Category Archives: Interviews

July 12, 2026 · 10:14 pm

Daniel McCloskey interview: On Comics and CLOUD TOWN

Friends in Stormy Weather Part 2!

Daniel McCloskey is a happy warrior in comics, making things happen on his terms, for many years. Readers gravitate to the off-the-wall antics his young characters get into, a mix of gritty realism and supernatural mayhem. In a nutshell, the Cloud Town universe revolves around two best friends whose relationship is tested when one of them gains the ability to pilot giant robots defending their town from interdimensional monsters. Who knew? Easy peasy, right? This kind of outrageous and uninhibited storytelling is what keeps winning over new fans to Daniel McCloskey and the Cloud Town universe. And now for the cool part, there’s a new Cloud Town: Friends in Stormy Weather book on its way.

Excerpt from Cloud Town.

In this interview, comics veteran Daniel McCloskey shares his insights on the world of publishing from the vantage point of being part of a big publisher as well as in charge of his own independent work. It’s a balancing act, but it’s also the best of both worlds as it all takes on a life of its own and leads to his work finding readers from a wide array of venues. One thing is for sure, it all adds up to a lot of activity along the whole process, from creating the work to marketing the work. It leads to such a wide and varied readership. As McCloskey points on: “I’ve been told I’m about half indie and about half manga, so it’s hard to pin down my readership.”

Daniel provides a lot of encouragement to everyone who creates work or aspires to do something creative. And, as he emphasizes: don’t get in your way, and don’t get caught up in thinking you need to do everything perfectly! Often, a well-drawn hand is a well-drawn hand and you don’t need to go back and try to keep making it better.

Hop on board the Kickstarter campaign, running through July, to help boost it into the world here. And check out our conversation below at the Comics Grinder YouTube channel. Your views, Likes and Comments are always welcome and really helps keep the lights on:

Friends in Stormy Weather Part 2!

Perfect is the Enemy of the Strange!

Go to the Kickstarter campaign, now thru all of July, right here.

A few words from Daniel McCloskey:

I believe life’s about discovery, and that discoveries are best made by exploring the strange. That’s why in life and comics, I gravitate toward the edges–the edges of my abilities, my understanding, and my imagination. It’s why Kirkus Reviews called my graphic novel, Cloud Town, “weirdly and unexpectedly wonderful,” and Comics Grinder recently called my work, “controlled chaos that wins me over.” If you’re looking for a story that can still surprise you, I’ve been working on one.

1 Comment

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , ,

June 28, 2026 · 5:50 pm

Joe Sikoryak Interview: On Comics and Star Trek

Joe Sikoryak is a cartoonist who focuses on observational comics. Joe’s debut graphic novel is about the early years of Star Trek fandom, When We Were Trekkies. You can get the collected work here. His recent short-form comics are 3×3: Nine Panels on Life, the Universe and Other Things, The Awful Tooth: A True Tale of Dental Denial, and 1968: A Boy’s Odyssey. Each work, from long-form to short-form, is a work of dedication to detail, created with heart, insight and good humor. In this interview, we cover each of these titles. This is an easygoing look at how one cartoonist gets the job done. And it’s cool that we have these short works to consider too as it’s always nice when a cartoonist can provide such a variety for readers at comics conventions and beyond. You can always find Joe at his website and Bird Cage Bottom Books.

Joe has a wonderful sense of what will work in a comic, always thinking in terms of what will catch the eye, what will entice the reader, imagining any given scene on the stage, screen or comics page. For 3×3, he tackles a variety of subjects in a 9-panel grid format, a whole world per page. It’s a fun exercise in distilling down to the essentials and Joe makes the most of it. You may to find yourself in one of Joe’s recollections, perhaps his melancholic look at a failed relationship or his exuberant look at the joy of cooking.

1968: A Boy’s Odyssey gives the reader a guided tour through a historic year, filled with tragedy and triumph. It is a year that left a great impression on a 10-year-old Joe. Two landmark films came out that year, Planet of the Apes and 2001: A Space Odyssey plus the year ended with the crew of Apollo 8 circling the moon for the first time. Pretty heady stuff!

The Awful Tooth is a gem of a comic, both playful and informative. Heck, it’s actually quite the cautionary tale that will be enjoyed  by all ages.

