Photo of Jen Wang by Ye Rin Mok
Jen Wang is a cartoonist, author and illustrator from Los Angeles and is the creator behind Koko Be Good and co-author of the New York Times Bestselling graphic novel In Real Life with Cory Doctorow. Her latest book, The Prince and the Dressmaker, hit shelves on February 13th, 2018.
The Prince and the Dressmaker revolves around Prince Sebastian as he searches for a bride―or rather, his parents are strong arming him into finding one. However, Sebastian has a secret life: at night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!
Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means she has to stay a secret forever. It’s a romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family.
We met up with Jen after a book signing at Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle.
LC: I wanted to talk a little bit about your protagonist and why you chose to make him exist outside of the heteronormative, cookie cutter, sort of hero. What was your reason for making him fluid?
JW: I think I just felt like…for a while I was looking for a story that would be like a positive Disney movie romantic comedy. Then I wanted to make sure it was a little more contemporary that felt a little queer. I had the idea of a character that would have this clear passion that people could relate to, even if they didn’t have a gender variant identity themselves. If you understand that Sebastian is into fashion and big dresses, that could be something anyone could relate to.
LC: You both wrote and illustrated the book, correct?
JW: Yes!
LC: Was it a conscious decision to make Sebastian unconventionally handsome compared to romcom heartthrobs?
JW: Yeah! I mean, the character is a teenager and I wanted him to look like a teenager. I didn’t want him to be super handsome or too adult looking or too sexy. Not that a teenager can’t be sexy, haha. I wanted to show the version of yourself when you’re still trying to figure out who you are. There’s a lot of recognition in a character who looks like someone you can relate to. I feel like most people seem themselves as conventional looking. The only thing I wanted to make sure to do was to give Sebastian a prominent facial feature . There’s so many costume changes; I didn’t want people to lose the character in a room full of ballgowns.
LC: How did you choose the time period for the book?
JW: The book takes place in the late 19th century and I wanted a time frame that would be sort of old-timey with people in corsets and horse drawn carriages. At the same time, I wanted there to be an emergence of technology. The 19th century had both of those things for me.
LC: Did you pull from any fashion designers as inspiration for your costume designs?
JW: I did research on clothing from the time period. I looked at a lot of historical cosplay costumers online, particularly accessories. There’s a ton of resources for that. The rest I tried to make a bit more modern like something people would wear now.
LC: Was it important for you to make the story accessible in every way, versus something that was more queer or adult?
JW: You know, I wanted to make a book that I could read at 13 or 14. It was always the intention, I think. I didn’t really know that much at that age other than what cartoons I liked and what fantasy books I loved.
LC: When you were a teenager, were there any properties that felt accessible to you?
JW: I was really into anime and manga, which I discovered in middle school and high school. I had a friend who was Japanese who had a lot of that stuff. That was before you could find it at the library or in bookstores, haha. It’s actually how I got into comics in general. The thing that was the most influential to me was Revolutionary Girl Utena. I think you can see some overlapping themes in my stuff. It was the first thing I ever read that was queer and unabashedly feminine. I’d never read comics like that before. That was very influential to me.
LC: As someone who also got into comics through manga, I don’t think there was anywhere near the representation you see in that medium as far as the genres of stories you could experience.
JW: There was so much more aimed at teenage girls! I felt completely ignored by American publishers.
LC: I wanted to ask a little about the relationship Sebastian has with his parents. Was that something you drew from real life experiences or just something you wanted Sebastian to go through?
JW: It was something I wanted to have in the book. My parents have always been supportitve of me, but I did ultimately want his parents to accept him despite where they start off. People can change and overlook those prejudices for someone they love.
LC: Is there a comic out that you would like to recommend? Perhaps something recent that might be overlooked?
JW: I really enjoyed Spinning. It reminded so much of how it was like to be a teenager. It felt very real.
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The Prince and the Dressmaker is available wherever graphic novels are sold near you!
