Dusty Higgins and Van Jensen - A Joint Interview

Joining us today for our first interview of 2010, we have Dusty Higgins and Van Jensen, creators, artists, and writers behind the graphic novel Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer.

LibraryDad: How on Earth did you come up with the idea for a vampire killer in the body of a wooden puppet?

Van Jensen: I'll let Dusty tackle this one, since he came up with the idea.

Dusty Higgins: I sketch a lot just to keep those creative muscles going. It all started with a sketch that got way out of control. That and I've got a weird sense of humor.

LD: How long did it take to write and illustrate the book?

VJ: First we had to talk through the story and get an outline we were both happy with. From there, the scripting took me a few weeks. Then we continued to tweak things until right before it was sent to the printer.

DH: It's hard to say exactly because I juggle a lot of projects around at once, but it was about a year from when we first said "Hey, let's do this" to when we said, "Whoa, we actually finished that."

LD: Are you two working on another another Pinocchio book or some other project?

VJ: I've completed the script to Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer 2 and Dusty is started illustrating it. We can't say much about the story yet, but if you like the first, you'll love the second. Beyond that, I have a handful of my own writing projects that are on the way, including three graphic novels with other illustrators.

DH: I've started the pages for Pinocchio II, and I'm sure we'll be posting some updates on the second book on the pinocchiovampireslayer.com Web site in the coming weeks. I'm also working on another project with Ron Wolfe called "Knight of the Living Dead."

LD: Did growing up in the mid-west (Nebraska and Arkansas) make it harder to get the book published? Or did you find a stronger following because of it?*

VJ: The key to getting the book published was finding the right publisher and sending them a good pitch. There are a lot of qualities I think one gains from living in the Midwest, with work ethic being atop that list. But there wasn't anything in my background that really related. I think it helped that I had worked in the comics industry before, and so I knew what publishers were looking for.

DH: I hadn't really thought about it. I think it's the idea and the quality of the work being done that sells the book more than mine or Van's location. The internet has helped a lot in getting the word out on the book. I think that makes location irrelevant. It is kind of nice being considered one of a handful of comic book artists in Arkansas.

LD: What was the best part of working on Pinocchio?

VJ: Definitely seeing pages as Dusty sent them over. It was a fun book to write, and I tried to script as much fun stuff for Dusty to draw as possible. And he always exceeded expectations.

DH: The characters we have, hands down. Be it the ones we created, or the ones we've pulled from the original Pinocchio. They were really fun to work with. It all started with Pinocchio, but some of my favorite characters to draw ended up being Canpanella, the blue fairy, as well as the Fox and the Cat.

LD: What's the least glamorous thing you do in the line of duty?

VJ: I work on the side for the publisher Top Shelf, and often my job is to help out packing boxes in the warehouse. Not very glamorous!

DH: As much as I enjoy it, I wouldn't exactly call drawing comics glamorous. It's a lot of long hours and late nights spent hunched over the drawing board. It can be fun and rewarding but it takes as much as it gives... none of it's glamorous.

LD: What skill would you most like to improve?

VJ: I'm always working on my writing, but one thing I've been focusing on lately is art. I grew up drawing and wanted to illustrate comics as a career. After spending the past decade working as a writer, I'm finally picking up the drawing board again. Unfortunately, my skills are pretty rusty.

DH: My first inclination is to say drawing, but I'm constantly finding new styles I enjoy, and I'll probably never be satisfied with that. Same for my writing. Perhaps my ability to network with people... it's really important nowadys, and I suck at it.

LD: What accomplishment are you most proud of?

VJ: I've been working toward having a book published for the past five years, so to finally have it happen is really rewarding. The most enjoyable part is definitely talking with fans.

DH: I'm proud of finishing a 128-page graphic novel, it was a big achievement. I do feel like my first child, coming in June (sorry, not available in stores), will be an accomplishment I'll be much more proud of.

LD: What keeps you up at night?

VJ: Besides vampires? Usually deadlines.

DH: Assignments... and video games (when the assignments are finished, of course).

LD: Who is the most under-appreciated author you know?

