Shifting Gears

Dan Fraga

by Jennifer M. Contino

Dan Fraga is an artist with a distinct style. He’s best known for his work on Bloodstrike, Superme, Kid Supreme, Black Flag, Avengelyne, Menace, Generation X, Captain America, Spider-Man, Witchblade, The Darkness, and Ascension, to name a few. In March, he shifted gears literally with a new creator-owned project from Image called Gear Station. Gear Station is about a varied group of people who are banded together searching for the legendary Gear Station. Most people don't believe in the Gear Station's existence. The ones who do believe either crave its power or are sworn to protect it from those who plan to exploit it. Our heroes Arthur, Bryce, Yoshi, Darwin and Fable are part of the relentless few who make a stand to protect the power of this amazing machine.

Sequential Tart: What are some of your early memories of buying comics?

Dan Fraga: My first memories of buying comics come in three parts. I remember the first comicbook I bought. It was my 9th birthday, and I had a whole dollar burning a hole in my pocket. Wearing my new Pac-Man shirt, I ran to Seven-Eleven as fast as I could. It was a Batman comic, the one where Batman was a vampire howling at the sky. I thought it was cool that Batman had fangs. I think Gene Colan drew the cover. I had to have it.

The next time I bought a comic was a while later, when I had some money again, it was GI Joe #17. On the cover, which John Byrne drew, was the character Clutch falling from the sky towards the ground. To me, the comic was way cooler than the show. It wasn't until my 11th birthday that I got the comicbook bug, you know the one... the one where you have to have them... like an addiction. I remember it very well. My buddy and I were walking to the local Quik Mart to get some pixie stix candy. We thought the stuff made us super fast. It did, but only 'cause we needed Ritalin and sugar wasn't a good idea. Back to the story. It turns out that the Quik Mart had a comicbook rack. I gave it a spin and saw lots of stuff I'd never seen before. There was one I could not put down. Forget about pixie stix, I needed this comic. It was Marvel Universe #5. I had never seen a comicbook that had all of the characters' stories and statistics before. Plus the cover was bad ass! John Byrne again. Needless to say, I wanted, no, NEEDED #1-4! I begged the guy at the counter to give them to me. He thought I was a wacko. He said "comicbooks come out, then they are gone" I was momentarily crushed until... a voice came from behind me and said... "No way, dude, not if you go to the comic book store" Hollleee crap I thought! A whole store... with nothing but comics?! He told us where, and, unbeknownst to my mom, my pal and I hopped the 128 bus right down to the comic book store that day.

Walking into the shop that first time was like walking into a dream. I was hooked. I spent every dime I could on comics. I even got a job mowing lawns so I could put my first high $$$ comic on lay away, Amazing Spider-Man 121. The Gwen Stacey stuff. I had always loved Spider-Man, I just didn't know he had his own comic!! From then on all I did was draw and read comics. I had to make my own comics too. If it wasn't for that guy in the Quik Mart, I may never have been so hooked. My favorite characters have always been the ones in the "Spider" universe. Spidey, all of his villains, Daredevil, Punisher, Cloak and Dagger, and other first appearances just to name a few. I also like Longshot and anything Arthur Adams ever drew.

ST: Have you always loved to draw?

DF: At first I used to copy a lot of the GI Joe comicbook covers. Then I got this cool comic called Marvel Universe. I started copying pics from there. One day I decided I would try to make up my own universe and started making up my own comics and characters. My Grandpa taught an art class using Betty Edward's "Drawing on the right side of the brain" as his text. I used to do a lot of life drawing in his class and funny enough I had to pose too. That was really wacky. I'd have to sit still for almost a half-hour. It made me appreciate when I had to draw other models. I had this really bad habit of putting the posed person in superhero duds though. It used to annoy all the other students. It was a class for older people... I was like 13 or so and a total spaz at that.

ST: What kind of artistic training have you had?

DF: That's a funny topic with me. In all of the "art preparation" the only one where my teacher liked me was my grandpa's class. All of my art teachers wouldn't acknowledge comics as art. In 11th grade I took a ROP (Regional Occupation Program) in graphic design and advertising. My teacher hated me there too. I kept showing her old Kirby stuff asking her if I could try to dynamicise (izzat a word?) graphics with a comicbook approach. She failed me just like the rest of my teachers. They just didn't get where I was coming from.

ST: How did you get your first comic book assignment?

DF: My first printed comic assignment was in YoungBlood #0. It was weird how it happened. I was already part of the then fledgling Extreme studios. I didn't have any assignment and I started doing some YB sample pages so I could maybe get Rob's attention and get a project by impressing him. It worked, he actually used my sample pages in YoungBlood 0. I was so proud and happy. I look at the stuff now and see how maybe I wasn't ready for print though. I guess it was okay though. I didn't get any hate mail.