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The new year is always an exciting time as it means the next round of comic cons are slated to begin. Kicking off convention season is Emerald City Comic Con, which starts Mach 1st. Though there’s a lot about ECCC to be excited for, like meeting creators and hearing some of what the comic companies have planned for the year, one of my favorite parts will be seeing what exclusives the con has.
As usual, Funko is giving fans a glimpse of their line-up that will be available at ECCC in their usual bit-by-bit style. Also as usual, we’ve compiled all of those micro-waves for your reading convenience! So if you’re making a shopping list for ECCC, read on to find out what Funko will have in store.
Wave 13: Funko HQ Exclusives (Announced Feb 9)
Not all of Funko’s ECCC exclusives will be available at the show; there’s a whole set of exclusive exclusives (Exclusive-ception!) that can only be purchased from Funko’s HQ or through their online store. Most of them are variants of the Funko properties, like Freddy Funko in different baseball uniforms or the blue or purple Pulpo. However, the most significant offering here is the Opera Bugs Dorbz, the companion piece to Viking Elmer. Both pieces are limited to 1,000 so fans will have to work hard to snag them. Luckily, Funko is extending their HQ hours to accommodate ECCC attendees.
Here’s the copy from Funko:
Now that you’ve seen all of our ECCC exclusives, check out these related exclusives that will be available at Funko HQ or online on Funko Shop!
Please note that Funko HQ will have extended shopping hours on Saturday, March 3rd! We’ll be open till 10PM so head on over after you’re done at ECCC!
Funko HQ Exclusives
Pop! Myths: Flocked Blue & Green Bigfoot (2500pc LE)
Pop! Funko: Spastik Plastik – Purple Pulpo (1000pc LE)
Pop! Funko: Baseball Freddy Funko – White Uniform (1000pc LE)
Dorbz: Looney Tunes – Opera Bugs (1000pc LE)
Funko Shop Exclusives
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Pop! Funko: Spastik Plastik – Blue Pulpo (2500pc LE)
Pop! Funko: Baseball Freddy Funko – Alternate Uniform (3000pc LE)
Here’s a recap to show where you can get all the variants of Pulpo, Baseball Freddy Funko, Bigfoot, and complete your Elmer Fudd & Bugs Bunny set!
Wave 12: Funko Reveals (Feb 8)
This wave is made up of Funko originals. A new Freddy Funko will debut at ECCC. Dressed in a baseball uniform, he’s a far cry from the Yankee style Freddy Funko that popped up at NYCC last year.
Also, Funko is offering a new Pop! in their Spastik Plastik series: Pulpo. I don’t collect this series but that character design is pretty cool.
I’m most excited for that Bigfoot, though. Limited to 3000 pieces, the Bigfoot is flocked and shows listed under “Pop! Myths.” I don’t know if this is a new series featuring cryptozoological creatures but I am completely down for it if so. If Funko gives me a Jersey Devil Pop!, I can die happy.
From Funko:
Pop! Myths: Flocked Bigfoot (3000pc LE)
We spotted Bigfoot! Make your cryptozoological dreams come true with this Pacific Northwest legend!
Pop! Funko: Spastik Plastik – Green Pulpo (1000pc LE)
Which squid are you? Pulpo is the latest original character from Funko’s Spastik Plastik line to join the Pop! family! Pick up the lime green Pulpo only at ECCC!
Pop! Funko: Freddy Funko – Teal Baseball Freddy (1000pc LE)
Freddy Funko can’t wait for baseball season to return! He’ll be available in his teal uniform exclusively at ECCC 2018!
Wave 11: Saga! (Feb 8)
It’s hard to deny the acclaim behind Brian K. Vaughan’s Saga. I haven’t read it myself so I don’t have much to contribute here but Funko is offering a new Pop! to the series, that of Mourning Prince Robot IV.
From the Funko blog:
Saga, the epic space opera/fantasy comic book series created by acclaimed writer Brian K. Vaughan and award-winning artist Fiona Staples is coming to ECCC!
Pop! Comics: Saga – Mourning Prince Robot IV
Prince Robot IV isn’t his usual colorful self, he’s in mourning in his grayscale uniform and cracked screen.
