Kazu Kibuishi (Writer/Creator/Illustrator of "Daisy Kutter" from Viper Comics)

With the success of Daisy Kutter from Viper Comics and the demand on collecting Tpb's for those who can't get a series in its entirety this end was inevitable! Daisy Kutter will be hitting the format with much welcome in January 2005 and I thought it would just be splendid (for me) if I could sit down and chat with Kazu Kibuishi on its impending release in TPB format and it's success from Viper to date. I am a giant fan of all things Viper Comics so picking up Daisy Kutter was easy for me when it was first released. I enjoyed the story so much I have been talking about my circles (at least 6 people!) and had heard more than once "Looks like ill have to hope for a trade." TAAAADAAAAA.

1. For those who didn't get a chance to pick up Daisy Kutter so far can you give them a bit of a rundown on the story and characters?

KK: It's story of a retired female gunslinger who quits the life of a criminal to open up a general store.  Unfortunately, her addiction to gambling and gunplay leads her back down the road she knows so well. The main crux of the story is Daisy's relationship to the town sheriff, Tom McKay. He's basically trying to woo her back into the life, but as a Sheriff's deputy and not as a bandit.  They were also apparently about to get married at some point, and one of them walked away even though they still love each other, so the two of them are caught in relationship limbo.  All of this trouble with her gambling addiction and her relationship with Tom leads Daisy on a train heist, where she has to face off against the cold and calculating railroad tycoon, J.C. Winters, and his gang of mechanical minions.

2. The art has a very distinct feel to it. Was this something you played around with and went looking for?
 

KK: I had it in mind to do it in a looser, quicker and cooler style than my other comics, like Copper (www.boltcity.com/copper_home.htm), but in the end it really just looks like the way I draw everything. I wanted to do something that looked "badass", but as always, it ended up looking more "cute".  Sigh.

3. You do all aspects of the book yourself as I understand. What was the experience like moving to writing/illustrating Daisy Kutter from your traditional background in graphic design and animation?

KK: Well, my background in both graphic design and animation are pretty bare, since I only worked in those fields for a short time after college.  During all that time, I have been writing and drawing comics.
I've been doing this pretty seriously since I was about 5, putting together my wannabe Garfield books, so it was more a relief than a real transition.  Writing and drawing stories is what I have always wanted to
do for a living, and I'm still working on making it pay the bills comfortably.

4. How did you come about working with Viper Comics and what was it like putting out your first published work?

KK: Jessie contacted me out of the blue some time ago, to tell me that Jim (the Art Director) had stumbled upon my website (www.boltcity.com), and that they have been fans of the work ever since.  They gave me a free ad in the back of Dead@17 and we eventually got to talking about publishing.  They felt FLIGHT (an anthology I was putting together) was too big a book to handle, so I pitched them the idea to do Daisy Kutter, of which I already had images up on my site.  They said yes, and we went
from talking about a 25-page one-shot to a four-issue mini-series.  It ended up being a 150-page story...

5. Are you at all surprised by the success of Daisy Kutter as a whole and there future plans beyond the TPB in February involving Daisy Kutter?

KK: Is it successful yet?  Hehe.  Well, I do have plans for another Daisy story, but I probably won't be tackling it until the end of 2006, after I finish my next graphic novel (which isn't Daisy).  The next Daisy book
will most likely go straight to a graphic novel, though.  Daisy Kutter - The Last Train Chapter Four was my last single issue comic.

6. Will the TPB have anything special outside of the regular issues to entice those who already own the Daisy Kutter series itself?

KK: It will feature a big honkin' sketch section, where I'll detail the progress of Daisy and include a pretty detailed description of the work process for the book.  It will also have a nice pin-up gallery of work
by some of my friends.

7. Are you a writer or illustrator first?

KK: I write with pictures! (Cheat)

8. What writers and illustrators have influenced you in your work?

KK: Too many to list.  The first that always come to mind, however, includes Hayao Miyazaki, Jeff Smith, Bill Watterson, Shel Silverstein, Winsor McCay, and a lot of my really talented friends, especially the FLIGHT
crew...

9. Were you into comics as a child and are you a collector today?

KK: I have New Mutants 87 and eleven copies of Spawn number 1 among others, but my long box is now collecting dust in my parents' garage....

10. Anything your fans don't know about you that would shock them or
make them say "No. no no."?

KK: Hmm.  Copper actually started out as a badass vigilante comic about some guy with a copper stripe on his mask, done in a black and white, minimal Sin City style with copper spot-coloring.  It is now about a boy and his dog on some fun adventures.  You see what I mean when I say everything I do ends up being "cute"?  Hehe. 
 

                                                           
Mr. A: Before departing I must always ask...What piece of advice would you give your fans who are also creators/writers/illustrators themselves?

TH: Separate what you love and what it is you do best, and then express that love through what you do best.

 

 

Thanks, Mr. Avalanche