Skylar Patridge Discusses Spies, Supergirl, and Crowdfunding Comics

From spies to superheroes, superstar artist Skylar Patridge has done fantastic work on Big Two comics and creator owned work. As a proud supporter of women’s wrongs, Patridge strongly focuses on complex and messy female characters, as seen in her portfolio. Graphic Policy had the opportunity to talk with Patridge, who recently had the successful Kickstarter for Our Sins Are Scarlet, along with the upcoming release of her backups with Mariko Tamaki in Action Comics #1070 starting Wednesday, October 8. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Graphic Policy: If you were trapped on a deserted island and you could only bring one music album with you, what would it be and why?

Skylar Patridge: That’s a really tough question. I feel like my knee jerk reaction is How Big How Blue How Beautiful from Florence and the Machine. It’s one of my comfort albums. I feel like I kind of always come back to it and I think it’s just a very emotional and powerful album. If I just was grabbing stuff and found myself on a deserted island, I think it’d be that one

GP: What’s your favorite comic book cover that you have drawn?

SP: I think most recently it was probably the Dark Knights of Steel All Winter cover. It felt kind of different from what I had been doing prior to. Very medieval knights. And they gave me a lot of freedom to play around with that composition. 

GP: What’s a comic or a story that you are really proud to have worked on?

SP: I would say Our Sins Are Scarlet is one of my proudest books that I’ve worked on. Actually we’ve been getting messages recently that people are getting those in the mail and they’re saying very nice things. And then I’ve been really, really fortunate to work on DC Pride. One of the first ones that they did was actually my first DC work and they continued to just grow that.  I’ve been very proud to have been a part of that for the last several years.

GP: What is an underrated comic that you feel that people have slept on.

SP: I usually say this one a lot, just because it’s a favorite of mine, would be Lady Killer from Joelle Jones and Jamie S. Rich. It’s so much up my alley as far as tone, art, the overall themes. I love a beautiful woman who likes to stab people as evident from Our Sins Are Scarlet. And I feel like that’s one that never quite got its due and I hope that people discover it.

GP: What do you feel is a story or a project that you’ve worked on that more people need to look into?

SP: I would say Resonant. Not toot my own horn [laughs], that’s also a comic I feel was kind of slept on. I feel like it deserves so much more love and appreciation and whether I worked on it or not, I just think it’s a beautiful story. And I think David Andry is also a slept-on creator as well.

GP: Let’s talk a little bit about your artistic history and how you decided to pursue a career in comics? Was there a moment growing up that really sparked that? Were you a comic fan as a kid?

SP: Yeah, I was definitely a comic book fan. I had an older brother who read a lot of comics, and so that was sort of my gateway into comics reading in addition to the 90s animated shows. Batman the Animated Series and X-Men the Animated Series were definitely foundational for me as a kid and got me wanting to read comics more. And I don’t think I really considered a career in comics until I was well into adulthood. I drew comics a lot as a kid once I was reading them and really liked the storytelling element of it. I drew them a lot and just on the backs of paper and wherever I could scribble stuff down. But it wasn’t necessarily anything I thought I would do. I knew I wanted to do art in some way, but I didn’t really know you could have a career in comics.

So I went to school and I studied studio art at the public university near me. I kind of figured maybe I would illustrate books or that I might do graphic design. And then I graduated and didn’t wanna do that at all. I kind of moved away from the arts for a while and I did some food service and I’ve had a whole stint outside of the arts before I ever came back to it. And so I had wound up getting a gallery job sometime in my twenties and just happened to meet the right people there. We just kind of started talking and that got me back into making artwork. And the first convention that I did where I split a table with somebody and, you know, had a handful of prints and some little things that I’d done. And it was kind of around there where I think it kind of clicked like, maybe I could do this and maybe this was something that I wanted to do. I was fully an adult before it ever became, you know, an idea that it was something I could do.

GP: That’s really fascinating to have that life. That’s also kind of within the industry itself where you have a variety of people, a variety of ages, different parts of life, commit to it somehow.

SP: Yeah. There was recently a Twitter trend that was going around where people were talking about getting into comics later in life. And I think that’s amazing ’cause there really is no right time to start a career in general, but especially a career in the arts. If that’s something that you love and want to do and have the, the means to do it, I think you should. I was in a very fortunate place where I could stop what I was doing and shift gears and it was definitely not an easy thing. Comics is a very challenging industry and it can be very isolating ’cause it’s very freelance oriented, so everybody’s kind of working from everywhere. It’s not always the easiest way to find your way in or stay in. But it’s been a very rewarding career for me both personally and professionally. 

