Discover Tony Morgan -An Interview.

Subject: Tony Morgan

Published Works: Throwing Bones (2009), The Chicken Leg Bone Boy (2008), Paranoiacritical 333 (1998-2008)

Current Project: The Chronicles of Van Helsing (2010)

“Dark but elegant.” -Merrick, The Sequential Art Gallery

Ext. Night. Broadway St. Portland, Oregon. It is raining. It feels very appropriate as my friends and I walk down Broadway looking for The Sequential Art Gallery. I don’t see sign; it’s not more than three feet in front of me. Adam calls out, “this must be the place.”

I look and see the Gunbaby Graphics sign; the words are lit up in the window of the gallery, the door next to it. We shuffle in, out of the rain. Tony Morgan greets us as we enter. He is the artist I came to write about. I shake his hand and say hello. I want to look around first. I haven’t been to a gallery show in a year or so and that one was a bit stuffy; this show however, was more like a cozy get-together of friends who all had the same appreciation for the art displayed. It was comic art, no, sequential art. Art that told a story. The geek in me grinned.

I began with the portraits I most want in my collection. I had seen prints at the Olympia show where I first met Morgan but this time, I was looking at the originals. “Just Sitting on Top O’ Dis Wall” an ink and acrylic on paper, a one page comic strip, makes me grin with it’s Humpty-Dumpty feel and the creepy bald-headed-baby-men.

My favorite, “Attack of the Sea Monkey’s” a throw back to old pulp fiction book covers, has a chimpanzee in an old divers suit –helmet off- screaming in rage and ready to attack. My description can’t justify its nostalgic brilliance. Later, I would ask him about this piece. I discovered it was part of a themed show of sequential art. Morgan revealed, “I have a short story for it too.” My eyes lit with interest.

“I’ve got the story plotted, and the first page or two storyboarded, but it’s still a ways from being finished, since it will be fully painted. Sometime in the next year, I think,” Morgan replied.

Moving to the next piece, I discovered a very familiar painting. A pin-up Morgan recently completed for Adam Watson’s “The Chronicles of Van Helsing” –coming in 2010 from Darkslinger Comics. Not surprising, it was the first piece sold, selling within the first half-hour of the show!

I followed the crowd around a corner. A painting hung on the wall before me, the whole wall. I got close, wanting that tactile feeling of the canvas but found contentment in my gazing. The description read, "Li'l Lies" oil on canvas, 72" x 45". I stepped back and sat on the black leather couch, the center of the gallery. My eyes transfixed on the painting before me. Something eerily terrifying and proverbial struck me. I studied the picture of a woman who sat on her legs, looking as though she’s fatigued from crying but no longer shedding tears. Her dress, perhaps torn, sags at her waist revealing her ample breasts; one hand hides the other with lightly blood stained fingers. Strange flowers crawl out from the corner in front of her knee, a skull rests just beyond her thigh. I continue to examine every inch of this macabre portrait. The sky, if it wasn’t painted with waves of blue I would compare it with fire. Burning. Tugging at my heart, its dark center touched some deep sadness. She makes me morn without being sad.

I decided not to ask Morgan about this one, it stirs me and I do not want my feeling tampered with, for is not art in the eye of the beholder?

I have work to do; I move on.

Catching up with Anthony Alvarado, the author of “Throwing Bones,” I discovered the origins of the book.

Alvarado met Morgan at a backyard barbeque with mutual friends. A conversation over beer led to ideas for a collaboration.

“I came up with the original idea of constructing a deck of cards with archetypal images meant to foster creativity- although in the past I know that Philip K. Dick, for example, wrote the man in the High Castle, whilst consulting I-Ching. So using elements of randomness to spark creativity is an idea that has been around the block a few times (check out composers like John Cage) so, the original idea was to build a deck of cards. That would have involved Tony pretty much doing all the work though, so we came up with the idea of myself making a story for each word as well,” Alvarado told me.

