interrobanger ?!

That's a Wrap

2008-10-17T16:49:00.000-05:00

The Education of Whitney S.

2008-08-18T15:59:00.000-05:00

Farewell, Whitney! You will be missed!

The True Meaning of "Tender"

2008-02-14T10:23:00.000-05:00

Close your eyes and think of England (my first kiss)

2008-02-11T00:36:00.000-05:00

BONUS!
Just in time for Valentine's Day--check out First Kiss (Then Tell): A Collection of True Lock-Lipped Moments, the fantastic new YA anthology featuring nearly two dozen creators dishin' on kissin'. It includes a lovely story written by David Levithan--and illustrated by me! Here's a sneak peek:

It's the perfect gift for your Valentine's sweetie. Buy it! Buy it!

A Day in the Life

2008-02-03T21:07:00.000-05:00

Hourly Comic Day is a super-fun, harder-than-you'd think annual challenge. Anyone can do it! You just have to draw a comic every hour you're awake on a particular day. You draw about the day as live it. So here's a fairly honest account of my February 1, 2008.

8 am to 9 am

9 am to 10 am

10 am to 11 am

11 am to 12 pm

12 pm to 1 pm

1 pm to 2 pm

2 pm to 3 pm

3 pm to 4 pm

4 pm to 5 pm

5 pm to 6 pm

6 pm to 7 pm

7 pm to 8 pm

8 pm to 9 pm

9 pm to 10 pm

10 pm to 11 pm

11 pm to 12 pm

BONUS!

Unbeknownst to either of us, coworker Christy was working on an Hourly Comic of her own mere yards away from me.

That's me in the bottom right-hand corner. It's the first Interrobanger crossover!

Almost Happy

2008-01-28T00:38:00.000-05:00

Satan and His Reindeer

2007-12-10T00:07:00.000-05:00

Since I Been Gone

2007-11-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

But seriously, everybody--I'm sorry for the dead air. Billy, Nico, Paisley, and I are now settling into a fantastic new apartment, but there was plenty of drama and heartbreak along the way.
What's funny, though, is that whenever we didn't get an apartment we wanted, our reactions couldn't have been more different--or more indicative of the one-dimensional personalities I use for our Interrobanger personas.
So. Can you match the "character" with his thought balloon?

More next week!

Apartment Hunting

2007-09-30T21:29:00.000-05:00

The History of Sexuality, Part 3: Interrobanger No More!

2007-09-18T00:35:00.000-05:00

"The nineteenth-century homosexual became a personage, a past, a case history, and a childhood. . . . The sodomite had been a temporary aberration; the homosexual was now a species."

From The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction by Michel Foucault. English translation copyright (c) 1978 by Random House, Inc. Page 43 of the 1990 Vintage edition.

Absinthe Friends

2007-09-09T22:54:00.000-05:00

Plug: New & upcoming books

2007-09-03T23:07:00.000-05:00

There's a lot happening! First of all, a couple of books you should own.

Squirrelly Gray is the first of the books I've edited to be published. It's by one of my favorite comic creators, James Kochalka, and features a bored little squirrel who gets caught up in an adventure when the Tooth Fairy pays him a visit. Order it from your favorite comic store, or buy it on Amazon today! If my recommendation isn't enough, check out the fantastic ad put together by the Random House web team, voiced and scored by Mr. Kochalka himself.

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List is the latest novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. It's a heart-wrenching but hilarious story about a friendship that's going down in flames. I can't recommend this book enough--and not just because of the shout out to Emma Frost. It has a great cast of characters, and they all want to know: whose side are you on? (My favorites are Gabriel, because he's dreamy, and Bruce the First, because he's delightfully tragic.) If you can't be bothered to go to a bookstore, then you can buy this one on Amazon as well. But you should support your favorite shop. Seriously!

