Comics Bulletin logo
Search
  • Columns
    Random
    • The Full Run: An Interlude to Hickman's 'Avengers'

      Ray C. Tate
      November 23, 2015
      Columns, Marvel Comics, The Full Run
    Recent
    • Revisiting the Witchblade/Fathom/Tomb Raider Crossover

      Daniel Gehen
      February 8, 2021
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 1

      Daniel Gehen
      October 30, 2020
    • What Looks Good
    • Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    • The Full Run
    • Leading Question
    • Top 10
    • The Long-Form
    • Jumping On
    • Comics in Color
    • Slouches Towards Comics
  • Big Two
    Random
    • 2.5

      Daredevil #1 Features Great Art Alongside a Lazy Script

      Ray C. Tate
      December 2, 2015
      Big Two, Marvel Comics, Reviews
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      January 22, 2021
    • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

      Daniel Gehen
      December 3, 2020
    • DC Comics
    • Big Two Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
  • Indie
    Random
    • Box Brown Discusses Tetris and Gaming as a Part of Life

      Ray C. Tate
      October 12, 2016
      First Second, Indie
    Recent
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • Reviews
    • Archie Comics
    • Boom! Studios
    • Dark Horse
    • IDW
    • Image
    • Oni Press
    • Valiant
  • Reviews
    Random
    • 4.5

      Adventure and Intrigue Begins Here with 'Ghost'

      Ray C. Tate
      November 24, 2014
      Reviews
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • 2.3

      Review: SAVAGE #1 Needs Taming

      Daniel Gehen
      February 16, 2021
    • Singles Going Steady
    • Slugfest
    • Manga
      • Reviews
    • Small Press
      • Reviews
      • ICYMI
      • Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
  • Interviews
    Random
    • Super '70s and '80s: Legends of the Superheroes

      Ray C. Tate
      November 16, 2011
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Talks SHADOWMAN

      Daniel Gehen
      June 8, 2020
    • Interview: Becky Cloonan talks DARK AGNES and Her Personal Influences

      Mike Nickells
      March 4, 2020
    • Simon Roy

      Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

      Mike Nickells
      January 29, 2020
    • Audio Interview
    • Video Interview
  • Classic Comics
    Random
    • Classic Interview: Michael Netzer Pt. II - Off He Goes to Find Himself

      Ray C. Tate
      January 1, 2016
      Classic Interviews
    Recent
    • Countdown to the King: Marvel’s Godzilla

      Daniel Gehen
      May 29, 2019
    • Honoring A Legend: Fantagraphics To Resurrect Tomi Ungerer Classics

      Daniel Gehen
      February 15, 2019
    • Reliving the Craziest Decade in Comics History: An interview with Jason Sacks

      Mark Stack
      January 2, 2019
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade
    • Classic Interviews
  • News
    Random
    • Get Some Hellboy Craft Beer!

      Ray C. Tate
      February 6, 2020
      Dark Horse, News, Press Release
    Recent
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • SAVAGE DRAGON IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 17, 2021
    • Press Release
    • Kickstarter Spotlight
  • Books
    Random
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade: 'Grave Business' by Graham Ingels

      Ray C. Tate
      September 25, 2015
      Books, Classic Comics, Classic Comics Cavalcade, Columns
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen

      CB Staff
      November 22, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      CB Staff
      August 31, 2019
    • “THE BEST OF WITZEND” is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2018
    • Review: ‘Machete Squad’ is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir

      Jason Sacks
      July 31, 2018
    • Review: ‘Out of Nothing’ is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Jason Sacks
      July 23, 2018
    • Review: ‘Bizarre Romance’ Shows Rough Edges in the Early Days of a New Marriage

      Jason Sacks
      July 10, 2018
What's New
  • Collecting Profile: Blue Beetle
  • Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia
  • Collecting Profile: Kraven the Hunter
  • Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good
  • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY
  • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN'S UNIVERSE
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Contact Us
  • Write for us!
  • Visit Video Game Break!
Home
Interviews

Dean Kotz: The New Pencil Behind The Black Coat

Ray C. Tate
September 8, 2009
Interviews

In this, Part 2 of our two part interview series on The Black Coat, Ray C. Tate caught up with Dean Kotz to talk about his new position as artist on Ape Entertainment’s The Black Coat, created by Ben Lichius and Francesco Francavilla.

For Ray’s interview with Co-Creator, Ben Lichius, click here.

Enjoy!