VJ: I'm not sure people realize just how good Rob Venditti is. His two Surrogates graphic novels are the best science fiction I've read in the past decade. He has two big books coming up this year in the thriller Homeland Directive and a graphic novel adaptation of The Lightning Thief, though, so he'll be plenty appreciated soon.

DH: I don't know if he should be described as an author, but I think Ben Caldwell is really under-appreciated as a comic book artist. He does some amazing work and his Wonder Woman for Wednesday Comics was phenomenal. His forms have this terrific feeling of action and movement. I'm surprised he hasn't been asked to do more work in the industry (although maybe he has and has just been turning people down, I don't know).

*I know this sounds like an odd question, but it was actually the Nebraska connection that made me want to read Pinocchio. My father's side of the family comes from central Nebraska so I always have my ears on for authors coming from the region.

Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer by Van Jensen and Dusty Higgins (review)

Title: Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer
Author: Van Jensen
Illustrator: Dusty Higgins
Pages: about 120
Genre: Graphic Novel
Dewey Decimal: YP GN Jen
ISBN: 978-1-59362-176-6

This is not the Pinocchio I knew as a kid, that is for certain. The Pinocchio I knew was the soft, lovable, Disney version that I am sure most people are familiar with.

Jensen and Higgins give you a much more hard-core Pinocchio that would kick the ass of any other Pinocchio out there. This dude could probably kick my ass. Thankfully he stays on the page and kills vampires.

And that is essentially what you get when you read this short graphic novel. The artwork is very dark (it is black and white, but it has a very noir feel to it) but it fits the mood of the story. Pinocchio is mad at the vampires and he is intent on making them pay. And they do.

One thing to keep in mind when you read this is the humor. Sure, it is a dark story in some places and even a bit sad, but the humor is awesome. Sometimes light and airy, sometimes dry and witty, the humor really makes this book a killer.

Reading News Roundup

New Releases

Brunonia Barry, author of the Lace Reader (review), has another novel called The Map of True Places coming out in May.

A wild child after her mother takes her own life, Zee Finch grows up to become a highly regarded psychotherapist. Then a particularly difficult patient commits suicide. Barry's The Lace Reader was, of course, a huge hit last year, but this book feels quite different, so let's see what happens. With a one-day laydown on May 4; 250,000-copy first printing, seven-city tour, and reading group guide.

- via Library Journal

I'm no zombie fan, but James Knapp's upcoming State of Decay sounds like it puts an interesting spin on the genre.
- via Library Journal

While urban fantasy also ranks low on my genre preferences meter, I would have expected to at least be familiar with the author's name. Alas Simon R. Green appears to have snuck in under the radar with his Nightside series. And it sounds oddly like a mix of Alex Bledsoe and Anton Strout. And debut author N. K. Jemisin gets a starred review for her new book The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I like it when the new kid on the block gets a starred review. Connie Willis revisits the world of her previous novels (The Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog) with her newest book, Blackout. This is one author and series that I really, really want to try out again. I just could not get into To Say Nothing of the Dog on my first try.
- via Library Journal
- via Suvudu

I highly doubt I will ever read Laura Resnik's Dopplegangster: An Esther Diamond Novel book, but how can I pass up a mention? I mean, Dopplegangster? It's just so much fun to type.
- via Library Journal

Alexandra Potter has a time-travel book, The Two Lives of Miss Charlotte Merryweather, coming in March that sounds a bit like a romance novel. I love time-travel, but I think I'll have my wife read this one first.
- via Library Journal

Steve Stirling (or S. M. Stirling if you prefer) is chugging away on his latest novel, A Taint in the Blood. For me, this urban fantasy is a big departure from his usual science-fiction/fantasy works. You can check out the first eight chapters of it here.

Contests

Rabbit and Bear Paws, one of the most under-appreciated comics out there, is running a coloring contest for kids. Click here for more info.

Movies

What's this? Brandon Sanderson has a movie option for Mistborn? Wowowowowow!

Quotes

Uber-author Pat Rothfuss sums up my feelings on Firefly being canceled with this simple quote:

Six years later I'm still pissed. I'll probably be pissed about Firefly until the day I die.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin (review)

Title: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Author: Benjamin Franklin
Illustrator: N/A
Kindle Locations: 2,513
Genre: Biography
Dewey Decimal: Bio Fra
ISBN: N/A
Kindle Cost: Free

To put this book into perspective, let me quote my doctor who recently surprised me with his familiarity with Ben Franklin.