Wave 10: Movies (Feb 8)
This wave has me excited. Mad Max: Fury Road was hugely popular so that Rictus Erectus should have a lot of fans salivating. Not to mention the die-hard Scott Pilgrim fans who are getting not only a new Ramona Flowers sculpt but a completely new character to the line.
Hands down, though, the most exciting one here is the Life Aquatic Vynl. 2-pack. That has to be one of the oddest vinyl figure choices that I can think of, outside of the La-La Land Pop! 2-pack we got last year. I definitely give Funko props for pulling that one out of nowhere.
Here’s what Funko had to say about this wave:
Emerald City Comic Con 2018 will debut the newest additions to Funko’s Mad Max: Fury Road and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World lines while introducing the first The Life Aquatic Vynl.!
Pop! Movies: Mad Max Fury Road – Rictus Erectus
Witness him! The Rictus Erectus Pop! rounds out our Mad Max: Fury Road series!
Pop! Movies: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – Gideon & Ramona 2-pack (4000pc LE)
Gideon Graves and Ramona Flowers Pop!s are essentials for any Scott Pilgrim collector!
Vynl.: The Life Aquatic – Steve & Ned 2-pack (2500pc LE)
The Life Aquatic Vynl. highlights an exciting new line from Funko!
Wave 9: Cuphead & Street Fighter (Feb 7)
Yet another limited line with only a single Pop! and a t-shirt. I haven’t played Cuphead but it seemed to get a good following in the short time it’s been out so that Cagney Carnation should be a treat for fans. And though I’m not crazy about the design of that Street Fighter shirt, it is pretty cool that it comes in an arcade cabinet box.
From Funko:
Our next reveal is for fans of Cuphead and Street Fighter!
Pop! Games: Cuphead – Cagney Carnation
You’re up! It’s a good day for a swell battle! Get ready for Cagney Carnation! Be careful, this flower has thorns!
Pop! Tees: Street Fighter II (1000pc LE)
This limited edition Street Fighter II t-shirt comes in arcade style packaging!
Wave 8: Looney Tunes (Feb 7)
There’s only one offering in the Looney Tunes line, which is a shame. Fans of Bugs Bunny should be interested in the Viking Elmer Fudd, Dorbz, a nod to the classic “What’s Opera, Doc?” short cartoon.
From Funko’s blog:
Dorbz: Looney Tunes – Viking Elmer (1000pc LE)
Elmer Fudd is at it again, “hunting wabbits,” but this time he’s sporting his spear and magic helmet!
Wave 7: DC (Feb 7)
Ah, I see what you did there, Funko, with that emerald chrome Batman. Pretty clever.
Anyway, the DC line is, so far, the only line to offer up an exclusive Rock Candy, which is a shame. What’s not a shame is the nice sculpt on that Bombshell Poison Ivy.
I also like that Ace/Krypto Dorbz 2-pack. I won’t go out of my way to snag it, but I can see it being a hit with fans.
From Funko:
Our DC lineup for Emerald City Comic Con includes a Bombshell, a pair of heroic pups, and a shiny Caped Crusader!
Rock Candy: DC Bombshells – Poison Ivy
DC Bombshells’ Pamela Ysley is now a Rock Candy!
Dorbz: DC Comics – Ace & Krypto 2-pack (2000pc LE)
Ace the Bat-Hound and Krypto the Superdog are here to save the day!
Pop! Heroes: Emerald Chrome Batman (1500pc LE)
In honor of the Emerald City, it’s an emerald chrome variant of Batman!
Wave 6: Care Bears & MotU (Feb 6)
Funko has been pushing their Vynl. line since it debuted at New York Comic Con last year and I have to say, I do dig that MotU Beast Man/Sorceress 2-pack. Also, as embarrassing as it is to admit, I really like that Good Luck Bear Care Bear Pop!. That may be one of the few that I track down, if only to honor the Irish in me.
Here’s what Funko had to say:
This Emerald City Comic Con reveal includes a couple of throwback favorites!