Ray C. Tate: First, let’s talk about your experience as an artist. What’s your art background?

Dean Kotz: I went to a state college for painting and drawing and messed around with fine art for a bit. About 3-4 years ago I decided to go back to comics, something I loved as a kid.

RT: What did your art classes do for you? I assume you were doodling all along as a kid.

DK: Sure, and I took private lessons when I was young. But the classes really only teach you the actual process…all the technical stuff like mixing paint, etc. The actual draftsmanship just comes from loads of practice. Something I still need to do.

RT: The advise usually given for writers is to write at least three or four pages a day. Do you sketch every day, outside of your professional work, or do you only do it when inspired?

DK: That’s true for artists, too. I once chatted with [Jim] Steranko at a Con and he told me the secret was to “draw every day.” A couple months ago I gave up my day job and I’m trying to make a go with just comics. I’m sitting at the drawing board at least 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sometimes 10-12 hours. You’re not always inspired, but as long as you’re putting down lines something will get done.

RT: I had better get cracking after this interview then. I’ve kind of let my art fall by the wayside. I do see some Steranko in your work. Is he an artistic influence? Who are some of the others?

DK: Yeah, not his figure work, but his layouts, definitely. Most of the guys I really study are from the seventies: Kaluta, Wrightson, Sutton, Boyette, Draut. A lot of the Creepy and Charlton guys.

RT: You’ve just named a lot of my favorite artists. I loathe art that looks the same as everybody else. What medium do you prefer? You mentioned fine painting.

DK: I don’t paint anymore. These days I prefer black and white. Inking is probably my favorite part of the job.

RT: Really? A lot of artists look at that as busy-work. What is it about inking that appeals to you?

DK: Well I think that comes from the way modern inkers ink. They expect the pencils to be super tight and then they just subtly mess with line-weight. That would drive me nuts. I see the inking stage as another complete drawing. There’s no need to be faithful to the pencils if you can make something better.

RT: So it sounds like you’re in the Bob McLeod school of thought where inking actually completes and embellishes the pencils. The Black Coat started as a black and white, but now it’s in color. Does the color affect the way you ink?

DK: A little, but I don’t think about it as much as I should. I just try to make a page that looks good in black and white first and hope there’s room for the colorist, in this case Ben, to play with.

RT: I think you guys mesh well.

DK: Thanks. Ben shares a lot of the same sensibilities as me. We both like a little subtler approach to colors. Not flash.

RT: Your inks are much more overt than the colors. The colors are almost subliminal. So, how did you get involved with Ben and The Black Coat?

DK: I stopped by the Ape booth at WWPhilly in 2008 and showed my portfolio to David Hedgecock. It was the last day of the Con and I wasn’t expecting much, but he told me he might have something I’d be right for. He put me in touch with Ben and we hit it off.


RT: Cool. The Black Coat takes place in colonial America. How much research do you do for each issue?

DK: Quite a bit at first. Library, google, etc. I live in downtown Philly, right across from the first hospital in America and not far from Independence Hall and stuff. I took my camera on a few walks and got a lot of great reference material. There are some houses on my street from not long after the story in Black Coat.

RT: Do you enjoy the research aspect of the job, or is it more a necessary chore of the job?

DK: I love the research stage because it gives you a lot of freedom later on. Once you figure out how say, colonial window frames looked, you can be more creative when you’re doing the real chore of perspective, etc.

RT: Heh. Love that.

DK: The bane of my existence. Nothing ruins a good groove like having to break out rulers and crap.

RT: Man, I hate rulers. My lines are straighter when I don’t use one. Unlike say The Swamp Fox or Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. Black Coat also delves into the occult. Here be monsters. Was that another aspect that appealed to you? Would you have been happy to simply have the Red Coats be the enemy?

DK: I love horror comics, so I was cool playing with that aspect. I think a purely espionage type story would be cool, but the supernatural element ramps up the tension on a story we all know the outcome to.

RT: So, do you have a favorite character in Black Coat that you like to illustrate more than the others? Ursula perhaps?

DK: Ursula is definitely fun to draw, for obvious reasons. The female Gypsy character does some really fun things in the later issues that were a blast to draw as well. Ben really choreographs scenes well and made everything really fun to envision.

RT: I noticed the female gypsy. Very unique face and physique.

DK: Ben gave a great reference to that classic National Geographic cover with the Afghan girl with the piercing eyes. I took that and added some curves.

RT: Nice. How long did it take you to finish that issue of Black Coat? The detail was fierce.

