WALRUS COMIX PRESENTS: An Exclusive Interview with Kevin Colden

KEVIN COLDEN is a founding member of the Chemistry Set comic collective and member of the ACT-I-VATE collective.He currently produces videos and films, draws two weekly webcomics and lives in NYC with his wife, cartoonist Miss Lasko-Gross. More of his work can be found at www.kevincolden.com

We here at Walrus Comix are big fans of your work. Your use of color, dynamic perspective and bold inks remind us a bit of the great work that came out of Pacific Comics in the early 80s. They put out the classic titles 'Alien Worlds' and 'Twisted Tales', did they have any influence on you, and if not which artists directly informed your work growing up?
I think the only stories I read specifically from Pacific were the Rocketeer stories by Dave Stevens. He had a realistic style that I thought was unattainable at the time. The first comics I ever read were reprints of Ditko Spidermans, and I’ve only recently realized the heavy influence they’ve had on me. Rick Veitch’s work thru King Hell and Tundra was a huge influence. I read a lot of Tundra stuff when they were around. Also, the one Swamp Thing issue I ever bought as a kid - #39 – is still a perfect comic book issue in my eyes.

House of 12 comics seems to be following in the tradition of classic independent publishers like Pacific Comics, Eclipse, and First. What are they like to work for?
House of Twelve is a very small operation, though we have a ton of contributors. I think (publisher) Cheese Hasselberger sees the collective as more like the 70’s San Francisco undergrounds – he hands us a theme and
says “go”. And for some strange reason we do. We’re trying to keep the humor comic alive, and doing quite well at it.

Working for them is always fun. I usually have a very structured working system, but I loosen up more when working on the House of Twelve stuff.

Which do you prefer, illustrating your own stories or working with another writer?
It depends on what day it is. Ultimately, it’s more gratifying to write something yourself and say “this is mine”, but working with a writer forces you to stretch and try news things. For instance, if I wasn’t working with Neil Kleid on Todt Hill, I would never have had a desire or opportunity to draw a pirate ship.

Finding your own distinct line is essential when it comes to comic art, did you fiddle with many different styles before finding your own unique path?
I’ve never stopped fiddling. Ultimately, cartooning is really just shorthand for interpreting reality. I spent years learning as much as possible, took in all of the work I liked most, then let my brain disconnect and did what came naturally. That’s where I really found the style that you see now. We’re all products of our environment, but working hard to try and imitate someone else is BS, because it will only look like a bad imitation if you do that.

It’s unfortunate that in the comic business, there’s no respect for signature style. Clowns – real circus clowns and mimes - have a code about not stealing each others signature makeup and gags, but in comics newer
artists are actually encouraged to rip off successful artists – like what happened to Kirby. Its one thing to take something you’ve seen and turn it into something new, but straight imitation is offensive and disrespectful.

We remember those old ads for the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, in the backs of all the comics we used to devour as kids, what was the experience like of actually attending the school?
Like boot camp with pencils. It’s a traditional illustration school and you can’t fake your way through it. There’s no coddling, no “finding your style”, it’s just draw it, draw it good, draw it quick. If you suck, they tell you so and teach you how to not suck. Creatively it was the best experience of my life.

Which instruments do you favor when you draw? Any type of pencil you prefer? Do you use a nib pen for inking? If so which brand?
I always use soft no. 2 pencils to rough, and lightbox them using blue mechanical and regular pencils. For inking I mostly use a Raphael #3 brush, a Maru G-Pen and Hunt 102.

You're a musician as well as an artist, we here at WC share that in common with you. Do you see a direct connection between musicians and artists, and which do you enjoy more, playing music or drawing?
I tend to think that creativity is really just an abstract thing that you choose to focus in one place or another, so yeah, it’s all related. I’ve been focusing on comics more for the past few years, so I’d have to say
overall, I enjoy that more now, but music is a much more immediate and physical outlet. Again, depends on what day you ask.

Which current artists do you admire?
I tend to read work mostly from people that I know personally now, so it’s hard to answer this without sounding like I’m shilling for my friends. If I’m associated with someone in any way, it’s safe to say I really dig their work.

Really, I admire everyone I see at a small press show who has the stones to just sit out there and say, “This is me, this is my work, love it or hate it”. That takes an insane amount of courage. So really, I admire the guy who’s just starting out more than the guy with the six-figure Marvel contract.


Finally, do you have any advice for the kids out there just starting out that have dreams of being just like you?
Don’t be just like me or anyone else. Be yourself. More importantly though, do what you love and focus on that because ultimately it’s all you’ve got. That sounds fake and cheesy, but it’s the truth. And be prepared to work harder than you can ever imagine.

above: excerpt from the webcomic, "Fishtown a Novel in Six Parts"