What have been your personal cartooning/comics highlights of 2012?
Matthew: The highlight for me was going to all the conventions. Just getting out there, meeting everyone. Both fans and other creators. It helped me feel like this is definitely the right path I should be taking. Especially after some of our more successful outings. Was some real positive reinforcement.
Biggest highlight though was the Brisbane Supanova in November. Our first con was a year before at the Brisnova, in Nov 2011. We knew absolutely NOTHING about cons and had two issues of Space Pyrates to show off. Our wall was pretty much bare (with the exception of our banner and a couple of prints). We were offering cosplay commissions for just $10 and made absolutely no money from the weekend. BUT, we had the greatest time. Everything about it just felt right. Each subsequent convention we attended we learnt something new and put it to practice for the next con. So, to do a whole years worth of cons and come back home with all that knowledge? It felt like everything came full circle.
We've made a bunch of great new friends and discovered things I didn't even think could exist in Australia. Plus, added extra bonus? We found that Brisbane actually has a thriving comics community. Who'd have thought it, right?
Caitlin: I guess the biggest highlight of 2012 is the number of people that are reading Space Pyrates, whether online or in print. We've had a lot of positive feedback from our readers and the general public and it seems the amount of readers has increased tenfold since we started out in Jan 2011. It's the best feeling in the world when someone recognises us at conventions and has read the comic online and really liked it. It feels like I'm finally becoming a real comic book artist!
Who are some of the comics creators that you've discovered and enjoyed for the first time in 2012?
Matthew: I discovered Atomic Robo this year. By Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegna. Both are from the US. The tone, writing and artwork just speak to me. Burned through all 6 published trades and have been buying the single issues of 'The Flying She Devils' as they're released. I've never really been into buying the singles and usually just buy the collected editions if they look interesting. But this series? Man, it has got it claws into me something fierce.
I mean, one of
the villains is a time travelling dinosaur scientist that uses sub
machine guns and can talk. Plus, it's owner created. Which is exactly
the sort of thing we'd like to do. So I look to creators like that for
inspiration. Overseas and at home.
Caitlin: I've been seeking out other female comic artists this year and I've really been enjoying Hope Larson's comics. She's got a great art style and a real knack for storytelling, and I love a character driven story as much as the next person! I've also been reading Jane Mai's autobiographical comics online (I'm still waiting patiently for my copy of her printed comic to arrive in the mail) they're really cute and funny.
What is something non-comics that you have enjoyed in 2012?
Matthew: Something non-comic related? Oh man... I don't know... Feels like I've been neck deep in comics this whole year and can't remember anything else! Paranorman was a great stop-motion film from the studio 'Laika'. We do a bit of animation ourselves, and that movie in particular I appreciated a great deal. Dredd was really cool. LOOPER, oh man, that was a great sci-fi film despite it's plot holes (albeit time-travel related).
Did see Bill Bailey live. That was a hell of a lot of fun too!
Caitlin: I've been enjoying Gravity Falls a lot lately. It's like the new Adventure Time! Cute and funny and awesome and I absolutely love the art direction. It's probably the best thing to come out of Disney for a long time.
Have you implemented any significant changes to your working methods this year?
Matthew: The whole process of making Space Pyrates has been about learning. It's taken two years to get the this point and we're not even done! While I could draw before, albeit crudely compared to now, just pushing my artwork has been the biggest change. Thinking about it more critically and looking at what I could do differently to make thing better. Streamlining the whole process on my end anyway, from thumbnail sketches to finished & inked page. I've been watching a bunch of artists and trying to learn their tricks. Still need to learn a whole lot more though!
Caitlin: I wouldn't say significant changes, but I'm constantly trying to improve my work and I am always inspired by other artists to try different styles or techniques. Space Pyrates was intended as a learning exercise, to experience creating a comic and get my head around the production process and best practises.
What are you looking forward to in 2013?
Matthew: Finishing this story arc of SP and having it printed. Then? Touring around to all cities for conventions to promote it. Looking at relocating from Brisbane at some point too. Depending on work. Also looking forward to starting something new comic-related and promoting the hell out of that. Big plans!
Caitlin: We're releasing the collected edition of Space Pyrates next year so that's very exciting, I can't wait to have that tome in my hands! We've got a lot of conventions planned to promote the book and it's always fun going around and talking to people about comics. I'm also starting to work on a solo comic project, which is slightly different in tone and style to Space Pyrates, so looking forward to that too!
