Third times a charm as SCAD District Comics and Illustrations is proud to present the next installment of a new weekly series of featured illustrators.

This weeks Featured Illustrator, takes a step away from traditional illustration and aims the spotlight on the visual storytelling form of sequential art. The artist, M.D Shane, who could also be known as “Dr. Comics” (get it M.D means doctor), has loved comics his whole life and his passion is certainly reflected in his work. With strong characters and engaging stories, Shane’s artwork is rooted in adventure, and anyone that’s a fan of superhero’s (and even those that aren’t) should be a fan of Shane.

Continue reading below to find out more about Shane. When see his books on shelves you can say: “I knew him before he got famous as a Featured Illustrator at SCAD District!”

For more of his work check out his websites:
http://www.introflectstudios.com/
http://introflectstudios.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/IntroflectStudios

Name: M.D. Shane

Major: Sequential Art

Year:  Senior

Hometown: Staten Island, N.Y. / Savannah Transplant

Age: 32 3/4

Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

“Well, I was born and raised in Staten Island. Got the comic bug so hard that I worked at and then bought a share in a comic shop, got out of the comic shop.  Met the love of my life, got pregnant, joined the Army, came down to Savannah, went to war. You know, the usual. I medically retired and decided to stay down here specifically to go to SCAD. Doesn’t hurt that I fell in love with the city either.”

 At what point did you realize that you wanted to work in comics?

“Around four or five years old, I was a very ambitious little tyke. The procrastination and laziness didn’t come until I was much older. Kidding aside, it was around that age that I started reading comics, I fell for them hook, line and sinker.  It wasn’t much longer after that I made the decision to work in comics. When I was six I used to staple college ruled paper down the side and make my own comics. I would make ones about comics I liked and TV shows that I enjoyed at the time. It was great. In my fifth grade yearbook I was voted mostly likely to make comics.”

Not everyone outside of the comic book world are aware that there are many different aspects that go into creating a comic book– writers, pencils, inkers, letterers, editors… is there one specifically that you would prefer to concentrate on?

“ I really like coloring.  It’s kinda like being a cinematographer for a film; you define the mood and enhance the atmosphere of a piece of art. A good colorist can make an average piece of artwork look like a masterpiece, while a bad colorist can make a great piece of art look like trash. Ultimately, I would love to do everything myself. Just completely jump right in and immerse myself in it. What would I like to do for one of the major companies?  Either a writer or a colorist, as long as I am a telling story I’ll be happy.  I’ve been telling stories since I was five.”

How would you define your artistic style?

“Transitional, heh!”

 Which artists would you say most inspire and/or influence your own work?

“We don’t have the space for that list.  Let’s just say that I try to take everything in, good and bad, and I have a very healthy and eclectic taste in artists.  I’m in good company.”

 Tell us more about Intro/flect Studios?

“I’m trying to do something I think is interesting.  Trying to take a traditional studio model and push it to another level. A self-sustaining art commune able to handle a full slate of multimedia projects: comics, film, games, graphic design, you name it. Well, that’s the dream at least.”

If you could have your pick of the three which would it be: DC, Marvel or Image?

“When I was younger I would have said all of them at once, let me play. But as I have gotten older, interests have changed and so has my taste. Mainly, I want to do my own things, but there are definitely two things that I would love to work on in the future. Batman and the Fantastic Four, those are the two I want. To play with those toys, I have such great ideas. Epic ideas, epic, truly epic.”

 Who is your favorite superhero and why?

“Batman, ’nuff said. If you want me to elaborate here we have a Shadow clone thrown together to cash in on the success of Superman, but not only has he surpassed him in popularity he has also beaten him. Hell, Baman has beaten a god, time. He has literally done everything there is to do and he can still be anything else you want him to be. He is truly one of the greatest fictional characters ever created. I rank him right up there with Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Conan, Tarzan. Great character. My wife even threw in Bruce Wayne as my son’s middle name to show much she knows I love the character.”

Here is a sample of some of M.D. Shane’s work:

(click to enlarge)

And as always: want to be Featured Illustrator or know someone you would make a great feature? Email illustration@scaddistrict.com