And here we are again, continuing our November coverage of the webcomic, Stranger Danger by Tavis Maiden (Twitter, Google+, Facebook)!
One thing that I love about Stranger Danger is just how honest it is. Sure it’s all heightened, but now that I have a child who is talking (a lot) I can see the truth. Each comic isn’t necessarily a full-on belly-laugh, but what it does exude is a wondrous joy from being a family. Maybe that doesn’t speak to you, but for me, it’s really great to read.
It’s also interesting to see how Tavis breaks down the moments in his family’s life. It’s the sign of a good storyteller to hone a moment down to its essential pieces and craft it into a moment that can be understood and shared by anyone.
This just makes me excited to see what he does with his upcoming project Tenko King (funded by Kickstarter)! I can’t wait! (You can keep up with the progress on his Tumblr!)
Tavis Maiden Interview: Part 2
Where do you get inspiration for your comics?
It depends on what I’m working on. With The Konamis, I’d get inspiration from music and mythology. With Stranger Danger, I get inspiration from my family. It started out as a way to stay connected with friends and family, and to share with them what was happening with us. I’d love to fast forward 10 years and see what Jonas thinks of it then. He’ll probably be completely embarrassed, but I get a lot of joy out of chronicling these moments in time. As far as Tenko King goes, I’m pulling inspiration from my childhood and trying to distill it into a letter for my kids. I want to convey that life can be wonderful, exciting, scary, and dangerous adventure all at the same time.
Are you a writer or an artist first? And how does that affect your process?
I’m definitely an artist first. Writing is the more difficult task for me. More often than not form comes before function, then the writer part kicks in to flesh it out. In the past I would just start drawing without a plan, and let the pieces come together on their own. Lately though, especially with Tenko King, I’m taking more time build the world and work on the “hows” and “whys”. I’ve spent my life drawing, now it’s time to exercise my writing chops.