Showing posts with label ipi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ipi. Show all posts

Friday, November 06, 2015

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 11

 

IPI #11 - Jonny Hinkle

Welcome to Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - an quick interview series that spotlights Indigenous artists, writers, and other creatives working in the comic book and/or video game industry. In this edition, I talk to fellow-Oklahoman writer/artist, Jonny Hinkle.

Jonny Hinkle is an artist, writer, and creator out of the Tulsa, OK area. He started his professional career as an illustrator when he graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Since his graduation he has worked on various projects, including Tribal Force the all Native American comic book. Some of Jonny's self-published works include Uprooted, a story about an "ancient tree spirit" bent on revenge against the humanity that destroys his sacred land, using a chainsaw to do so and Plague, a story about a time travelling super-hero who fails in his attempt to stop a world dominating alien menace. He was also recently published with Topcow as a runner-up for writing in their publication "Artifacts: Lost Tales #1".

See more of Jonny and is work on Facebook, Riseart, or at his Patreon site https://www.patreon.com/JonnyHinkleArt?ty=h.

Michael Sheyahshe (MS): Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

Jonny Hinkle (JH): Being adopted in Oklahoma I have no "official" tribal affiliation. Though from the time I could remember my parents were informed that the mother was Native American. After researching and finding my biological parents, I have come to know that I have both Cherokee and Apache blood and am doing my best to get my Cherokee membership.
Pencils: Jonny Hinkle
MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

JH: I did not. As a child adopted by a white family, the only knowledge I had of my heritage was that I was Native American. Aside from that I took it upon myself to begin to learn about it, even taking college courses focused on Native American culture and History.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

JH: I have always been interested in comics, ever since I was a child. It wasn't until I finished college in 2010 that I began to focus working for them professionally.

MS: What is your favorite comic book of all time…something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

JH: That is a hard question to answer, as over time my tastes have changed. When I was younger I couldn't stop reading about Peter Parker's Spider-Man, or Rocket Raccoon. Though, as an adult I am more inclined to read stories like ThunderBolts, Suicide Squad, Superior Spider-Man, The Darkness, or other super power related books focusing more on the villains.

MS: What is your specialty in the biz?

JH: I specialize in Writing and Pencilling. While I wish I could color my own work, I leave that to the guys that really know how to make me look good.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

JH: I did. I have a degree in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

MS: What other comics/projects have you worked on?

JH: I have worked with small start-up companies as a penciller and writer, and that never worked out due mostly to the failings of the company.
"DUEL" - Jonny Hinkle & Raciel Avila Silva

MS: Have you done any comic books with Native American characters in them?

JH: I worked as a penciller on the book, Tribal Force, for a company called Rising Sun. The property is owned by an amazing creator named John Proudstar. The pieces that I myself worked on were never fully put into publication, but look for John's book in the future!

I also self published multiple projects in school depicting Native American characters.

MS: Do you have an opinion about Indigenous characters in comics, video games, and/or pop culture?

JH: Yes. They can be awesome if done correctly, and terrible when done incorrectly. I also feel that in the Superhero Genre, historically Native Americans have been cast aside and killed off far too often.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comics/gaming industry)?

JH: I know a few illustrators who are currently working in the industry. Jeffrey Veregge is an Amazing Native illustrator who is working for some of the big companies right now.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?
Pencils/Ink: Jonny Hinkle

JH: Well...if you want to write...then write. Write, Write, Write.

If you want to draw...then draw. Draw, Draw, Draw.

The key to improving at anything is time and practice. I've been creating for 33 years now.

MS: Final thoughts/shameless plugs? :)

JH: I certainly hope that my career as a comics creator will take flight, and anyone out there who has that same dream, keep pursuing it.

If you would like to see some samples of my work visit:

https://www.facebook.com/JonnyHinkleArt/?fref=ts
http://www.riseart.com/artist/hinkle-silva-art
https://www.patreon.com/JonnyHinkleArt?ty=h

Monday, May 18, 2015

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 10

IPI #10 - Richard Van Camp

Welcome to Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - my blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creatives working in the comic book and/or video game industry. In this edition, I talk to super-author, Richard Van Camp.

I first met Richard in 2008 at the Eiteljorg Museum, as we were both panelist on Native Americans in Comics panel (thanks for initially getting us all together, Pete Brown!).

You can visit Richard on FacebookTwitter or at his website: www.richardvancamp.com.


Michael Sheyahshe (MS): Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

Richard Van Camp (RVC): I'm a member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Nation from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. I am the author of two children’s books with the Cree artist George Littlechild: "A Man Called Raven" and "What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?" I've published a novel, The Lesser Blessed, which is now a feature film with First Generation Films; my collections of short fiction include Angel Wing Splash Pattern, The Moon of Letting Go and Other Stories, and Godless but Loyal to Heaven. I've authored three baby books: Welcome Song for BabyA Lullaby for Newborns; Nighty Night; A Bedtime Song for Babies and Little You (now translated into Cree, Dene and South Slavey!), and I have two comic books out with the Healthy Aboriginal Network: Kiss Me Deadly and Path of the Warrior.