Pop! Animation: Care Bears – Flocked Good Luck Bear
Get the fuzzy variant of this lucky green Care Bear only at ECCC!
Vynl.: Masters of the Universe – Sorceress & Beast Man 2-pack (2500pc LE)
Our latest Vynl. 2-pack includes the one and only Sorceress of Castle Grayskull and Skeletor’s right-hand man, Beast Man!
Wave 5: TV (Feb 6)
The TV wave has a few fan favorites in it, most notably the 8-Bit Barb from Stranger Things. I would have liked to have seen a better Pop! for Game of Thrones, but I guess that line has been so popular that they’re actually running out of characters to make.
But hands down, my most favorite exclusive so far is the Amy Pond. We have gone years without an Amy Pond Pop! to keep the Eleventh Doctor company and we’re finally getting it. As I won’t be attending ECCC, I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed that this is one of the shared exclusives.
From Funko:
Game of Thrones®
Funko is proud to announce the latest 6-inch Game of Thrones Pop! is coming to Emerald City Comic Con 2018!
Pop! Television: Game of Thrones – 6″ Giant Wight
The mysterious Giant Wight is ready for battle!
Stranger Things
Stream both seasons of Stranger Things now on Netflix!
Pop! 8-Bit: Stranger Things – Barb
Barb from Stranger Things gets justice as an 8-Bit Pop! for ECCC!
Doctor Who
Funko is bringing a beloved companion to Emerald City Comic Con!
Pop! TV: Doctor Who – Amy Pond
Doctor Who fans rejoice! The beloved companion Amy Pond is joining the Pop! world!
Wave 4: Rick & Morty (Feb 6)
I’ve never watched Rick & Morty so these iterations of the characters are lost on me. I will say, though, that they are pretty cool looking so I can see how fans of the show would be excited for these.
From the Funko blog:
Wubbalubbadubdub! Welcome to the dimension in the multiverse where Rick and Morty are aliens!
Pop! Rick and Morty: Alien Head Rick
Our newest addition from the Citadel of Ricks is Alien Head Rick!
Pop! Rick and Morty: Alien Head Morty
You can’t have an Alien Rick without an Alien Morty!
Wave 3: Disney (Feb 5)
Not much in the way of Disney exclusives. Moana fans may enjoy that shark Maui, and the Toy Story Army Man is a fun little addition but otherwise this line seems to be luke warm at best.
Any way, here’s what Funko had to say about them.
Our Disney items for ECCC include characters from a couple of memorable moments!
Pop! Disney: Moana – Maui with Shark Head
Poor Maui! Struggling to regain control of his special powers, he gets momentarily stuck with the wrong head!
Pop! Disney: Toy Story – Army Man
Who can forget the Army Men’s mission to spy on Andy opening his birthday presents, so that Woody & the gang could be prepared for any new arrivals!
Loungefly: Toy Story Camo Backpack & Pencil Case Set (400pc LE)
Speaking of Toy Story Army Men… check out this amazing Loungefly set, limited to 400 pieces and available only at ECCC!
Wave 2: Star Wars (Announced Feb 5)
There isn’t too much in this wave that’s mind-blowing. Funko really seems to be pushing their collaboration with Loungefly and offering a new Star Wars backpack. That Ahsoka is kinda cute. Unfortunately, the only one I really care about, the Padme Pop!, is the most boring of them all. I guess it’s cool that we’re getting another Amidala but they could have created a better sculpt.
See the copy from Funko’s blog.
The Force is strong with Funko’s Star Wars exclusives for ECCC 2018!
Galactic Plushies: SW: Clone Wars – Ahsoka
Ahsoka makes her Funko plush debut by joining Galactic Plushies!
POP Star Wars: Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala is commemorated as another Pop! figure in her iconic Geonosis outfit!
Loungefly: Star Wars Backpack & Pencil Case Set (400pc LE)
Stormtroopers & Tie Fighters adorn this out-of-this-world set from Loungefly, limited to 400 pieces and available only at ECCC!
