Richard: How did you end up becoming a comic book artist?

Rob: I had drawn all my life, but when I was 10 the Batman movie came out I finally saw something that I could do with my drawings. I got the Batman movie book by Jerry Ordway and learned everything I could from looking at that, and later other books by him and Norm Breyfogle (The regular Batman artist at the time). I kept at it and eventually met Dick Giordano who became my mentor and got me my start in comics.

Richard: What did you learn while working as Dick Giordano's assistant?

Rob: Everything! I went to him wanting to be an inker and he turned me into a penciler. I never colored before and now I've colored a graphic novel. I never knew what an editor did and now I'm editing. All because of Dick. I learn from just watching him work. He's been doing it 50+ years and has taught some of the best artists in the business. Everyone I meet has a Dick Giordano story about what he taught them!

Richard: Which other artists do you admire?

Rob: I spoke with Brian Stelfreeze at an Atlanta con for about 3 hours and totally re-thought the way I worked after that. I literally went home and ripped up everything I had done before because it wasn't "right". I finally got it! Even Dick calls him "Walking Inspiration".

Richard: How was "Perfect Storm" created?

Rob: Perfect Storm was created after watching a movie called "Grosse Pointe Blank". I loved that movie (It's about a hitman who returns home for his high school reunion) and thought "What a wacky thing that I never realized- Hitmen have families!" So I created an FBI agent who gets fed up and goes out on her own. A writer friend of mine (Gary Carbon) suggested actually making her family agents as well, which lead to a whole mess of stories and situations to put them all into...

Richard: Who is Erin Storm, what is his personality?

Rob: Erin is a girl who's grown up with her family doing the governments dirty work, but after the man she loved was killed during a job, she quite to go out on her own and do more adventurous jobs that don't always involve killing. Her family is still connected and is upset that she would leave the "family business", so they are trying to guide her back.

Richard: Who are some of the other characters?

Rob: Her family is going to play a big role in future stories of course, but our first couple focus on Erin and her adventures. One is of her search for the remains of Alexander the Great, and the other is her search for a missing piece of art. After that there will be the search for a missing agent story, which will have her family more involved... But the main players are her and her family, her supervisor (and family friend) Mark Weathers, her former partners Elisa and agent Stone, and her current operations specialist named "Debbie"...

Richard: What is it like working on Whipperette?

Rob: Whipperette is a fun story written and created by Dennis Mallonee, publisher of Heroic Comics. We've got some great stories in the works too and hopefully they will be out soon!

Richard: How would you describe your art style?

Rob: Ummmm, my art style is a cross between modern comic artists and 1940's illustrators. I was always told that had I been born in the 30's I would have been swimming in work.

Richard: Do you enjoy doing commissions?

Rob: Yes, very much. Of all the jobs in comics I like doing covers the most, trying to tell a whole story in one image, and I like to do the same thing with commissions!

Richard: If you could have one super power what would it be and why?

Rob: I would like to be invisible... I think it would be neat to get around without anyone knowing I'm there...

Richard: What do you have planned career wise for the future?

Rob: Right now I am working on a new Perfect Storm story with Dick and Gary Carbon, and will be inking a story that Gary has written for Dick to pencil. I am also helping to launch a comic company with some writers and artists I met here in Jacksonville called Alpha Cat Comics, and our line of books is going to debut at MegaCon next year. As far as long term goals and plans, I hope to someday soon be working for DC Comics, which has been my goal from the first time I saw Batman all those years ago!

Richard: How can someone contact you?

Rob: You can contact me and check out my work through www.AlphaCatComics.com

Richard: Any final words of wisdom?

Rob: Not particularly... ; )