TSC CREATOR INTERVIEW: Marcus Cripps

When Jeremy Brooks and I got to work on Corpus Delicti for ThoughtScape Comics #3, Jeremy suggested pulling in his pal and frequent collaborator Marcus Cripps to do the colors. I loved the samples of their collaborations that I saw and went for it. I’m glad I did. Marcus lent the story a gonzo pop sensibility that makes these pages a joy to behold, and they look like no other comic out there these days…

Matt: What got you into comics as reader/fan?

Marcus: As a kid I really enjoyed watching Tales from the Crypt so once I found out that there were Tales comics out there, I sought out to find any issues I could, which snowballed into my love for horror comics. 

Matt: What got you into comics as creator?

Marcus: As a creator, I want to make comics and illustrations that excite me! For a time I felt like the books I was reading got a little boring so I wanted to see what I could create. So having read a lot of classic marvel and EC comics as a kid, that nostalgic look of vintage comics has always stuck with me and I try to recreate that look with so many of my pieces.  

Matt: Who do you consider to be your influences, and are there any artists you consider to be an influence that might not be apparent from your style?

Marcus: The creators that I really look up to for inspiration, as a kid it was definitely Todd McFarlane. His Spider-Man is a chefs kiss for me! But some of my all time favorites are Johnny Craig, Xamie Hernandez, David Lapham, Dan Clowes,  Dave Gibbons, and Alex Toth. Just a huge fan of solid, clean inks! Really love that striking black and white contrast. As far as colorists goes, the one person that inspired me to try my hand at coloring is Rico Renzi. I love the bold color choices he makes and am thankful to have collaborated with him this past summer for a Heroes Con art auction piece. As a huge fan of his and as a creator, that was a highlight of my career! 

Matt: Are there any influences on your work from outside of comics?

Marcus: My main influence outside of comics is my fiancé, Amber. I'm honestly just a huge fan of hers creatively and nearly everything she makes blows me away! Check her out on IG (@amber.elise.tattoos).

Matt: Are there ways/directions in which you hope to push your art in the future, or just things you hope to try at some point?

Marcus: I would really like to learn to write more and be a better storyteller. I have a ton of ideas that I would love to draw but get stuck when I sit down to write a script for it. Typically when I’m creating comics I’ll have a general idea of what the story is and figure out the rest as I’m drawing panels. Sometimes I just want to draw cool stuff and figure out the story second. Which often times lead me nowhere, so I don't recommend that! I would also love to take some sort of comics coloring and lighting courses to really fine tune my coloring. There's always something to learn in this medium which is why I love it so much!

Matt: If you view comics in terms of a career, what does a successful career in comics look like to you?

Marcus: Currently I'm really enjoying coloring for other people. So I'd say a successful comics career would be coloring full time! 

Matt: What do you do when you're not making comics?

Marcus: When I'm not making comics I'm doing a lot of graphic design work, managing a print shop and going to the gym. I really enjoy competing in CrossFit/weightlifting competitions, running 5ks/half marathons/spartan races and doing a ton of yoga. I usually try keep myself pretty busy.

Matt: Yeah, I've noticed on Instagram that you stay active and participate in fitness events. I run and have found that running has taught me a lot about my writing/creative process, in addition to just keeping me sane. Do you feel like you've pulled any life or art lessons out of your fitness experiences?

Marcus: My biggest lesson from staying active is the years and constant grind of creating can wear you down physically and mentally, so taking a few moments out of your day to stretch, workout or go for a run can clear your mind and body in so many ways. Doing yoga and other mobility exercises are absolutely key in my day-to-day routine!

Matt: What are you working on currently / what's coming up for you?

Marcus: Currently I’m getting ready for my first comic convention of the year so I'm putting together some books full of illustrations I did last year. I have a huge CrossFit competition that I’m excited and nervous as hell for. So a lot of my free time has been spent training for that and then it’ll be back to constant drawing once that’s done. Comics wise, got some projects in the works with Jeremy Brooks (@sketchbrooks), doing some collaborations with Keith Browning (@keithbrowningart) and looking forward to Tales to Enlighten Volume 2 to come out, which will include a wrestling comic I did with Matt King! (@kingmegatrip @talestoenlighten)

Matt: You colored Corpus Delicti for ThoughtScape Comics #3 with line art by Jeremy, whom you've collaborated with a bit before. How did you two meet and decide to work together, what's your process like, and what do you think makes your styles such a cool fit?

Marcus: Jeremy and I started off collaborating with his Spiderman illustrations and they became a huge hit! A lot of people really enjoyed seeing us work together and so we decided to keep it going. We kept collaborating off and on for about 2 years and then he asked me if I would like to color Corpus Delicti. I immediately agreed of course! He's such a great guy to work with because he's so open to anything. His inks are so wild and fun and so throwing my bright colors on top seem to mix really well! We met for the first time at Heroes Con 2022 and it was like we've known each other forever! He's definitely someone I would love to work with for years to come. Love ya bud!

Matt: Is there an aspect of Corpus that you especially enjoyed or are especially happy with how it came out?

Marcus: When coloring the comic I intentionally colored it one page at a time because I wanted to follow along like I was reading it. So as the story progresses my excitement goes through the roof because now you're not only combining my love for horror comics you're also adding in my love for cooking (not that I'm a chef by any means, but I do love a good cooking show)! So to be a part of a fun culinary horror comic is definitely a huge achievement for me and I'm thankful to you both for allowing me to be a part of it! 

Matt: What’s the last great comic you read?

Marcus: The last comic I read is called Lovesick by Luana Vecchio released by Image Comics. It may not be for everyone but it’s everything I love rolled into one. And currently reading the Love and Rockets box set! That was a holy grail purchase!

Matt: Where can folks find and follow your work?

Marcus: You can find me on instagram @marcuscripps.