Wave 1: Marvel (Announced Feb 5)
This whole wave is pretty fantastic, full of characters that no one really cared about until a couple of years ago. That lawyer She-Hulk is outstanding, Yondu doing his “Mary Poppins” bit from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 would be a great addition to any GotG collection ad even though I don’t like Deadpool, I love Howard the Duck, so that Deadpool the Duck Dorbz is an arm-twisting buy for me.
From Funko:
We’re kicking off our Emerald City Comic Con reveals with some fan-favorite additions to the Funko Marvel family!
Pop! Marvel: Lawyer She-Hulk
She-Hulk isn’t just a strong contender, she’s also a powerful lawyer!
Pop! Marvel: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – Yondu
Yondu is looking as pretty as an angel with his red fin and trusty arrow!
Dorbz: Marvel – Deadpool the Duck
Deadpool + Duck = Deadpool the Duck!
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The effects of a hard night’s worth of drinking is nothing like the hangover you get from leaving a convention as busy as Emerald City Comic Con. ECCC is huge and sprawling, taking up most of the Washington State Convention Center, with signs directing you every which way for SIX WHOLE LEVELS. I’m no green girl when it comes to huge conventions; hell, I’ve tackled San Diego Comic Con alone before! This is the first time I had ever attended ECCC, and I thought I knew what to expect out of another ReedPop owned convention.
NOPE!
This year’s entertainment guests included the likes of Norman Reedus, Dante Basco, Lana Parrilla, The Weasley twins, and more. The list of talent goes on and on, a list that seems beautifully endless and includes artists, authors, makeup designers, and prop makers. The artist alley was also incredibly packed with talent this year, ranging from a surprise signing with G. Willow Wilson to scores of indie creators I cheerfully met and purchased wares from.
Like usual, I planned out my days, from panels to interviews, and as I scrambled to familiarize myself with the convention center layout, I begrudgingly accepted the fact I would need to sacrifice a panel or two to make it to the aforementioned G. Willow Wilson signing. Even though I had to race through the TWO separate exhibition halls/artist alleys, I successfully got a few minutes to talk with the genius behind Kamala Khan.
Floating on cloud nine after such an encounter, I quickly checked my schedule and decided to check out the artist alley and hall I was in before scurrying off to a 3pm Vertigo panel about their upcoming projects. I normally do a quick lap around a room before gathering my courage to meet creators whose work I had enjoyed from afar and pushed into my regular customers’ hands. Then I made sure to visit friends, such as artist Megan Lara, and fellow Valkyries manning the Valkyrie table, before opening my wallet with reckless abandon. Purchases this day included “Oh Joy Sex Toy,” a pair of Hamilton inspired prints from artist Arielle Jovellanos, and one hell of a sexy Poe Dameron from Cara McGee before I queued up with fellow comic lovers for my first and only panel.
Speakers for the hour long panel included Kurt Busiek, who spoke about issue 41 of Astro City finally revealing how it got its name to Gail Simone describing some of the chills ahead in her horror comic, Clean Room. In all honesty, it was surprisingly underwhelming compared to earlier announcements from other publishers, such as DC’s new imprint Young Animal under musician and comic enthusiast Gerard Way.
Luckily, my panel wasn’t far from my first interview, but I got lost and ended up in the wrong artist alley! However, a kind young man dressed as Deadpool set me on the right path (thanks, Deadpool!) and I quickly found the booth I was meant to be at before getting distracted by Espionage Cosmetics gorgeous nail wraps. My Friday ended after WRAPping up an interview with the super cute artist, Camille d’Errico so I could get ready for a Wickedly Divine off-site party.
Saturday was my only other con day thanks to an early flight home on Sunday, so I stuffed it to the brim with meetings with creators to discuss upcoming Image Expo announced projects and a couple of interviews, including Faith Erin Hicks and Dante Basco. I’m stoked for several series from creators of color and women like, Graveyard Winnebago, Afar, VS, and Black Cloud. It’s an amazing time to pick up really good stories from diverse voices (need suggestions? ASK ME!).
