Your Friendly Neighborhood ERIC GAPSTUR is Sort of Super to Interview

Austin Allen Hamblin invites Eric Gapstur into the Yeti Cave to chat about his career. Eric has inked; Action Comics, Justice League, Gotham City: Year One, Family Tree, and more!

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COMIC BOOK YETI: With James Gunn’s Superman currently in theaters and Fantastic Four right around the corner we thought it would be a good time to sit down with a creator who has worked on both! With a long career in comics, getting your break as an inker over Phil Hester, you now find yourself penciling and inking your own work. Having released two young adult graphic novels (Sort of Super) while working with Marvel on Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, The Avengers: United, and Fantastic Four: Into the Depths, you have a deep love for not just comic books, but comic strips as well. Which love came first and did one help you find the other?

ERIC GAPSTUR: I discovered comic books first, but both were just how I was able to encounter comics in small town Iowa in the early 90’s. The local grocery store got comic books and my parents would get newspapers.

CBY: You got your start in comics inking over Phil Hester. What were your main takeaways from getting to work with him?

EG: Phil is one of the best storytellers in comics, and I was really lucky to absorb that day in and day out for years. It’s by far the hardest thing to learn in comics, but also the most rewarding.

CBY: You’ve been doing exclusive comics for Marvel’s digital app Marvel Unlimited. Is the process any different than if you are drawing a regular Marvel book?

EG: It’s different in that it’s a vertical format, and that presents some challenges and opportunities to tell the best story you can. It’s been fun to explore the possibilities.

CBY: Fantastic Four: Into the Depths is your most recent Marvel work. Were you a big Fantastic Four fan before this? Who is the most fun to draw from the team?

EG: Absolutely. I fell in love with Tom DeFalco and Paul Ryan’s run as a kid, and haven’t missed an issue since while going back and reading all the stuff I wasn’t around for.

Does Johnny Storm’s mustache count? I don’t know who is responsible for that, but I smile every time I see it. In all seriousness though I really enjoyed drawing the Thing. 30 pages wasn’t enough for me to nail down his look, but I really enjoyed trying.

CBY: I know you are a big Spider-man and Superman fan. Since you have been able to work on both do you have any other dream characters on your bucket list?

EG: On the drawing side of things, you could throw a stone and hit and hit a character I’d love to draw. On the writing side, Impulse. That series epitomized the kind of humor, heart, and action I strive for in my writing.

CBY: As a person who can do it all (writer, pencil, ink) what advice would you give to aspiring comic creators?

EG: People tend to think it’s best to specialize, but don’t let anyone else’s limitations hold you back. If you enjoy something, do it.

CBY: How can people follow your work?

EG: I’m @ericgapstur on Instagram.

CBY: This has been Austin Allen Hamblin from Comic Book Yeti, signing off with another interview from the Yeti Cave! Be excellent everyone! https://linktr.ee/austinallenhamblin

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