Phoenix Comicon: Artist profile – Scott Shehi

Scott Shehi is the founder, owner and head artist of the local independent creative group known as T.R.I.B.E. Studio Comics. Known as “Bub” to his friends and fans, Scott is hard-working and passionate about his art and dedicated to the success of his books, as well as the comics by other creators in his stable.

Since 2004, Scott’s T.R.I.B.E. Comics has worked with several valley creators, including Joe Flores, Frank O’Rourke, Hatch Tarr, Mandela Addah and Vincent Morris. He has published a myriad of titles including Tribal Stories, Hot Dog Man, Yeti, Micron and Comic Bug, and he is one of the few creators in the Valley who has dedicated one of his titles for the younger crowd, with the T.R.I.B.E. Kids adventures of Bub and Bill.

Scott is busily preparing for the upcoming 2012 Phoenix Comicon, but he took a few minutes off to answer our Nerdvana Artist Profile questions.

What is your secret origin?

My secret origin is that I was born in the state of Arizona and raised on cartoons and comics. Most of the comics I read at first had to be Garfield by Jim Davis, the best paneled comic in the paper. I always loved the comedy he came up with week after week. The best Cartoons were always on Saturday morning, everything from Super Powers to “Spidey” and His Amazing Friends. Yes, I really enjoyed the hero ones better than Smurfs and such.

I started drawing when I was eight, tracing anything I could (yes that’s not drawing but it is inking).Until one day I was asked by my sister, “Why don’t you just try and draw it?” I said, “Ok,” so ever since then I’ve drawn everything from Garfield to Marvel and DC comics. Lots of hours and patience but it has paid off.

How do you describe your artwork?

Curved… Everything I draw doesn’t have too many straight lines in it.

What is your goal/ambition with your art?

My goals are this, to be the best at what I do in producing everything from comic pages to pin –up sketches.

What projects are you currently working on?

What am I not working on…? [Laughs] Well let’s see, being owner and one of the few artists that work on T.R.I.B.E. Comics titles, I’m penciling just about all of the 5 main titles: Comic Bug, Hot Dog Man, Micron and most of the 4 stories in our TRIBAL STORIES.

Who/what has influenced you most artistically? Which artist(s) do you most admire?

Well the main artists that have influenced me have to be all the 90’s Image artists from Jim lee to Sam Keith. I admire Greg Capullo and Todd McFarlane, [I’ve] always been a big fan and loved the way they can carry a story.

Who is your favorite local artist?

ME! [Laughs] No, just kidding, I think all of the state of Arizona if full of talented artists that need to be shown. Some I enjoy are Shelby [Robertson], wish I could get the detail that he does, and Russ [Kazmierczak], how he can add the realism of events into his art.

What is your favorite music to listen to while working on your art?

I’ll listen to most types of music from rock to country, but never classical. Just can’t stand it. Sorry public, that’s just my opinion.

What is your favorite movie and how has it influenced your art?

Most of my faves have to be the comic related ones. I love the way the studios work toward getting them as close as they can.

What are you most looking forward to at Phoenix Comicon?

Well we’re re-releasing our #1s of the T.R.I.B.E. titles .Plus this will be the first time at a con where we have prints for sale. Not the same as Vul-Con, different ones!

Are you offering any special exclusives for fans at Comicon?

We have an exclusive Intensity #1 cover for the con, and we’ll have several prints as well.

What is the craziest thing you’ve been asked to sketch?

A worm. Didn’t have any clue on that one. Had to draw something else for them.

If you had a superpower, what would it be and how did you acquire it?

Multiplying myself. With all the hats I wear here, I need the help to get the titles out.

For the 2012 Phoenix Comicon, Scott and T.R.I.B.E. Comics can be found at artist alley booth #243. He’ll also be participating in the Comicon Sketch-Off event on Saturday between 10:30 and 11:00 a.m. You can also follow T.R.I.B.E. on FACEBOOK, TWITTER , MySpace and even YouTube.

Arizona catches a lot of heat in the media and from the nation as a whole, but nevertheless our crazy ‘Hellscape’ is proudly called “home” by some of the greatest pop culture artistic talent in the country. So leading up to the 2012 Phoenix Comicon (May 24 – 27), Nerdvana will showcase a series of posts profiling some of the amazing local artists that will be appearing at this year’s convention. Read ALL the Nerdvana’s Artist Profiles!