My one panel of the day centered around a fantastic group of women in comic shops that I’m glad to be part of, the Valkyries. Discussion included how underestimated a group of 500 retailers with ordering power can be, and reasons why certain books mean so much to us. It was touching being among so many other female workers since I felt alone for so long working in my shop in Texas, but now I have this vast, wonderful network when I need help or suggestions! It was definitely one of my favorite convention moments.
I left the convention with a heavy heart and even heavier bags thanks to the rest of the exhibition hall.
Next year, I will attend with knowledge about Sea-Tac Airport security lines and with an additional day to explore the city if I can manage it! If you attended Emerald City Comic Con, what was your favorite part?
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Faith Erin Hicks is a Canadian writer and artist. She worked in the animation industry for several years before transitioning into writing and drawing comics full time in 2008. Originally, her webcomics were “for fun” while in college, but eventually published her first work, Zombies Calling (SLG Publishing), in 2007. Since then, she has published a number of other graphic novels, including The War at Ellsmere (SLG), Friends with Boys (First Second Books), and The Adventures of Superhero Girl (Dark Horse Comics), which won her an Eisner in 2014.
Her latest work debuted at Emerald City Comic Con, a story about an unlikely friendship called The Nameless City.
L: The first work of yours I was exposed to was Adventures of Superhero Girl, which was so lighthearted and fun among gritty tales and space westerns from all of the indie publications. Did you have a hard time finding an audience for your work?
FEH: Honestly, no, and that was the surprising thing. I agree with you that right now there is a focus on realism, especially in superhero comics. The success of Superhero Girl has been astonishing to me. I made it for myself, since it’s basically my take on superheroes and I wanted to have fun with the tropes of the genre. I wanted this character to be…I don’t know, I see myself in her. She has this thing that she really loves. She loves the idea of being a superhero, she wants to be a superhero, but she’s young and inexperienced and struggling to do that well. I ended up putting the comic online and was just shocked by the response online and it was cool that people found it funny. I feel like now, there’s nothing wrong with wanting something gritty, but I definitely think there’s an audience and place for this lighter fare, with things out there like Ryan North and Erica Henderson’s The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. It’s so much fun! People really like that kind of thing, and they’re hungry for it, so no, no problem finding an audience!
L: I actually use The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl to sell Adventures of Superhero Girl in my store, like if people need something else to read along those veins! When you first started out, was the comics industry alienating at all?
FEH: No, absolutely not! Comics have been really good to me. It’s been incredibly welcoming and now that I’m a published writer, I feel like I have a voice in comics. The Nameless City is my eleventh book, and it’s been a positive experience.
L: And you do comics full-time now, right?
FEH: I’ve been doing them full-time since 2008, so it’s been eight whole years!
L: What kind of schedule do you keep, or is just a matter of getting yourself motivated to write whenever?
FEH: I definitely keep a schedule, where I work six days a week and keep regular hours. I wake up, exercise, and try to be at my desk by a certain hour, take a break for lunch. I had an intense schedule the last eight months or so finishing up the second Nameless City book, and just worked crazy hours. I absolutely recommend to anyone trying to do comics full-time to keep a schedule. It’s important for your well-being and mental health.
L: Did you do everything yourself, from writing to drawing to coloring?
FEH: I didn’t do the coloring myself, because I’m really slow and I would much rather work with someone who actually knows what they’re doing! – laughs-
L: How do you layout your books,like do you storyboard first, or write your script and then thumbnail it? How does your process work?
FEH: I do both actually. I do thumbnails and I do my script by hand. I fill a spiral notebook with thumbnails and very rough dialogue and then I go type it up and give it to my editor. Once it’s approved, I start pencilling and inking.
L: Do you have a project in the future that pushes you out of your comfort zone and challenges you in a different way?
FEH: The Nameless City is that for me! It’s a fantasy world that’s historically based. It was based on my interest in 13th century China and it’s a story with a lot of challenging themes. There’s this city that’s a place of conflict with strife and racism and I wanted to deal with those issues in a way that was thoughtful and challenging. Hopefully I did! We will see what readers and reviewers say!
