Artist short profile: 
– Name: Dean Rankine.
– Location: Melbourne, Australia.
– Artistic style: ‘When Cousins Marry’.
– Website/s:  – http://www.facebook.com/dean.b.rankine
                         – http://www.deanrankine.daportfolio.com/about/
– Bragging rights(Featured work/collaborations): Back up stories in ‘Simpsons Comics’ #180, #182, #183, #184, #186, ‘Futurama’ #62 and ‘Bart Simpson’s Pal, Milhouse’ #1, Australian MAD Magazine, The Dandy, Mania, K-Zone and some other stuff.
 

 Artist continued profile. Let’s get a tiny bit personal:
– What are your goals as an artist?: Call me crazy but I wouldn’t mind making some money. I’ve had some financial success but my private jet and entourage of monkey butlers don’t pay for themselves. Other than that my goal is to match-up what’s in my head to what comes out on the paper.

– Favourite artist/why?: Douglas Holgate.  He’s a local artist who I find inspiring. Looking at his work makes me want to do better. – http://au.linkedin.com/pub/douglas-holgate/44/a58/b47.

– What do you think of Comics being made into movies?: I like it! I think it’s an opportunity to showcase some of the great stories being told in comics to a wider audience. Unless the movie is complete shit of course *cough “green lantern *cough.

– Has reading a Comic ever changed your life? Which one/why? (If yes): I can’t think of any specific comics that have changed my life. But the medium has. Making comics for me has become my life’s work. I obsess about it, love it and can’t think of anything else that gives me as much fulfillment.

– If someone created a Comic about your life what would they title it?: ‘The Man Who Drew Dicks on Naked Drug-Using Rabbits’.

– Where there any defining moments in your life that have influenced your artistic style?: I spent a lot of time by myself as a kid. I drew heaps and watched too many cartoons (Which I think might have wrecked my brain), my mind was never on the job and couldn’t get over the divorce of my parents. As a teen I was socially awkward, terrible at sports and lousy with the opposite sex. And as an adult I was paranoid, anxious and just not very comfortable in my own skin. These days I’m kind of okay with it. It might sound weird but all of that craziness that makes me an individual comes out in my artistic style.  

– If you could have any power from a Comic character, what would it be/why?: I think Nightcrawler’s ability to teleport would be exceptionally cool. Watching TV and you’re all, ‘Gee, I wouldn’t mind some pizza’ …ZIP! Pizza Shop …WIZ! Back home, eating pizza and the ad break isn’t even over yet. Awesome.

– Favourite Comic artist of all time/why?: I might get burned at the stack for this but …Rob Liefeld. His run on New Mutants in the 90s got me excited about comics. – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Liefeld.

– What do you prefer to snack on when creating a masterpiece?: Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee

– Where do you ‘draw’ your daily inspiration from?(See what I did there hehe): Animated cartoons are still an influence. I don’t watch many these days but shows like, Ren and Stimpy, Futurama, Aqua Teen Hunger Force continue to inspire.

 – Likes: Indian food, red wine, hot baths, Steven Seagal movies

– Dislikes: Roller blading, small talk, being eaten by sharks.

– Favourite joke: “A naked blond walks into a bar with a poodle under one arm and a two foot salami under the other. She lays the poodle on the table. Bartender says: “I suppose you won’t be needing a drink.” The naked lady says…”

– Can you change a flat tyre?: Nope. I have very few discernible ‘man’ skills.

 – When drawing images of your characters have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror, flexed, shoot a wink at yourself and then drew what you saw? (al la Patrick Bates): No. No I haven’t.

– If you could have sex with any Comic character/cartoon who would it be? Why?: Mary Jane. I’ve got a thing for redheads.

– When eating Broccolii do you feel like a Dinosaur because it’s like little trees?(RAWR): Yes. Yes I do.

– Any thank you’s/shout-outs?: Thanks to my Facebook friends and the guys in the Australian comic scene. Your support means a lot to me.

 

Big thank you to Dean for the interview. It was super rad meeting you at Aus Comicon 2012. I shall be seeing you at  the upcoming Armageddon expo! – Ness.