When We Were Trekkies is Joe’s baby, where a lot of things came together. There’s nothing quite like your own coming-of-age experiences to inspire and guide you through life. Some of these experiences are on such a scale that they are shared by countless other people, even spanning generations, such as the love for icons in pop culture, like Star Trek. Joe Sikoryak took his passion for all things Star Trek and turned it into his first graphic novel. In a series of ten comic book issues, Sikoryak shares what it was like to be part of something bigger than yourself, back in a time when it wasn’t exactly cool to do so, long before cosplay and comics conventions had hit the mainstream.

In Sikoryak’s story, loosely based on his own experiences, a group of young people, most still in high school, are part of a new fandom in the early ’70s for Star Trek, a Sci-Fi television series that only lasted for three seasons (1966-1969). True fans were stirred by the program’s themes of equality, diversity and world peace.

Our conversation is free-wheeling and covers a lot of ground. Joe shares all sorts of thoughts on creativity and process. “The fun thing about being an artist is experimenting and trying out new things. I feel limited if I just nail down one style and one approach to telling a story.” Joe wants to push himself some more with his next work. He believes that, to a certain extent, he treated his last graphic novel more like a movie, as a series of storyboards. While that worked out really well, now he’s thinking he’d like to try a looser, more visual approach, less dependent upon dialogue.

We cartoonists are never fully satisfied, even when it looks to a lot of folks like we nailed it. We can be contrarian, very self-critical along with being very observant. Is it any wonder that we gravitate to memoir? Whether young or old, cartoonists love to include themselves in their comics. Young cartoonists readily admit they’re still figuring it out. Older cartoonists readily offer that they’ve learned a thing or two. “You can create a memoir that results in a funny story. Or you can dig deeper, tell other stories and connect them,” suggests Joe. “You can contextualize your life, find patterns, get a deeper perspective.”

Alright, I hope this all adds up to your visiting the Comics Grinder YouTube channel. All Views, Likes and Comments are greatly appreciated. We strongly encourage you to engage directly with the Comics Grinder YouTube channel and leave a Like and Comment. Every bit helps make the channel stronger, directing algorithms to do the right thing and help spread the word.

Cartoonists, just like any other creative folk, deeply want to spread the word. With that in mind, Joe encourages you to check out When We Were Trekkies for free. You can read posts over at Joe’s Substack here.

So, enjoy the video and look for the audio podcasts at various platforms. The video goes up first and the audio will go up later. And Live Long and Prosper.

Leave a comment

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , , ,

June 17, 2026 · 12:00 pm

Katie Skelly Interview: On Comics and HEAVEN

Katie Skelly, an award-winning cartoonist and simply one of the best comic artists today, has a new graphic novel, Heaven, published by Fantagraphics. We chat about her new book, the inner workings of it all: influences, storytelling observations, fun stuff and serious stuff. Basically, an all-around great conversation. The timing on this spotlight is good too as Katie presents Bad Girl Tarot, a beautiful tarot card deck she has created, all her drawings and design work, currently on a Kickstarter campaign that runs through July 15, 2026.

Katie Skelly

Heaven is, at its core, a good old-fashioned ghost story, with a group of high school girls, and a haunted mansion on a hill. Well, not so much a mansion in this case as a super weird strip club that goes in and out of existence. For more details, just read my review. And I highly recommend that you get your copy so you can see for yourself. There are endless inventive details to savor, starting with those giant upside-down neon heels lighting up the desert night skies.

I like to focus on the creative process and that’s why it’s great to call attention to both Heaven and Bad Girl Tarot. For me, it’s all part of something bigger. In this interview, I ask Katie to share about what she’s thinking about as she creates work. Everyone will answer in a different way. Katie has some very specific passions she can draw inspiration from as well as a very curious mind open to whatever random element that might cross her path. A couple of deep wells of inspiration are horror genre films and manga. If you’d like some insight into the mind of one of our great comic artists, then I invite you to check out our conversation.

At a crossroads.

Heaven is the fourth, and latest, graphic novel by Katie Skelly, published by Fantagraphics. It is only now, with hindsight, viewing all four books together, that we have the luxury of saying they all fit in so well with each other. I suggest as much to Katie. And she agrees. She states: “Well, sure, My Pretty Vampire and Maids find their way into Heaven. And The Agency finds it way into all of them, one way or another.” And thus we begin our chat. It’s important to realize that each book is its own world of hard work and countless problem-solving, years in the making. So, yes, it’s a super big deal to have all of this work look so cool, a beautiful seemingly seamless result.