L: As far as your work on adaptations, for instance, The Last of Us: American Dreams, did you get to play the game prior to working on the story?
FEH: I did not, because the game was not yet finished! What I was given when I started working with the game’s writer, he basically gave me the script. I got to know the story and the characters, but yeah, it wasn’t quite finished, and what actually happened, he brought in this character that we’d created for the comic into the game’s narrative, which was really wonderful. I definitely got to be privy to NaughtyDog’s creative process. I have since played it and it is super scary though. I’m a total chicken when it comes to horror. It was a rough one to get through, even though my favorite game of all time is Resident Evil 4 for some reason.
L: Do you have a favorite thing to draw, whether it’s something you doodle or otherwise?
FEH: You’re going to laugh at this, but my favorite thing to draw is people having deep emotions. I love the scenes in any of my graphic novels where people are going through a lot of emotions, right? I really like drawing people in the middle of huge emotional breakdowns. For me, the best way to convey emotions is to decompress a scene and give characters time to react and act it out on a page, so it’s like…I have a joke. When I do a graphic novel it’s like 250 pages long and you get 50 pages of plot and 200 pages of people staring at each other. – laughs-
L: Are you ever conscious of inserting yourself into your stories?
FEH: I’ve drawn myself and my friends in the background of a couple of scenes, like in Nothing Could Possibly Go Wrong, there’s a crowd scene at a robotics competition and I drew all of my friends in one scene. I do it so I don’t have to come up with designing characters!
L: My last question is what are you currently reading that you would recommend?
FEH: I have con brain at the moment, but I just finished the fourth trade of Ms. Marvel. Oh my gosh, I’m completely blanking! Oh! I’m reading this manga called A Silent Voice, that is so good and will break your heart. I’m really into that series, and I think it’s amazing.
Be sure to check out The Nameless City, which is now in local comic shops everywhere! It’s an amazing story and worth your money!
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Camilla d’Errico is an urban contemporary painter, illustrator, character creator and comic artist residing in Vancouver, Canada. With roots in comics, Camilla’s work is seen on toys, clothes, accessories and more. She has been published by Random House/Watson Guptill books, Boom! Studios, Image Comics, IDW, Dark Horse Comics and more, with self-publishing roots for her literature-inspired series, Tanpopo. Camilla has distinguished herself as one of the breakthrough artists in Pop Surrealism’s New Figurative movement through her ability to seamlessly weave manga and western styles with surrealist elements, wrapping it together with an extensive emotional palette. Camilla’s unique style bridges cultural and geographical boundaries, working with creative partners Hasbro, Disney, Mattel, Coastal and more, while remaining totally relevant to today’s varied audience. Ever the prolific artist, Camilla lives the double life of comic artist/creator and New Brow painter, while expanding her horizons to include fashion, music, merchandise and designer toys.
I sat down with Camilla during a brief moment of down time during Emerald City Comic Con, literally seated on this gorgeous, vintage looking, re-upholstered chair printed with her art.
L: Wow, this is just…beautiful. These chairs are for sale?
CD: Yeah, I would like to do two a year! I was talking to Rubbish Rehab, a local company that makes them, and this is the first time we’ve had them available at the show. They sold so fast, and we had people ask to do more, and I’d love to bring more vintage chairs, and have them every year from now on.
L: Would you do different styles of chair?
CD: All styles. They did a throne for me, and it was the nicest thing. I wish I had a promotional photo seated in it.
L: All of you art has this sort of wide-eyed doll-like appearance. Is this something you pulled from yourself? Now that I’ve seen you in person, I can see you in these!
CD: Oh, really? That’s so funny. You’re making me blush! No, I’ve had people say that I look like my art, which I think is a huge compliment, cause they’re like, big doe-eyed adorable girls! I do have big eyes, but you know, the only time I realized I had big eyes was when I went to Taipei and the people there would tell me!
L: Do you use yourself as a model?
