Welcome to the end of the week. Today we have two of my faves -- Keith McCulloch in conversation with Kevin Hooyman, who has just released his new book, Conditions on the Ground. Two old pals from back 1990s Providence. Both great storytellers.
KM: It seems the comics fan is more righteous than other fans. They would pay.
KH: Yes. I guess so. And everyone is supporting each other. It can be a problem. When I go walking around the comic shows I will see people I only sort of know and I HAVE to buy their comic. Like I went to buy this one comic I wanted, from this girl whose stuff I liked, and she was sold out, and the guy at the table next to her was like Hey I remember you and I had just tried to buy her comic so I’m obviously shopping, and my immediate response was like Oh i gotta buy yours .
KM: How much was it?
KH: Oh they’re all like five or ten dollars. I have to. I don’t know why. Especially if i just sold a bunch, just take the cash around and buy stuff. It’s just support. It’s good. It works. Because it’s all people who don’t have much money buying comics from each other, kinda just telling each other to keep going… you’d like some stuff. There’s good people. There’s some energy in the comics world right now I think. Kids are really into it. “Kids” again. But this time really kids — under 25. deeply into it.
KM: Where are they all?
KH: They’re all over. It’s international. They’re at these fairs — they’re at home on their computers. They’re making comics. Or they’re in these little DIY cities like Richmond or Providence or… they’re all over.
KM: How do you find out about em?
KH: Well I find out about them, and I’m not saying this is the right way to do it or anything, through Tumblr. I think that’s a comics scene. Unless theres a bigger one somewhere else. But I stumbled onto the Tumblr scene. That’s almost like a community because everyone is just posting. It’d pretty great because people just post the latest shit they drew. Everyone’s pushing each other in a way… there are some people I follow on Tumblr that are super productive that I really admire and feel pushed by. To see people cranking out thirty pages in a month.
And Aron Nels Steinke closes out the week with the fifth day of his diary. Thanks for the great week, Aron!
Elsewhere:
Alex Dueben talks to Zeina Abirached.
Paste speaks to Evan Dorkin about the finale of The Eltingville Club.
The Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum & Library needs your help identifying some fine looking romance art.