My graphic novel, Three Feathers, Whistle, is about mental health and asking for forgiveness. The latest cinematic adaptation of my work is "Mohawk Midnight Runners", which is a short movie by Zoe Hopkins based on my short story, "Dogrib Midnight Runners" from The Moon of Letting Go.
is about restorative justice; my new novel,

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

RVC: Yes! Lots of storytelling and family gatherings. Best friends in the world and Fort Smith was an incredible town to be born into. It was a great time to grow up in the 80's, as well.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

RVC: My appendix blew up inside of me when I was in grade 2. As luck would have it, my neighbors brought me all of their comics to keep me company. Mike Grell’s "The Warlord" (issue 13) saved me because I made a deal with myself that when I got out of there, I’d get every single issue. I did. I have the entire series and followed it for years. I’m grateful to Epic Magazine, Savage Tales and Heavy Metal magazine--The Savage Sword of Conan, too!--because they lit imagination on fire.

MS: What is your favorite comic book of all time…something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

RVC: The Walking Dead. I've been following it for years and it’s only getting better. Rachel Rising is incredible, too. I love the graphic novels. I also laugh out loud any time I reread “Injury” comic
books.

MS: What is your specialty in the "biz" (comics/gaming industry)?

RVC: I write comics and graphic novels. I have two comics out with the Healthy Aboriginal Network: Kiss Me Deadly, on sexual health, and Path of the Warrior, on gang violence prevention. I also have a graphic novel out on restorative justice with Portage and Main: Three Feathers, and I have a graphic novel out on mental health titled "The Blue Raven." I have a new graphic novel coming out next year titled "A Blanket of Butterflies" on how storytelling and cultural protocol can be a peacemaking tool to stop escalating violence.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

RVC: I started editing for The Healthy Aboriginal Network and learned the tools of the trade from there.

MS: Do any of your comic books feature Native American or Indigenous characters in them?

RVC: All of them feature Dene people and northerners. I’m proud of that.

MS: Do you have an opinion about Indigenous characters in comics, video games, and/or pop culture?

RVC: I'm always happy to see my cousins in anything pop culturish :)

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the biz?

RVC: I'm blessed to work with Cree artist Steve Sanderson and Chris Auchter who is Haida on our comics.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

RVC: Read as many comics and graphic novels as you can and work with a great team: editors, layout artist, publishers and artists who love the genre and are wanting to create works of forever.

MS: Thanks, Richard...you rock!  :) 

Friday, March 27, 2015

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 09

IPI #9 - Kristina BadHand

Kristina and Lee Francis IV at the INC booth
Oh, hello, there.  I didn't see you, there. ;)  Welcome to another iteration of Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - my on-going blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creatives working in the comic book and/or video game industry. In this edition, we get into the head of the ever-talented Kristina BadHand.

I had the pleasure to first meet and hang out with Kristina at the Denver Comic Convention 2014, as we both 'worked' the INC booth together. She's a fan-freaking-tastic artist and has a great sense of humor, too boot.

You can follow Kristina on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kristina.badhand or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BadHandIllust. Be sure to check out her homepage at http://www.badhandillustrations.com/.

Michael Sheyahshe: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

Kristina BadHand: I am Sicangu Lakota and Cherokee, but I was born and raised in Taos, NM.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?) 

KB: I was raised attending, dancing and singing at powwows and sundances; My father is a well-known singer, song writer, and spiritual leader.

MS: When did you first get into comics/art?

KB: I have been drawing ever since I could hold a pencil, my older siblings used to give me pointers on how to draw Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z until one day I could draw the characters better than they could!

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?
poster for TMCT

KB: I am a huge X-Men fan girl, and grew up reading Elf Quest and Japanese Manga. I am also a very big fan of Scary Godmother.

MS: Tell us more about the comic you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

KB: I am working on a Hawaiian [version] "Beauty and the Beast" called, Kaui. It will be the first installment of a series of Native American Fairy Tales, including an Inuit "Little Mermaid". The stories are a combination of tribal legends and traditional fairy tales.

MS: When can we expect it and where can we buy it? (…and will there be an 'NDN discount'?...AAYY!)

KB: Kaui, part 1 will be available for purchase at the INC booth during Denver Comic Con 2015.

MS: Keeping in mind your other talents, what is your specialty?

KB: I really love drawing people, but I'd have to say my specialty is coloration.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

KB: I started drawing comics back in middle school on my own. However during my time at the Art Institute of Colorado I had one graphic novel class with my favorite teacher, Don Long, and from then on my comic skills improved substantially.

MS: Have you worked on any other comics? 

