Writer: Rob McClellan
Name: Rob McClellan
Occupation: Writer, Publisher
Skill/Contribution: Writer
Location: Virginia, USA
Website: www.underwatersamurai.com
Twitter: @h20samurai
Facebook: rmcclellan
What got you into comics? When I was a kid, I broke my arm and my Dad brought me Star Wars comics in the hospital. From then on, it’s been a passion of mine. I used to walk 4 miles (each way, in the snow!) into town on weekends to get my comics from Brainstorm Comics back home in Frederick.
How did you learn to write? A lot of reading other people’s stuff, a good bit of trial and error, a ton of friend and peer reviews, and a few literature courses.
What tools/equipment do you use? I do everything off of a laptop. I used to use my Asus 900 EEE netbook (running Easy-Peasy Linux) for everything, but recently got a 15.4″ Asus with Vista. My word processing software is OpenOffice Writer. I wrote Zero using OpenOffice, but just started using Celtx, a free screenwriting program — I’ll keep you posted on how I like it. For image editing and hand comments, I use a WACOM Bamboo tablet and GIMP.
What was your favorite comic as a kid? Mike Grell’s “The Warlord”
Who is your greatest comic influence? Many writers have had an impact on me over the years – Mark Waid, Jim Shooter, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Katsuhiro Otomo – but the most influential for me has to be Alan Moore. The style, substance, and sophistication he brought to comics had a huge impact and really changed the way I looked at the medium.
What advice would you give someone just starting out in comics? Take charge of your own destiny! Don’t try endlessly (often fruitlessly) to get a publisher’s attention with a portfolio. Set up a website, make a webcomic, start a blog – do something to build a following. If you want to court a major publisher, don’t just bring them a portfolio, bring them an audience. On the flip side, if you have an audience, you may be better off on your own. Something to think about.
Other projects you’ve worked on: Sorry, this is my first title! But stay tuned to Underwater Samurai Studios and keep checking – more high quality comic goodness is coming your way!