Choosing, “archetypal primal meaty words [like], Forrest- I did a fairy tale; Toad- involves an alien; Horse- a '57 mustang… I don't want to give away the other ten for free (laughs)… the drawings and [stories] in the book pretty much sum up my thoughts and feelings about the words… Ideally what we'd like to do is come out with four volumes so we have 52 stories."

I decided to follow my instincts. To really discover Tony Morgan, I would need to learn about his journey. My upcoming interview was quickly becoming more of a mini bio. How did the opportunity to show his work in this gallery come about?

To answer that question I sought out the curator of The Sequential Art Gallery, Kaebel J.K. Hashitani.

“I first heard about Tony from our mutual friend, Brandon Seifert. Brandon mentioned this incredible art exhibit he saw in Fairbanks, Alaska, and that the artist's name was Tony Morgan. Brandon mentioned this several times more before I finally met Tony, at the Stumptown Comics Fest 2007. And his art was everything Brandon had said it was,” recounted Hashitani. “Side note: Brandon's recounting of Tony's show is now the forward to Tony's book, "ParanoiaCritical 333".

When it came to the show Hashitani said, “we began discussing an exhibit of his work around October 2008, when I asked him to be a part of my group show for December 2008. He didn't know exactly what he wanted to do for a show at the time, but we had settled on November 2009 as his exhibition month, so there was time to determine the theme of the show. I wasn't concerned about the content for the show, given what I'd already seen of Tony's work. I figured it would be best to let ideas percolate in his head for a while. When he started working on the book with Anthony, that's when he said he knew what the show was going to entail.”

“Seeing the body of work thus far I said, whatever you want to do you have the space,” Hashitani replied when asked how the set up was decided upon.

Morgan had said his wife was going to show up. I had never met her, never seen a picture of her. But when I saw her, I knew, the beautiful hippie I would soon question was the Elsa Dye. She is his friend, his confident, his editor and ever his collaborator. They were high school sweet hearts and have been together ever since.

I found Dye to be quiet and perhaps a little shy. Her answers were short but answered with a grin. Asking about her own artistic inclinations she revealed her talent as a seamstress. Showing me pics on her phone I found her work to be of great talent. She is presently working on a Tudor/Victorian combo for a client and hopes to get into costuming. For my filmmaking and theater friends I would highly recommend her.

The night was dwindling down. I had met many creative people and found I must come back to First Thursdays as often as I can. I now felt well prepared to interview Tony Morgan and was looking forward to picking his brain the coming Saturday in Puyallup at Comic Evolution’s Mixed Bag of Nuts event.

DAY II.

Int. Day. Comic Evolution Puyallup, WA – Mixed Bag of Nuts comic event. It was pouring, I mean pouring. As comic creators began filing in, setting up their table space, I perused the wares of the “Purveyor of picture packed paperback publications and a plethora of peculiar pop culture paraphernalia” that is Puyallup’s Comic Evolution.

Noon rolled around the doors opened to the public. Not even the heavy rain could keep my fellow geeks away. Visitors and customers trickled in, soon filling the store with art and comic lovers of all ages.

With healthy crowd size, Tony Morgan and Anthony Alvarado seized the moment to perform an impromptu theatrical reading “Throwing Bones”. Morgan sat in a chair, Alvarado stood behind him and the make shift props were explained: a pen for a knife and an invisible glass of whiskey. The audience was held captive as Morgan playing a suicidal man spoke in a comical tone barely keeping a straight face and Alvarado, played the devils advocate or perhaps the devil himself, with the experience of a well vetted thespian.

“I can’t get drunk… I’m an alcoholic,” Morgan read and melodramatically acted out. Laughter filled the store. The two creators of “Throwing Bones” held us captive with the internal struggle of a character that could not see the possibilities life holds. The play ended with Alvarado’s red scarf wrapped around Morgan’s neck. The character dying as he finishes describing his first memory of snow. The tension relieved with Alvarado playfully comment, “I got a little into it.”

The event was winding down; my opportunity to interview Tony Morgan had arrived. I finally sat down with him and discussed his origins and found out how comics had played a role in his life and his future in the sequential arts.