And with that, I set you lose to enjoy the above video, or audio at various platforms. The video will go up first and is ready as I write this. The audio will load up shortly, after I make a few more tweaks. Anyway, feel free to comment, like and subscribe. Every bit of engagement from you helps.

And just a few more words . . .

A few more things to say about the Bad Girl Tarot campaign at Kickstarter, thru July 15, 2026:

Bad Girl Tarot II is a complete 78-card tarot deck with guidebook created and designed by me, cartoonist Katie Skelly. The goal of this Kickstarter is to raise funds for the first printing of the deck, working towards fulfillment in October 2026. I’m excited to offer backers a special price on Bad Girl Tarot II, plus rewards like original art, stickers, and more as thanks for supporting the project.

The Team:

Katie Skelly: that’s me! I am an award-winning comic book artist with four graphic novels from Fantagraphics, plus the creator of the original Bad Girl Tarot and Bad Girl Oracle. Find more of my work on my website and on Instagram.

Chelsey Caswell: a professional tarot reader with both regular private clients and popular sessions at spots like NYC’s Soho House. Find more about her on her website.

Leave a comment

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

May 3, 2026 · 9:57 am

James Hilger Interview: On Treeboy and Comics Craft

“If I could easily describe it in a few words, I wouldn’t have put it into words and pictures. (Basically,) Treeboy is about obsession, loss and looking for family out there in the vastness of the void.” That is James Hilger’s response to my asking him what his new book is about. What a perfect answer. It’s a heart-felt answer without any of the irony we too often need to slog through in the worlds of contemporary media, whether it’s fiction, film or comics. Hilger knows about all three of these creative arenas. He’s been making headway in each and it is, Treeboy, his debut graphic novella, that he can point to with pride and anticipation for how it is received in the world. Well, I’ve received it quite well. During the course of our conversation, I did my best to emphasize to James that he’s heading in the right direction. He has created something special and worthwhile, hitting on the mark the very qualities so many of us hold dear in the comics medium, keeping to the high standards of the sequential art tradition.

I find James Hilger to possess a steadfast integrity. That’s the best way that I can cut to the chase and say it. He is someone who is compelled to tell stories, sometimes in prose, sometimes in film and sometimes in comics. In our conversation, making sure to circle back when needed, I asked him more than once to describe how he came to create comics. As you’ll find out, whether you view this interview on the Comics Grinder YouTube channel or listen to it on another platform, Hilger is the real deal, not one to provide quick and snappy answers but, rather, to wrestle with ideas and then finally offer up this or that observation. It seems to me that Hilger was drawing and thinking about comics all along. Life happens. You take on this responsibility, take on this creative project, and before you know it, you are coming back to that graphic novella that’s been brewing for a few years.

There’s nothing brash or snappy about James Hilger. He’s a guy who loves what he does. He creates excellent comics. I only see a bright future ahead for him. I can’t guarantee immediate success or fame and fortune but I feel confident that he will continue to reap the rewards of creating honest work. And, if that’s happening now, which it is (you must read Treeboy), and a consistent pattern emerges, then things will undoubtedly progress: more doors will open; more people will take notice. These sort of things happen and take on a life of their own. The work is its own reward and you go from there. I’ve been part of this world of creativity for quite some time now and I know it when I see it. I see Hilger embarking upon a decided literary comics path which is a more challenging climb but one that holds out the promise of something truly rewarding and purposeful. Hilger has begun that climb.

I welcome you to visit us at the Comics Grinder YouTube channel and Subscribe, Comment and Like. Every bit helps us continue to do what we do. Thank you.

Leave a comment

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , ,

March 18, 2026 · 7:49 pm

A Comics Artist on a Mission: Alex Newton Interview

You can gain control of your own destiny if you just don’t give up and keep moving forward. This simple act of will power, even defiance in the face of all challenges, is what I see coming from a remarkable comics artist, Alex Newton. Well, Alex’s new book can speak for itself. We cover Artichoke Knight in great detail. It’s what I like to call “pure comics” in the sense that it consistently commands the reader’s attention making full use of comics devices.

Take a look at his artwork and you can’t deny it is tight and spot on. Read his work and you’ll see that there’s a thoughtful balance in plot choice, character exchanges, the whole fabric of the narrative. Alex speaks eloquently and with an easygoing confidence.

Among the topics we chat over is the interesting dynamic between the two main characters in Artichoke Knight: go-getter Cherry, a young woman with a passion to excel; and methodical Charlie, struggling to find his feet. In so many forms of media, there would be a subplot brewing that focused on a promise of romance. But not these two. They’re friends and making the most of that special bond, not an easy one to maintain in real life or in comics.

