I had the chance to interview Corin Howell, creator of Lilith and an illustrator of various comics such as Transformers and Bat-Mite amongst a few from some of the top publishers in the field
Q1. As an illustrator, you’ve been working on this craft for some time. What is it that keeps you on your toes as an illustrator?
CH: I would say, seeing new work and seeing what comes out on the market these days. Also as an illustrator, you’re always growing and I just want to keep on growing until whenever I guess. Until I’m old and gray! I just want to be able to make the best work that I can just keep on doing it and I can’t stop, it’s part of my life, it’s part of me and that’s what kinda keeps me going. Also, as I mentioned before, seeing new work I recently started reading a manga called Levius. It’s basically steampunk boxing matches, with steam, like, your soul apparently inherits the steam and you can control it. The art is beautiful and the minute I read it I was like, I need to up my game! Seeing new work but also wanting to get better at my craft.
Q2. How did Lilith come about?
CH: I kinda liked always drawing dark and creepy stuff. Lilith actually was a way for me to start coping with my own OCD. And i’m not talking about “everything’s gotta be clean” OCD, It’s a matter of “there are patterns in my head”, I can’t sleep, I have trouble sleeping, anxiety, etc. OCD was becoming an issue and it wasn’t until I moved to texas that things started getting better. But with Lilith, I started realizing that through coping with that OCD, and the issue about it is that it felt like I needed permission to do something all the time. Even to treat myself. I felt like I needed permission to draw pretty, sexy ladies half the time. Even though I would try to, I was never fully happy. I watched a youtube series with my boyfriend, called Unsung Heroes of Illustration ( a very beautiful series by the way). The guy who runs it, prolific voice by the way (you can fall asleep to it). He talks about creators and illustrators from all walks of life and whatever century, and how they kinda just phased out and people forgot about them. And so he brings them back for people to learn. He was covering an artist (the name escapes me, I want to say its Brow, but I don’t know if it’s right), but as soon as I saw that I got inspired and started drawing with three colors because I love red, it’s my favorite color, why not use it? I also love inkling, I started drawing Lilith, I love drawing horror, I still like drawing sexy ladies and horror and it just kinda moved from there.
Q3. For a lot of up and coming illustrators that are trying to get into the field of comics or being a lifelong illustrator, be it a hobby or career, what is something that you’d suggest for many illustrators to practice?
CH: Definitely work (not just on your anatomy and drawing in general), you never stop growing as I’ve mentioned before. If you want to tell a story, read books that have good stories, work on your stories, work on your character development. You can write a good story, just don’t take the easy way out and make it cliche. I see so many stories out there right now that make it hard to read other comics. I guess that’s why I read more manga, I have always read more manga. Like Death Note, it was a wonderful and awesome story. The Trigun manga was a really good story. That’s the thing I don’t see a lot. I see good art, yeah, awesome. Never stop drawing, keep drawing, keep practicing, study other artists, see what they do, apply those techniques to your work and grow from there. But also, if you want to write a good story, if you want to get into comics, study story, study storytelling. Look at how animators do it, they do it really well. I don’t see that a lot anymore. Not just animation, but look at Franco-Belgian European comics. They do storytelling very well apparently. That’s the thing I don’t see. That’s why I guess I would say to other illustrators and creatives, also, you don’t need anyone’s fucking permission to draw anything. You can draw anything you want. You don’t need to ask your mom, or if your mom is like “ oh, I wish you didn’t draw this stuff” screw that, don’t listen to your parents. Draw whatever the fuck you want.
Thank you for your time, Corin Howell.
Brian Isaacs - Executive Editor / Publisher