2013 in Review: Dean Rankine

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2013?

2013 has been HUGE!

Continuing to get work with Simpsons Comics has been superb and has opened a lot of doors for me.

I was a guest at Armageddon Expo, Supanova and Oz Comic Con in Melbourne, then got to fly to New Zealand twice for 3 cons (Hamilton, Wellington, Auckland) thanks to Armageddon Expo and Arkham City Comics.

I did a number of in-stores; Heroes For Sale and Arkham City Comics (Auckland), Kings Comics (Sydney), Impact Comics (Canberra) and All Star Comics (Melbourne). And presented at the CREATE Conference in Canberra.

I also got interviewed on JOY fm and New Games Plus as well as radio, podcasts and TV in NZ and a radio thing for France.

AND my comic Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land was released digitally.

 
What are some of the comics you've enjoyed in 2013?

I generally like my comics low-brow and this year I started getting into digital comics. I've enjoyed Suicide Squad, Batgirl, Aquaman, Batman '66, Red Sonja and I'm in the middle of reading Dr. Who Prisoners of Time. 

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2013? 

I got to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama (with 2000 of his closest friends) that was pretty cool!

We decided to give our son a 'bonus year' before sending him to school. Best thing we ever did. And I've loved reading him books and playing Lego Batman together on the XBOX. 

I got to take my daughter with me to New Zealand. That was a really special time which I think brought us closer together. I just loved being with her for her first plane flight. AND we got to sit next to Spiderman writer Dan Slott!

And earlier in the year my wife, kids and I did a driving holiday to Queensland and did the theme park thing. We all had a ball!

What are you looking forward to in 2014?

Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land #1 comics out in print (thanks to the fine folk at Action Lab Comics)!!!!

I'm in the middle of working on the next twisted story as we speak. And I'm really looking forward to showing people. 

And I'm going to Perth and Adelaide for Oz Comic Con which is going to be a hoot!

 http://deanrankine.deviantart.com/

2012 in Review: Dean Rankine

Dean Rankine

 

What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2012?

Continuing to contribute the occasional comic to Simpsons and Futurama has been an absolute blast. Starting my own project, 'Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land' has been long overdue heaps of fun.

Also being a guest at both OzComic Con and Armageddon Expo were definite highlights. I was treated extremely well by the organizers and I got to me some really great people who've been very supportive of my work.

And just generally feeling pretty proud of the artwork I've made of the year.

Who are some of the comics creators that you've discovered and enjoyed for the first time in 2012?

I had the pleasure of meeting Agnes Garbowska earlier in the year. And I have to say her work is pretty damn adorable - http://www.facebook.com/agnesgarbowska?fref=ts

What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2012?

I've been lovin' Dr Who at the moment.

Have you implemented any significant changes to your working methods this year?

I bought one of those cintiq wacom tablets (either late last year or early this year. I can't quite remember). But I swear, that thing has changed my life. I do all my 'inking' on it now and just love it.

What are you looking forward to in 2013?

I've got about 8 more pages to go on 'Itty Bitty Bunnies' and I'm looking forward to exposing them to an unsuspecting public.

I'm really hoping to be doing more Simpsons stuff. And I'm working on some try-out pages for Spongebob. So wish me luck!

The official announcement hasn't been made yet but I'm coming over to New Zealand mid next year! Woo-Hoo!

http://deanrankine.deviantart.com/