long as it's loose enough to allow for some contribution from the inker. Inkers want pencils that will look great if inked "properly".

My favorite inker was always Tom Palmer. His work on Dracula and Avengers is unparalleled. I also love Neal Adams' inks, and Stan Drake's, and Jean Giraud's, and Paul Gillon's. Also John Prentice, Milt Caniff, DeZuniga.... Every good inker brings a different look to pencils."

I am so greatful to have had the chance to get a commission piece by Bob. He was GREAT to work with and as you can see, does fantastic work.