GP: So what were some of the major artistic influences that you felt really impacted you as an artist?

SP: When I was a kid, I grew up with Jim Lee drawing comics. So that was very much an influence. And then as I got a little older,  I usually reference Phil Noto as a big inspiration for me, because he was very much the artist I was looking to for inspiration. I felt like his work was so different from what I associated as comics. Not for better or for worse. It was kind of a revelation to see the way he did it. And it made me kind of want to explore my own art style. As far as, you know, influences now, I think Joelle Jones is a huge, huge influence for me. I think her line work and ink work is so inspirational. Chris Samnee I think is an incredible artist. I hope to see him continue working forever. I think I could sit here for the rest of the night and list off influences and people. I adore so I won’t keep going. 

GP: So moving on now into Our Sins Are Scarlet that you co-wrote and drew with Jordan Alsaqa. What was the genesis of the project?

SP: We always say that it started with Wonder Woman, which seems very much at odds with the story itself, but back when the first Wonder Woman came out one of the villains within that movie was Dr. Poison. And I thought she was such an underutilized character in that movie. I had done some fanart for her around that time and said, you know, I really wish that they’d done more with this character. And Jordan Alsaqa had actually seen it and he reached out and was like, “Hey, I thought the same thing. I’d love to talk more.” And that was just kind of how the collaboration began. 

And we started talking about how we wanted to create this story that focused on this sort of you didn’t know whether to root for her or root against her character, who was a poisons expert and worked within the government. And it started off very sort of campy and comedic, and then it morphed into something else. We brought in another character that was sort of her foil and that was Harper. And it just sort of built out from there. Then just because the world changed so much from 2016 to 2017 so that started seeping its way into the story that we wanted to tell. And it became a much bigger, more complex story in the end.

GP: So what were some of the influences?  Because obviously when I saw the pitch, saw the art and read it, I very much saw Killing Eve, Atomic Blond, etc.

SP: Yeah, Killing Eve and Velvet from [Ed] Brubaker, that was a big one for us. Spy stuff in general has always been something I wanted to do. I think one of the first things I ever made when I was in high school was a spy story. And this isn’t the same story as that, but it wound up having a lot of parallels. And obviously with Jordan’s voice as well it became better than it ever would’ve become just by myself. Hannibal was also a big influence for us. The sort of mentor mentee and twisted mentor mentee relationship we wanted to have and that we’ll be building forward after issue one and two.

GP: Initially you only focused on Elena and then with the addition of Harper, is that really when the queer element really came to the forefront of the story? Or was that already in the backbones of the narrative?

SP: Well, when we first started building the issue that we have now, it was in the works to begin with. When we first first started talking about it, it was very much just Elena. She was the questionable protagonist. We weren’t really sure what we were gonna do with her yet, but we wanted her to be not necessarily an anti-hero, but just somebody that you’re kind of rooting for even though she’s doing awful things. And at one point we were kind of just like, no we think this would be cool if there was sort of a romance element to it. And that there was a little bit more spice involved because I think spy stories in general are sort of inherently sexy. Just your James Bonds and your Mission Impossibles, they all kind of have that element of thrills and exhilaration. And Harper sort of acts as a disruption to one another’s lives.  Whoever you wind up rooting for, whoever winds up feeling like the person you wanna support, they’re both the obstacle for one another, but at the same time, they’re both drawn to each other and they have to wrestle with that as well.

GP: What was y’all’s decision to fund the project through Kickstarter to get the project moving?

SP: Our hands were a little tied actually because we were at IDW first and IDW had a change a couple years ago, and so we kind of had to think on our feet and figure out what we wanted to do with it. We had some wonderful editors at IDW, Megan Brown, Jake Williams, Riley Farmer, who helped us shape this. And when we wound up parting with IDW, we sent it back out again for pitch, seeing if anybody had any interest in it, and we weren’t able to find another home for it. And so we’ve just had it and we’re gonna try to Kickstart it. We didn’t really want to, just because Kickstarter is a daunting beast. It’s a whole other job. But we wanted to get the story out there and so much work had gone into it and we felt like it deserved to be made. So we bit the bullet and put it on Kickstarter.

GP: So what has been your response to its success? 

