Q. Why are you doing this?
A. That is mostly explained here.
Q. How do you produce your strips?
A. I don't consider myself an artist (maybe you noticed looking at the strips) - I've always had trouble drawing with a pen or pencil, and can't seem to get out of drawing the same odd cartoonish characters. Using a mouse and computer to draw freed me from that. I draw on the strips on a couple of different Mac computers running Eazydraw.
As far as writing, scripting, plotting, and planning layouts, I use a .05 mechanical pencil and the kind of sketchbook you can get at any mega office supply store. And big erasers.
Incidentally, the strip is the proportionate size of the comics currently found in your local paper. Although I don't think this one would translate to shrinkage well because of the font I use and the thin lines in my drawings.
Q. How come you don't have a blog?
A. I do have a blog - I've kept one since 2002. It's here. I just don't feel particularly obligated to comment on each individual strip as it runs. While I may occasionaly comment on The Home World in that blog, that's not the reason it's there. I think the strips should stand up on their own without comment.
I'm old school that way. I think art should stand up on its own without author explanatives. You shouldn't have to sit through a director's commentary in order to get insight on what a film is about (I'm talking about you, Donnie Darko).
Q. How about a little text box or something? That way you can let us know when the strip is late or delayed.
A. As long as Comic Genesis keeps up their end of our bargain, the strip will not be late. I'm working 12 weeks ahead right now, and plan to keep the lead as wide if I can. If it ever stops, then I'm in the hospital for an extended stay, I'm in the nuthouse, or I'm dead. Or I've quit the strip. But if I decide to end the strip, I'll let you know.
Q. Why are you only doing the strip once a week?
A. Because it's all I have time for. However, if I start making millions of dollars from it, I might kick up the pace a notch or two.
Q. How come you don't use word balloons?
A. I do. They're just very non-traditional.
Q. You're a writer? What else have you written?
A. Tons of advertising copy, including hundreds of radio commercials. Somewhere around fifty songs. Novels, plays, scripts for an ill-fated Marvel Comics series, short fiction, poems, and lots of random goofy stuff.
Q. Can I read some of your other writing?
A. Sure. Just go to my website. There's lots of free reading there, and things to point you in the direction of some of the longer stuff.
