An Interview with Chaz Truog

Recently, I mentioned working on a Zuda pitch called Planet X and how artist Chaz Truog was turning in some great pages. Well, today I would like to further introduce you to Chaz with this interview we conducted via email.

Jim Shelley: Chaz, of all the projects you've worked on in the past, which are you the most proud of?

Chaz Truog: Animal Man #5: "The Coyote Gospel", was my favorite from that series.

I was very proud of the fact that art from Chiaroscuro: The Private Lives of Leonardo da Vinci was on display in the Seattle Art Museum's show: "Leonardo Lives", alongside art from famous artists like Warhol, Rembrandt, and Leonardo himself; and that the series was nominated for an Eisner Award.

My favorite individual piece of art was a cover I did for Mailbu Comics' Planet of the Apes series.

JS: Who would you say are some people that influence your art?

CT: The two biggest influences on my art have been Frank Thorne (Red Sonja, Ghita of Alizarr) and John Buscema.

I met Buscema briefly in what turned out to be his final convention appearance in 2001. I've been coresponding with Thorne since '94, he's currently doing a lot of work for Playboy, he's in his seventies and going strong!

JS: I've posted numerous ads on Digital Webbing in the past, but this was the first time I've ever gotten a response from you. Was there something about the Digital Webbing ad that interested you in the project?

CT: I've wanted to do a John Carter-type book since I read the Marvel Comics version thirty years ago, before anybody was born.

JS: So far, how would you describe your experience working on Planet X?

CT: Fun! I enjoy inking my own work.

JS: What other projects have you worked on recently?

CT: I've been working on a few comics projects (the up-coming Octobriana), various local freelance gigs, and I just picked up a few sculpture commissions.

JS: You have a lot of experience with print comics, but is this your first web comic project?

CT: Yes. The main difference is thinking in terms of horizontal composition, as opposed to the vertical compositions of print comics.

JS: On http://www.chaztruog.com/ you mention that you also have acted. How long have you been doing that?

CT: I've done plays in high school and college, and I've had a chace to do a few local independant films: Go to Hell (1999) and Planetfall (2005), among others. Check them out on Netflix!

JS: Are you acting in anything currently?

CT: I'm acting right now! LOL, as the kids say.

JS: Thank you!