KB: I have illustrated for Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers, Texas Indians Project, Dino Apocalypse and a few other small projects.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

KB: As previously mentioned, X-Men has always been a favorite of mine. I love that there is a mutant in every race of person and for most part the cultures are represented in a good light. With characters like Dani Moonstar, Silverfox, Warpath, Thunderbird and the fact that Wolverine speaks fluent Lakota.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

KB: I love to see strong, confident and inspirational indigenous characters, this is what I have always loved about Dani Moonstar, she is a warrior, a strong female lead, and very brilliant. There are a few characters I feel are ridiculous in X-Men also. There is a trend of making indigenous characters often barely clothed, extremely sexualized and flat. Not having much personality behind their spirituality and appearance.

One of the best things about indigenous peoples is our sense of humor, our resilience and ability to laugh and love family even through disagreement and addiction. I feel a lot of "indigenous superheroes" lack this quality and support the stereotype of the stoic tobacco store Indian.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

KB: I know quite a few talented individuals up and coming in the comic, media, movie and music industries. It's truly and inspiration to see native peoples making an impact, using their talents and changing the way the world views us.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

KB: If something means a lot to you, whether it's writing or illustrating, telling a story or teaching a lesson, there will be hardships. There will be blocks in the road, mishaps and someone will always have an opinion about what you should be doing differently. Best thing to do is keep that goal in your heart and in you sight, lock it there and never give up. No matter how frustrating and hard things may get, if you really want it, you can get there. Speak life. Put that positive energy into the universe and keep building your dreams.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you’d like to 'plug' (upcoming shows, etc.)?

KB: Nope! :)

Thursday, October 10, 2013

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 08

Hi-ho, everyone!  This portion of Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - which is my on-going blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creative individuals working either in the comic book or video game industry - spotlights the ever-talented, Roy Boney.

I've known Roy for some time now, have spent time with him in person, and even given presentations with him along the way. Roy is an amazing individual both from a cultural and technical (technology) standpoint, a tremendous artist, and with these great powers comes...his great sense of humor (something I definitely appreciate).

See the grin in the image for an idea of this humor. ☺ 

You can follow Roy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/roy.boney or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/royboney. Be sure to check out his homepage at http://royboney.com/.

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

RB: I'm a full blood citizen of the Cherokee Nation. I'm from Locust Grove, OK. I currently live in Tahlequah.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?) 

RB: I was raised in a small Cherokee community just outside of Locust Grove known as Iron Post.  I grew up in a family of fluent Cherokee speakers. My uncles, aunts, grandparents, and parents all grew up with Cherokee as their first language. It would be spoken at family gatherings, at church, and in my house growing up.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

RB: One of my earliest memories is of going to the grocery story with my dad and seeing an issue of Amazing Spiderman and desperately wanting it. He gave in and bought it for me. That was back in 1984 or so when Spidey was in the black costume. I've been drawing even longer than that, and I always wanted to draw comics.

I had done cartoons for my high school newspaper,  but my first real foray into publishing comics was when I was an undergraduate in college. I was studying graphic design, and getting into web design. To help me learn HTML and dynamic scripting, I set up a website to publish a webcomic. This was around 1999, and the comic was called Plugin Boy.

Plugin Boy is the story of a suicidal robotic boy who could only live life when he was plugged into a wall. He would constantly unplug himself only to be plugged back in by his scientist creator. Plugin Boy developed a cult following, and I opened a small online shop that sold stickers. That grew into being contacted by a writer from Canada by the name of Matt Shepherd. He hired me to draw a webcomic series called The License. That was my first paid gig as a comics artist.

From there Matt and I collaborated further and developed Dead Eyes Open, a limited issue series about what would happen if zombies were not mindless flesh eating monsters but instead retained their memories, personalities, beliefs, etc., of when they were alive. Essentially they were people except for the rotting flesh part. We made a submission packet of 8 complete pages of the comic, and submitted it to as many indie comic publishers as we could. We received many rejection letters until Dan Vado over at SLG Publishing liked the concept. They published the 6 issue series and eventually collected the series into a graphic novel.

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?

RB: Some of my most favorite series are Spawn, the Savage Dragon, the Sandman, and the Maxx. Sam Keith is one of my all time favorite artists. I discovered him during his work on the Sandman, and I really loved the Maxx. I also really like the work of Charles Burns on the Black Hole series. I think overall, I'm drawn to the darker types of stories, and Black Hole fits that vein. I aspire to create a poignant graphic novel about Cherokees in the vein of Joe Sacco's Palestine book.

MS: Tell us more about the comic you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

RB: After finishing up Dead Eyes Open, I have contributed short stories to several other projects. One was the Trickster graphic novel, which was an Eisner nominee. Another was the Native American Graphic Classics anthology. Dead Eyes Open was reprinted in the Mammoth Book of Zombie Comics where it briefly found a second life (pardon the pun). I also did a cover illustration and graphic feature for Indian Country Today magazine about Sequoyah and the history of the Cherokee language in technology. The story was a great success, and the cover was a finalist in the American Society of Magazine Editors Cover of the Year competition. It didn't win, but it was quite an honor to be included among other magazines such as Time, Fortune, and Newsweek.