"He's full of himself, isn't he?"

Yep, that pretty much sums up this entire book, but keep in mind that it is an auto-biography. Which means it is written with a very obvious slant to how things have happened. But I expected that going into it and was not caught off guard.

What was surprising to me were the number of ideas and projects that Franklin was involved in. Again, I am sure he may have exageratted his involvement to some degree (intentionally or not), but everything from public works projects to science experiments kept me reading.

And then he has the whole section on self improvement and eating a vegitartion diet. I never new he was a vegetarian for a time. I knew he worked on his bad habits and tried to improve himself as a person, but never knew he went without meat.

These names of virtues, with their precepts, were: 1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation. 2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. 3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. 4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. 5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing. 6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions. 7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly. 8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty. 9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve. 10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation. 11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable. 12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation. 13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

What I really missed reading about were his nocturnal exploits. As a kid, I was always taught Franklin was the guy with a kite in a lighting storm. It was in college that I learned Franklin was a dirty old man and liked to get in the sack with the ladies. But alas, that was not in my edition, and I frankly doubt he would write something so shocking in there anyway.

In the end, it was an interesting account of part of Franklin's life, but clearly was not the whole story. I would recommend starting your Franklin research here, but by no means will this cover every detail you need to get the true picture.

And, indeed, if it be the design of Providence to extirpate these savages in order to make room for cultivators of the earth, it seems not improbable that rum may be the appointed means. It has already annihilated all the tribes who formerly inhabited the sea-coast.

Holiday Hiatus

Yes, after many hours and days of debate between me, myself, and I, we have come to the conclusion that we need a break. So instead of providing a lot of low-quality content, we'll work toward providing quality content, but at a later date.

Right now, we expect to be back online with reviews and interviews by January 11, 2010. We know that's a long ways off, but we would rather focus on quality over quantity.

So until then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

PS - And while you wait, enjoy this 17-year-old poem with accompanying artwork.

Christmas Giveaway WINNERS

We had 14 entries for the contest and I'd like to thank all of you for entering. Unfortunately I only have prizes for six of you.

So without further ado, here's the list of winners:

mindy
techyone
Homemaker
divaqueenie
Nicole D.

If you left me an email address or if I find one on your Blogger profile, I'll try to contact you directly. Otherwise, please send me an email at tk42one@gmail.com with your mailing address.

Congratulations!

Flashforward by Robert J. Sawyer (review)

Title: Flashforward
Author: Robert J. Sawyer
Illustrator: N/A
Pages: 6,433 Kindle locations
Genre: Fiction
Dewey Decimal: F Saw
ISBN: 978-0-7653-2413-9
Cost: $7.75 on Kindle

A while back I picked up Flashforward based on the previews of the ABC television series. And I'm glad I did. But let the reader beware, there are some stumbling points.

First, readers need to know that the book differs from the TV show. And the difference is large. The characters are quite different and the plots and the locations and, well, you get the idea. Granted, I do not know how the TV series will end, but I would guess that it is different than the book.

Second, the book has a tendency to fall into the Star Trek black hole of techno-jargon. There are pages and scenes stuffed into the book that make your head want to explode. Maybe there are physicists out there that enjoy the veracity of the scene (I assume it is all correct), but the general reader is completely lost at times.

Finally, the overall plot is a bit shallow. There are scenes that are good mind you, and there are topics and theories that make you wonder and think about how things could be. I think for me, it was the lack of some important ingredient. I cannot quite put my finger on it, but something was missing. And at times I felt like I was reading a short story that was stretched just a bit to make it a novel.

Now, despite all of these shortfalls, the novel is a decent read. It does not hold water to a lot of the other stories I have read lately, but it was still a fun adventure. I think for me the key was the main idea. What would happen if we all lost consciousness? What would happen if we all got a glimpse of our future? It is this kind of thinking that makes me want more books like this.

So in the end, it was an average read. Nothing too great to scream and holler about, but good enough to keep you entertained. Now it is just a matter of time to see if the TV show can keep up with the book or surpass it.