Read the next blog for my one on one Q&A with Tony Morgan.

Part II. Tony Morgan: An Introduction

Tony Morgan was born and raised in the great state of Alaska. Graduating from Skyview High School in Soldotna, Alaska in 1993. He then moved to Seattle to attend Cornish College of the Arts earning his Bachelors Degree in Print with a minor in Sculpture in 1998. After college Morgan bounced around the country. First to New Mexico then Texas, Vermont, Maine and returned to Alaska before taking a general construction job at South Pole Station, Antarctica for a season. Before he settled in the Portland area where he’s been since.

As for work, Morgan, in addition to his artistic endeavors, owns and operates a metal shop. Describing his typical work routine Morgan says, “I just work all the time. You never have to start cause you never stop. My studio and shop are in my home so I can go back and forth. When the machine is on I can go in the studio and do a comic page.”

I sat down with Morgan determined to learn about this Alaskan turned Portlander artisan.

W/I C: Is there a story for why you “bounced” around the country, is there a creative or artistic reason?

Morgan: Yeah, I definitely have the wanderlust. Some of it may have to do with growing up in Alaska, and just wanting to get out and see what the rest of the country, and the world, had to offer. I would definitely like to do more traveling in the future, but Portland really feels like home now.

W/I C: You live near Vancouver, WA now. But your websites say you’re in Portland, OR. Could you clear this up?

Morgan: (smiles) I haven’t changed it yet. I’ve been in the new place for six months.

W/I C: So what inspired you to create your own comic?

Morgan: Comics not necessarily. I didn’t think I had the stamina for comics but once you get into it, it just flows.

W/I C: What was the first comic you ever read?

Morgan: No freakin’ idea, probably Archie. The collected superhero digest magazines. They had Superman, Plastic-Man, etc. There was an Aquaman story that was kinda creepy… and the self contained stories because where I grew up buying single issues was difficult to get a whole story so having the digest you got the whole story.

W/I C: Who, would you say are your biggest influences?

Morgan: Simon Beasley; Frank Miller; Alexis Neno; Mobius; there’s been so much stuff, Katsuhiro Otomo

W/I C: Sweet! An Otomo fan. What is your fave of his work?

Morgan: By far his best is Akira.

W/I C: I totally agree. I have to ask you though, I’m a big fan of the original dub-no patience for subtitles- what do you think about the new dub they did for the DVD release?

Morgan: I’d rather watch with the subtitles.

W/I C: You’re a purest. (Laughs) Okay back on topic. Do you have any groupies?

Morgan: The groupies? Sadly I haven’t had any genuine ones. Elsa is kinda like a groupie but I married to her.

W/I C: You sell prints of your work at cons. With the success of Paul Guinan’s Boilerplate book, do you have any plans to expand your audience to geriatrics by publishing a coffee table book of your prints?

Morgan: No plans of yet. (chuckles) Are geriatrics the only ones who buy them?

W/I C: (Laughs) I don’t know. Okay how were Mr. Freaky and The Chicken Leg Bone Boy conceived?

Morgan: Mr. Freaky just showed up. I take no responsibility for that. (smiles) Chicken Leg Bone Boy happened when I had a dream while driving through Canada. Well I wasn’t sleeping; you can’t sleep while your drive…

W/I C: (laughing) says you.

Morgan: I was nervous about entering into comics but was doing these strips so I sat down and made it. It was quite different than the original dream of course.

W/I C: Speaking of your first comic strips. What is ParanoiaCritical 333?

Morgan: It’s a collection of strips I did in a ten-year period. Mini-zine stuff. But The Chicken Leg Bone Boy was published first even though ParanoiaCritical was done first. The publication of it followed [CLBB].

W/I C: Brandon Seifert (Witch Doctor) wrote the forward for ParanoiaCritical 333, how did that come about?

Morgan: Brandon recounts the how in the forward. I choose him because he was one of the first to see the comics. I had a show in Alaska and he bought some of the strips.

W/I C: You have a minor in Sculpture. How often do you create sculptures?