Most of this work led to my collaboration with a few native comic book artists and writers into a project we call INC which stands for Indigenous Narratives Collective. We published a mini comic #0 a while back. It seemed to go over well, and several of us have appeared at various events around the country promoting the group. We have been planning a graphic novel about the Code Talkers. Most people may have heard of the Navajo Code Talkers, but there is so much more history with other tribes as well. Each of us has been working on a story about different tribes. I've been developing one about the Cherokee Code Talkers in World War I.


MS: When can we expect it and where can we buy it? (…and will there be an NDN discount?)

RB: As the book is still in the early stages of development, I don't have a release date yet. I totally would love to offer an NDN discount though!

MS: Keeping in mind your other talents, what is your specialty?

RB: My day job is working for the Cherokee Nation as a language technology specialist in the Language Technology Program. So I guess you could say that's my "specialty." The program works with major technology companies such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft to ensure that the Cherokee language is compatible with their products. For example, a Cherokee language interface pack was recently released for Windows 8 and Apple's iOS includes a Cherokee font and keyboard. These are the kinds of projects the program does.

As far as art and comics goes, I really enjoy drawing. I would consider drawing my strongest skill. I have taken on the habit of doing a drawing a day which I post to Facebook and I work in various media including traditional pencil and paper to digital sketches on my iPad. I'm nearing two years of daily posting. This simple practice has really improved my drawing skills waaaaaay more than I ever thought. It's been great fun, and it challenges me to be creative each day.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

RB: I have a bachelor's degree in graphic design in which I focused more on the illustration side of things from Oklahoma State University. I also have a master’s degree in studio art from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. My thesis was on using  digital technology to tell stories in the Cherokee language. I create two animated short films as part of the process, one was stop motion and the other was a 3D computer animation.

MS: Have you worked on any other comics? 

RB: I jumped the gun and covered that in the question above…lol.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

RB: Actually, one character that I remember liking a lot when I was a teenager was Ripclaw from Cyberforce published by Image Comics. He wasn't exactly a great representation because he was vaguely Indian. I recall he was sometimes associated with the Apaches and sometime the Cheyenne, but it was never a major part of the comics. When you’re a kid, any cool kind of character that is native appeals to you because it’s so rare to see in popular media. It was almost like you take what you can get.

I also was really into Scout. The only problem was, I had a difficult time finding the comic books because it was from an indie publisher, and a kid living in a rural Oklahoma town in the 1980s didn't have many opportunities to run to the comic shop Starbase 21 in Tulsa. I actually found a few issues at the local flea market.

I also cannot neglect Arigon Starr's Super Indian. It's one of the best series I've seen portraying a native super hero in a looooong time. It's well written, funny, and offers a hero that isn't a sidekick or a lame stereotype.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

RB: Overall, the portrayal of natives in comics has been pretty dismal. One of the first things that springs to mind is the chief character in the Super Friends cartoon whose power was to grow in size. I remember him speaking broken English and kind of just being boring in comparison. Other characters like Turok  were just okay. I understand his character had evolved quite a lot from his earlier publication, but I read it during the Valiant comics days mainly because I was a huge fan of the artist Bart Sears.


While there are a few highlights, I think we still have a long way to go in having properly portrayals in comic books and other media. I would like to see more native characters have their own books and not be a secondary character. I'd also like to see some more mature stories about tribal people along the lines of the stories you might read in the Vertigo line of comics.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

RB: I'm friends with Arigon Starr, and I keep up with Michael Sheyahshe. I've also started to follow the work of Jonathan Nelson. I enjoy all their work, and I hope to collaborate more with them in the future.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

RB: I think the biggest bit of advice I could give is to don't give up and to continue creating. Even if you don't publish anything, it's still good practice to actively create things. Draw, paint, sketch, and write all the time. It'll prepare you for the moment when you do get a chance to publish something.  It also helps to be very passionately about comics, because if anyone ever tells you it's easy to draw a comic book, they're pulling your leg! It's a very labor intensive process, but it’s so worth it when you’re finished. That feeling you have once you send your final pages to the publisher is sooooo satisfying.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you’d like to 'plug' (upcoming shows, etc.)?

RB: I'd like to give a plug to the Indigenous Narratives Collective again. We hope to publish more content soon, and we would like more native creators that are interested to check it out. http://indigenousnarrativescollective.com/

Monday, February 06, 2012

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 07


Greetings. In this edition of 'IPI' - my on-going blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creative individuals working either in the comic book or video game industry (whew!) - I talk with Jacques La Grange.