Another topic we cover is the time-honored storytelling trope of leaving one world and entering another. Alex readily embraces it, carrying forward in the tradition of the hero’s journey. Alex’s approach is done with relish and a healthy sense of wonder.

I recently reviewed Alex’s work and, after our interview, I am spurred to continue spreading word as best I can and keep Alex’s work on my radar. I’m sure, if you enjoy comics, that you will feel the same way.

By all means, dive into our conversation. I welcome your Views, Likes and Comments made directly to the YouTube channel.

I invite you to check out our conversation. It is available to view on YouTube as well as to listen to wherever you get your podcasts.

Leave a comment

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

March 2, 2026 · 10:41 am

Matt MacFarland and His Comics Universe interview

Welcome to the Matt MacFarland comics universe!

Matt MacFarland is quite a prolific and versatile comics artist. Over the course of the last decade, he has cultivated his own comics universe made up of various characters searching for answers, looking for love in all the wrong places, and simply seeking a connection. These comics can be bittersweet, mysterious or downright hilarious. Something for everyone.

Matt’s story is that of a fine artist who has chosen to focus his efforts within the comics medium. That means he comes equipped with certain methods and tools from other artistic disciplines that can help in creating interesting comics work. Another key ingredient is follow-through and Matt has plenty of that. In the end, any creative endeavor is a process and Matt MacFarland is having fun with it.

It’s all about process. You can get rusty if you go too long without creating work, even if it’s just a little bit of sketching. It all adds up. Quite literally, one thing will lead to another as you continue your creative journey. This is what got Matt moving along from one world to the next.

As we discuss in our conversation, there are all sorts of crossover activities within creative circles. One of the most essential is a sense of community. One key form in the world of comics is collaborating on an anthology. These days, one of the best on-going anthologies is Rust Belt Review. Here, you can find Matt MacFarland as a contributor. Volume 7 features his OK Cryptic cast of characters.

Another thing to keep in mind about artists and comics artists is that this is a crowd that likes to bend the rules, blur the lines and mix it up. This explains why Matt MacFarland will always be an artist, as well as a comics artist. Consider his latest addition to his cursed pants comics series, Dark Pants: individual ceramic panels with three-dimensional elements. Take a closer look at the sample above. I think it’s safe to say MacFarland is passionate about his work.

Again, I have to stress that Matt MacFarland offers something for everyone. He can delve into the dark recesses of the adult mind and feel just as compelled to share childhood memories. Be sure to check out his graphic novella, Cookies and Herb, published by Fieldmouse Press.

I hope you enjoy the interview. As always, your Views, Likes and Comments at the Comics Grinder YouTube Channel are greatly appreciated. You can find this interview simply by clicking the above video. You can always simply type in “Comic Grinder” and find this, and other interviews, wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to keep up with Matt and find his work for sale at his website.

Leave a comment

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

February 10, 2026 · 8:15 pm

Nathan Gelgud cartoonist interview

Nathan Gelgud

If you’re in L.A., be sure to participate in a comics workshop led by Nathan Gelgud on February 12, 2026. Sometimes, the last mentions need to go first. Seriously, this is an opportunity to learn the process of making comics from a very thoughtful and dedicated cartoonist. Gelgud is known for his comics about cinema and culture, published by The New York Times. His new book, Reel Politik, published by Drawn & Quarterly, is a collection of his hilarious comic strip about a bunch of art house movie theater employees who become revolutionaries. I got to chat with Nathan and get a better appreciation for his comic strip and his point of view.

Nathan Gelgud is someone who loves movies, all kinds of movies. He has studied film theory and history and viewed countless films. Along the way, he decided that a great way to express and share his passion is through comics. If you’re still unsure of what this is all about, think of it this way: the comics medium allows Gelgud to create work that explains things that often are only discussed in academic circles or within groups of film enthusiasts. He opens things up for everyone.

The idea of making things accessible for all the people is a big theme here. As I got to know Nathan’s comic strip, and then chat with him, I got a better appreciation for the man and his work. You can read my initial thoughts on Reel Politik in my review here. While preparing for my interview, I revisited the comic strip and delved deeper, getting to know the characters: Skip, the manager of the movie theater before it was taken over and turned into the people’s theater; Sandra, the slouch with supernatural powers; Bertie, the diehard revolutionary; and Hale, who prefers to sit on the fence until further notice. Perhaps I’m a little bit like Hale, open to new challenges but not always certain how to proceed. I suppose we’re all a little bit like Hale.