Morgan: Often, but not as often as I draw. I'm working on a piece for the December show at Sequential Art right now.

W/I C: Do you have a favorite sculpture?

Morgan: Well, I have kind of a special attachment to some of the puppets I’ve made. They seem to have a certain amount of personality.

W/I C: How do you choose between a sculpture and a drawing when you have an image in your mind?

Morgan: It all depends on what I’m trying to do. And I often don’t have an image in mind when I start. That’s usually something that develops out of the process. Comics are maybe the one exception to that, since they require a certain amount of planning.

W/I C: How do you recharge your creative well?

Morgan: I like to travel when I can. I like to walk around in the woods. Sometimes dreams, dreams get better depending on what you are doing. And doing shows. Shows they get you wound up talking to people gets you excited about doing more.

W/I C: What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? Anthony Alvarado chimes in, “Live is a river.”

Morgan: (laughs) Allen Spiegel asked me, “Why the hell do you want to get into comics? It’s a lot of work and you don’t make any money.” That’s true but it doesn’t have to be. The best advice not to take. You do [comics] because you love it!

W/I C: Any pit falls you’ve learned to avoid?

Morgan: Probably. I’m not sure.

The proprietor of Comic Evolution adds his two cents, “Don’t go to Puyallup.”

W/I C: You are in the middle of a book tour for “Throwing Bones” can you tell us a little about the experience?

Morgan: It’s been fun to do a bunch of dates in a row as opposed to spread throughout the year. And promoting one thing has been fun with Anthony doing readings.

W/I C: What will your focus be in 2010?

Morgan: Anthony and I are going to keep working together and I’m working on Darkslinger stuff [The Chronicles of Van Helsing]. Jason [Pott] and I just finished a story but I don’t know when it’s coming out.

Excited about his upcoming project with Darkslinger Comics, Morgan says, “I can’t wait for all this to get over so I can start working on Van Helsing. Sometimes it’s good to get the anticipation up.”

He spies a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figure commenting on how they look like the original comic by Mirage. We begin reminiscing on the Turtle merchandise we had as kids and what we still have. The time comes to break down our tables and pack everything up. Break down is a bit faster then set up. As it should be, there’s an after party to go to and we all want to see if Adam Watson is going to puke in his cup again.

Special Thanks to The Sequential Art Gallery – 328 NW Broadway St. Apt. 113 Portland, Oregon 97209; Kaebel, Merrick and Molly; Anthony Alvarado; Elsa Dye and of course Adam Watson for introducing me to everyone.

Adam Watson Interview Part III

Part III

W/I C: Lets switch gears a bit and discuss your history with comics. When did your love affair with comics begin? What was your first funny book?

Watson: My love affair with comics first began around the time my parents divorced when I was eight-years-old. My dad was a truck driver and would buy them for me to read when I was along for the entire day.

The first comic I remember ever buying was Willow #1. On a side note, I really, really hate the term “funny books”.

W/I C: (Laughs.)

Watson: I first picked up Willow, not for my love of comic books but because I really really love Willow!”

W/I C: Have you read the Chris Claremont novels?

Watson: No. I own them but haven’t gotten to them yet. You need a lot of time to read anything Claremont writes. (Laughs)

W/I C: How long had you though about doing comics before you began dabbling?

Watson: The thought had been in my mind since I was about twelve years old. But I didn’t start writing scripts til I was about 21.

W/I C: Many of us who proudly proclaim our geekhood or discretely hide it in our parents’ attic or basement found something in comic books that we didn’t have in real life. Could you share with us how comics have influenced your childhood and adult life?

Watson: Comics helped me escape from the reality of my parents’ divorce, which is probably why they were so appealing to me in the first place. Besides giving me a mild case of OCD it’s hard to pinpoint exact things it’s done for me. I’ve certainly made a lot of good friends I may not have met other wise.

And I’ve always been an out of the closet geek.

W/I C: You’ve talked a lot about the cost of producing your books. As the writer you have to hire your artists. For other writers out there who want to tell their stories in graphic form could you tell us how you find your artists?