Jacques introduction:
"Hello, my name is Jacques La Grange. I am the creator and artist of the comic book Shadow Wolf. I am currently on hiatus from the book, to tend to my ailing wife and be the best possible father to my 3 kids. Recently I was asked by Phoenix Comic Con if I would be interested in putting on a Panel for Native Americans in comics. Last year was a huge success, and though I'm on leave, I wanted to take this opportunity to promote other Native Americans in comics."
You can follow Shadow Wolf on its FaceBook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Shadow-Wolf/133417390021261

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

JLG: I am a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe from San Carlos, AZ, just outside of Globe, AZ. I was born in Santa Fe, NM and grew up in Espanola, NM (Lowrider Capital of the U.S.!) I also lived in Los Alamos, NM, you might have heard of this place: this is where U.S. government created the Atomic Bomb that we dropped on Japan in WWII. I moved a lot, I guess I was searching for something? I've lived in Albuquerque, NM; Phoenix, AZ; Riverside, CA; Ft Dueshene, UT; Jesup, IA. It wasn't until I ended up in San Carlos, AZ where I found myself.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

Panel of Shadow Wolf #3
JLG: That is a tough one to answer...you see, I went to live with my Father when I was very young. I did not meet my mother until I was a Sophomore in High School. Up to that point it was with the only family I knew, my father and brother. I decided to move to San Carlos to get to know my mother and the other 500 family members on the rez. It just happened that my little sister was having her Sunrise Dance. My mother took it upon herself to educate me in our ways. She called it 'Apache Boot Camp', and it was!

There was a lot of work to set up camps for the ceremony. I can recall my mother telling me, "Do whatever the Medicine Man asks you." I got to tell you: from the singers and the Crown Dancers...I WAS HOOKED!! Later on I ended going to Sherman Indian High in Riverside, CA and it was there I was joined the Apache Club. I was able to sing and dance center field of Dodger Stadium on Native American Day. The Apache Club performed throughout Southern Cal and was one the best times of my life! It was during a performance that I meet a drum group called, "Bear Springs Singers." They invited me to learn how to sing Northern Style Pow Wow, which is something I truly miss!

MS: When did you first get into comics?

JLG: Growing up as a child I was very sick with Asthma and I would be hospitalized a lot. My father would bring me comic books. I can remember at age 4 or 5 when I was introduced to Superman in Action Comics. I learned a lot from Superman...about doing the right thing, standing up for what you believe in. I have been a fan of comics ever since!

MS: What is your favorite comic book of all time...something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

Shadow Wolf panel from issue #2
JLG: My favorite comic of all time would have to be Superman. But more recently I would have to say it is a tie, between Walking Dead and Scalped! I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Kirkman and had lunch with Jason Aaron.

MS: What is your specialty in the biz?

JLG: I’m not sure if I have a specialty, except for the fact that I'm actually Native American working on a Native American book. I would say that my strongest skill is penciling. I love to pencil...I get upset when I have to ink over my work!

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

JLG: Actually no: I'm self taught. At first I had a script for Shadow Wolf. I tried getting someone to draw the book for me. No one would or if I did find someone they would flake out on me. After 3 years of sitting on the script, I made a decision if this book was going to come out. I would need to learn how to draw. Literally, I started with stick figures. I bought How to Draw the Marvel Way.

I was fortunate that Atomic Comics had a drawing club called the Nuclear Artist Society. A lot of the people that have their own books now were also part of the drawing club. It was really nice to be able to get critiqued every week. I learned a lot from a bunch of amazing artists. It took 4 years of constantly drawing and refining and then drawing some more! Seven years after I wrote the script. I drew Shadow Wolf and it made its debut at Phoenix Comic Con.

MS: What other comics/projects have you worked on?

JLG: Prior to doing the Shadow Wolf comic, I was really into making Native American Films. The films were tribal specific, which brought awareness to community issues such as throwing away your grease after making frybread. I kid you not! HUD on Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community asked if I could make them a film on this issue. It was a great experience.
We had asked the Fire Department if they could blow up a house for us. They did not agree to that. So we asked HUD to build a set for us and the Fire Department blew that up instead. It was a great experience because I was teaching a film making class for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale in Salt River. So the community kids really got involved and we won the Amerid National Video Contest. Based on some of those films I was asked to go to New York to see if I would be interested in a Native American film, but the budget was cut and that film was never made.

MS: Do any comic books with Native American characters in them?

JLG: My character Shadow Wolf is Native American. Doesn't have any specific tribal affiliation, but at one point I wanted him to be Jicarilla Apache.

MS: Do you have an opinion about Indigenous characters in comics, video games, and/or pop culture?

Shadow Wolf panel from issue #2
JLG: I believe that Native Americans need to be the ones to tell their own story. Look, I’m not trying to say that the films that John Woo (Windtalkers) or Rich Schroeder (Black Cloud) made are bad. I’m for anyone trying to do something good! Plus I’m a huge John Woo fan and Rick Schroeder reviewed one of my films and gave me some real good advice.

Grant Morrison who writes for DC traveled through Arizona and fell in love with Native Culture. In fact, he loved it so much he wrote Super Chief. Grant stopped writing Super Chief because he felt that he was doing an injustice to Native Americans, due to the fact that he himself is not Native American.

