FAQ:
Hey everyone. Soooo, you probably have A LOT of questions about Dead Days, right? RIGHT? Well, lemme tell you that I’m chalk full of answers. Here are some Questons you might be asking yourself… frequently.
Q: How did Dead Days get started you idiot?
A: Hey, that “idiot” part wasn’t necessary. If anything, it was hurtful.
Q: Look, can you just answer the stupid question?
A: No. No I can’t. Not until you take back that mean idiot remark.
Q: No deal, it’s more worth it to me to call you an idiot that hear that answer.
A: I accept your apology. Dead Days started out in 2001 as a comic strip for my college news paper, California State University, Fresno’s “The Collegian.” I was a sophomore drawing political and editorial cartoons (very serious work people) when they asked me if I would draw a comic strip 3 times a week. I told them I’d never drawn a continuing comic strip before and that I’d try it out, but only if it was a weekly strip… you know, cause I was a bitch.
Q: And an idiot. A bitch and an idiot.
A: After 2 semesters of doing Dead Days, a RIDICULOUS strip about collegy antics, I figured, “Shit man, I can do this EVERY DAY! Wait, I have full time school and a part time job at a call center. No I can’t. But I can do BETTER than once a week, that’s for sure!” So I gave up sleep and started printing Dead Days 3 times a week.
Q: Sounds good, but it’s, like, a bunch of years later! Are you still in college?
A: Nope. I graduated in 2004 with a BA in graphic design. I now work at a design firm as a designer, but haven’t given up doing Dead Days.
Q: Why in God’s name NOT?
A: Because while I was printing Dead Days in the paper, I was also posting them online at various online galleries and sites. I’ve now developed this really cool indie readership that I can’t walk away from. Plus cartooning is my passion. I’ll probably always have a comic strip going in one way or another. Dead Days is just too fun NOT to do!
Q: Well cool. Um… sorry for calling you an idiot earlier.
A: Don’t sweat it. I’m sure your acting up is due to a troubled childhood filled with belt-beatings and a lack of hugs.
Q: It’s like you’ve known me all my life! Do you do Dead Days in illustrator using vectors?
A: Nope, it’s all hand drawn baby. I start with pencils, then I ink the comic with a regular old run-o-the-mill Sharpie marker, then I ERASE the pencils and scan the whole thing and arrange, add grey tones and lettering in Photoshop. Neat eh?
Q: Speaking of grey, why isn’t your strip in color.
A: Why isn’t your strip in black and white?
Q: Fine. Um… I’ve been meaning to ask, do your two characters even have names?
A: Hahaha, not really. Dead Days began with no set cast of characters. It was supposed to be about the college experience in general with ambiguous characters representing the common college student. Over the years, our 2 heroes somehow clawed their way into becoming the main characters and took over the comic. I never named them because, what’s in a name really?
Q: So, where do you get your ideas?
A: Oh no, it’s not turning into one of THOSE interviews is it? Where do I get my ideas? WHERE DOES ANYONE GET THEIR IDEAS?! They think of em’ dummy! You think long enough, you’ll get ideas! This interview is over!
*Mr. A. storms out of room ripping the tiny microphone off his collar and slamming door*
Q: Whatta dick....
