The Art of Inking: Marc Deering on Star Wars, Flipside Comics, & Traditional vs Digital Techniques
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Show Notes
Join host James for an in-depth chat with veteran comic book inker Marc Deering (Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, Immortal Hulk, Hunt Kill Repeat, The Adventures of Lumen N from Dark Horse)! Marc shares his journey from discovering inking via Wizard Magazine in the pre-internet era, landing his first gig in 2003, favorite tools (Raphael brushes, Hunt 102 quills, even old Rapidographs), hybrid traditional/digital workflows, and what an inker really brings to pencils (texture, tone, lighting, readability).
We geek out over Star Wars (inking Darth Vader was a career highlight!), Transformers, GI Joe, the old-school production grind vs. today, embellishment vs. finishing, and why collaboration duos are rarer now. He also opens up about co-founding Flipside Comics — a hub for serialized web comics, public domain gems, creator-owned projects, and even an 80s/soundtrack radio station for artists.
Plus:
—killer advice for breaking in today
—make your own comics, use social media, focus on direct-to-fans
—and why passion beats luck
Whether you're an aspiring artist, comic fan, or just love the craft, this one's packed with stories, laughs, and real talk.
Watch/Listen/Subscribe/Follow/Comment/Review Now and Keep it Nerdy!
Checkout the Official Flipside Comics Website:
https://ontheflipsidecomics.com/en/
Follow Marc and Flipside Comics:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/marcdeering
and https://www.instagram.com/flipsidecomix
X/Twitter - https://x.com/Marc_Deering
and https://x.com/FlipsideComix
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome Back (Again): Technical Difficulties & Shoutouts
02:30 Marc Deering’s Origin Story: Army Days, Wizard Magazine & Breaking In
04:51 Early Inking Tools: Brushes, Quills, and Learning from Pros
07:14 RapidoGraph Love/Hate: Cleaning, Collecting, and Old-School Gear
10:05 Traditional vs Digital Inking: Choosing the Right Workflow
11:50 Inking Over Pencils: Blue Lines, Hybrids, and Nerve-Wracking Pages
17:21 What an Inker Actually Does: Clarity, Texture, Tone & Readability
20:39 Embellisher vs Finisher: Classic Collabs and Why They’re Rarer Now
24:40 Shared Nerd Passions: GI Joe Tattoo, Transformers, and Collecting Talk
28:42 The Pandemic Pivot
29:28 Transformers & Star Wars Fandom: Prequels, Sequels, and the Disney Era
31:51 Inking Highlights: Doctor Aphra, Vader Pages, and Immortal Hulk
35:13 What an Inker Looks For: Tight Pencils, Team Chemistry, and Workflow Changes
39:13 How 'Adventures of Lumen N' Happened: Tryouts, Twitter, and Becoming Co-Owner
43:21 Launching Flipside Comics: Website, Merch, and Serialized Releases
46:47 Public Domain Characters: What You Can (and Can’t) Do With Superman, Conan, and More
49:34 Flipside Radio + Writing Slate: New Projects and Creative Direction Beyond Superheroes
53:32 Breaking Into Comics Today: Direct-to-Consumer, Social Media, and “Just Make a Comic”
56:11 Wrap-Up: Where to Follow, Current Projects, and Final Thanks