Interviewed: MEGAN BRENNAN

Tell us a little about yourself

I'm from New Jersey, and I'll graduating from the School of Visual Arts this May. I've been working on posting short stories (well, compared to a graphic novel , 30-something pages is short. To me it seems pretty long right now) online at www.megan-brennan.com. Besides comics, I'm also interested in children's book illustration.

What comics or art projects are you working on right now?

 

I'm currently in the middle of working on a comic story called 'The Egg' that's also posting right now at my website. It's basically about a girl who wants to befriend a bizarre cat-monster, but runs into trouble when she can't understand it so she ends up seeking out the help of an animal psychic. I'm planning to continue to post stories within this 'universe' of characters after this story is over.

 

I'm also working on illustrations for a hypothetical children's book I began in a class this year. It's funny how comics and children's books have so much in common (both tell a narrative through words and pictures) but are also so different in rhythm and what each image or panel needs visually.

What other artists in your field inspire you?

 

Oh man, I keep writing too much for this question!

 

Right now I'm very inspired by creators like Yuko Ota and Anath Panagariya and Kate Beaton, who do comics online but also work in print, and branch out into multiple areas. I think that's an important thing to do now, as the comics field is changing.

I've also been interning with Raina Telgemeier and Dave Roman, and seeing how they work and all the little things that have to get done when putting together a graphic novel is really helpful and inspiring. They really love what they do, and it's clear that that is incredibly important in making comics.
Growing up I was really inspired by Charles Schulz and a ton of different manga and webcomic titles, and as I've been learning more about comics in school I've been inspired by Windsor McKay, Chris Ware, David B and a lot of other genius comic artists.

I'm also continually in awe of Calvin and Hobbes. It's pretty much perfect.

Do you work out of your home or do you have an office/studio space?

 

I work in my apartment right now, and in the facilities at my school. After graduation I'll be back to only working at home.

What upcoming projects are you most excited about and why?

 

I'm excited to keep working on my webcomic! I was an avid reader of webcomics when I was younger, and I'm excited to be actually making comics I'm proud of and getting them online consistently at this point.

Where do you see comics heading in the next 5 years?
I'm not so sure about what Marvel and DC will be doing, but I think print comics in general will still exist/do alright.

I hope webcomics will gain more serious recognition; so many people (even people who don't usually read comics) read them, but they don't get anywhere near as much critical recognition as print comics, which is a shame, since there are so many talented people doing great things in webcomics. I'd also love to see more experimentation with the way that webcomics are presented; I've seen a handful of great comics that really utilize the scrolling of the screen and stuff like that, and I sometimes think it gets too gimmick-y, and it's something I'm guilty of not thinking that much about, but I think it's worth exploring.

As for digitally downloaded comics, I'm slightly skeptical, just because I love physical books, and people are so used to digital things being free (webcomics and pirated manga, for example) but once tablets become more popular/afforable, I'm sure comics will be sold that way in increasing numbers.

The Devil's Concubine: ALPHONSE [spoiler warning]

Let’s go to work

The smartest cop in the city is not really interested in advancement. He just wants to solve murders. Alphonse doesn’t take things to seriously. Though he will do anything to solve a case, he is always keeping his distance through humour and fake cynicism. Alphonse has informants all over the city, and has a way of getting people to talk without resolving to brutality. While he enjoys the company of beautiful women and the occasional drink now and then, his work is always more important. Alphonse has a tremendous curiosity towards life and has a way of always looking at the bright side of things.

The Devil's Concubine: THE HAITIAN [spoiler warning]

Here comes the boogeyman

The Haitian is an independent contractor with a simple job to do; retrieve the Concubine, and kill everyone who get’s in the way.

The Haitian’s seems to have his own agenda. He doesn’t seem to care about much, but knows more than he should. He is able to go places and get to people with an eerie, almost supernatural ease. Perhaps he believes too much in his own myth. In the end he spares Linda’s life and is killed for it.

Off topic: DANISH EXPORTS

OK, so we all now and love the Danish comic book creator Palle Schmidt. But what other exports is this little Scandinavian country known for?

The first thing that comes to mind is the Vikings, but they were just as much Swedes og Norwegians, I guess. Cultural exports include filmaker Carl Th. Dreyer, and his contemporary successors Bille August, Ole Bornedal, Thomas Vinterberg, Oscar-winner Susanne Bier and, most importantly, Lars Von Trier. Viggo Mortensen, Mads Mikkelsen and Ulrich Thomsen are some Danish actors you might have seen. But have most definetely seen Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who plays Jaime in Game of Thrones.