It was a pleasure to chat with Nathan. I know we could have covered even more and I feel like we get along. Hopefully, we’ll have him back. For now, enjoy this interview!

And remember, if you’re in the L.A. area, go to the Scribble event:

How To Make Comics

Thursday, Feb 12, 2026, 6:00 PM

How To Make Comics: A Workshop with Nathan Gelgud (New York Times, New Yorker, Hyperallergic, The Paris Review, Reel Politik).

– Make a one page comic

– Talk about being a working cartoonist

– Kill your inner critic

 

Guided workshop from 6-8pm

All are welcome to stick around for additional discussion and drawing until 9pm!

 

All levels welcome!

Materials provided

 

RSVP here, pay what you want at the door (no one will be turned away)

Arrive late and leave early!

EDITOR’S NOTE: This workshop is ongoing. Note that the next one is online and, as of this writing, is coming up on February 19th. Register by emailing Nathan! Find him at his website.

1 Comment

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

October 5, 2025 · 6:08 pm

Mary Shyne Interview: YOU AND ME ON REPEAT

You and Me on Repeat, published by Henry Holt & Co., is a delightful graphic novel. You can read my review here. This is the first major graphic novel for Mary Shyne, also known for her own self-published graphic novel, Get Over It. So, keep in mind that Mary Shyne is very well-versed in the world of comics with numerous achievements: establishing a solid reputation with a self-published work; working in the book industry (Penguin Random House, no less); earning an MFA from the well respected Center for Cartoon Studies; getting her work published by a major publisher (Henry Holt & Co.); and, to top it off, Mary holds a key position at the Charles Schulz Museum. Alright then, no doubt, Mary Shyne is an exceptional person to talk about comics with. It was a pleasure to chat about Mary’s career path and her new book, a story about two star-crossed time-traveling teenagers.

Given that Mary’s career covers so much ground, this turned out to be a great opportunity to discuss various aspects of comics, specifically, the independent artist who self-publishes and often works alone (the auteur cartoonist) versus a new breed of comics artist that works within a team environment, including an agent, editor and publicist. There are variations to this. For instance, some well-established professional cartoonists retain the “auteur cartoonist” work method, giving up little to no control. While other cartoonists embrace working with others from the very start. Add to that the fact that many independent cartoonists are not thinking in terms of a “comics career” in the first place. But today such a path is potentially more viable if you follow certain steps. Your mileage will vary! There are so many variations on a theme, especially when it comes to a comics artist, etc.

Circa 2003: On a wing and a prayer, emerges The Center for Cartoon Studies.

We also dig deeper into the attitudes and approaches of cartoonists who came up the ranks with little to no formal training compared to cartoonists who have gained this new level of specialized comics training that was not quite possible a generation or so ago. The Center for Cartoon Studies stands out as a place of higher learning that trains those individuals who aspire to some kind of comics career, outside of working in the more mainstream superhero environment. These aspiring cartoonists are setting their sites on all kinds of comics that fit outside of the superhero genre (although there’s always unique exceptions) and these comics tend to be more personal “autobio” slice-of-life type of work, a genre all its own. These stories often find a home at more independent publishers or major book publishers interested in quirky offbeat work that tends to fit primarily into their young adult demographic (age 12 to 18), or the young reader market (age 8 to 14). And there’s more markets and age groups. The point is that there’s a strategy in place long before there’s a story. I suppose the trick, for any enterprising cartoonist, is to transcend any strategy. Those who manage to do that are really the ones who will thrive. After chatting with Mary, I can see she absolutely fits into that group.

All You Need is Kill

It was so much fun to chat with such an enthusiastic and experienced member of the comics community. Mary was very generous in sharing about her work and provided a window into her process. We bounced around a lot of ideas and covered a lot of ground. For instance, we talked about the graphic novel series, All You Need is Kill.

Palm Springs, on Hulu.

We talked about one of the great time loop movies, Palm Springs.

Lowlife (1992) by Ed Brubaker.

We talked about Ed Brubaker’s amazing comic book series, Lowlife.

My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea by Dash Shaw

We talked about Dash Shaw and his amazing animated feature, My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea.

Osamu Tezuka

We talked about Osamu Tezuka and his “star system” approach to comics.

