Get Graphic: Fight Girls’ Sabine Rich Paints The Galaxy Red

Art by Sabine Rich

Interview by Troy-Jeffrey Allen

What does it take to be “Queen of the Galaxy?” That’s the question at the center of Frank Cho’s Fight Girls (MAY211271). An ongoing series from AWA Studios that pits ten women in a sort of Hunger Games/Squid Games/Battle Royale-style showdown for galactic royalty!

Such a contest of champions demands plenty of exotic locales and strange new lands. And those wild backdrops need a master colorist to bring Frank Cho’s imagination to life. Enter: Sabine Rich. Who may not be the queen of the galaxy (yet!), but is most certainly “countess of the color wheel”

PREVIEWSworld talked with Rich to find out more about her collaborations with Cho, how she got into comics, and just how is it that she makes pretty pictures even prettier. Keep scrolling…

How did you get involved with Fight Girls?

I have been working as Frank Cho’s colorist since 2017 when I started coloring his Harley Quinn covers for DC. Then pretty much from there, anything he would draw I would color. So, when this project came up, he asked me to color it and I said ‘yes.’ [laughs]

How did you get into comics as a pro?

So back in 2011, a friend from childhood, [Rothic series author] J.P. Roth, wrote a book and wanted to turn it into a comic book. At that point, I was sort of in-between things and was ready for something new. So, with JP Roth and two other artist friends, we started our journey in comics with no clue what we were doing. The two others drew and since I was the best at colors, I had the coloring job. Once the first comic book was done, we went to comic conventions and started meeting other people in the industry and quickly started getting work from other publishing houses as well as working on the Rothic books which there are many now, and I still work on them to this day as well.

Were you always a comic book fan? If so, what are your favorites?

Yes, I was very much into comic books growing up, but being from Europe I was into the French comic books which are called Bande Dessinée. I would borrow them from the libraries and would copy and learn from them all the time. In France, you can find them everywhere and there is a ton of them. I was only exposed to American Comics later in life, and only seriously got more into them when I actually started drawing comics.

What tools do you use to color?

I color in Photoshop and use a Wacom Intuos Pro.

What made you want to focus on coloring?

When I started in comics, even though I could draw as well. I was the best at colors in our artist group, so I got the coloring job and then just got good at it, since there seems to be a need for colors, there was always plenty of work. But I also do draw as well now, I do covers and interiors on top of the color work I do.

How does character factor into how you color a comic?

Well, I guess I would try and match their personality with the colors a bit, ie: Batman is generally dark and moody and not very colorful, whereas Superman, is more associated with a lighter, positive, more hopeful image. So, you would pick colors and a feel that gives that impression. But also, it really is according to what the artist drew, what is the scene, sometimes they have something in mind. So, there are a lot of factors involved.

What is your goal when it comes to bringing colors to the page?

Creating the right mood, making sure lighting is good, and [that] it looks interesting, and just doing the best I can with what I know. And always trying to get better and improve. [smiles] I’m still learning.

Fight Girls is in comic shops now from AWA. And if you’ve enjoyed discovering Sabine Rich’s work, give her a follow on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Check out more from Sabine — including her drawings — below.