Small Business Focus: The Comic Art of Justin Montgomery

In celebration of COMIC EXPO week, this Small Business Focus post is Part 2 of 2, the comic artwork of the Montgomery brothers, Jason and Justin.

Justin Montgomery and his brother Jason grew up in a home environment that encouraged creativity and a love for comic art. Mother was an artist and, as Justin points out below, brother Jason was a comic collector who loved to draw. It was probably inevitable that Justin would one day pen and ink his own original work!

JC: Justin, where were you born?

Justin: I was born in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky and grew up in Edgewood, Kentucky.

JC: Where are you living now?

Justin: I'm currently living in Florence, Kentucky.

JC: Did you study art in school?
Justin: I took the normal classes you would in high school. My teacher thought what I did (drawing comics/comic characters) wasn't art. She was more of a draw-from-life/still life kind of person so that just drove me, even more, to draw what I do.

In college, I dabbled in everything -- life drawing, oil painting, typography -- and graduated with a BA in Graphic Design.

JC: What got you interested in drawing comics?

Justin: I'd probably have to say, my brother. He was always drawing and collected comics, so that is where my interest came from. We always had something dealing with comics around the house. My mother is also an artist, so it runs in the family.

JC: How long have you been drawing comics?

Justin: Goodness, since I can remember. I still have drawings around of Wolverine from 1st grade.

JC: How long have you been drawing as a part-time commercial venture?

Justin: I've been doing commission work for around six years, and this year will be my third year doing conventions. They're a blast! It's so much fun seeing everyone's work and it's a great feeling when somebody purchases something you created.

JC: Tell me a little about the drawing challenge you shared with Jason, creating original characters who were a combination of other characters’ traits. How long did you do this? Were there others who participated? 

Justin: I want to say around two years, I believe?  Our friend James Ellison (J.E. Comics) participates also.  We rotate each week who picks the character for all of us to draw.  Some weeks it's straightforward, draw them how you want. Other weeks the person that chooses picks a certain pose, battle scene etc.

JC: Why do you do what you do -- create original art?

Justin: Drawing/art has always been a part of my life in some manner.  I love doing it and I'm not sure what I would do with myself if I wasn't creating it. As frustrating as it is at times, there's nothing better than when you get a piece just how you want it. It's very rewarding.

JC: Anything else you'd like to say?

Justin: After the convention season this year, I'll be starting on my own comic. My friend Matt Cahal is a wonderful writer and has laid out a pretty solid story and I'm going to give sequential art a go.

Telling stories is really what comics are about and it's a totally different challenge doing something like that as compared to head sketches/commission pieces, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Read more! Click to read Interview #1, Jason Montgomery and Monty, Inc.