Chuck Todd

Given that comics and pop culture are so closely aligned, and the fact that any conversation today can’t help but get a little self-referential, I brought up a giant in media, Chuck Todd, a recent sign of the times. Folks who find themselves pulled out of their high profile positions often turn to doing a podcast. At the time, I could not think of the title of Chuck Todd’s podcast. Well, it’s actually easy: it’s The Chuck Toddcast! I had not planned on mentioning Todd but it made sense. Chuck is someone who did everything right, loved his work, was respected by his peers, and yet it wasn’t enough. He was replaced as moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, by Kristen Welker, who he graciously mentored. He came to my mind in terms of dealing with the demands of any industry attempting to gain top market share. It’s a war out there and good people can get caught in the crossfire.

Charles Schulz

And we round things out with wondering what Charles Schulz would do in the brave new world that is comics today. Mary thinks that Sparky would have most likely avoided social media, but that’s just a little bit of fun speculation.

I hope you enjoy the video interview. As always, your views, LIKES and COMMENTS directly at the Comics Grinder YouTube channel are crucial to our survival. Any bit of engagement is very welcome and appreciated.

Editor’s Note: If you are in San Francisco, be sure to view original art from Mary Shyne’s new graphic novel, You and Me on Repeat, at the Cartoon Art Museum. The exhibit runs from September 27, 2025 through January 18, 2026.

1 Comment

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

October 1, 2025 · 8:00 am

Joe Sacco Interview: As Goes India, So Goes the World

I want to make clear that Joe Sacco did not say, “As Goes India, so goes the world.” That’s just my summation, my interpretation, as trite as it may sound. But I’m sure Joe would acknowledge my attempt at finding the universal truths in his latest work of comics journalism: The Once and Future Riot, published by Henry & Holt, releasing on October 14, 2025 and available for pre-order. Well, we had a most agreeable conversation. No doubt, Joe Sacco is a towering figure in comics, known for such landmark work as Palestine and Footnotes in Gaza. My main concern was simply to focus on the new book at hand and resist getting caught up in so many other things we could have talked about. But that was easy since the point I kept coming back to is that this new book has so much to say and proves timeless and highly relevant.

“They are rich people. We are poor people.”

This was an easygoing conversation, just like you’d expect in a coffee shop. I wasn’t there to argue this or that fiery point. I was there to, I suppose, coax along insights. A revelation for me, when I think about it, is that Joe Sacco is quite a regular guy in the sense that he’s not there to persuade you with any sort of slanted rhetoric. No “slanters,” just a progression of logical observations. All of this in the service of talking about this book, an exploration of political violence and focusing on a prime example in India: the communal hatred between Hindus and Muslims that led to the 2013 riots in Uttar Pradesh. How, and why, did this happen? All of this emerges in layers within layers.

“No one is left in the middle.”

Here’s the thing to keep in mind about any book by Joe Sacco: the background is essential because that’s where the meat of the story resides, made up of numerous personal stories. Joe’s tried and true method has been to go about capturing these moments with all their subtle nuances in words and pictures which provides an uncanny result by a reporter who literally has gone beyond the initial hard news to uncover the sort of details that can so easily get lost in the shuffle. During our conversation, I was struck by Joe’s patient and calm delivery, his response to my sometimes excitable questions. He was so engaged in the moment, which is undoubtedly the ideal state you want your guest to be in, that we were able to truly enjoy a conversation and let ideas flow.

The Lie becomes Truth.

One of the most interesting things about this new book is that it poses a lot of questions, more than we can hope to fully answer although we will keep on seeking solutions. As I suggest, this is a book not only about India but about the state of the whole world. Everywhere, we must confront demagoguery; we must confront those with power who prey on those without power; and we must confront our lesser selves who contribute to a polarized society. I shared with Joe what I believed to be the book’s conclusion: a primary way to end the vicious cycle of political violence among a nation’s people is to have a government that the people can rely upon and trust. He asked me if I thought that was his conclusion and I readily said, yes. And he agreed. We played with the thread of that idea. Joe shared that he thought of himself as a Democrat, but with a small “d,” as far from the established Democratic Party as possible. What other options did one have within the current reality? A very good question.

War on Gaza

I brought up something during our conversation that I didn’t think I would, and then I did. At the time that Joe Sacco did his War on Gaza limited series, published by The Comics Journal, I was on the fence about it because I feared it would help, in its own modest way, to contribute to a Democrat loss in the presidential election. It feels like a lifetime ago but, back then, Americans were facing a very close election, which it was, if you admit Trump’s 77 million to Harris’s 75 million votes was close, which it was, the closest one this century. With hindsight, I conclude that Sacco’s comics revisit of Gaza, his calling out genocide, was an honest response that made sense and still does. Democrats are far from perfect but, compared to the current administration, well, you tell me.

