Mailbag
šØ It's time to answer YOUR questions! š¬
Today, weāre kicking off a new recurring feature on my newsletter: The Mailbag! With these posts Iāll respond to questions submitted to me through Substack and email. Will it be monthly? Semi-monthly? Yearly? Thatās totally up to you, Dear Reader! Send in your questions today, and Iāll answer āem in an upcoming Mailbag issue!
Q: What was the catalyst in your life that sparked the desire to be a Storyteller? Was there a specific time or event or a series of them? ā Derek S.
A: I donāt know that it was any one thing. Iāve always enjoyed TV and movies and books, and when I played with my action figures and LEGOs Iād reenact scenes from my favorite stories. As a teen, I remember reading Jurassic Park in one day and being absolutely absorbed by it, and Calvin and Hobbes was immersive, as well.
The one very clear memory I have that was pivotal was watching a behind-the-scenes feature of Disneyās The Little Mermaid prior to its release in theaters. I was 8- or 9-years-old and it was the first time Iād ever heard the term ācartoonistā. And that was the moment I knew I wanted to pursue that occupation as a career.
As I grew older, I learned that a cartoonist didnāt have to be locked in to just animation. Cartoonists also made comics, and comics were a medium that I was falling more and more in love with during my teens thanks to superhero comics, newspaper comics, and Bone. And by the time I graduated high school, I had gone all-in on pursuing comics as a career.
So, yeah, like I saidāI donāt think it was any one thing. It was a series of experiences that occurred during a very formative time that gave me the passion and desire to tell stories with my cartoons.
Q: How do you tackle character and environment design before a graphic novel?
ā Kevin N.
A: With the Travis Daventhorpe series, I wanted to pay homage to the area of Southern Ohio where I live. So I based most of the environments on the little town that my family calls home. Using my phone and a drone that I borrowed, I took a bunch of pictures around the neighborhood and used those for reference. If you ever visit Kingston, OH after reading one of the Travis Daventhorpe books, youāll no doubt see a bunch of familiar sites!
Going forward, Iām going to continue that process, but Iād like to get reference from further out in the county so that future books/series feel a little different than Travis. Also, Iām going to take a page from James Burksā playbook. For his upcoming graphic novel series, he drew a bunch of recurring backgrounds prior to laying out the entire book. He then inserted those backgrounds in their respective scenes saving him a lot of time having to draw them over and over.
As far as character designs, I just draw and draw and draw until a character feels right. Sometimes it happens right away, other times it takes a while. But itās really as straight-forward as that: just drawing until the character reveals his/herself.
Q: Do you prefer working digitally or with traditional tools like pen and ink? ā Casey S.
A: Iāve been working completely digital for the past four (almost five) years, and Iāve gotten quite comfortable with it. So comfortable, in fact, thatāif Iām honest with myselfāI believe I actually prefer it to working with traditional materials. Not only is my digital toolset convenient and more efficient, but I think Iām making some of the best art of my life with it. The ease of fixing mistakes gives me room to take risks and try things that Iād be afraid to with ink and paper.
That said, there are some downsides. The technology is expensive and has to be replaced every-so-often as it improves, and as the tech wears out. Iām finishing up my third graphic novel with my current setup, and Iām noticing some strange behavior with my Apple Pencil. Itās not always charging when itās connected to the iPad, and the iPad itself isnāt lasting as long on a single charge as it used to. Small gripes, but I imagine the time is coming when these devices will have to be replaced. And I have yet to find a digital brush that captures the look and feel of a traditional brush. I miss the broken lines of a semi-dry brush pen, and I havenāt found a digital alternative that has the look Iām searching for (if you know of one, send me a link!).
A few weeks ago, I drew a picture with pen and ink as a gift for a friend. I felt very out of practice with the āanalogā tools, but it was quite satisfying holding the finished piece in my hands and appreciating the art with mistakes and all. Who knows? Maybe Iāll go back to making comics with traditional methods again (or perhaps a hybrid traditional/digital workflow). But I donāt see that happening anytime soon. The busyness of life precludes it.
Q: Who do you have in your All-Time Starting 11 for the Columbus Crew? ā Micah V.
A: FULL DISCLOSURE: I have been a casual fan of the Columbus Crew since they were first announced back in, like, 1994. Columbus was the first city to commit to Major League Soccer, and the team didnāt even have a name yet (or maybe they did and it got scrappedā¦)! Anyway, I didnāt become a diehard fan until 2022. Both of my sons play soccer and love the sport, so I began following the Crew to help me better understand the rules and strategies.
All that to say youāll notice my lineup features a lot of current players. Iām familiar with several of the stars over the past couple decades (especially during the 2008 title run), but am admittedly unfamiliar with most of the rosters prior to 2020. But you asked for MY All-Time Starting 11, and thatās what Iāll give you. Feel free to disagree, but Iām not changing anything!
Forward: Cucho Hernandez, Lucas Zelarayan, Guillermo Barros Schelotto
Midfield: Darlington Nagbe, Aidan Morris
Wing-back: Frankie Hejduk, Malte Amundsen
Fullback: Chad Marshall, Steven Moreira
Centerback: Rudy Camacho
Goalie: William Hesmer
MAILBAG
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What app on your ipad are you using to make your graphic novels? Clip Studio or Procreate? Something else?