In music we have exported bands like The Raveonettes and the drummer from Metallica. IO Interactive is a the Danish company behind the Kane and Lynch game series. Danish design and Danish pastry we all know, and Danish architect Jørn Utzon built the Sydney Opera House. In drawn art, we're famous for exporting Teddy Kristansen, Peter Snejbjerg and Peter Madsens stories of the Nordic Gods, Valhalla. Oh, and the Muhammed cartoon crisis. Maybe not our finest hour.
Apparently we invented handball, the Ombudsman and the Bodum French Press Coffeemaker, the latter a pet peeve of mine, as it is almost impossible to clean. Makes good coffee though. Carlsberg, Maersk, Novo Nordisk and Lego are some Danish brands you may have heard of and you may also know astronomer Tycho Brahe, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, comedian Victor Borge,  philopsopher Søren Kierkegaard, and writers Karen Blixen and Hans Christian Andersen.

Let me know what else you know about Denmark!

(Not you Danes. You be quiet).

Recommended: HARD EVIDENCE ON GRAPHICLY

My hardboiled crime noir story Hard Evidence in now available from Graphic.ly. The price: 0.99$! No excuse not to, right?

The Devil's Concubine: ZERKARJA [spoiler warning]

Me and the Devil

While Seth is drug kingpin of the Rastafaris, Zerkarja is the enforcer securing their position on the streets. Zerkarja will go a long way to retrive the Concubine, but even his patience has a limit. Zerkarja shares Seth’s disbelief in modern technology, never truly understanding it’s nature.

As Seth becomes blinded by his lust for the Concubine, Zerkarja remains the more practical man, staying out of LaTours office at just the right time and picking up the case in the bloody aftermath. However, Linda is not about to let him get away.

Working Methods: 2 + 2 = 7

Here's a little thing I've noticed in shows like "The Sopranos" and "Mad Men". Often times the characters are experiencing emotional inputs, getting requests and advice. All the information needed to come to the right conclusion. And then they go and do something completely unexpected. You start to wonder, what the hell were they thinking?

And that's the genius of it. It makes the audience think. And after a while, we realize that the action was perfectly logical - for that specific character.

Here's an example from "The Sopranos", season six:

The owner of a garbage disposal company is dead, and his son wants to sell the business. Only problem is, Tony Soprano used the place as a source of legitimate income. And so did one of his henchmen, Paulie Gaultieri. So they try to squeeze the kid into selling to someone they know, so they can continue using the place as a legitimate form of income. Meanwhile, Paulie is have huge issues with his mother. When the widowed mother of the kid shows up and pleads for her sons safety to Tony, Paulie has to leave the room, crying in the hallway. This is something we have never seen before, so obviously Paulie, a tough guy all round, is very moved by the widow's plea for her son's life. So the obvious conclusion is that Paulie has come to an emotional catharsis and will probably now be a gentler, more rounded character.

But what happens in the final scene, is that Paulie seeks out the kid, beats on his knees with a bat and threatens to kill him if he doesn't give him a percentage of his earnings every month. Huh!?

Of course, when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Paulie is jealous of the kid, because he has a mother who obviously loves him. Paulie wants what he's got. So he does the only thing he knows how, to get some compensation for his own, miserable life: Violence and extortion.

So when you're writing, try to think from the character's point of view, and let them do things you never would have done yourself. Gives the rest of us something to think about. And we like that, right?

Interviewed: POLLY GUO

Tell us a little about yourself

I'm an animation student at the School of Visual Arts, but I LOVE comics! I write and draw a comic called Houdini & Holmes (It's a two issue story where Houdini, after a feud with his friend Conan Doyle, is accused of murder, and it's up to Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson to prove his innocence). You can find my work at my online portfolio, my artblog, or my Vimeo account.

What comics or art projects are you working on right now?

Right now I'm working on Houdini & Holmes issue #2, which should be for sale online early this summer. I'm also working on a pitch for a comic called MORNINGSTAR (with Steve Orlando, Steven Sugar, and Thomas Mauer) and a zine of dude drawings called 28 Gays Later (with Dave Valeza, Roxie Vizcarra, and Barukurii).

What other artists in your field inspire you?

My buds Jessi Sheron, Steven Sugar, and Matt Marblo inspire me the most, not only for their kick ass art, but mostly for their pure love of storytelling and insane work ethic. Otherwise, Mike Mignola, Chris Samnee, and Guy Davis are some of my comic heroes.