Watson: The easiest way I found is through the talent search on Digital Webbing or by befriending one through a show or through some one you know.

W/I C: You met your artist for El Bovine Muerte, Nick Larsen through your wife, is that correct?

Watson: They had been lifetime friends. She told me he wanted to get into comics and he should talk to me.

W/I C: What did you have him submit to you before you choose him for the web comic?

Watson: I had him do character designs for Diary of a Deadman (2011?)

W/I C: Could you share your best/worst experience with hired help?

My worst… I prefer to keep that private; I don’t air such things publicly.

It’s hard to narrow down [my best] I’ve worked with a multitude of great talent.

W/I C: What would your advice be for those considering hiring help?

Watson: Make sure you have enough money to do it. It is very expensive to do correctly. Save your money, budget wisely and don’t skimp on quality. It can be a great process when done correctly but a horrendously bad one if you go into it blindly.

W/I C: Have you seen a decline in sales during these harsh economic times?

Watson: Online, yes. At conventions, not as much but I’ve scaled down the amout of cons I’ve gone to comparatively to last year. The comic world seems to have it’s own economy. Which has certainly been hit but luckily I think people still need their escapism.

W/I C: Has the countries economic crisis affected you and your family?

Watson: No. In fact we are making more money now that we have before. But in the long run who can tell.

W/I C: Who had the greatest influence on your career and are there any comic stars you would call yourself a fan of?

Watson: Oh, plenty! The writer I most look up to is Garth Ennis. My comic hero is Jeff Smith. I’m also a big fan of Warren Ellis; Kurt Busiek; Gail Simone; Fabian Nicieza; the list goes on and on. When I met Nicieza at a con I was 13-years-old. I had some sort of weird overwhelming thing occur that wouldn’t let me speak.

How do you recharge your creativity?

My mind is constantly going. I can’t ever seem to shut the damn thing off. Usually going to the movies or strip club works but even then I have the occasional story idea or business idea pop into my head.

I’m probably one of the few comic creators who have done networking at strip clubs.

W/I C: Can you tell us a bit about your writing habits?

Watson: My habits are sporadic. Somedays I’ll write for five hours straight. Then sometimes I’ll go weeks without working on a thing. I’m nowhere near as disciplined as my good buddy Alan [Bennett]. However, I’m always thinking of new marketing and business strategies. So even when I’m not writing I’m working on the company in one fashion or another.

W/I C: When it comes to spreading to spreading the gospel of Darkslinger Comics, you use the web like a dirty little whore. Can you tell us why you believe this is so important for indie creators?

Watson: It’s the easiest way tot get seen for free! If a prostitute ever offers you a freebie should you ever say no? (Laughs) Besides I’ve never heard of any one getting syphilis from using thee Internet.

W/I C: Is it true you have groupies?

Watson: Define groupies.

W/I C: What is the Darkslinger Mafia?

Watson: It is the official street team of Darkslinger Comics. It’s’ my creators, my fans, and anyone who will drop my companies name to a comic nerd. Think the kiss army divided by a million.

W/I C: Groovy. K, got a couple more. If re-incarnation exists what animal would you like to come back as?

Watson: A wolverine. They are clumsy and not very talented but through shear meanness they get the job done, damnit!

W/I C: Last one, if you could live in any comic universe beyond your own, which would it be?

Watson: Any? The Eros Universe.

W/I C: (Laughs.) Okay, okay. Good stuff. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

Well that is the end of our interview with Darkslinger Comics’ creator, Adam Watson. Don’t forget to visit us again next Monday when our interview with enigmatic Tony Morgan the author and artist behind The Chicken Leg Bone Boy will be posted.

Adam Watson Interview Part II

W/I C: You live in a very small community, would you say this has helped or hindered your success?

Watson: Neither. Though I have sold product to local people I am not actively involved in the community I live in. So it neither hinders, nor helps my career.

W/I C: Can you tell us what it was like to meet your first fan?