ST: Have you always loved to write?

DF: I've always liked to tell stories and come up with neat ideas and inventions. I even tried to make real web fluid when I was a kid! Ha! I wouldn't consider myself a writer though. I need to learn traditional storytelling. Structure form etc... I'd say I’m more of an idea guy.

ST: Are you a video game or anime fan?

DF: I love both! I’m sure my favorites echo most fans answers. In video games I love Quake 3, Unreal Tournament, Soul Caliber, Diddy Kong Racing and other cool multi player games. In anime same as video games. Stuff like Bastard, Ninja Scroll, Dragon Ball Z and Record of Lodoss War. Mostly the poppy stuff, nothing really obscure.

ST: How did you create Gear Station?

DF: I’m a goober. Period. I wanted to make a comic that has all of the things I love in like in one book. Kung-Fu, Sci-fi, Fantasy, video games and animation. The story fits the archetype of the traditional heroes journey with a few twists thrown in. It was blending the Kung-sci-fant style, which was a task. The art direction came out of necessity though. I wanted my book to look like a great animated movie on paper.

I originally went the traditional route by painting my backgrounds... you'd be surprised how much time and effort it takes to paint. Alex Ross is a true champ for pulling it off. It would have taken me years to do a book that way. I had to figure out how to get the painted look quicker. Along comes G23 CGI. G23 CGI is the building of virtual "sets" on the computer. Once they are built I can move the "camera" around like a movie director and pick my shots. Once they are done I assemble the page and start compositing hand drawn images into the sets. It's a lot like animation and ILM effects. My only problem was once again time. Along comes Janak Alford. Janak is my head builder at G23. I couldn't build the sets by myself and still keep a timely schedule. We have it worked out in a way that I design the sets and he builds them. Janak is the 3D main man. Once I get the sets back from Janak, we go over them and I make modifications to the sets like lighting and structural details. I’m a big stickler for detail. The sets have to have the right look.

After the set is finalized that's where I work my FX mojo. I set the shots and render them out meeting my layout specs. Once they are rendered I take them into a series of art programs and digitally paint them so they have the appearance of animation backgrounds. The rest is top secret! That's how it came about...

ST: What is the legendary Gear Station?

DF: Simply put. The world's engine. Most people don't believe it exists. It does... And it is more powerful than any machine known to man or beast.

ST: What can you reveal about the universe that Gear Station exists in?

DF: It's a place where I'd like to hang out. Imagine walking down a medieval dirt road with your common beast of burden and then seeing a Model A type car roll by. The world of Domain is a lot like multiple timelines converging in one place. I can't really say more... I don't want to give up too much...

ST: What are the Steam Lords?

DF: The Steam Lords are like the Knights of the Round Table in Camelot. Some are good, some are bad. They are a lot like Jedi knights as well, with a great deal of emphasis put on the supernatural side of their training. Unfortunately, the Steam Lords in this time of Domain City are a shadow of their former selves. They used to be highly respected and skilled. Now they are almost comparable to the LAPD.

ST: What is the 'ancient prophecy?'

DF: No comment other than saying it has to do with forever changing the world. Very cliché right... you'll be surprised when you see it.

ST: What can you tell us about the main cast of the Gear Station?

DF: Bryce is just a small town farmboy, who has a role in the fulfillment of the ‘ancient prophecy of the Gear Station.’

Darwin is half human and half fairy. Both races prejudice her. She has led a very difficult life. She's different from most comicbook women with one simple fact. In the world of the Gear Station, she is considered hideous and lowly scum. Humans hate fairies and fairies hate humans. She's really quite a tragedy.

Arthur was a Steam Lord who was accused and banished from Domain City for crimes he did not commit. His love for the princess is the only thing which keeps him around and alive for that matter. He sells his skill to the highest bidder. Such is the life of the shamed one.

Yoshi is the former Taskmaster and Shidoshi to the Steam Lords. The abolishment of the use of Majic and his hidden destiny lead to his resignation as the head Steam Lord. His favorite students were rivals Drac Dommo an Arthur Lairame. There is more to Yoshi than meets the eye.

ST: What is the Kwan?

DF: Have you ever seen Blood Sport or played Street Fighter? It's a tournament featuring the greatest majic fighters of the world! Mucho action.

ST: This series seems to be a nice mix of science, magic, action, and fantasy! What made you decide to include so many genres and what influenced you when templating this world?

DF: My favorite things in life! I just want to have as much fun as I can everyday. That's how it came about. I’m living my dream.

ST: I could see this as an animated film or video game. Is that the "feel" you wanted readers to get for this series?

DF: Absolutely.

ST: How is this series going to be different from other magical quest type comics?

DF: It isn't. LOL. It's bigger than that. It's like calling BraveHeart a "Men in skirts" movie.

Gear Station
Image Comics

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