Do you work out of your home or do you have an office/studio space?

Out of college dorm!

What upcoming projects are you most excited about and why?

My senior thesis film! That's the big one! I have a whole year to work on it, so I'm hoping to make it some of the best work I've produced. After I'm finished with that I'm graduating and getting dropped in the real world, aren't I? We'll see how that goes!

Where do you see comics heading in the next 5 years?

Goin digital! Not to destroy print, of course, but to catch up with the digital age, there'll be an iTunes store equivalent for comics and more people will start reading and paying for comics again because it's more convenient for them to. And hopefully then there'd be a wider audience and a larger market for comics and a stronger demand for a variety of different genres. More comics for everyone!

The Devil's Concubine: CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS [spoiler warning]

I wrote down a little more background for the main characters in "The Devil's Concubine" to be used promoting the movie deal. But since people have been asking for more about the characters, I've decided to post it here. Let's start with one of the minor characters, Seth.
Spoilers ahead!

I’ve got the power

Decadent and old-fashioned, this spooky, soft-spoken Rastafari has the respect and fear of all his underlings. He lives life in style, surrounded by antiques and beautiful women, and the odd Python snake thrown in for authentic Caribbean flavour. Seth does things the old-fashioned way, never trusting in computers or other modern trinkets. He has an almost superstitious fear of technology, and would rather trust in voodoo than a cell phone or laptop to do his bidding.

Though the Rastafaris never really kill anyone in the story, they all give off the aura of someone not to be messed with. While normally a cool professional, the promise of the mysterious substance known as “The Devil’s Concubine” drives Seth to desperate measures, including calling upon the Haitian to do the dirty work. But even Seth cannot control the Haitian and his own greed for the Concubine.

Recommended: NICHOLAS WINDING REFN

While I don't normally consider myself a patriot, I feel the urge to promote a fellow Dane here: Director Nicholas Winding Refn has consistently done quality work, since his 1996 debut "Pusher", which in my book is still the best Danish crime movie ever made.  While his films are not for everybody, he has a knack for violence, haunting images and silent hard-ass leads. His latest feature "Drive", starring Ryan Gosling, for which Refn won the prestigous Best Director award at this year's Cannes Film Festival, seems no exception.

You can watch the trailer for "Drive" here, and if you're still not convinced, watch this two-minute-clip, which will leave you with sweaty hands and pumping heart. I tip my hat to anyone who can create suspense like that.

Interviewed: RAMMER MARTINEZ SANCHEZ

Rammer Martínez Sánchez writes and recites poetry, dabbles in writing short stories, does graphic design and ambigrams, and makes comics. He's in various publications, from The Manhattan Times, logo books, online and in print literary journals, as well as various comicbook anthologies. Check his blog at http://www.smokymirrors.com/, and if you subscribe to it, he'll make sure to draw you a little original drawing commissioned by you. Find him tweeting about graphic design, comics, and chatting up with his local community @Rammerammer.

What comics or art projects are you working on right now?

I just finished a book design. It's about the spirituality in Hip-hop and vice versa. It's called Beyond the Four Walls: The Rising Ministry and Spirituality of Hip-Hop, by Walter Hidalgo-Olivares. But I'm like an octopus in that I'm always juggling things around. I'm drawing storyboards as well as reading my friends' writings as well as strangers' writings and drawing to stay sharp for my next comicbook gigs.

What other artists in your field inspire you?

I try to get inspired by everything and anything. It's the best, most casual, most direct, and cheapest way to stay inspired and keep yourself on your toes.

I find myself loving a lot the classic artists (Picasso, Auguste Rodin, Alphonse Mucha, MC Escher, to name-drop a few), fine artists that are making moves (David Choe, my ex-professor Tim Okamura, Shawn Barber, and recently Rigo Peralta), graf artists like Dister Rondon, great graphic designers like Milton Glaser, Paula Scher, Herb Lublin, Kandinsky, Paul Rand, et al. Even the innumerable links I find myself coming across in the vastness of the internet. Some I ended up being grateful of knowing about is Kris Kuksi's sculptures and Brian Despain's paints.

James Jean is a force in comics. So is Sean Gordon Murphy. I've just picked up Vertigo's New York Five, and think Ryan Kelly's art is amazing. As far as comicbooks being different and stepping it up on its evolution, Kurt Christenson's and Chris Chua's Legend of Liquid Fury is exemplar.