Watson: I honestly can’t say who my first fan was but I do recall a guy at an early show I did who asked if he could get images from GA tattooed on him. It felt very surreal but at the same time overwhelmingly cool. And for the first time gave me the confidence booster I needed to allow my mind to think I could actually go somewhere with this.

By the way if you are reading this send me a pic of that tat!

W/I C: Since then you‘ve run into fans in odd places. Can you tell us about the gas station?

Watson: (Laughs.) On my way to a show in Olympia and because the way I dress [the attendant] asked if I was going somewhere to play in a band. But I told him I was a comic creator. He asked what I had done. When I said Ghost Assassin I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he had an autographed copy in his bedroom.

W/I C: How cool was that?

Watson: Very cool. In fact I tell Ty [Wakefield (Alternate Reality Comics)] and Alan [Bennett (Johnny Vega)] all the time that’s the success they need.

W/I C: Do you consider yourself a Rock Star?

Watson: No, not by any means. But I would like to be remembered as the most brutal comic creator of all time!

W/I C: You even had a fan come to a con just for your next book.

Watson: Yes, in fact I did. She’s a hardcore fan who has all the books Darkslinger has put out and constantly pesters me when the new issues will come out. Still hard to believe she paid an eight dollar entrance fee for a three dollar book.

W/I C: Speaking of cons, how many do you average in a year?

Watson: Last year I did 47 shows and signings. This year I knocked it back to twelve. However, next year I will do thirty plus.

W/I C: Why so many? Has it helped to spread the word about your work?

Watson: It is the number one way I’ve spread the word of my work and why I’ve done so many. Same reason a band tours non stop for a year.

W/I C: For people not familiar with your work how would you describe it?

Watson: It’s different for every comic I do. Ghost Assassin is about a hit man who can see ghosts. It is my action-drama comic. The Pauper is my 90’s gritty superhero comic. The Chronicles of Van Helsing is a comic about a family of vampire hunters, and my up coming web comic is the best comic about a cow I’ve ever written!

W/I C: 2010 is a big year for Darkslinger Comics. You have three artists working on three new titles. Could you enlighten us on these projects?

Watson: Actually 4 currently set to be released [in 2010]. El Bovine Muerte, which we’ve discussed; The Pauper, currently being worked on by Herb Richardson; The Chronicles of Van Helsing, a ninety-eight page graphic novel illustrated by uber-talented Tony Morgan (The Chicken Leg Bone Boy); a Ghost Assassin/Johnny Vega crossover book that Darkslinger is co-producing with Black Box Comics and of course 2010 will see the release of a new volume of our very popular sketch book series.

W/I C: Lets start with The Chronicles of Van Helsing. Why did you choose Bram Stoker’s version of the vampire over the more popular sexy-brooding-“now with more sparkles”-blood-sucking-yet-guilt-ridden-vamp?

Watson: If only I had a steak to shove into the heart of every sparkly vampire. My vampires borrow from several old lore’s, not just Stoker. But in my opinion he wrote the bible for what a vampire should be like and how it should act. The only writer I really feel improved on this was Kim Newman. He had Stoker as a character in his book if that tells you anything. Fuckin’ sparkly vampires! (Laughs)

W/I C: What first inspired the Van Helsing story?

Watson: Originally I conceived of the idea for a writing contest I was entering and when I didn’t win I thought it was to good an idea to let go so I reworked it until I was happy with it.

W/I C: Why did you choose the graphic novel format over a series of comics?

Watson: It was the way it was written I thought the story would lend it self better to that format as a graphic novel as opposed to four or five comics. I am all about experimentation there is no one right way to do something and to that end I will tell a story in whatever medium I feel is best for it.

W/I C: With that said do you plan on ever writing, “The Great American Novel”?

Watson: I might potential release a novel in the same world as one of my comics but at this point I get a lot more joy form sequential art then prose format.

W/I C: When do you expect The Chronicles of Van Helsing to be released?

Watson: I am hoping for a May or June release but I am a quality not quantity guy and however long the story takes, the story takes I don’t set deadlines.