CD: Noooo, no, no. Not at all. Actually, I try to avoid getting photographed or recorded or even like, mirrors. I’m just not…I just try to see the world around me, I don’t actually look at myself, like for inspiration.
L: I noticed you’ve done some fantasy art, some anime inspired art, is there a favorite genre for you?
Paint Catcher
CD: I definitely like the melting colors right now. I finished work for my solo show and I melted so many colors into these multiple paintings…I can’t get enough, I can’t stop. I’m completely inspired by seeing different colors blending together, or just in contrast! Seeing color with weight, um, it’s just part of my obsession with wanting to eat color, which you can’t cause it’s toxic, ha ha. It totally looks like candy. These girls are like the fantasy I want, they get to experience and taste melting color.
L: So, you use traditional mediums when painting! I don’t know why I thought you did it all digital. Do you prefer oil, or acrylic?
CD: I use oils AND acrylics. There’s also this brand I use called Holbein Duo and it’s oil paint you can blend with water. It’s unbelievable.
L: How do you determine your color palette? Is it dependable on the subject, or the individual piece?
CD: I’m always going for bright. I try to blend it, so that it’s in contrast. I’ll have my muted colors and then mix the rich and vibrant. If I try to do it all vibrant, it gets lost. You don’t know where to focus the eye, but if you use, like, the Paint Catcher, there’s lots of pinks and reds and her face is really muted. I try to keep it a good balance. I love hearing people’s interpretations of my art.
L: I know you’ve done some comic art for different publishers, but would you be interested in taking on one of the younger heroes from Marvel or DC?
CD: I’ve done SOME superhero stuff, but I haven’t been asked to do any lately. If Marvel was like, “Hey, let’s see your version of Spider-Gwen,” I would be like heck yeah! Spider-Gwen is right up my alley. I would die.
L: What other projects do you have in the works, aside from your upcoming show?
CD: In July, I’m debuting my very first adult coloring book! I’m so excited!!
L: How have your fan experiences been? Are there any particular memorable encounters?
CD: Yeah! People overwhelm me when they bring me presents, or tell me stories of how my art has affected them, and I have these two fans that are just the cutest. They are from Costa Rica and they bring me these chocolates and coffee. I’m always like, “YOU GUYS ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST!” Two years ago at San Diego Comic Con, we did this Zombie Escape run together. It was amazing and I…I left them behind. Oh my God, I totally left them for dead! – laughs- It was so high intensity. There’s dozens of zombies, and army guys. I had to leave them behind. I felt so bad even though it’s like, the apocalypse.
L: You did what you had to do. It was a people eat people world!! Let’s talk about about the expansion of your art into various other merchandise. You mentioned elsewhere that your dream is to make clothes, and it looks like you’ve brought that dream to fruition!
CD: Goldbubble and Nuvango carry my stuff!! I would love to do a lolita dress. I would do the coolest lolita dress!! I would just love to do high fashion too, THAT’s my real dream project. The scarves we just put out are just beautiful. Every year I try to branch out and do something different, so I don’t know. Maybe next year I will actually get to do runway dresses. How cool would that be?
L: It sounds like it’d be pretty cool! I just noticed you did a Sailor Moon piece, and I’m curious as to what you enjoy or gravitate towards personally.
CD: In my personal life, oh man, I am super obsessed with anything supernatural, especially vampires. I wish I was vampire, and like if you ever meet a vampire, let me know. I would so turn to the dark side, which would go against my color palette, but you know, whatever! I love all of that. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts…all of it. I would turn my husband because we said, “Til death do us part.”
L: That is hilarious! Since we are out of time, how do you get yourself in the mood to draw? Do you find yourself inspired and immediately go to put it on paper?
CD: Well, it depends. Usually if I’m on a deadline, I put on audiobooks, like Harry Potter, or Driving Mr. Dead, an awesome vampire book by the way, and I’ll get my latte going. I’ll just start drawing and create.
Rainbow Children and Pop Painting are the latest books of art from Camilla, and are both now available on her website! If you’re local to Los Angeles, her solo show at Corey Helford Gallery opens April 23rd!
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