But I'd like to stress that I try to be inspired by anything, and that which is harder to grasp (if I can grasp it): that lingering feeling you know you can't replicate, that white-heat of inspiration when you witnessed something, someone, or some thought in life. We, as artists, have synesthesia as our greatest weapon: the ability to turn something that otherwise isn't in the form of art, like a song, or anything abstract, and turn it into that form of your choice while hoping that it rings true. The swapping of the realms of ideas in the form of the swapping of the senses. That's why I love comicbooks as a medium. It's such a bazaar of the senses, that it's versatile in its ability to express the most unexpressible.

Do you work out of your home or do you have an office/studio space?

I work out of my home. I try to keep my working area as manageable as possible, not working on things that are too big. Big in idea or meaning, not big in canvas. Plus, the other stuff I work on tends to be done on my computer, so that helps.

What upcoming projects are you most excited about and why?

Well, I mentioned the book design for Beyond the Four Walls. I have stuff that's up in the air currently, and some other stuff I don't think I have the liberty to talk about. But get plugged in on my blog SmokyMirrors.com and/or my twitter. Things always get announced there when the time's right.

Where do you see comics heading in the next 5 years?

Aside from how many great talents are stepping into the mediums sandbox, for more to the strength of the medium. Aside from all these new stories we're being presented by, there are other amazing things happening in comics.

The comicbook medium is still in its infancy, I feel. There are going to occur some huge evolutionary changes within comicbooks. It's begun already. It might not be what people expect, and some might argue if its a comicbook or not, and they should argue it. That's the point. We're going to step into uncharted land, and identifying what exactly these things are, is what needs to happen. We should be our Adam to this beautiful comicbook Eden. Motion comics are just the beginning, and that alone is fanning to various hybrids.

I will make sure I contribute to this cause. And if you start checking my stuff out, you'll begin to see what I'm speaking about. I'm trying to get the medium to it's very edge, and strip or bend the rules as much as I can to see what it does to our brains, to our eyes. Of course, all in it's proper project.

There are others doing the same. It's gonna turn Dada-comics, Beat-comics, something new and unknown. We will just have to seat ourselves back and watch us unfold it.

The Devils Concubine: MORE SKETCHBOOK STUFF

Interviewed: JOSH SHALEK

Tell us a little about yourself

I grew up in Tucson, Arizona. The desert continues to influence my work. I drew comic strips for my high school and college newspapers and my first daily comic for The Colorado Daily in Boulder, Colorado. I've been drawing the daily comic Welcome to Falling Rock National Park for the past five years, which is distributed to college newspapers by the McClatchy-Tribune Campus wire service. In 2009 I was a semi-finalist for Universal Press Syndicate's Comic Strip Superstar contest. I self-publish Falling Rock book collections and can be found at comic conventions when I'm not at home in Portland, Oregon.

What comics or art projects are you working on right now?

Doing a daily comic strip for nine months out of the year really takes up most of my time. Welcome to Falling Rock National Park is something I hope to continue drawing for many years to come. I'm glad I have the outlet for a daily strip, but also glad I have the summers off to work on other projects. I've made two foldy comics and am currently working on a story about zombies - at under 100 pages, I'm calling it a graphic novella.

What other artists in your field inspire you?

Bill Watterson is the first and foremost. Calvin and Hobbes continues to inspire so much of what I do, both in terms of character and art. Richard Thompson does Cul de Sac, which is one of the great comic strips of all time. James Kochalka's diary comic American Elf is funny, poignant, and beautifully drawn. Keith Knight's many comics are so full of energy and ideas, and he also sets a great example of the self-publisher making it into the bigger world of syndication. In this weird subculture of minicomics and zines, my friends and convention comrades Kenan Rubenstein, Reid Psaltis, Neil Brideau and Matt Ocasio are essential.

Do you work out of your home or do you have an office/studio space?

Right now my drawing board and computer are in our bedroom, but we'll be moving soon so I'll have a whole room to myself. I've never had a studio but could see getting one in the future. Whenever I visit friends who have studios I can see how much sense it makes - getting out of the house and getting work done, it's like Starbucks without the three drink minimum.

What upcoming projects are you most excited about and why?

My book about zombies is almost all inked. It will be the longest single story I've ever drawn, double the length of Dancing With Jack Ketch (a pirate story I did a few years back). There are so many zombie stories, I wanted to see what I could bring to the proverbial table. These are not evil zombies, and the story does not take place in a post-apocalyptic world. Here's hoping people like it.

