Richard: You work on the back up story in "Adam Zero", Marshal Tyme how did you get this position?

Anthony: I answered an ad on the Ronin studios boards, just to color a pin-up for the main Adam Zero feature. I guess I must have impressed with the colors, as I was offered the Marshal Tyme backup almost immediately. I've done three of those so far, and have now progressed to writing and coloring a two part Marshal Tyme adventure, to be featured in upcoming issues.

Richard: So how do you color a Robot Raider, what colors?

Anthony: The whole feel of the strip was old-time. I did pretty much everything with sepia tones, so the Robot Raiders pretty much fit into that. I made them a little darker than the hero, just to stand out a bit more. I mean, robots in the old west? Those guys have got to stand out!

Richard: What does a colorist do exactly?

Anthony: At the most basic level, the colorist just adds a little more definition to the artwork. You separate the characters from the background and make sure it's all understandable.

But the colorist can also be a huge influence on the mood and feel of a page. You can color a page to be frightening, or angry, or warm, just by altering the color scheme slightly. And you add effects to the page also.

Richard: What are some of the comics you have worked on as a colorist?

Anthony: "Mutation" for Markosia, "Brat-halla", a webcomic over at http://www.brat-halla.com "Marshal Tyme" for Ronin, "House At The Edge Of Nowhere" for Bloodfire studios, "The Supremacy" for Atomic Pop. Those last two are from my involvement with Hard Way Studios http://www.hardwaystudios.com/

Richard: You wrote a short story for Morbid Myths TPB what was it about?

Anthony: It was a short, based on a joke my dad always tells, where two guys encounter a ghoul altering the name on a gravestone. I won't give it away, but it's kinda silly-funny, which was the feel of that book.

Richard: Do you do many commissions?

Anthony: As many as I can line up! Even though I'm primarily a colorist, I do love to draw. Portraits, super heroes, bare nekkid ladies... it's all good! I love taking on commissions, as you'll often draw something you never would for yourself. If anyone's interested, I do have a commission site at http://comicartcommissions.com/listing.php?id=413 Good lord, I'm shameless...

Richard: What are the main points of your coloring tutorial for Sketch Magazine?

Anthony: It's pretty much a nuts and bolts "how-to" on getting to grips with the process, spit across 2 issues (#36 and #37). Coloring is a lot of fun, and so many people overlook it as a means to breaking into the comics world. It's tough to be the hot artist or writer straight out of the gate, and coloring can give you an inroad to the biz, and give you on the job training.

Richard: Do you have any ideas for a comic of your own?

Anthony: Too many! There are a couple in development right now, one called "The Corps" (though that's likely to change) and the other called "Project: Dreamtime". That's currently being re-worked into a longer format with an expanded story. In fact you can catch the first version of the first issue on my comicspace page. http://www.comicspace.com/anthony_d_lee/comics.php?action=gallery&comic_id=14746

Richard: Have you ever done colouring, writing and drawing in one comic?

Anthony: The only thing that I've done everything on, from writing through to lettering was a one-off humour strip called "The Simian Standup", which was done for a comic called "Monkeypoo!" I don't know if it's out yet, but the people who have seen it love that little chimp. I've got plans to do a one-shot of the character, hopefully in this coming year.

Richard: Which comic professionals do you admire?

Anthony: Frank Cho, The Romita’s, The Buscema’s, Adam Hughes, Mark Bagley, Mike Collins, Terry Dodson, Terry Moore, to name but a few.

Richard: How does one become a colourist?

Anthony: You read my article in Sketch magazine, and then put me out of a job!!

Seriously, though, once you get to grips with Photoshop it's just a case of practice makes perfect. After that, look online at various forums, post your work, get feedback, then start answering want ads. That's pretty much how I did it.

Also if you can get to cons and meet other artists and editors in person, that'll help your cause no end.

Richard: Which comics did you read as a child and do you read now?

Anthony: Strangely the same ones... Spider-man (though I'm not entirely sold on Brand New Day yet), Wonder Woman, Avengers. Along with new stuff like PVP, Liberty Meadows, and whatever Terry Moore's working on at any given time (Echo at the moment).

Richard: How can someone contact you?

Anthony: You can get in touch with me via the commission site listed above, or drop me a line at alee@hardwaystudios.com

Richard: Any words of wisdom?

Anthony: Never be told that you can't do something. If you're heart is set on achieving a goal, then work toward it with all the enthusiasm you can muster. Because, believe me, there's more than enough people out there who'll knock you back from time to time. But it is all worth it when you hold that finished comic book in tour hand and say "I did this".