Quick reminder, this Thursday the 13th Erika will be reading from her former comic DAR! and talking about sexual fluidity at Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR.

Erika Moen Speaking at Pacific University
7:30, October 13th
Pacific University
Taylor Auditorium, 2nd floor of Marsh Hall

Now, on to the questions!

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Ms. Moen: Could you please invent a teleporter before next Thursday so I might jaunt up there for your talk at Pacific U.? I think that would be very nice of you.

E: I will do the next best thing and record it for the internet! At least, that is my goal. I cannot promise that I will execute the recording and editing and uploading properly, however, so it may wind up yet another broken dream. But should that happen, you can always watch my last recorded talk that I gave at Haverford College!

It’s obvious to me that Bucko’s “rescuers” intend to make him build a device. Will that device be METAPHOR?

E: Oh man, now I want it to be!

How are you all gonna sell bucko later? E-book/real book/kickstarter incentive?

JP: We hope to have an answer to that soon-ish!

E: Man, that would be rad. Publishers, [I’m holding up my hand to my ear like it’s a phone and mouthing the words “CALL ME”]

Actually i got alot of questions. Where did the inspiration for BUCKO come up from? Why did you choose only blue, black, and white as your main colors? How did you decide on breaking up the chapters like that?

E: I went with a limited color pallet because I am kind of crap at digital coloring and didn’t want the coloring process to take up an enormous amount of time. I was already used to using three gray tones (+black and white) for my previous comic DAR! so I just went from gray to blue for Bucko. Short answer: I’m a lazy artist. Inspiration and chapter breaking is more Parker’s domain so I’ll let him answer that one….

Imagine if you saw a story in the papers: a young woman has had naked photos of herself posted online. She was initially upset, but was then convinced that making money from them was worth it. Nasty story, right? So why was it trivial in your comic?

Parker: That would be a fair point if anyone’s reactions or situations were in a much less absurdist context than they are, Zoeplankton. Gyp is from a hippie household and doesn’t have a problem with her nudity being out there, it was more the surprise of the whole thing. She did tell Dell to do whatever it takes. Realism is not a big cornerstone of Bucko, hence the Fartmonger’s divining powers and that there is sometimes a robot.

E: The entire story is about people reacting inappropriately to a large assortment of events. I don’t think hers sticks out more than anyone else’s. Nobody in Bucko is a good person or behaves appropriately, if you’re gunna call out Gyp on that then you need to call out the entire cast (Which would be fine! But it’s not like I’m gunna turn to Parker and be all “Oh dang, that observation blindsided me”).

Eri[k]a, what is different about drawing a comic whose story you are in control of verses illustrating Jeff’s story?

E: Biggest difference: I have no idea what’s coming up on the next page! I draw everything not knowing which character is going to wind up sticking around or remaining a background person, or what plot points are being set up. The best part about working with Parker is how much his guidance has helped improve my artwork. This whole year has been an exercise in leveling up artistically and I know Parker is a major reason for it. He’s made me draw settings and scenes and layouts that I never would have attempted if left to my own devices and he’s really pushed me to push my art in general. Wotta guy!

JP: And by the way, Erika sells those pages, hint hint.

E: Haha, feel free to hit me up at erika.moen(at)gmail.com if there’s one you have your eye on!

What has been your favorite pages to work on?

E: Oh gosh, anything with the Jugalette. I love drawing her! Also, the octopus page was pretty fun.

when are y’all gonna come to chicago? i really want to meet you.

E: Oh gosh, I don’t even know! I will be at Emerald City Comic Con and Stumptown Comics Fest in 2012, though 🙂 The best way to get us out to Chicago would be to contact some of your local comic convention organizers (or comic/book store owners or, hell, special interests groups on college campuses) and suggest our names as special guests they should bring out for an event.

JP: I think we answered this the last time. But I still need to get back to Chi-Town because it’s one of my favorite cities and I like to eat food there.

How are portlanders reacting to your depiction of their city so far ?

E: So far so good! When we read Bucko live for Comics Underground, the crowd seemed to really enjoy it. Or maybe they were just being nice.

JP: Now I really think we already answered these…

Mark from Kent, WA asks: Mr. Parker, is it possible to get a Bucko and Gyp cameo in Thunderbolts or Hulk? Or if that’s not possible, a Hulk or Thunderbolts cameo in Bucko? I bet Mrs. Moen would have plenty of fun drawing Gen. Ross’s Tom Selleck ‘stache.

E: Haha, I’d be up for it!

JP: She can flat draw a ‘stache, it is nothing to her.