I would say that I'm really happy that Native American stories are great to see in games, books, and movies, but I honestly think its time for us to tell our own stories! I really dig the way Natives are portrayed in the Twilight films. Aside from the fact that it's Twilight, the Wolf Pack kicks major butt! They are warriors, protecting their people. Trying to do the right thing and definitely not being sidekicks. I honestly believe that they are positive representation of Native People.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comics/gaming industry)?

JLG: When I first came out with the Shadow Wolf, I found out about Tribal Force and it looked AWESOME! I found Jon Proudstar on MySpace and began talking to him about my book. He told me to reach to Ryan Huna the artist of Tribal Force because he owns the rights to the character GAN. I also know Arigon Starr who created Super Indian. My wife's cousin is Kiowa Gordon, who is part of the Wolf Pack in the Twilight films. Along with his mother Camille Nighthorse who just starred in More Than Frybread.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

JLG: Yes I do, especially to our younger generation. Becoming educated doesn't mean you are losing who you are as Native person, or the death of our culture. You can be both Traditional and Educated. Being both means that there are more opportunities to help keep our culture alive. I'll put it this way: way back in the day before we had guns, we used a bow and arrow. Then the soldiers came with rifles and saw how effective those were. We picked them up and began to use them...because they helped us. You should see technology in the same way. Yes it is not traditional, but neither was that rifle and we made it ours. The same with Technology...we need to make that ours! Don't be shy to talk to people about who you are and what you want to do. They only way we are going to change how Native Peoples are perceived, begin with us engaging others.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 06


Shoot-outs! Deadlines! Ash-can comics! Priests with hidden torture chambers! Mounties! Bush! McCain! Hitler! Eight-year-olds 'packing'! Bold & Indented Text with Exclamation Points!! Algonquin comic creator, Joy Odjick, shares these elements and other stories with Michael Sheyahshe in this episode of IPI.

Jay and I first met when we were both interviewed for an article at Comic Book Resources, dealing with Indigenous characters in comic books. I feel a certain affinity to Jay as we are close in age and he seems just about as busy as me (WAAAY too many projects on the 'burners'). Jay was also gracious enough to allow me to interview him for my book, Native Americans in Comic Books - to be able to include the viewpoint from a Native creative source in comics (of which, there were too few) really rocked(!). Since then, Jay and I have kept in contact and updated each other on our busy lives.

Jay sits down and hammers out some thoughtful responses to my irritating questions and, somehow, makes them exciting (no help from me!). Of course, just to tease Jay mercilessly, making the interview this spicey took him quite some time. Heh.

Additionally, please see Jay's important notice at the bottom of the interview about some missing kids. Please spread the word and help in any way you can.


MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

JO: I am a status Algonquin from the Kitigan Zibi community (band) in Quebec, Canada. I was born in the States, because my father was working there at the time, but he was born and raised in Kitigan Zibi (KZ).

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

JO: We moved back to KZ when I was a kid, and I lived on the reservation till I was about 16, when I left to go to college.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

JO: I got into comics while we were still living in the states. We lived in an Italian neighborhood in Rochester, New York that had a comic shop down the street from where we lived. We didn’t have a lot of money, but this was one of those shops where they took the books that didn’t sell, and ripped the covers off and sold ‘em for a dime or whatever, so we were way into that.

My mother also had a good friend who had a ton of comics and wanted to get rid of them, so he gave them to me and my brother...and, I mean, that was incredible. We had, like, Marvel comics from the 60s in that collection.

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?

JO: I don't know that I have a favorite all time comic (The Watchmen and Preacher are close to that though) but I suppose my favorite comics character of all time is the Punisher. I got bit by that particular bug when I was really, really young; in that stack of comics I [mentioned], we had the second appearance of the character, and it was just really cool and different from other comic book characters; the black suit, the skull on the shirt...and, y'know, he killed people.

I wasn't home at the time, but once, my brother was playing in front of the window of our apartment in Rochester, and this guy comes hauling ass down the street. This other dude is chasing him, yelling and whatnot, with a pistol. He opens fire, and literally, just takes this guy out, right in front of where we lived; my brother watching this whole scene. I get home later with my mother to a literal homicide scene; blood splatter dude, chalk outline, yellow tape, all that fun stuff.

So I think that's why that character appealed to us both; we didn't live in a world where a dude in spandex swung in and saved your ass, but people got shot. I think we could identify with a more edgy hero.

MS: Tell us more about the comic you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

JO: Right now, I’m working on a comic for Bluewater Productions called The Odyssey Presents: Judo Girl / Venus. And I mean, not literally right now, but when I finish typing, I'm going right back to the drawing board; so it's pretty close.

MS: When can we expect it and where can we buy it? (...and will there be an NDN discount?)

