Darren Schroeder Interview

Darren Schroeder served fourteen years as the editor of Christchurch comic collective Funtime Comics, New Zealand's longest running comic collective. As well as creating his own series of mini comics, Mopy, Schroeder edited the small press section of Comics Bulletin for 7 years (2000-07) and contributed the occasional interview and review of mainstream comics. Schroeder has also written articles on New Zealand comics for Comic Edge, Comic Quarterly, Stripschrift, Comic Australia and various other magazines and web sites. Since the late twentieth century Schroeder has also maintained fan sites for the comic characters Man-Thing, Jonah Hex, and comic creator Keith Giffen.

Find Darren Schroeder online here.

 Darren Schroeder

The following interview was conducted via email May 2012

What were the first comics you took an interest in?

From a young age I had a box of comics by my bed which I used to read over and over and over. They were mostly Disney including Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge and even a Super Goof. There was also some other random issues of other comics: a few Australian/NZ DC reprints, Jonah Hex, Fear # 16, Unknown Soldier etc.

When did you start drawing comics and what were your initial influences?

I started working on drawing my own in the late 90s. I'd been a fan of local comics for many years but hadn't really though about drawing my own until I read a comic by John Weeks which ended with the words "You could have made this comic", and it just made me suddenly think "Okay, I'll give it a try!". Content wise the autobiographical work of folks like Ariel Shcrag, Harvey Pekar, and Amber Carvan appealed to me so I tried that approach, and the humour of Brad Yung's "Stay As You Are" had a strong impact.

Who was involved with the creation of Funtime Comics?

Funtime Comics grew out of Comic Soc, a club at the University of Canterbury established by Jason Brice. The club's aim was to promote the comics form by providing a meeting place for folk of like minds, and publishing a comic/zine was part of Jason's initial plan. He got a lot of folks involved, editing the first issue of Funtime Comics with university friends Bean McGregor and Nigel Campbell, with the name Funtime coming from a competition for the title and cover banner which was won by Debra Boyask.

Have there been any other South island collectives or groups of cartoonist's?

Dunedin had a few well before Funtime - I get the impression Razor, Jesus on a Stick, Treacle, and Umph all came out of a collective approach. In Christchurch there was also the NZ Cartoonist Collective with their own anthology.

What lead you to taking the role of editor for Funtime Comics Presents?

It became available after issue 4 had a troubled production. I'd done some editing of a small zine for another club so said I'd give the job a go.

What sustained you serving fourteen years as Funtimes Comics Presents editor?

The look on the faces of the contributors when they saw the comics arrive fresh from the printers.

Were any comics rejected for publication during your time as Funtimes editor?

No and yes: Everyone who submitted work had something published, but if someone sent us lots of pages I'd select from it what I thought best represented their style, and keep the other material for possible future use. When I stopped being editor there was a large file of stuff for the next editor (Isaac Freeman) to work with.

What did your role as Funtimes editor entail?

I'd collate the contributions for each issue from the work that had been submitted, produce any text pages, commission cover artwork, decide on a subtitle for each issue, deal with the printers, and distribute the finished product to contributors, subscribers and comic shops. As the only "official" of the group I also took on a range of administrative tasks like treasurer and buyer of animal biscuits for the monthly comic workshops.

Dylan Horrocks stocks up on animal biscuits

Who are some of your personal favourite New Zealand Cartoonists?

Tim Cornelius's "Colonel Void & Bisbay the Axolotl" in The New Zealand Comic Gazette is a kiwi classic.

G.C.R. - I loved Grace's autobiographical Bip Bip.

Brent Willis - lots of folk think they're funny, Brent's stuff is always hilarious, and he is so prolific.

Indira Neville - Her comics were great fun

What is the appeal for you of Jonah Hex?

Michael Fleisher wrote great little morality tales, and managed to Jonah a rather tragic figure: alone, despised by most people, unable to escape violence, and even coming face to face with his own stuffed corpse. The future Hex stuff was an odd idea but it worked, and Giffen's artwork is some of my favourite comic artwork - such an extreme, almost expressionistic way of telling a story that used intense closeups on details instead of showing the action.

 

While you were in Christchurch where were the best places to get comics?

Comics Compulsion did well for mainstream material and were always supportive of local comics. The second hand shops were surprisingly useful for older US stuff back in the 90s as well.

What prompted your move to England?

The woman I love got a job here so I came along with her.