In the "coming soon" column is Nico Medina's next book, Fat Hoochie Prom Queen. A larger version of the brilliant cover is up now on Nico's website, which has recently been retooled with loads of new content, including an in-depth look at Dubai which proves once and for all that Nico's knowledge extends beyond what he reads on the Perez Hilton blog (sorry, I'm not linking to that). If that's not enough incentive to check it out, it's also an opportunity to see exclusive art by . . . me! I know people get antsy when I go a few weeks without posting a drawing of Paisley.

Finally, I just received an advance galley of Bloomsbury's First Kiss (Then Tell), which features a story written by, yep, the indefatigable David Levithan, and illustrated by yours truly. I haven't had a chance to read through it all yet, but it features some of my favorite YA authors--Cecil Castellucci, Justine Larbalestier, Leslie Margolis, Sarah Mlynowski, Scott Westerfeld, and more--plus a comic by the awesome Amy Kim Ganter. And I'm super proud of my collaboration with David; I'll post some preview images closer to the pub date. It'll be in stores this January, but you can add it to your Amazon wishlist now. And in four short months, you'll know all the racy details behind many a first kiss.

But if you want to read about my disastrous first kiss, all you have to do is check out the second part of The History of Sexuality. More to come next week!

Thanks for reading.

The History of Sexuality, Part 2: The Alien Costume

2007-09-03T22:36:00.000-05:00

"By integrating it into the beginnings of a scientific discourse, the nineteenth century altered the scope of the confession; it tended no longer to be concerned solely with what the subject wished to hide, but with what was hidden from himself, being incapable of coming to light except gradually and through the labor of a confession in which the questioner and the questioned each had a part to play."

From The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction by Michel Foucault. English translation copyright (c) 1978 by Random House, Inc. Page 66 of the 1990 Vintage edition.

The History of Sexuality, Part 1: Unmasked!

2007-08-27T01:09:00.000-05:00

"[T]he confession became one of the West’s most highly valued techniques for producing truth. We have since become a singularly confessing society. The confession has spread its effects far and wide. It plays a part in justice, medicine, education, family relationships, and love relations, in the most ordinary affairs of everyday life, and in the most solemn rites; one confesses one’s crimes, one’s sins, one’s thoughts and desires, one’s illnesses and troubles; one goes about telling, with the greatest precision, whatever is most difficult to tell. One confesses in public and in private, to one’s parents, one’s educators, one’s doctor, to those one loves; one admits to oneself, in pleasure and in pain, things it would be impossible to tell to anyone else, the things people write books about."

From The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction by Michel Foucault. English translation copyright (c) 1978 by Random House, Inc. Page 59 of the 1990 Vintage edition.

Cocktail Garnishment

2007-08-05T23:02:00.000-05:00

The Best Man, Part 3: Marco Polo

2007-07-30T05:31:00.000-05:00

It's a long entry today, kids. And you know what that means. You get to see Nick cry... a lot.

Also lots of blood, but not to worry! It is entirely metaphorical.

Before we begin:

There is a scene below that really cries out for annotation, but to include any information in the panel beyond the visual would really disrupt the flow of the story. So please be aware as of now that Mehmet and I once ate Chicken McNuggets off of my roommate Nico's naked torso. There's really little more to the story than that, but Lord knows how you'd interpret the panel if you didn't know to be on the lookout for McNuggets. Deceptively hard to draw, those!

While I'm at it, a big thanks to Nico for making sure that I had food during my marathon drawing session last night. And for not forcing me to eat it off of him.

Okay, you're not here for the chit-chat--you're here to see tears. Let it begin!

The Best Man, Part 2: Couch Surfing

2007-07-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Best Man, Part 1: That's Not Really How It Works

2007-07-16T00:18:00.000-05:00

Absolutely Soaking Wet

2007-06-03T21:38:00.000-05:00

All the Wrong Places

2007-05-27T18:52:00.000-05:00

Plug: The Straight Road to Kylie

2007-05-22T21:17:00.000-05:00

The Straight Road to Kylie is in stores now. Buy it! Visit the website!

