Indie Interviews – Jared Scarola

This week we sit down and talk to the one and only Jared Scarola. If you like comics, and we’re sure you do, you’ll want to take a peek at what Jared is up to.

What was your reason for getting into comics? That is, how did you end up involved in comics?

I don’t know, it just happened I guess. I was drawing all the time and drew what I loved and wanted to see in a comic or a movie. I was also reading a lot of comics during the time I was recovering from multiple surgeries, mostly all creator-owned comics which inspired me to pursue my own creator-owned work. From there the story just kind of wrote itself.

Who would you say is your comic book inspiration as a writer/artist?

Alan Moore and Frank Miller were huge inspirations for me. I started reading the “Watchmen” as a teen in the 90’s and around the same time I also read Frank Miller’s version of “Batman the Dark Knight Returns.” I was blown away; I couldn’t believe these were comics that I was reading. Since then I’ve probably read those books 100 times each and they still hold up today.

Before comics, what did you do? If you’re still doing it, what are you doing?

I was restoring old cars as well as working on and operating heavy machinery until a work-related injury left me retired at the young age of 27.

What was your first work in comics like?

Well technically this is still my first job in comics, and so far, it’s been great! It is so gratifying to create something from nothing and then making it come to life on a page.

How many years have you been working in comics?

Just over 2 years.

Tell me a little bit about your work. Where does it draw inspiration from? Where do you come up with your ideas?

My comic, “The Return of the Moth-Man,” draws a lot of inspiration from the movies of my childhood: Bladerunner; The Terminator; The Ninja Turtle movies, and of course the Indiana Jones movies. I draw a lot of Indiana Jones’s mannerisms and demeanor into my main character, Vincent Morison.

Who have you worked alongside in the industry?

So far I have only worked with colorists. The great John Rauch and the new up and coming artist and colorist, Steven Bristow.

Growing up, who is your favorite character or team? Who is it now?

 My favorite character is and always will be Batman………. just don’t tell Luke Skywalker.

Do you have any advice for someone who is just getting into the business?

That’s easy, it’s the best advice I’ve ever heard: “Work like you’ve already got the job” Whether you’re an artist or a writer or both, thanks, Greg Capullo!

Where do you see your work taking you?

Hopefully into screenwriting or into script writing for tv. Believe it or not, my script for “The Return of the Moth-Man” was originally written as a screenplay for a movie.

What are you up too next?

I don’t know yet, I have so many stories to tell. It will either be a Native American story with a twist or an astronaut inspired story.

Where do you see the direction of the comic industry heading in 20 years?

I’ve heard some people say that comics will all go too digital someday. I however firmly believe that the real, hold in your hand paper hard copies will never die. Have they never been in a Barnes and Noble before?

How can people get ahold of you?

You can DM me on Twitter and on Instagram @THEMOTH_MAN

Where can we buy and/or see your work?

Right now the best place to see all of my released work is on Instagram. I’ll be setting up a website soon so follow me on Twitter or Instagram for the latest news @THEMOTH_MAN

Any last words for the industry?

I wish the industry would and should give more credit to the lonely colorists in this industry. Not enough credit, or with some companies none of the credit, is given to them and I think the colors are just as important as the inks or pencils. You can’t set the mood without lighting and you can’t set the lighting without the colors or gray tones from the colorist.

BIOGRAPHY

My name is Jared Scarola and I have been drawing ever since I could hold a crayon in my chubby little fingers. I guess you could say I have surrounded myself with the best talent in the business because my whole family is professional artists in some way or form. My dad is a professional watercolor artist, specializing in old architectural barns and buildings. Both my mom’s mom and my dad’s mom were and are talented oil painters. My dad and his brother both owned their own art galleries at one point. My brother makes his living as an engineer, drawing and designing bridges and roads and is also a great pen and ink artist. My sister is a talented landscape artist and owned her own business designing and printing T-shirts. My parents first met at a Central Washington State University art class that my dad was teaching.

As for me though, I stepped away from pencil and paper art to pursue a career in the automotive industry, putting my artistic abilities to work on painting and custom fabricating cars and trucks. I have done that my entire adult life until recently when I injured my back at work, unfortunately leaving me permanently partiality disabled. I have been sedentary for most of the past 8 years which allowed me plenty of time to pick up a pencil and start drawing again. Since my mind had plenty of time to wander I started writing stories and here I am today writing and drawing my own comic.