JO: The book I'm working on now is slated for early '09. I can't say an exact date for sure, because of the way distribution works, but I think February is the month Bluewater is looking at. This will be the first comic I've had published by Diamond, so it’ll be available at basically ANY comics shop; and I’m going to talk specifics here, to make sure that anyone interested in getting a-hold of one of these (or ten. Buy like, ten, and I'll give Michael a big discount on his copy.).

Comics shops and retailers have to buy the books they stock their shelves with outright, from the distributor, in this case, a company called Diamond. Diamond receives the comics from publishers, then takes orders from retailers from their catalog, called Previews. Why am I boring you with this crap?

It's because odds are, if you walk into a shop when the book comes out, they may not have it; what you would need to do is ask the retailer, or a super helpful comic shop employee to order the book for you, and they will set it aside for ya when it comes in. You may need a Diamond order code, which is basically like a serial number that the retailer can use to order the book; I'll make that available at http://www.jayodjick.deviantart.com/, and my myspace page: www.myspace.com/jayodjick.

I will maybe even put together a nifty little graphic or banner that you can print out and just hand to the retailer with the order code right on it.

If you don't have a comics shop near you, hit me up at myspace, or email me at Jayodjick@yahoo.com, and I'll try to hook you up. Remember, if you buy a bunch of these, I will give Michael an awesome deal on his copy, and then I will, in turn, get a discount on his book he wrote. Ha!

(By the time the interview got done, we're now IN the month of February, and as far as I know, the book is shipping next week. Not Michael’s fault whatsoever, I just got very swamped. Check out Bluewaterprod.com tho!)

MS: Keeping in mind your other talents, what is your specialty?

JO: I don't know that I have a real specialty, art wise, but I think my favorite things to draw are superheroes and horror based stuff. It's funny, because although I've worked on about a half dozen small press books, this will be the first work for hire gig I’ve done for an actual publisher, and it’s a book with two female leads; I would’ve said before that drawing women wasn’t one of my specialties, or that I never thought I’d be doing this kind of book, but it just goes to show; you never know.

JO: I just try to create exciting pages, to do things that will catch a reader’s eye, or capture the imagination, and to be as dynamic as possible. That’s what I appreciate about comics – bold layouts, exciting composition – the energy of art.

So that’s what I try to get across in my own work. Whether or not I am successful, I leave up to everyone else to decide – but I’ve never done any less than my absolute best.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

JO: I started reading comics when I was like, four, and my mother says I was writing original stories when I was around five. Now, notice I didn’t say she said I was writing GOOD stories, but I was writing.

Other than that, special training or education...just a lifetime of reading comics, and being kind of obsessed with the idea of telling stories, verbally, visually, thru dirty jokes, all the classy stuff.

But if that answer doesn't work...yes, watching horror movies, wrestling, crappy sci-fi; very serious training, for hours and hours!

MS: Have you worked on any other comics?

JO: I've worked on my own self published series "The Raven"; I self published three issues and was working on the fourth when I met Arcana Studio honcho Sean O'Reilly at a convention; my company and Arcana had booths next to each other, the year Arcana won the Shuster for best Canadian publisher.

We talked about bringing the Raven to Arcana that weekend, and I mean...you've got to try to picture this: This was my FIRST ever con, my first booth at a con, and I had a chance to bring my own series to the company that won the award for best comic book publisher on the country.

I signed on; and from there we kicked around ideas for how to continue that series, and went kind of back and forth as to the nature of the Raven comic there; I changed the title to Kagagi, the Algonquin word for Raven, and decided to revamp the series in a double sized one shot.

So there’s that, which was one of my two babies; the other actually reached a much, much larger audience than the Raven did - and I actually sold over 2000 copies of the first issue of the Raven!

I created, wrote, and penciled a comic for Kevin Smith’s MoviePoopShoot.com website called Power Hour, which was a kind of parody about a team of superpowered people; not so much HEROES, maybe, but people who wanted to be, or wanted to be perceived as such.

I really, really have a soft spot for that comic; we did some really strong numbers on it, because of Kevin, and the fact he has an awesome fanbase. Overall, it was an awesome experience, working on the comic was great, Chris Ryall who runs IDW now was the webmaster, EIC there, so I got to hang my hat at a great site and work with some great people.

After Poop Shoot closed down, I had talked with a few print magazines about picking up the strip, but nothing ever came of it for a variety of reasons.

Other than that, some work for a few other small press books and some contract work my company had taken on.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

JO: This is a tough question to answer, not for political reasons, just because I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but there haven’t really been as many as you might hope.

I really enjoyed David Mack’s Echo character in Daredevil, and when I met him, we talked about the character, and his own Native blood – he said he tried to do something non-stereotypical with the character, and the fact that she now plays a bigger role in the Marvel Universe can be a pretty good thing – depending on where they go with it. David is a great and sincere guy, and I really thought that was a solid take on a Native character in a non-token role.