DK: Oh, boy…Ben was very patient with me. This was the first full issue I ever did and with my day job it took about 4 months or so. Much longer than it should’ve.

RT: You know, I’m not sure that was too horrible. I mean Spider-Man/Black Cat took what two or three years p
er issue? Of course, I’m not sure whose fault that was. The finished product sucked too. Unlike yours.

DK: Thanks, but we know how the fans reacted to that.

RT: Yeah, but I think fans have a different threshold for lag time for independent type books.

DK: I hope they would. Especially since most of the guys can only do it in their spare time.

RT: Well, I just think it was worth the wait. I mean when I put an independent title onto my pull list, I don’t expect it even to show up every year. Seeing all the detail you put into Black Coat, I can see that it was a labor of love.

DK: It was. It’s everything I like about comics. Funny, when the first trade came out I said to myself “this is the type of book I would like to draw.” I never imagined I would happen to stumble into it eventually.

RT: So apart from Black Coat, what other type of book would appeal to you? Super-heroes, Phantom types, monsters? Please, tell me it’s not zombie based.

DK: Well, I dig more of the pulp stuff or gothic horror. I just finished up a book for Boom dealing with Edgar Allan Poe and that was a good fit. Stuff where the people are down to earth but strange stuff happens.

RT: Lovecraftian.

DK: Exactly.

RT: Well Dean, anything you would like to add?

DK: Not really. Thanks so much for taking the time to chat, Raymond. I’m so glad you’re digging the book.

RT: Totally. Call me, Ray.

DK: Will do.

RT: Oh, what’s the name of the Edgar Allan Poe book?

DK: It’s called Poe. Issues 1and 2 are currently out. It’s a 4 issue mini released by BOOM! Studios.

RT: Well, easy title to remember. Thanks again.

DK: Thanks, goodnight!

Dean KotzRay C. Tate

Share On:
Tweet
Savage Dragon #152
Mondo Marvel #11 – April 1963

About The Author

<a href="https://comicsbulletin.com/byline/ray-c-tate/" rel="tag">Ray C. Tate</a>
Ray C. Tate

Ray Tate’s first online work appeared in 1994 for Knotted. He has had a short story, “Spider Without a Web,” published in 1995 for the magazine evernight and earned a degree in biology from the University of Pittsburgh. Since 1995, Ray self-published The Pick of the Brown Bag on various usenet groups. In the POBB, as it was affectionately known, Ray reviewed comic books, Doctor Who novels, movies and occasionally music. Circa 2000, he contributed his reviews to Silver Bullet Comic Books (later Comics Bulletin) and became its senior reviewer. Ray Tate would like to think that he’s young at heart. Of course, we all know better.

Related Posts

  • 4.0

    Review: ‘Krampus!’ is a fascinating series, one that makes use of holiday-related lore from all over the world

    Max Dweck
    July 15, 2014
  • 4.0

    London Horror Comic #4

    Kelvin Green
    February 2, 2012

Latest Interviews

  • Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Talks SHADOWMAN

    Daniel Gehen
    June 8, 2020
  • Interview: Becky Cloonan talks DARK AGNES and Her Personal Influences

    Mike Nickells
    March 4, 2020
  • Simon Roy

    Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

    Mike Nickells
    January 29, 2020
  • Interview: V.E. Schwab on revisiting Red London in The Steel Prince

    Stephen Cook
    March 13, 2019
  • Interview: David Foster Wallace and Hellblazer, words on Wyrd with writer Curt Pires

    Stephen Cook
    February 27, 2019
  • “The Night Has Teeth” An Interview with Sarah deLaine, Artist of Image Comics’ “Little Girls”

    Jason Sacks
    February 26, 2019
  • Interview: Caitlin Kittredge talks the future of Witchblade

    Daniel Gehen
    February 12, 2019
  • Interview: Andy Nakatani and the Future of Weekly Shonen Jump

    Daniel Gehen
    December 19, 2018
  • INTERVIEW: Todd Matthy talks robots, princesses, and bridging the divide with storytelling

    Stephen Cook
    September 13, 2018
  • INTERVIEW: Gallaher & Ellis discuss THE ONLY LIVING GIRL

    Daniel Gehen, Thea Srinivasan
    September 7, 2018
RSSTwitterFacebookgoogleplusinstagramtumblr

Comics Bulletin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, Comics Bulletin earns from qualifying purchases.

All content on this site (c) 2018 The Respective Copyright Holders