Rufus Dayglo interview

What artists do you think most influenced your style?

A lot of artists.. but off the top of my head…

Mort Drucker and Jack Davis in Mad Magazine..

Ronald Searle – St Trinian’s, and How to be Topp books..utter genius.

Mick McMahon, Brendan McCarthy, Ramon Sola, Carlos Ezquerra..and all the rest of
2000ad’s finest.. this was my childhood

Joe Kubert and Gerry Talaoc… Sgt Rock and the Unkown Soldier..FTW!

Guy Davis.. Pure storytelling wonderfulness.

And of course.. Jamie and Alan… without whom et al..


How have you evolved as an artist in the past 10 years?

Umm… I’ve become marginally less worse under the tutelage of Garry Leach (My Comic art Yoda) and working with Ashley Wood really pushed me.. and offered so many opportunities.. (Thanks Ash!)

Art wise..it’s just practice..  I work everyday..12-16 hours a day… and work fast.. My pages may not be the prettiest..but we have a job to do..and I try and have fun, and sneak in silly things..

Comic art is about telling storues..not drawing the best pin ups, and as you game confidence, your work usually becomes more straight forward.. partly out of deadline induced necessity.. partly out of confidence/insobriety..


Do you feel the Tank Girl of the 80s is different from the Tank Girl of this decade? And if so, how has she changed?

Tankie changes all the time..she won’t be pigeon holed..and she won’t ne your pin up.. as soon as someone claims her.. she drives off in another direction.. usually over your foot… and through your fence… and then nukes you from a safe distance.


Tank Girl has been drawn by many different artists over the years. How do you balance keeping faithful to the character while adding your own unique spin?

There’s not really been that many artists…. I was a fan of Deadline and Tankie.. so I have a pretty good idea what I’d want to see as a reader..

I always got pissed off when changes are imposed for the sake of change..or ‘vevent’ in Comics…like the artist or writer are trying to make a name for themselves (Like redesigning Batman..or Spiderman etc).. it reeks of desperation..
We don’t really give a fuck about that stuff.. Tankie is her own character, and Alan and I both care a great deal about Her..and the books.. so we just do what we do..sometimes



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