I also enjoyed the portrayal of several of the Natives in Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Grey’s Hex – in any Western, you never know what youre going to get, but Jimmy is a great guy too, and I thought the portrayal of Native people in the Hex comics I’ve read was respectful and well handled.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

JO: I don't want to single-out comics, but I feel that Native people tend to be portrayed stereotypically in the media more often than not. That's not to say it's always like that, but more often than we should be, definitely.

I don't want to rehash things I've said in the past for fear of lapsing into broken record syndrome – but here’s some food for thought.

In addition to Native people being portrayed inaccurately or unfairly in entertainment, we also, all too infrequently, see inaccurate or untruthful portrayals of our mistreatment at the hands of government.

If you're doing a comic involving the reservation system, for example, take the time to read up on the history of reservations, the residential school system, the failed genocide attempted by governments and churches. I say "failed genocide," because that’s exactly what it is.

Did you know that there were "schools" in Canada that had medieval style torture racks in their basements? That some priests threw babies, newborns into ovens, and that even Adolf Hitler himself admired America's treatment of Native peoples?

Look into George H.W. Bush's sterilization of Native women, John McCain's history as the Chairman of Indian Affairs Committee and the eugenics programs that have been thrust upon us. All too often, writers tend to examine the effect but not the cause, and I think if they're going to try to use reservations as settings for fiction, they need to look at a lot of the reasons things may be the way they are.

I'm going to tell a story about an act of what I consider heroism now, that I think was kind of lost over the years. When the Indian Agent, the Priest and the RCMP came to my grandfather's house to collect my father, who was about 8 at the time, and his siblings, my grandfather boarded up his home, the windows and doors. He told them to get off his land, and there was a bit of what you would call a standoff.

My father, unbeknownst to the government agents, was actually a few metres away, in the bush laying down with a rifle trained on the men who had been sent. He said if they had tried to take his father away, he was going to open up on them.

Can you imagine that, just for a moment - being ready to take a man’s life, at that age? Our people have a history of standing up to oppression, standing up for one another, and even, in large numbers, standing up for the countries who have oppressed and tried to eradicate us in various wars, even in the present day.

It's time those stories came to be told as well.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

JO: Not as many as I'd like to, but I’m hoping that in the years to come we'll start seeing more and more of our people not only in comics, but in all forms of media. Or, if you are a Native person in the comics business and I’ve never heard of you, give me a shout! Let me know that it's my fault I haven't yet.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

JO: Run. Screaming.

Seriously, if you really, really are serious about doing it, and want to do it, you should neither care what I say, or really even listen to it; you should already BE doing it. Screw the hacks and bitter losers who anoint themselves critics and whatnot, if you want to create comics, just create them. Whether that be online, self published, or even Xeroxed ashcan type comics, if it’s a passion, start creating some comics. The industry can be tough, but if you like the act of creating comics, just go for it! I’d love to have more to read.

Speaking directly to Native aspiring comics creators for a moment - don't be put off by the fact that there haven't been many of us in prominent roles in the industry as of yet. Our generation has opportunities that the ones before us did not and we can do anything we put our minds to.

Often, the toughest criticism of our work will come from other Native people, or those calling themselves that. I've had people harshly criticize my artwork, often on a personal level, and some of them have even worked for the Canadian government or organizations funded by the government.

Always take a moment to consider the motivation of those who would seek to belittle or demean you or your work, and concentrate on pleasing the person who should be your toughest critic by far - yourself.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you'd like to 'plug'?

JO: It's way too early to plug, but here is a big part of the reason I haven’t been doing more comics stuff of late - I'm working on a TV show for APTN up here in Canada. It's a show called Pirouette, aimed at children aged, I believe 4-6, and will feature animated segments titled "Anoki."

I'm doing character designs and providing artwork for the Anoki segments, which will help kids learn some words in three separate languages, including Algonquin. I’m excited to be involved in the project, because it is a dynamic, engaging way of reaching kids, and also falls in line with something I believe very strongly in; using media to help our kids learn some words in their Native languages.

I am doing a set of three children's books with the Algonquin Anishinabeg National Tribal Council that we will be distributing to every Algonquin community in Quebec, absolutely free of charge that will also help kids to learn words. Each book has a simple theme, Animals and Places, for example, so on each page, the kids learn two new words.

Pirouette is underway now, unfortunately, I have no launch date for the series; but if you like my art, check out the Anoki segments - for more on the show, or to learn when it will be on television, check out the studio, Nish Media's website at http://www.nishmedia.tv/, or drop by my gallery, which I update with info at http://www.jayodjick.deviantart.com/. Also, look for me at any of the usual social networking sites!

There is one thing I'd like to take a moment to talk about before we wrap this up, and this is more important than me and my opinions. Two Native Youths, girls from my reserve, one of whom is a cousin of mine, Maisy Odjick and Shannon Alexander went missing this past September 5th, 2008.

Please visit the website http://www.findmaisyandshannon.com/and help spread the word across Indian Country, which knows no borders.

Migwetch! Thank you!