CONGRATS, MATT!
Wild Ocean and Trickster are both in Amazon.com's top 10 comics anthologies!
Matt will be signing Wild Ocean this Sunday, May 18th, from 1-3
at FANTOM COMICS at Union Station in Washington, DC
MAGIC BULLET INTERVIEWS MATT DEMBICKI
How did you become a
cartoonist? (formal training, workshops, self-taught?)
I was pretty much self-taught. I started drawing when I
began reading and collecting comics at age 8. I drew through high school, where
I took some art classes. I quit comics and drawing when I went to college and
got back into in 15 years later, thanks to my wife.
What are your
favorite things to draw/write about?
I’ve been writing and drawing a lot of aquatic-themed comics
recently. I’ve always been intrigued by the ocean, so I guess this is my way of
learning and exploring it.
What media do you
use/tools do you find indispensible? (fav pens, brushes, apps, programs,
pencils)
A metal ruler; cheap, disposable pencils; Micron pens;
Pentel brush pen; Ultradraw rapidograph ink; Utrecht brushes; and Borden &
Riley #235 paper.
Do you consider
yourself to be more draftsman or storyteller?
I’m more of a storyteller. I do enjoy playing with layout,
though. I find it challenging.
Do you write your
scripts? When you write, do you type out script pages, or do you handwrite
with/in your sketchbook?
I do write scripts, usually several drafts. The first is
usually a bunch of notes, maybe some rough page scripts. Then I write a first
draft on a computer. I put it aside for about two weeks and come at it again
with fresh eyes for a final draft.
Who are your
influences? (& your favorite cartoonists, if different)
Steven Bissette, Wally Wood, Bernie Wrightson, Rick
Veitch. I was heavily influenced
by comic book artists in the 1980s.
What inspires you?
A good idea. Taking a kernel of something and nurturing into
something bigger. Just knowing that it’s possible to do something like that is
a wonderful feeling.
What music or movies,
if any, do you play while you work?
I listen to Pandora.com a lot these days. My playlist
includes the Kinks, X, Replacements, the Cult, the Fixx, Pietasters and Big
Audio Dynamite. Older stuff, I guess.
What are you favorite
films, and who are your favorite filmmakers/screenwriters?
I’ve never really followed filmmakers or screenwriters.
Except Kurosawa. He’s awesome. In terms of movies, I tend to follow actors more
often. I enjoy Jack Lemon, Walter Matthau, Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp.
Do you have animated
versions of your work? Is that something which interests you?
No, I don’t. I haven’t had a desire to dabble in animation
until my kids started to like animation. Now I feel I want to learn more about
it to help them explore it.
Are comics art,
craft, showbiz, or whut??
I like comics as art. I’m not sure I can explain why. It
just feels right.
Are you a control
freak?
I think so.
I’ve got my hands in various projects and they are all deadline driven.
To meet those deadlines with quality results, I think you have to have a little
control freak in you.
What are your fav/best
venues to show/sell your comics? (galleries, coffee shops, cons, festivals)
I enjoy libraries and library conferences the best.
Libraries are wonderful champions of the form and they are still learning
about.
Favorite Cons and
why?
The Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo in Columbus,
Ohio, because it was the first show I exhibited at, and I really enjoy the
creators who attend it. I’ve made
some great friends there and I enjoy visiting with them every April. I also
like the Small Press Expo for the inspiration—plus it’s in out backyard.
What
professional/cartoonists groups or organizations do you belong to, if any?
I’m a co-founder of the D.C. Conspiracy, a Washington comics
creators collaborative that started in 2005.
What tips/advice
would you give aspiring comics-makers?
To use a quote from the animated film Finding Nemo, “Just
keep swimming.” Keep doing it because you love to do it.
“Graphic Novels” or
“Comic Books?”
Comic books
“Film” or “Movie?”
Film
One word response to
. . . “writer’s block”:
Never been an issue for me. That doesn’t mean I haven’t had
really crappy ideas!
Where can we find you
online? Website? Blog? Web comic? YouTube? Twitter? FB?
We thought we shouldn't leave you wondering about where are Matt's awards, because, here they are! Well deserved, and congrats, again!
· 2013 SPACE Prize First
Place and Second Place (Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo, Columbus,Ohio), Xoc and District Comics
· 2013 Harvey Award
Finalist, District Comics
· 2013 Shel Dorf Award
Winner, District Comics
· 2012 SPACE Prize
Finalist, Trickster
· 2011 Aesop Prize Winner
(American Folklore Society), Trickster
· 2011 ALA Notable
Children’s Books, Trickster
· 2011 Eisner Award
Nominee, Trickster
· 2009 Ignatz Award
Nominee, Xoc #1 (self-published)
· 2007 Howard E. Day
Prize, for Mr. Big (self-published)