Little Nicholas in: Name-Calling

2007-05-22T21:08:00.000-05:00

Plug: Pop Rocks!

2007-05-20T22:14:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy weekend, so this week's strip will be a day or two late. A huge thanks to all who came out for the Stuck in the Middle party on Friday. Here's a pic in which I'm so excited, I've whipped my face into a frenzied blur!

But we're not done with parties or shameless plugs! Nico Medina--roommate extraordinaire and a supporting character here on Interrobanger--has his first novel coming out this Tuesday. The Straight Road to Kylie is a fantastic, hilarious read. I'll post again on Tuesday to remind you to buy a copy.

Once you've picked up the book, join us on Thursday for the official release party at Pop Rocks! There will be hours of Kylie Minogue music, which I'm told is something to be excited about. I can't speak to that, but I know there'll be cheap booze and cheaper boys. Come out and celebrate!

Plug: The New York Times

2007-05-14T13:20:00.000-05:00

Wow, Stuck in the Middle had a nice review in Sunday's New York Times. We've hit the big time. No mention of my story, but at least it wasn't panned!
Thanks to David for the link.

Click here.

Plug: Blast Off!

2007-05-13T14:07:00.000-05:00

If you live in New York, you're invited to the official Stuck in the Middle release party at Rocketship. Click here for details!

Misadventures in Pug Sitting

2007-05-13T11:52:00.000-05:00

Plug: Jane Magazine

2007-05-06T21:54:00.000-05:00

Stuck in the Middle has a nice little plug in this month's issue of Jane. Thanks to Christy for letting me know!

Graphic artist Ariel Schrag was just like every other marginalized high school student until she decided to put all her angst on paper in painfully personal comics (Awkward, Definition, and Potential) with a feminist bent. Now, at 27, she's the editor of Stuck in the Middle, a multi-artist collection about an even scarier time: middle school. --Julie

Are graphic novels an emo fad?

There's been a boom, but I don't think it's just a fad. I think there will be good things that come out of it--and a little bit of sadness, because comics love being underground.

Why not just write a novel?

If I'm telling a story to a friend, I'll often want to grab a piece of paper and a pen to draw someone's expression or clothing. With comics, I feel like I can get the most humor, the most pain. A lot of writers feel more connected to words--if they want to express an emotion, a sentence will occur to them that does it perfectly. For me, I'll imagine someone's cartoon expression with one or two words.

Why middle school?

Everybody loves to read stories of horror and terror, and that's pretty much what middle school is. But not everybody is the sad, sappy victim. In my comic I talk about being the bitchy girl who talked shit and wanted to humiliate people.
***
The book is in stores in less than two weeks!

Tongue-Tied and Twisted

2007-05-05T20:51:00.000-05:00

L'esprit de l'escalier

2007-04-29T23:28:00.000-05:00

The Secret Origin BONUS

2007-04-23T22:12:00.000-05:00

The Secret Origin, Part 2

2007-04-23T22:09:00.000-05:00

Because you demanded it! Here's how that bizarro prophecy played out....

The Secret Origin of Interrobanger (June 2005)

2007-04-16T00:03:00.000-05:00

Misadventures in Babysitting (Sept. 2006)

2007-04-10T23:57:00.000-05:00

Running late....

2007-04-09T23:03:00.000-05:00

Sorry, kids. I was sick on Sunday, so I'm running late this week. Check for an update Wednesday morning. It'll be worth the wait for "Misadventures in Babysitting!"

I'm Too Sexy for This Muppet

2007-04-01T23:03:00.000-05:00

Not a hoax! Not a dream! Not an imaginary tale!

All right, faithful followers. It's time to quit smoking! Cut back on foods high in cholesterol or sodium! Look both ways before crossing the street! Do whatever is necessary to survive these next 15 months. Because whatever you do, you must live to see . . . Elmo's World: Doctors and Nurses, featuring the unforgettable debut of Pediatric Nurse Nick. Available the summer of 2008!