SP: We actually doubled our funding request, which was fantastic. That just is gonna roll over and help us make the next issue. I think we were obviously very hopeful that people would be interested in it. We weren’t 100% certain just because it’s kind of a challenging story in that there isn’t really a true protagonist. There isn’t really a true villain. It’s, it’s kind of blurry morals and uncertain characters. But Kickstarter is a good platform for those kinds of stories. So we were hopeful that we’d be able to find people who weren’t necessarily in the comics industry that were interested in hearing what we had to say with this. So it just felt like the right fit for it. And I think we were just kind of stunned with how it wound up turning out. And hopefully people will stick with us as we go forward. We’re gearing up to get ready to do the next issue this year. So hopefully folks are stoked as they’re getting their rewards.

GP: What can people expect in the future of this upcoming series?

SP: A mess [laughs]. Basically this first issue is really sort of setting up these two characters and where they are within the government agency. And we sort of leave you with realizing just how much their orbits are gonna interact with one another. Harper is the straight laced do-gooder and Elena is the chaotic gay. They are so at odds with one another. And so it’s gonna be a lot of headbutting and a lot of chaotic missions and growing attraction, despite how terrible they are for one another. 

GP: With this being one of your first major works as a co-writer, how has that been coming from an artistic background?

SP: It’s been good. I’ve been very fortunate working with Jordan. Jordan has been amazing at sharing the reins. I’ve collaborated a lot before and had input on plot, but this was a little more hands-on. And so I’m grateful to Jordan for giving me that opportunity to have more input in the story and the dialogue and how it develops. 

GP: Love to hear that. And will this be available to the public in the future?

SP: We’re hoping so. We’re still kind of trying to figure out what that will look like. We obviously are going to offer issue one in this first issue within the next Kickstarter as well. And then we’re considering doing pre-order options for the next campaigns where you’ll be able to pre-order, even if you didn’t back the campaign, you’d be able to pre-order after the fact. So we’ll hopefully open that up and it’ll be more accessible to people who maybe missed the campaign. And then obviously if anybody’s interested in it down the road as publishers go, hopefully we’ll be able to find somewhere to get a wider distribution,

GP: So moving on from the world of super spies to superheroes. Let’s talk about Supergirl. Previously you did a one-off special with Mariko Tamaki, and now you’re about to be doing a couple of backups in Action Comics. So what’s your history with the character?

SP: I’ve mentioned this before in other interviews and online and stuff like that, but actually wasn’t a huge Super Fam fan when I was a kid. I was definitely more into X-Men and Batman. And as I got older, I actually started to really appreciate Superman, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, more of the Golden Age DC characters because of the world that we live in [laughs]. I think when I was a kid they felt they were too goody two shoes. They felt too powerful. They seemed boring. And as I got older I was like, no, actually I identify more with those now and exist in the world where the Lex Luthors run the world. And so I think I would say my love for those characters really started more in early adulthood as opposed to childhood. I’ve just kind of always been interested in them and, and they hold a special place in my heart

GP: How do you view her place in the DC universe?

SP: I feel like Supergirl is underappreciated. I think I have always felt that way ever since I started reading more of her books and getting a better sense of the character because before I knew more about her, I always assumed Superman was the bigger, better character. And that’s not to say he’s not wonderful [Laughs].  I don’t want the Superman fans to come after me. But I think she has a really, really compelling story. And I think it kind of gets lost in Superman’s story. I just think she deserves a lot more love than she usually gets.  I appreciate getting the chance to draw her ’cause  I’m hoping that people will see her worth as a character and, and her story.

GP: So how do you view her differently than Superman?

SP: I think she experienced Krypton. Kal didn’t have that experience, he was always born and raised on Earth. And I think Kara knew what she lost. She knew that she lost everything. And I think that doesn’t necessarily make her story better, but I think it makes it more compelling. She was a true refugee. I find that very fascinating. And I think coming from a planet that she saw the effects of political upheaval and climate change basically destroy her world. I think that makes her a very informed character too. I’ve just always kind of found her really compelling in a way that I don’t always quite find with Kal. I still love Superman, but Kara is my number one. 

GP: Well, that’s only fair because there are two different characters with how they approach their Kryptonian heritages. Like you mentioned, Supergirl remembers Krypton and lived on Krypton and unlike Kal, it’s very much a memory of sorts for him.

SP: Right! And I think Supergirl always feels a little more rough around the edges. And I like that element of her as well. She struggles with rage. I think there’s a lot of complexity for her character that is brought about because she remembers what was taken from her. I am always kind of drawn to her because she is flawed despite having that Super mantle that we kind of think of as being perfect and the ideal. But she has her own issues and her own battles, and she’s a flawed individual.

GP: What’s it like working with Mariko? 