Where do you see comics heading in the next 5 years?

More online, more conventions, more small press and self-published books. Newspapers seem to be cutting themselves out of the loop, in terms of comics. I'd be interested to see if the remaining comic strip syndicates would simply run a comic strip on the web and periodically publish book collections. This is what many of us do now already on our own, but not very many cartoonists are good entrepreneurs (myself included). I love the comic strip form and can't imagine a world without it. They have been such an indelible part of our culture for the past 100 years; what would it mean if they just ceased to exist? Comic strips have to find a new home, and I think that will be on the internet and on the bookshelves next to graphic novels.

For more info and artwork check out joshshalek.com

The Devil's Concubine: CLOWNS TO THE LEFT OF ME...

A reviewer wrote about the Danish edition: "A hit-man dressed as a clown? Seen it before!"

Now, where have we seen that before?

I don't really know. My idea came from a role-playing game scenario.

The plot: 6 bad-ass criminals hired to do a job for an unknown party. A hit in a mall restaurant and the retrieval of a mysterious case. Yes, that sounds familiar too. I stole the plot (from myself!) for "The Devil's Concubine".

In the scenario, none of the hired guns knew each other. They were all given codenames; Bingo, Krusty, Bozo... I know, that sounds familiar too. I was immensely influenced by a little movie called "Reservoir Dogs". You may have seen it. If not, what are you doing reading this? Go find a movie store RIGHT NOW!

So, why clowns? Two reasons; First off, I wanted the players to show whether they had their disguises on or not, in-game. So I bought a truckload of ping-pong balls, painted them red and cut a slit in all all of them. Just big enough that it would fit on your nose, in a not very comfortable way. I had dozens of red noses drying on every surface in my apartment, hanging like Christmas decorations ot strings betwwen the furniture. Guests were amused and/or feared for my mental state.

The other reason, was of course the code names. Q: "Why do I have to be Bozo?" A: "Because you're a clown!" Again, a reference to "Reservoir Dogs".

But I actually think the main reason was the song featured on the movie soundtrack:

"Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you..."

Recommended: ARCH ENEMY

Bunch of losers take on a superhero. Sounds like an uneven battle. Can't wait to see this thing unfold! And now everyone can follow the story on Graphicly, where the first three issues are online.

Danish cartoonist Lars Kram draws in a distinctive noir style his dialogue rings true and his characters stand out as real people. The premise is original and the project refreshingly ambitious, not to mention a great read. The story is off to a running start and never slows down. If Kram can keep this up and keep throwing surprises our way, what we're seeing here is a great comic book creator in the making. I can only encourage you all to get on this train before it leaves!

The two first issues of Arch Enemy are free, after that the book costs 0.99 $. It IS in English btw! Check it out here.

Working Methods: REJECTION TIME

A novel of mine bounced again yesterday.

Like always, I opened the document where I have listed the names of publishing houses that might be right for this project, copy/pasted the adress of the next publisher on that list and sent the novel off again.

I only take one quick look at the reason I was given, why this particular publisher wasn't interested. Some say it's the plot. Some say it's the characters. Some give off the unmistakeble feeling that they haven't read the book. These are the worst kind of rejection. The editor sat on it for two months, wasting my time. And I've wasted his, obvoiously. I wish editors would read the first ten pages within a week, and reject it immediately, if they didn't feel like reading on. Save us all some time.

I never change a comma after getting a rejection. If a publisher is interested and they want me to change stuff, great. But why would I try to adapt to the random opinion of somebody, who has already said no?

Dealing with rejection is part of being a writer. Everyone will tell you that. My advice is, try not to take it personally, and move on. Sure your book can be better, but you use your own judgement and a few carefully chosen readers for that part. When a publisher says no, you can't expect a straight answer why. It's like the girl that won't go out with you. Don't try to push her for reasons. Don't take it personally. It's chemistry. It's that she's in love with someone else, or is at a time and place in her life, where you just don't fit in. I'ts bad luck. William Golding's Lord of the Flies was rejected by twenty-one publishers before Faber and Faber finally picked it up. No sense ruminating or feeling sorry for yourself. Move on.

And send your novel off again. Immediately.

Last but not least, be busy. If you're writing another book or excited about another project, rejection won't knock you off your feet when it comes. And it will. If you sit around waiting for publishers to get back to you, you'll be miserable. It takes months for them to not read your book. Mark the calender, write them back six weeks later and ask if they've gotten around to it, and you can get your rejection and move on. But you're busy doing something else, so it doesn't bother you so much, right?