Ultimately, Joe and I both let out a collective sigh at confronting the hard truth that the big, truly substantial, leaps of progress still lay way ahead in the distant future. And yet the effort must continue towards that future, no matter how elusive, no matter how far out of reach, it may be.

Enjoy the video interview. As always, your views, LIKES and COMMENTS are very welcome and help us continue to do what we do here at Comics Grinder.

3 Comments

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

August 6, 2025 · 6:15 pm

Molly and the Bear creator interview with Bob & Vicki Scott

Pages from Molly and the Bear.

We continue the Molly and the Bear coverage with a special creator interview with the husband-and-wife team of Bob and Vicki Scott. In this interview, we cover quite a lot of ground, from the origins of Molly and the Bear comics to a number of creative insights. Enjoy!

Thank you for joining me. Great to have both of you.

It’s nice to be here!  Thank you for chatting with us!

Please share with us what both of you would like to tell folks about your new book.

Bob:  Molly and the Bear: Campers Beware is the follow-up to our first book, Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair, which came out a year ago.  Both books are fun graphic novels for middle grade readers who like the idea of hanging out with a very large, very real Bear who has real issues.  Hmm, I guess I would like to let people know that these are fun books, full of heart and laughs.

Vicki: I’d like to let people know that they may be hard-pressed to find the books in the big stores like Barnes and Noble or Target, but online shopping is not their only option!  We peek into as many indie bookstores as possible, and we’ve been delighted to find the indie booksellers stocking out books!  It is a real thrill to see the books on the shelf.  We’ve also found Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair in public and school libraries!!!  (We hope they pick up the new book too!) Of course, the online retailers carry the books, but we love and appreciate the indies and libraries!!!

Would you share about the evolution of Molly and the Bear, from comic strip to book series?

Bob: Molly and the Bear started back when Universal Press Syndicate ran Comics Sherpa, a web platform for budding comic strips.  Sherpa was open to anyone, and the fellow creators were so supportive and encouraging.  GoComics is the syndicate’s “Invite-Only” web syndication platform and I jumped on Go in 2009.  I love the immediacy of posting a strip and getting immediate reaction.

Vicki: However.

Bob: GoComics audiences tend to hit a plateau, and Molly and the Bear had a couple thousand subscribers and the audience was not growing.  But I really wanted more people to see my work.  Vicki began suggesting adapting the strip into graphic novels.

“An Unlikely Pair”

Tell us about getting into the zone for your readers, the middle grade kids.

Bob: I released 2 compilation books, which my friends dutifully bought.  Fortunately, they left the books lying around on their kitchen tables long enough for their kids to get curious.  We got reports that the 11 – 12-year-old daughters LOVED the characters.

Vicki: Since doing a graphic novel was my big idea, I had the pleasure of reaching into Bob’s huge pile of strips and pulling out story lines that focused on Molly and Bear. It was the same process I used when I had worked for the Schulz family adapting TV specials and comic strips into the long-form comics for Boom Comics. By knowing the characters super well and weaving strips into the script, the integrity of Bob’s work (and Sparky’s) was maintained.   I love Molly and Bear and it is a pleasure to help shape the story into a long graphic novel.

Bob: While we kept the story focused on Molly and Bear, we added Harper, a best friend for Molly. Harper has become a regular in the strip too.

Vicki: By adding a best friend for Molly, and taking her to school, it helped make the story just right for 11 -12-year-olds.

Vicki: (whispering) A small note, the books are for middle grades, which is book-speak for 8 – 12- year-olds.  Books for middle school kids is YA.  It’s confusing even for us.  Bob and I nearly came to blows once over the term “chapter book”. Kidding.

“Campers Beware”

What can you share about your process? Anything is fair game: panels, lettering, coloring, layout, software used, any physical art process?

Bob: My process for the new books and the strip has only a couple of small differences.  Both are drawn in blue (or red) pencil on Bristol Board, then inked with a Windsor Newton Sable brush and waterproof India Ink. I love the feel of drawing on the board, the meditative nature of inking, and the satisfaction of holding the end product in my hands.