SP: Mariko has been super encouraging of what I’ve been doing and very open to my input on design. I got to design a lot of alien creatures in this arc. So she’s out in space and so there’s a lot of extraterrestrial exploration in this arc. I also feel like Mariko gets Kara in a way that’s been really wonderful to work with. I think she’s always been in touch with Kara’s rage issues and Kara’s sense that she’s never good enough. Kara has a lot of imposter syndrome and I think Mariko’s always tuned into that element of her. I feel like Mariko and I are on very similar pages as far as how we approach the character and how we think of the character.

GP: So why should people be excited to read these backups?

SP: Because I actually don’t know what’s gonna happen yet. That’s part of why I want to [laughs]. I want people to be excited about it because I’m still working on them now, so I’m not 100% sure where we’re going yet. And I think this mission that Kara is on and it’s definitely sort of a catalyst sort of moment for Kara. So I hope folks get excited and to see what this next chapter for Kara looks like ’cause I think it’s gonna be a big one.

GP: And this is gonna be a difficult question. What is your favorite Supergirl costume?

SP: I actually really like Supergirl in her super skirt with the high boots. I’ve enjoyed drawing the jacket. I think it’s kind of a cool silhouette for her. But I have always liked the basic Supergirl outfit with her super skirt and her high boots and her cape. 

GP: You have a very strong focus on complex female characters. Previously you did the Artemis Special with Vita Ayala. How was that experience?

SP: It was awesome. Working with Vita is genuinely amazing every time I get to do it. And so we had done a little bit with the Trial of the Amazons and the Bana-Mighdall story that led into Trial of the Amazons, and then it took the Artemis special. So we had a chunk of time where we got to work together and sort of build that one shot up. And I like getting the chance to tell stories about flawed women because I think a lot of times we don’t give women in general and female characters within storytelling the chance to be messy and complicated. And when they are, we generally don’t give them the leeway that we give male characters. And so whenever I get that chance to, to bring in those emotional elements and, and show the conflict within a character and show that that growth or that deterioration of them within the story line, I’m always drawn to the emotional elements of stories and so that whenever I get that chance it’s always great.

GP: An interesting thing that I noticed while recently re-reading it is that in her flashback is the military aspect of her family. And I noticed as well in your work too, there is a lot of focus on characters in a variety of different agencies, military forces, etc. Do you have a personal connection?

SP: I don’t actually. And for the Artemis story, that was actually Vita’s choice to bring in the military background, and it was a little controversial [laughs] for some people. I felt like it was an interesting choice for that character and made sense as to how Artemis wound up in the Bana-Mighdall. And for other work that I’ve done where there’s sort of a service to a larger agency or service to a government entity. You know that’s a big part of Our Sins Are Scarlet. I think a lot of that comes from the sense of disillusionment with the United States as an American and sort of feeling like you want to try to do something you wanna try to serve to, because that’s, that’s the way you’re raised.

It’s kind of instilled in us to wanna serve your country to be patriotic to whatever, and once you get involved in it, once you learn more, once you have more experience with it. And that kind of challenged a lot. I think especially within this country, within the last 10 years, there’s been a big disillusionment for a lot of people and how things work and systems we thought were in place that weren’t or systems that weren’t already corrupted. And we just kind of learned that they were. And so I think work that I’ve done that has, that has sort of featured service in that way has been more of a discussion of maybe my own disillusionment with the systems and the powers that be

GP: So wrapping things up at the moment, outside of the upcoming backups in Action Comics, do you have anything else in the work that you could talk about?

SP: Right now the big stuff is Supergirl and then in November we’re actually getting ready to start on the next issue of Our Sins Are Scarlet. So we’ll be looking to launch that Kickstarter early next year. So that’s the big stuff that’s up for the next several months. And then I might have something, I can’t say too much about it ’cause it hasn’t really been fully talked about yet, but most likely in the spring-ish time, there should be another thing that I’m working on that I think will be very cool. Sort of an apocalyptic horror story. 

GP: That sounds right on my alley. How could people support you and your work?

SP: Just pick up the books if you can. Pre-order things, like that’s a huge help. For me personally, just share, share my work. If you can gimme a little shout out if you can. I have a Ko-Fi as well where you can keep tabs on what I’m up to with. I might be gravitating a little bit more to Ko-Fi  in the future and using that platform a little bit more.

Action Comics #1070 releases this Wednesday, October 9 from DC Comics. You can follow Skylar on social media @skyepatridge. And the Kickstarter for Our Sins Are Scarlet Issue 2 will be starting sometime in the future.

Source: Graphic Policy