Kicking off Sasquatch week, Jessie Garza of Viper Comics chatted with Jason Burns and Frances Liddell, who contributed the story “An Abominable Christmas” to the Sasquatch anthology.
Burns is the writer/creator of a couple of cool titles Viper put out last year, The Expendable One and A Dummy’s Guide to Danger. This August will see the release of a sequel to The Expendable One, as well as a new book by Burns called The Underground Railroad. He’s also a journalist and has done interviews with bands like Poison and wrestlers like Shawn Michaels. Go friend him on MySpace.
I don’t know quite as much about artist Frances Liddell beyond the fact that she’s working on a comic called Confession … although her fun, animated artistic style speaks volumes, as you’ll see below.
So take it away, Jessie …
Garza: There aren’t a lot of women in comics. What has your experience been like, Frances and do you find that working with a woman is sort of outside the box for the industry, Jason?
Burns: It’s not about working with a woman or man or etc. If someone is a great talent, then it shouldn’t make a difference. Frances’ work is fantastic and we hit it off in terms of combining our two mediums. We’re actually working on a graphic novel together and I couldn’t be happier that we’re on the same team… even if we’re not on the same gender team.
Liddell: Things have been really positive overall and I’m thrilled to be working with Jason. From what I’ve experienced, people are not hung up on archaic ideas about gender roles. What really matters is the work you are capable of doing. I’ve yet to feel a “boy’s club” vibe from anyone I’ve spoken to. Most people –creators, retailers, fans, etc.- love the diversity.
Garza: Is writing a short anthology story like your contribution in Sasquatch easier or more difficult than writing a full comic or graphic novel?
Burns: Sometimes it can be more difficult to get something that makes sense across in such a short page count. I prefer having enough meat and potatoes to build an arc and play it out, but at the same time, it’s a fun little exercise for a writer to take part in. I remember having a CD way back when where it featured bands doing 30 second songs. I bet that was harder. Oh… and I should mention that my job is pretty cake, so writing anything is better than working in a coal mine.
Liddell: I think that both present different challenges as Jason said. It is difficult to compress a story into a breadth of eight pages or less. I think it’s just as hard to create a long format piece that moves at the right momentum for the reader.
Garza: Harry and the Hendersons… cool movie or a kick in the species face?
Burns: Nine-year-old Jason would have said a great movie, but now that I’m all grown up and can recognize my childhood bad taste, I may have to change my tune. That being said, I haven’t seen that movie since I was a little whipper snapper, so I’m going to have to take a pass on this one and just say that John Lithgow deserves that much respect.
Liddell: Oh my God! I used to love that movie. My father rented it and all of us kids would watch it over and over again. My poor folks probably wondered when our sense of taste would mature. I haven’t seen it since but judging by its premise, I doubt I will again. I prefer to remember the movie as I did as a kid.
Garza: Do you believe that Bigfoot-type creatures actually exist?
Burns: I’d like to, but I’d be more inclined if they were called tinyfoot. I have a hard time believing that something so large has been cloaked in secrecy for so long. Bears are seen all of the time. Moose too. Maybe the Bigfoot are hiding inside the bears and moose! There’s a theory I bet has never been addressed before.
Liddell: I doubt there is a Bigfoot. You’d think someone would notice an eight-foot tall man-ape roaming the countryside with how much civilization has encroached on the environment.
Garza: A fight between Bigfoot and Loch Ness Monster … who would win?
Burns: First we have to decide where the battle is going to take place because I think that plays greatly into the outcome. If it’s on land, I would give it to Bigfoot. If it’s in the water, obviously that’s Nessy’s domain and I’d have to give it to her. If we picked a neutral zone though… maybe a marsh… I’d have to give it to Bigfoot because he has opposable thumbs and we all know how important those are!
Liddell: Difficult to call. Nessy’s a large aquatic creature and would have the upper hand given sheer girth, but Bigfoot has evaded man for so long that avoiding Nessy’s attacks should be cake.
Sasquatch week continues tomorrow, as Jessie talks to Wes Molebash!