For both the books and the strips, I scan them and use Photoshop to remove the blue (or red) pencil lines.  For the strip, I usually ink the borders; for the books I do the borders in Photoshop.  All color is done in Photoshop.

The biggest difference is that I made a font of my lettering to use for the books. This made edits and possible translations easier.

Vicki: Once Bob got the art to the scan stage, I helped as much as I could as he held a full-time job for most of the books’ production.  I was tasked with coloring the book.  I made a conscious decision to not use shadows or gradations or anything fancy with the color so Bob’s beautiful inkwork remained the star.

Let’s get psychological. What does the Bear symbolize?

Bob: All the characters have large parts of me. I can be fearful, pessimistic, optimistic, brave, cranky.  We all have many sides to us, and I think when artists tap into those common threads sincerely, the art is relatable, and people connect to it.

Vicki: Yeah, we all contain multitudes.  And Bob blends them into comedy.

What’s it like working as a team?

Vicki: Lawyers were not called at any time.  No, seriously, Bob and I have worked together many times. My first job after graduating art school was inking US Acres, which he was co-penciling for Jim Davis.  It saved so much time, really.  We didn’t have to have that hour long conversation, “How was your day?” because we already knew.  We sat next to each other all day.  I love Bob’s art, I respect what he does and keep my hands off everything that makes Bob’s art his.

Bob: I like what Vicki brings to the work.  She adds a side to the characters that I wouldn’t think of.  Example: I drew Harper in an oversize sweater. I thought it was cute, and kind of in fashion right then.  Vicki made up the back story that the sweater belongs to Harper’s mom, and since the mom works long hours, Harper misses her.  So, Harper snuggles into the sweater every day like a portable Mom-hug.  I would never have thought of that, and it added so much to Harper.

Anything you’d like to share about the writing process–about the comedic timing?

Vicki: Writing a comic strip is like the haiku of comedy writing.  Bob is a master of it, and it is harder than it looks.  I like to blather on and on, so I can take Molly and Bear into full-length stories.  I like call-backs, long-running jokes and soap-opera-esque drama.

Bob: If I can make a joke work with a great, funny drawing, that’s what I love.  I love the slapstick of cartoons, the wild takes, the animation I can put into the comic strip and the books.  I love a pun as much as anyone, and Bear is always fun to write, but he is way more fun to draw.

Vicki: To be clear, Bob writes and draws his strip completely solo.  I help with the books, but the strip is all Bob.

Share with us anything you like about your early years.

Bob: I have been making comic strips since I was little. I saw strips in the newspaper every day (newspapers used to be on paper and delivered to your house.  Crazy times) and I drew my favorites.  Pretty soon I was making my own strips.  I have been on a quest for syndication my whole life.   Fortunately, I also wanted to be an animator.

Vicki: I don’t remember it very well, but I wasn’t always this tall. My feet were always this big, however.

Bob: Ha! Ha!

What would you tell someone just getting into making comics. Some folks do it as a creative outlet and others are looking to pursue it as part of a creative career. Any advice?

Bob: A lot of people ask me how to make a comic strip. I walk them through finding a size to draw the strip that works for them and turn them loose.  That’s it!  There is no big list of requirements for strips.  It’s why I love strips.  I work on animated features and TV series all day and I LOVE that I’m my own boss on the strip. Three panels? Sure!  Five panels? Why not?  Web-based syndication is very free.

Interestingly, people roll up their sleeves and do about 8 strips.  That’s about when everyone sees it is a lot of work.  Endless.  But I love that too.  Every single day, I get to make a new strip.  Tell a new joke.  Draw something funny that makes me laugh.

It’s not for everyone.

Vicki: When Bob was young, making a living doing a comic strip was a real possibility.  He was just a few years behind Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes).  But when the papers began failing, comic strips entered a dark period where almost no one could launch a strip that would support them.  Now, there are more ways to get comic strips out there, and the future for comic strip artists may be looking better.  Strange Planet is a good example of a web-based comic “making it big”.

Any final thoughts are welcome. What is in store for the future?

Bob: We would love to continue the Molly and the Bear graphic novels, but publishing is a business and that means we need Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair and Molly and the Bear: Campers Beware to sell through the roof.   I hope we get to do a third: Molly is going to do a school play, Bear will need to stand in for a sick kid, and of course the theater is haunted.

Vicki: Hilarity will ensue.

Molly and the Bear: Campers Beware and Molly and the Bear: An Unlikely Pair are published by Simon & Schuster.

2 Comments

Filed under Comics, Interviews

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,