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1.) Tell us about yourself and how your personality and such reflects in your comic?
There is a lot of myself reflected into each and ever character I write. They are all extremist representations of course. Edmund, for example, wants so desperately to communicate his message to the outside world, but has a frustrating time doing so. I can relate to that, even if I'm not slitting my wrists and painting in blood like he is. Azmodius dedicates a great deal of time to gathering knowledge and observing details. I guess what I have the most in common with my stories is a genuine desire to understand, reinterpret, and reinvent the world that we are currently living in.
 2.) What inspires you?
Madness. Complete and all consuming obsession. There is no better reason to create anything.
3.) What comics do you like, and who influenced you?
I read a great deal of X-men books during the Chris Claremont Dark Pheonix saga days I enjoy a lot of the current comic greats like Alan Moore, Frank Miller and Neil Gaiman (although I prefer Gaiman's non-illustrated paperbacks to his comics). I thought that Art Speigelman's MAUS was brilliant. I love the crisp black and white styles of Ted Natifeh (Gloomcookie Vol. 1) and Richard Moore (Boneyard). I'm just a bibliophile. I get more influence from the world outside of comics then the world within.
4.) How did you come up with your Comic, what sparked its creation?
I've always been obsessed with stories. I was fortunate enough that both my parents and grandparents had a large collection of books, it seems only natural that someday I would have to create some of my own. I owe so much inspiration and gratitude to my friends who have helped push me in a productive direction. My dear friend Tona, I owe the most credit to, the stories I write, come from the stories she encourages me to tell to her.
5.) How did you come up with your characters, which is your favorite?
These characters have been with me for life. I used to make up stories to entertain my youngest sibling, both to help him sleep, and also for fun during the day. I was as imaginative as any other child who prefers books to other human beings. There are endless influences from books, anime and an chronic overdose of 80's fantasy and science fiction flims.
Because I am so close to the characters, it is hard to say which one is my favorite. Like choosing between your closest friends in real life, you feel like showing favor to one might somehow spurn the others.
 6.) What’s your method for writing a comic or story, and how long does it usually take?
Since I illustrate as well as write, I don't generally script out the pages before I create them. Writing and drawing are done at the same time. Individual issues take about 8-10 hours to create. I tend to keep the art simple in order to speed up production time, since I have a lot to say and never enough time to say it. Writing is to me, a matter of just deciding where you want the story to go, and then making it get to that point. I really enjoy upping the stakes, and giving the readers something that will make them want to come back just to find out what happens next.
7.) Most important, and the reason for all this- Whats the step by step process of creating your comic, from writing to coloring or where ever you end?
It starts with me carrying around a tote bag large enough to keep a plain black folder with printer paper in it, some mechanical pencils and a few sharpies or ink pens. Whenever I get a second, on a lunch break, or stuck waiting somewhere for one thing or another, I start with my rough sketches, then I put on the initial shading. When I have a few pages ready, I take them home, scan them into photoshop, clean up the pictures and reset the type. I do this one panel at a time and assemble the panels in illustrator. After the page is completely assembled I save two versions, one for print and one for web. Then I upload the file onto the website.
Covers are a little more time intensive, since they are in color. I experiment a bit more when I do the covers, some are completely digital, others are done in marker or watercolor pencils. I have a template so when the art is complete I can just update the type and swap out the pictures.
By the way, it will never, ever, end for me. For every idea that makes it to publication, I have 10 more I want to get done. It is a constant process of trying to learn as much as I can. It means that when I'm not drawing or writing, I am studying all of the how to books on the market.
8.) Plans for the future?
I've just started getting material into print. I did my first show in February, and I'll be at S.P.A.C.E. next month. I'd like to hit up more convention circuts in the future, and also get to the point where fans can buy issues and prints online.
All images Copyright M.A.D.
No reproduction of any material is allowed in any format without written permission.
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