How many Parr-secs in a Kessel Spice Run? (An interview with Artist Terry Parr)
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009
Fuzzy Gritskrieg and Terry Parr
At the Dallas Comic Con back in January, we had the opportunity to sit down with Terry Parr and get an interview out of him. We held off on posting it until we were closer to attending Staple! in Austin, Texas where Terry will be kind enough to share a table with us. Terry’s a talented individual with a sharp wit, a formidable artistic skill, and a Gamette for a girlfriend.
Terry Parr: How do I keep it classy? I don’t. I’m all about the trash. Actually, classy trashy.
BGG: What was the first comic that you ever read?
Terry Parr: First real comic that I really read and enjoyed or first comic…?
Terry Parr: Well, the first comic that really got me was The Swamp Thing. I’ve forgot how old I was but when I read that, it was very dark, the writing was awesome and the artwork was just as awesome. When I first saw that, I was like, that’s what I want to do.
BGG: Was that comic the reason you decided to start drawing or what was the reason you started drawing?
Terry Parr: Well, I’ve always drawn, probably since the second grade. I used to draw stuff like Snoopy and all that. But when Dragon’s Lair came around and I saw that, that was what I constantly drew all the time. And then around that time was when I started getting into Swamp Thing, like middle school, and then I kind of dropped out. I still drew but I didn’t really have a focus. I mostly drew Iron Maiden stuff. I drew Eddie all the time. I probably drew him for like two years straight. I was always the Iron Maiden guy. Even in my high school photos, I was wearing an Iron Maiden t-shirt. But I started getting back into comics, right when conventions started up, and I was a huge Jim Lee fan. If you look at my old stuff, way back when, I drew just like Jim Lee. It was kind of sad. Right now, I’ve moved on.
Boba Fett as drawn by Terry Parr
BGG:It seems like you have a pretty free flowing style. You can go from some of your dark, gothic work right into the pin up styles. Is that something you’ve always been able to do or is that something that’s recent?
Terry Parr: I would like to say that I’ve done that all the time but I think it’s been the last couple of years. I try not to be classified by one style. I feel an artist has to grow. But I’m still improving on that and it’s pretty tiring.
Terry Parr: My favorite thing to draw has to be women. But again, that’s what I’ve been known to draw so just to be an asshole, I’m started drawing male characters. It feels weird when kids look at my portfolio and it’s a lot of women and I think it shocks them. I’m branching out more.
BGG: When you sit down to draw do you know what style you’re going to use or does it just flow as you go?
Terry Parr: It can happen both ways. Sometimes I’ll have an idea in my head on how I want to approach it but then again, once I approach it, I’ll just bug and won’t do that, I’ll do something else. It just depends on the need. Most of it comes out the way I want, others I end up altering and changing.