Are you currently doing anything in comics creatively or reading?

I haven't drawn any comics for about 5 years, but recently I've been asked to guest edit a new local comic/zine anthology Quixotic Press.

I'm also looking into running comic creating workshops for schools.

Reading wise I get Jonah Hex, anything that Keith Giffen draws, and the occasional random small press comic.

All images copyright 2012 Darren Schroeder, Funtime Comics

Real Life Adventure

Advertisement for Real Life Adventure from back cover of Conquest Magazine

Real Life Adventure was published in New Zealand by A.H and A.W. Reed. There are no dates or credits included in the comic but the advert above from Reed's Magazine For Youth, Conquest, indicate Real Life Adventure was published in early 1947. A prolific publisher of the twentieth century, Reed published over a hundred publications annually including some with comics content although Real Life Adventure is the only example of a monthly comic I have found. Featuring adaptions of stories from the Bible, Real Life Adventure is a rare example of a New Zealand comic with colour pages from this era.

The art style is very similar to the Russ Denver strip featured in Conquest magazine. It is possible Real Life Adventures was the product of an artist or artists from the Haythorn Thwaite Studios in Auckland.

Real Life Adventure #4 courtesy Geoff Harrison

Bit and Pieces

Comicbook Factory Chief Karl Wills has recently released a new comic Princess Seppuku Book One. 32 pages, black and white with a colour center spread and in the style of his Jessica of the Schoolyard Tijuana bibles. For those unfamiliar with Wills work visit The Comicbook Factory.

Wills is one of New Zealand's finest cartoonists I heartily recommend you buy a copy from here.

I have been researching a piece on Anti-Maori propaganda in cartoons. Cartoon below by Garland William Woon is from the Taranaki Punch produced during the 1860's.

ARC2002-538 Taranaki Punch, Collection of Puke Ariki, New Plymouth, New Zealand

New Zealand born cartoonist Colin Wilson talks about his career on the latest episode of Melbourne comics podcast NonCanonical.

Cover of Prophet #29 by Australian cartoonist Fil Barlow (Image Comics).

Issue #22 of Prophet featured a four page back up by Barlow and series writer Brandon Graham has been very effusive in his appreciation of Barlow stating in an interview with Gavin Lees, "There’s this artist named Fil Barlow who, when I was 10, I got a hold of this six-issue series he did called Zooniverse. It changed my comicbook life, you know? It was so exciting, and he put so much work into these six issues that I’ve memorized the things pretty much." 

Barlow has been blogging in recent times over here.

Prolific Melbourne cartoonist Frank Candiloro has released a new 40 page horror comic available from his Etsy store as well as his past works over here.

Recent interviews with New Zealand cartoonists. Roger Langridge at the Washington Post here and with the Orbiting Pod here. Dylan Horrocks answers 15 questions with Sequential Highway here.

Congratulations to Becky Dreistadt and Frank Gibson for more than doubling their Kickstarter goal to raise funds for a 110 page deluxe hardcover collecting the first three years of their Tiny Kitten Teeth webcomic.

Gorgeous Stanley Pitt cover for a pulp western from Australian publisher Horwitz Publications 1958.

New Zealand born Maurice Bramley single page of a western comic digest undated from Australian publishers Page Publications. Apart from this page the entirety of the comic is made up of reprinted american material.

Not Comics: Four Square Stores

One of New Zealand's nationally recognised icons, the Four Square man was created by the Foodstuffs advertising department in the 1950s. The Four Square chain of stores were established by Foodstuffs founder J. Heaton Barker to combat grocery chain stores of the day who were threatening the livelihood of independent grocers in Auckland. Four Square stores currently have over 280 stores across New Zealand.

The Four Square man initially appeared in newspapers and newsletters before graduating to other forms of advertising and becoming synonymous with the Four Square brand.

The following colouring book was part of a 1967 promotional competition and depicts astronauts enjoying popular Four Square products in a futuristic environment.

Ross Gore - It Happened in New Zealand

 Ross Gore's It happened In New Zealand Clippings from Wellington newspaper The Evening Post.

All images Copyright 2012 Estate of Ross Gore

Vicky in The Painted Emperor - Betty Roland

Published in 1959 the eighth Girl annual featured one story by Australian writer Betty Roland, Vicky in The Painted Emperor, illustrated by Dudley Pout.

Read more adventure comics written by Betty Roland here and here.