W/I C: When do we get a sample of this delicious tale?

Watson: With any luck I’ll have a preview book out either by Emerald City Comic Convention or Stumptown [Portland, OR].

W/I C: Tony Morgan is your artist for The Chronicles of Van Helsing. How did you meet him and why did you choose him for this project?

Watson: If you’ve seen Tony’s art work then the question is already answered.

W/I C: I first met him at Stumptown two years ago I believe it was the first show he had done, though I ay be wrong on that. I went up to his table because of his metal skull key chains and was pleasantly surprised to see how great his comic work was. I quickly fell in love with his Chicken Leg Bone Boy graphic novel. It remains on of my favorite indie graphic novels of all time.

W/I C: You released The Pauper #1 in 2007, but it wasn’t finished, why?

Watson: That’s not quite a true statement. It was released as a “rough cut” in 2007. Although it was released after Ghost Assassin it was completed before. After completing it I felt it could be better. So I rewrote it. It suffered from a lot of first timer mistakes I believe; artist/writer mistakes. Mainly first time mistakes but I feel the writing could have been stronger. It included things that should have been cut and was lacking elements that would have made it a more cohesive story.

W/I C: You now have a fantastic new artist on the book. Who is he and will he be drawing the whole story?

Watson: Herb Richardson, a brilliantly talented artist from North Carolina and yes as long as he is willing he will be in for the duration.

W/I C: How many issues will The Pauper be?

Watson: Six issues but The Pauper story may not end there or should I say didn’t being there.

W/I C: Oooo.

Watson: That’s called for shadowing, bitches! (Laughs)

W/I C: Why is this the most difficult book to write?

Watson: For some reason The Pauper doesn’t come as naturally as the other books. I actually don’t know why it doesn’t come as easy. Sometimes a book like Ghost Assassin just flows out of you, sometimes…

W/I C: Marvel revamped their films Hulk and Punisher and made drastic changes to the history of their long established iconic character in the comics, I have to ask is that what inspired you to do a full overhaul of the book?

Watson: There will never, I repeat NEVER be a Red Pauper nor will he be huntin' any demons in the near future. Also, David (Ghost Assassin) will not go through a severe character change were he trades in his yellow spandex for a leather vest with no shirt underneath!

W/I C: I re-read Ghost Assassin last night and felt the same attraction to the story I’m sure all your fans feel. You took a very different approach to this story than one traditionally would. Told only through dialogue, there are no captions, no thought bubbles and only a few SFX, yet it is still a complex emotional dram all wrapped up in a neatly packed twelve page book.

Why did you write in this fashion and why do you think you pulled it off so well?

Watson: Wow, that’s a complex question. If you tell believable dialogue do you really need a thought bubble ala Todd’s head or a caption stating David goes through a door? I think… sequential story telling has been bogged down by over use of these devices for so long most have forgotten to tell a story with out them. Personally I only use them when I feel they are absolutely necessary.

Do you really need a “BOOM!” when a grenade goes off? If the art is clear enough your mind should be able to tell what noise this makes.

W/I C: In an interview online you mention an upcoming Ghost Assassin mini series called, The Dig. Can you tell us a little about it and why it hasn’t come out yet?

Watson: Haven’t had the capital to do it yet. The Dig is still very much in the works. Although it may have another title by the time it comes out. It’s more just an issue of putting the funding together for it.

W/I C: Will it be a standard mini-series?

Watson: Currently it is planned as a two, twenty-eight page [series]. Though I may bump it up to as many as four [issues]. But then again I have to have the funding to do that.

W/I C: Page one, panel four in Ghost Assassin Prelude, there is a female ghost. Many have speculated on who she is. Could you fill us in?

Watson: You’ve already seen her in Origin. She is the girl who Brad -David’s father- brutally executes in front of police officers.

W/I C: Where did you come up with the idea for El Bovine Muerte?

Watson: I came up with it while in the shower. I was singing Nacho Libre songs when the idea of doing a comic involving cheese stuck in my head.

