If you have been enjoying Batman: Streets of Gotham or Green Lantern Corps recently you have no doubt run across the work of Derek Fridolfs. While he may not be well-known yet he is that rare individual who can fill in as a writer, artist, or inker when needed. I had the opportunity to meet Derek at the Second Annual Bakersfield Super-Con recently and he was kind enough to to allow me to bother him with a few questions.

Where did you grow up?
In the Central Valley of California. Right in the hot middle area smack dab between LA and San Francisco.

What was your first introduction to comics?
The earliest I can remember was getting comics during road trips with the family. Like we would stop off at a convenience store or somewhere along the way, and I’d see some and get a few. Nothing too memorable, but something to pass the time in the car. It wasn’t until around the 3rd grade that I was introduced to GI JOE and Transformers comics (I was a kid of the ’80s). Those two properties hooked many of us from that generation. And that’s when I really got into comics…or at least those two comics, especially GI JOE. I remember riding my bike down to the local drugstore turnrack to get them, and also back in those days there were magazine shops located in eating establishments that carried them. A month per issue seemed like a long time to wait, but I remember anxiously seeing if a new issue had come out each week I’d stop by. Eventually I expanded my interests into other comics (Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, X-Men, eventually DC books like Batman).

What was your first professional job?
I was fortunate enough to land my first paid gig helping ink half an issue of Wolverine back in 1999. Before that were various pinups here and there but that was sort of my first real sequential type of job.

What comic professionals helped to inspire you into comics?
Without Tim Townsend, who is a prince amongst the top of the inking echelon, I probably wouldn’t be working in comics today. At at time where I just was having little luck getting any notice from publishers, or getting close but failing…he lent a hand and passed along my work to the right people that got me my first job. So I’ll always be indebted to him. Thanks also goes out to Mike Zeck (he of all those great GI JOE covers and a long resume of great work at Marvel and DC). He was one that lent an ear and would critique my work. Same goes for all of the editors from the various companies in the convention portfolio review lines (one specifically being Danny Fingeroth). Lots of advice to kickstart me in the right direction.

As far as artistic inspiration, my tastes tend to lean towards the more animated styles…Jeff Smith, Bruce Timm, Ben Caldwell, Mike Mignola, Jason Pearson, and so many many more.

Looking at your resume you are a triple threat writer/inker/penciler.  Which do you consider yourself to be primarily and which do you prefer to do?
I don’t know if I’m much of a triple threat, or even double or single. But I’m just happy to jump around here or there whenever allowed. I probably consider myself whichever one I’m employed doing at any given moment :)

What little familiarity anyone has of my work, will be in the inking arena. It’s my regular monthly gig, and the most credits I have on my resume. Inking for the most part is relaxing, as I’ve gotten comfortable working with the same penciller for awhile. That’s not meant to sound boring, but it’s something I can sit down to and there’s a comfortability factor to it. Penciling to me is stressful…working with a blank piece of paper and having to create from scratch. It’s what I’ve done the least, and have the most to learn. Writing to me is the most enjoyable…something I’d love to do more of, and am constantly pushing in that direction when I can.

You have worked on such great recent titles as Green Lantern Corps and The Immortal Iron Fist and the styles of the artists are so different between those two books.  Do you adapt how you ink to match the artist?  If so, how much of a challenge is it?
Usually it’s just whatever fits the style you’re working over. It’s all dependent on how tight or how loose the pencils are. And if one is in contact with the artist to sort of get an idea of how you might collaborate together. Each new penciller/job brings a bit of a warmup and learning curve to sort of get in the groove to working together. Fortunately I’ve been working with Dustin Nguyen at DC on the batbooks for awhile, and he’s just the right kind of style I like to work over….there’s just enough there to tell the story while also leaving some room to allow me to tighten and slicken the inks to my own satisfaction.

When you ink someone else’s art what do you see your role as an inker to be?  Not screw up, being the most blunt and honest answer. I’m there to make them shine and look better.

What has been your favorite title to work on so far and why?
I’m really enjoying working on the Batman books at DC. It’s pretty much a dream scenario…having worked on two titles that were written by two writers/producers of the Batman animated show (Dini and Burnett). Batman: The Animated Series came at a time when I was just graduating high school and going into college and was huge aspiring me in the direction of animation and comics, so to work on books with stories by them, is a crazy treat.

Working with Dustin on them has been a great match as well. We sort of broke into comics at the same time on one of our first projects together, and have kept in touch ever since. He stayed with DC/Wildstorm and I floated around for awhile, but we always kept in contact and hoped to reteam again. So to be working on the Batman titles now together again…I couldn’t be happier.

What do you consider to be your best work and why do you like it?
These answers are going to sound repetative but it’s Batman. It’s the most current, but also the most fun. When something comes more naturally rather than forced is great. Also, working consistently month-in and month-out with the same artist on the same title, that’s a perk. You get to grow together that way.

What are you working on now?
Batman: Streets Of Gotham

What would be your dream project?
More writing. Constantly working on pitches and eventually I hope to wear down some of these editors. Ideally I’d love to do more writing on anything Batman related. Incredible Hulk is a comic I grew up reading as a kid and would love to do something with for Marvel one of these days. And work on my own creations as well of course. All a matter of finding the time to juggle.

What creators would you like to work with?
A lot of people usually have a long list of those they’d like to work with. But I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of known pros as well as friends. So I don’t have any specific people at the moment I can think of. Pretty happy and always surprised at whomever comes around the corner.

Do you do commissions for people in your spare time, and if so how much are they?
Sure, it’s all dependent on my schedule (my monthly comics gig comes first) and what exactly they’re interested in…pencils & inks, or inking someone else. But they can contact me for pricing.

How can people see examples of your work or reach you for commissions?
They can contact me from my deviant art website which I post at…  http://dfridolfs.deviantart.com