Red Robin #6 Inked By Ray McCarthy
By: Aaron Z. Lee
Ray McCarthy is a comic book inker known for his work on DC Comics’ “Adventures of Superman”, “Batman: Shadow of the Bat” and Marvel Comics’ “X-Force” and “What If?” books. After a hiatus from the comic book industry to go back to school, Mccarthy has begun inking regularly again on issue number six of the DC comic book “Red Robin”.
When did you decide that you wanted to work in comic books?
Hmmm. I didn’t start reading comic books till I was probably around 8 years old, but I did fall in love with the medium right away. I would say right around 8 or 9 years old. As I progressed from there, I started drawing my own little cartoons and comics for my family. You might say I had a “captive” audience.
Who were your heroes in the field of comic book illustration when you were growing up?
Without a doubt it would have to be Walt Simonson at the very top of the list. I actually corresponded with him by mail and he was always very supportive. It was great when I finally got my first big break into the comic book industry and one of my first conventions was working alongside him and his wife. Other illustrators I looked up to were Bernie Wrightson for his incredible ink work and Ernie Colon who had a style that wasn’t that different from Simonson. Both Colon and Simonson were slick and stylish and had ties with the commercial art and design industry.
What was your big break into the world of comic books?
I think working in the production department was my big break. Starting from a bottom department and getting to see the inner workings of DC really helped guide me and make connections I would need later on. Eventually I convinced Mike Carlin to give me a shot over Curt Swan and that helped pave the way to finally go freelance. When I was eventually given some covers to do over Travis Charest, that pretty much booted me into the comic artist arena. All of the sudden I became well known for my detailed work as an inker.
How would you describe the job of an inker?
Wizard magazine asked me this question and I still stick to my answer. Inkers are like the punctuation on a sentence. The sentence can stand alone, but the punctuation defines it and gives it clarity. Our job is to make sure that the penciller is shown in the best light possible, while at the same time helping out the story as much as possible. You want to really make sure that the pencils are clear and crisp (depending on the style) and also that perspective and lighting is given the right amount of detail.
What are your tools of the trade as an inker?
My tools are a Raphael brush size #1, a set of rapidograph pens, a jar of white-out, and a magic rub eraser. I also have many different circle and oval templates and rulers. Last but not least is my computer as most of the work nowadays is scanned and uploaded.
What is a day in the life of an inker like?
I wake up around 6:30am to get my kids fed and put on the school bus. Then I’ll drink a cup of coffee, have breakfast and catch up on the news. I start work around 8:30, and then I usually work till around 11pm at night and sometimes later. I’ll take an hour break here and there just to get away from the desk, but you’re talking long hours when it comes to freelance. You have to be disciplined and stick to your deadlines.
After a hiatus from comic books you’ve decided to take up inking duties on “Red Robin” how did this come about?
I scratched up some new samples and then traveled to New York City to visit the DC offices in person. I have more than a couple of friends that still work there, so I was able to get shown around. Previously I had called up some editors so that I was able to schedule my appointments all for one day. While I was there I ran into Mike Marts who was familiar with my work from years ago. He gave me a story in the upcoming Batman: 80 page Giant and then I got a break on the first cover by Marcus To. Mike and Janelle really liked what I did, so it was a matter of seeing if I could do this on a regular basis. Things worked out and I got offered the gig. I still have to see what Dexter Vines did on issue #7 to see what the difference was. I have no idea whether Dexter was just a short job, or whether they were considering him for this book also.
How has the industry changed since you last inked a comic book regularly?
It’s very computerized now. Everything I do is scanned and uploaded to a secure FTP site. I eventually want to play around and get a tablet so that I can try and digitize my inking.
Who is your favorite comic book character?
Now that’s a good question! This is really the first time I’ve actually sat and thought about it. I really liked the old Manhunter character and I think he wasn’t really handled very well. I also like the Rom: spacenight series by Marvel though that really dates me. Hellblazer by Vertigo has been a fun series, as well as Sandman. That’s really a tough call! There are so many interesting characters, and some haven’t had their full potential utilized yet.
Who are some of your favorite artists you’ve worked with?
Barry Kitson was great just because he was such a personable guy. He would give you the shirt off his back. If you are talking art, I loved the stuff I did with Travis Charest and also Jim Cheung had a really nice style on X-force.
Who are a few artists that you’d love to work with?
Adam Kubert would be a good one. Jim Lee, or Gene Ha would be a few others.
What advice would you give to aspiring comic book artists?
Be persistent. You need to have a thick skin and learn how to take criticism. (Not all of it is constructive!) Learn how to work quickly and efficiently as you’ll have some nasty deadlines! Don’t always take the direct route. Sometimes it’s great to get some other printing experience under your belt before approaching one of the big comic book companies. It shows you are professional and you can get published.
What is your favorite part about being an inker?
The freedom of being a freelancer is a really great perk. Also the comic book culture itself. I love the fans and the friends that I know in the industry. It’s really a great medium to be part of! There’s nothing like the excitement of a big comic-con with all of the fans and special guests. There’s so much to see!