What's Cookin'

2007-03-25T23:59:00.000-05:00

I've committed the entire weekend to an entry for a comics contest in The Advocate. So, no Interrobanging this week. But I thought I'd take the opportunity to share news on my other projects.

First of all, the contest entry is going to be in full color. I'm surprisingly pleased with how it's turned out. I'll post the entry here eventually, but don't want to share it in full until the contest runs its course. Details forthcoming, but here's a quick preview.

I'm also working on a short story about suburban teenagers that work at a mall. The basic idea is that kids from very different social circles--kids that wouldn't give one another the time of day at school--are forced to interact as mall employees. We'll see how it goes. In the meantime, here are my earliest character sketches. Do kids listen to Weezer anymore? Probably not.

But the big news is that we're less than 2 months away from the publication of Stuck in the Middle, the middle-grade comics anthology edited by the brilliant Ariel Schrag. There's some big-name talent in this book--people like Daniel Clowes, Gabrielle Bell, and Joe Matt. And it'll include my first professionally published story, "The Adventures of Batboy and Starling."

It's a fictionalized account of my own tortured adolescence as a batboy for a minor-league baseball team . . . so if you like Interrobanger, you'll definitely like "Batboy and Starling."

The book's in stores May 17, is available for pre-order now on Amazon, and has already received a starred review from Booklist!

In case you're wondering, my contribution has nothing to do with removing bras.

I also have a 4-page piece in the self-published anthology Queerbait, which features gay super-hero stories. My story, starring hipster hero The Un-Trendy Brooklynite, is not my finest. But if you want to buy a copy anyway, go to Indy Planet.

And yes, it does have a giant, carnivorous penis on the cover. I was thinking "phallus dentata," but apparently it's a Penisaurus. Well, either way: I guess I won't be sending a copy to my grandma. . . .

However, now that I've finally mentioned "penis" on my blog, I'll bet I get a lot more hits. Penis!

That about covers it. Check back next week for a super-sensational new Interrobanger, with special guest star Elmo. Thanks for reading!

The Second Labor BONUS

2007-03-22T21:06:00.000-05:00

The Second Labor (January 2005 to present)

2007-03-19T00:59:00.000-05:00

Spoiler Warning

2007-03-11T23:33:00.000-05:00

Motivation

2007-03-01T18:25:00.000-05:00

The Dork Is Rising

2007-02-19T11:33:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day Bonus

2007-02-15T00:10:00.000-05:00

Color and animation by Billy Merrell!

Les Dieux Qui Rient: A Tragedy (Oct. 2006)

2007-02-12T02:08:00.000-05:00

The Weekend's Worst Pick-Up Lines (Oct. 2006)

2007-02-05T22:41:00.000-05:00

Dirty Laundry (Oct. 2006)

2007-01-27T15:28:00.000-05:00

Little Nicholas in: Birthmark (ca. 1986)

2007-01-22T01:11:00.000-05:00

Interrobanger Returns

2007-01-13T13:25:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my blog!

2006-11-14T20:13:00.000-05:00

Fashion Victim

2006-01-20T21:07:00.000-05:00

Celebrity Look-Alike

2006-01-08T00:55:00.000-05:00

Jeremy and Josephine

2006-01-06T22:56:00.000-05:00

Or, for those fortunate enough to have higher speed access, click here, do download a compressed PDF version of the comic.

Happy New Year!

2006-01-01T12:01:00.000-05:00

Another Sorry Excuse

2005-12-18T12:21:00.000-05:00

You Made Me Forget My Dreams

2005-11-24T14:43:00.000-05:00

Small Talk

2005-11-14T10:03:00.000-05:00

Boy Wonder

2005-10-27T15:30:00.000-05:00

The L-Word

2005-10-22T22:00:00.000-05:00

Mousetrap

2005-10-18T23:14:00.000-05:00

Bad Hair Day

2005-05-14T19:20:00.000-05:00