Get Graphic: The Vibrant Colors of AWA's 'E-Ratic'
Dec 19, 2022
Interview by Troy-Jeffrey Allen
Throughout the month of December, Get Graphic will be reintroducing you to the creative talent behind AWA's Upshot universe! This means you'll experience every corner of their world imaginable! From the zombie apocalypse and the supernatural to criminal underworlds and high-flying heroics!
In the following interview, E-Ratic 2: Recharged colorists Brian Reber shows us how he brings the superpowered of AWA to vibrant life.
How did you get involved with E-Ratic?
Axel Alonso asked me if I’d be interested in the project after it was determined it might be too time-consuming for Kaare to do everything on the book himself. At Marvel when I worked for Axel I stepped in on several books where I changed my style to match the current look of the books. Being able to change my style to match Kaare’s vision made it an easy collaboration.
What tools do you use to color?
I do everything in Photoshop. I use a Wacom Cintiq with a TourBox Pro for my shortcuts. All connected to a Mac Mini.
What made you want to focus on coloring?
My father is an oil painter. Growing up I learned art by watching him paint. I used to pencil, ink, and use markers for coloring in high school. I had the pleasure of having Klaus Janson review my portfolio and he said if I could color on computer like I did with markers, I could be a professional. I didn’t know computers at the time though. However, I loved video games. That lead me into building gaming PCs, then to work in tech support. Eventually, I had to learn Photoshop in order to troubleshoot different software packages. Once I learned enough about Photoshop, I was able to pick up on comic coloring rather quickly. Been coloring non-stop ever since.
How does character factor into how you color a comic?
I try to match the coloring style and palette to the same energy of the artist’s art and the characters. Some characters might require a bright and bold palette. Others might require something more grounded with less saturated colors.
What is your goal when it comes to bringing colors to the page?
My main goal is to reinforce the storytelling. I try to emphasize the mood of the scene with a fitting palette. Also, I try to help guide the readers’ eyes around the page using complimentary colors to help focus on the main subject of each panel.
For more from Brian Reber, be sure to follow him on Instagram. Reserve your copy with PREVIEWSworld Pullbox.
The first volume of E-Ratic is available now at your local comic shop.
E-Ratic 2: Recharged is currently hitting comic shops from AWA.
use your powers for ten minutes at a time. What do you do when you have to save the world but you only have ten
minutes to do it? This is the problem faced by Oliver Leif, a teenager who has just moved to a new town, and a new
school, and is having a hard enough time navigating classes and his crush before the inter-dimensional monsters started
showing up.
the pages of The Resistance, E-Ratic combines electric action, teen drama, and pure comics fun.
again as he navigates even more pressing perils: young love, bullies, a broken family and the gauntlet that is high school.
This time, young Oliver Leif is teamed with a barbarian princess who claims to be from another dimension. Spinning from
the pages of The Resistance, E-Ratic combines electric action, teen drama, and pure comics fun.
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Troy-Jeffrey Allen is the producer and co-host of PREVIEWSworld Weekly. His comics work includes MF DOOM: All Caps, Public Enemy's Apocalpyse '91, Fight of the Century, the Harvey Award-nominated District Comics, and the Ringo Awards-nominated Magic Bullet.