Adam then goes into a riff impersonating the cow, “They thought they were making the perfect cheese but instead they got Meeeee!”

(Laughs)

W/I C: Have all your best ideas come to you when you are in the shower?

Watson: (Laughs) Either in the shower or while driving down the road.

W/I C: When will we get to see this comic?

Watson: This is my first web comic. The very talented Nick Larsen is currently handling art chores so hopefully we’ll have something to go by early 2010.

W/I C: You brought an exclusive to our metaphorical table for our readers. Tell us a bit about it.

Watson: These are the basic character designs for three of the main characters which will be appearing in El Bovine Muerte. All I can tell ya without giving to much away is, one is a cow, one is the Doctor and one is a cute lil’ red headed girl… or is she?

Adam Watson Interview Part I

Subject: Adam Watson

Company: Darkslinger Comics

Published Works: Ghost Assassin: Prelude and Origin, The Pauper: #1 Rough Cut

Upcoming Projects: The Chronicles of Van Helsing; El Bovine Morte; Ghost Assassin mini series and The Pauper mini series

Website(s): www.darkslinger.com

I first met Adam Watson at the 2008 Olympia Comic Festival. My first impression: who is this freak? I soon found out and to my surprise we quickly bonded becoming fast friends. I caught up with Watson at his new home to find out what makes him one of the hardest working men in the independent comics world. I found him surprisingly humble and almost diplomatic saying of my claim, “I wouldn’t say I am. That’s a bold statement.”

W/I C: Fans have said, “…you are the comic industry.” How do you respond to that?

Watson: I heard it twice in Olympia [referring to the Olympia Comic Festival Watson has attended for three years in a row now]. My response. I’d like to know if I exemplify what the industry should be like or if they see me everywhere so they associate me with the industry.

W/I C: You’ve also been called a marketing genius by your peers could you tell us just how big of a marketing whore are you?

Watson: The biggest whore there is! (Laughs) I never turn down shows or signings unless I can’t afford it. My fellow comic creators have called me a marketing genius. Lucky for them I share my ideas.

W/I C: How important is marketing?

Watson: Exceedingly important. If they don’t see you out there they think you don’t work anymore. Getting your work seen is “the” most important thing in becoming a creator be seen wherever you can.

W/I C: When you talk about your books you more than not express your ambitions for expanding into toys, clothes, cards and even movies. What makes you think your ambitions will see the light of day?

Watson: The quality of my products. I believe the stories I’m creating would easily translate to other mediums. I believe the types of stories are the kind people would enjoy seeing playing video games playing with action figures. If Marvel can have ten thousand action figures of Wolverine why can’t I have one of Robert Van Helsing? However, if it never extends beyond comics, that’s perfectly find with me. Comics are my first love.

W/I C: Does the quality of the stories you write set you apart from your peers?

Watson: No. I have several friends on the indie level that are the same level I am. However, I would say the question of what I turn out is superior to what it should be for the amount of time I’ve been in the industry.”

W/I C: What products do you bring with you besides books?

Watson: Give away postcards, posters; this year I will be incorporating temporary tattoos, buttons and designer vinyls.

W/I C: I was on a fan site some time ago and saw someone say Elijah Wood was considering playing Todd in a Ghost Assassin movie. Is there any truth to this? Has Hollywood ever contacted you?

Watson: Hollywood has contacted me, but nothing has ever come of it. As far as I know their where no actors ever discussed.

W/I C: Awesome!

Check back here tomorrow for Part II! I will also add the promised exclusive preview from Darkslinger comics upcoming projects!

Coming soon!

Today I went to the opening night of Tony Morgan's gallery show at the Sequential Art Gallery in Portland, OR. I met many new people and many interesting people. I am more than prepped for my interview with Morgan on Saturday and am very excited to be picking the brain of this rising star! The results of said interview will be posted Monday Nov. 16th only on this blog!

And coming this Monday, Nov. 9th Adam Watson answers my questions in an in-depth interview with a few surprises and dare I say, exclusive news? Yes! Be here or be square, and we all know square is not good....