Never wait. Send off your novel again and get back to work.

Interviewed: TOM FORGET

Tell us a little about yourself

Tom Forget. Originally from Rhode Island but in Brooklyn since September 2000. Currently punching the clock at HarperCollins Publishers designing jackets and interiors for teen and young adult novels. No awards to speak of since High School when they put my name on a plaque for having the highest English average. When not making a living making books look "like Twilight," I'm illustrating, designing, and writing for a number of people, most recently contributing a pulse-accelerating pinup to the back of the third issue of Archaia's FEEDING GROUND. My site is tomforget.com, and I also mastermind two truly moronic blogs: gazelle family netflix reviews (I'm Tommy Gazelle, http://gazellefamily.tumblr.com/), and Shivered Clay Killing, a conceptual art project where I discuss public restrooms (http://shiveredclaykilling.tumblr.com/). In addition, I co-founded MAMMAL magazine (mammalmag.com), which I also edit and co-art direct.

What comics or art projects are you working on right now?

No comics work happening right now, but I'm constantly working on personal projects aimed at galleries. I work in ballpoint pen on found pieces of wood that have layers of age on them. I sand away or add to the textures, then draw over that once the ground is properly prepared. I'm heavily influenced by Pushead's heavy metal t-shirt aesthetic. Up next I'm going to be trying to figure out a way to integrate lighting and frosted glass. Could be a disaster. My other new project is my public bathroom blog, which acts as a meta commentary on personal blogs. I don't really give away personal details, but shat I say about public bathrooms will gradually sketch out my persona for people over time. It's kind of an "oblique self-portrait" using a reference point everyone can relate to. I am also constantly open to doing work in my more traditional crime/noir painting style, which is directly descended from pulp paperback covers.

What other artists in your field inspire you?

Ugh. Too many to list, but, in no order, rhyme or reason (many of these cats are not in my field but mean more to me than those who are - - in fact, when it comes to book cover design, I know few people's names):

Francis Bacon, Sean Phillips, Scott Walker, Darwyn Cooke, H.P. Lovecraft, Wally Wood, Charles Burns, Cindy Sherman, Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, Pushead, Louise Bourgeois, Joe Coleman, Marcel Duchamp, David Simon, Elmore Leonard, Raymond Pettibon, Benjamin Marra, Matthew Barney, Jean-Luc Godard, Sam Peckinpah, Glenn Danzing, James Ellroy, Jim Steranko, Jack kirby, Frank Frazetta, Morrissey, Donald Westlake, Lawrence Block, Ed Brubaker, Jim Thompson, Eduardo Risso, etc. etc. etc. and on and on.

Do you work out of your home or do you have an office/studio space?

Yeah - all of my personal work is done at home. I don't need much more space to paint and draw, though with some of the ideas I'm working on, it will probably help me to work out of my parents' basement, as they have a full wood shop and I'm sort of branching out into 3-dimensions.

What upcoming projects are you most excited about and why?

Upcoming projects I'm excited about include a larger piece I'm starting to sketch out that involves frosted glass and LED lighting. I have no idea how it's going to shake out but I've known for a while I wanted to integrate frosted glass into my work. I'm also going to be talking to my co-conspirators about the fourth issue of MAMMAL, which if we go ahead and make it will include a hallucinatory comic I want to do about a woman who has sex with a demon in exchange for fame. It's inspired by a Serpieri comic I read over my friend's shoulder that kind of blew my mind. I was really into Dash Shaw's Spider-Man story in STRANGE TALES 2 and want to try my hand at that kind of non-traditional comic page design. We'll see!

Where do you see comics heading in the next 5 years?

I think the ipad is going to start to have an effect. That and pdf format comics you can download at home. I don't think they'll bite into the market a huge amount at first, but eventually they'll make an impact. I think people are going to be making as many or more comics than they ever have, but the traditional model of putting out a monthly periodical on bound paper is going to be less and less of the norm. I also expect people are going to be using social networking and technology to publish and publicize a lot more of their own stuff and bypassing the traditional methods of getting books out there. If creators have the freedom to avoid printing presses and distribution networks by outputting their work directly to pdf and websites, there might be an explosion of weird independent voices (as well as a fair bit of dreck.) It has the potential to be like the music industry - - it's not dying, just taking strange new forms. I think comics could be headed that way.