Richard Caldwell interviews John Chihak and Venus Of Necro

Writer-Artist John Chihak (Youth In Asia) and author Venus of Necro are the minds behind the new special from Anti-Hero Brand Press, Fuzzyface: The Agnew Chainsaw Massacre. Richard Caldwell was able to talk with the two earlier, about why self-respecting adults would feel so drawn to torturing poor defenseless stuffed animals, for Bleeding cool. Naturally.

Richard: I gather you have known each other from even before your previous collaboration. How exactly did the two of you first meet? And what planets did you come from?

Venus: In 2005 we were both working for “the man”… Agnew was smiling at me from across the building so I made my way to their cubicle and introduced myself. Umm… planet Earth sir… I unfortunately have not been given the chance of galactic travel thus far in my life.

John: “The Man” being America OnLine, doing retention. Where you have to keep customers from leaving the service. After six months of nervous breakdowns and raising my voice, I finally quit and moved to another job. Venus was in another training class when I was already out on the cue floor. Agnew pointed her out to me. He was all, “See that girl over there with the big forehead? There’s a future and potentially millions of dollars to be made involving her somehow.” He failed to elaborate on what that future might be though. At that time I was writing and penciling the very first Youth in Asia story.

Richard: How long has Youth In Asia been with you? And why would either of you ever have considered a career in funny books?

John: I originally created the main components of Youth in Asia, Nash and Agnew, my senior year in high school during my animation class in 1996. And then the first issue saw print June 6, 2006. Yeah, I know- 6/6/06, I kinda plotted it that way. Kinda, but not really. Youth in Asia actually had two other names before I got to this one. First it was gonna be called Helter Skelter, in homage to the book of the same name about the Manson Family Murder trial. But I found out it was also the title of a manga, so I switched it to Sleeper due to some similarities with the movie. I had to change that too (thanks a lot Ed Brubaker!). It actually is how a lot of things work in media. You gotta change things around due to copyrights and such. The title suits the book perfectly, cause it involves a lot of double meanings. Especially when you have a character like Grrry in it.

As for considering a career in comics, it’s kinda an easy answer for me. I wasn’t really good enough to be a professional athlete. When I was a kid I wanted to be a baseball player, but I wasn’t a very good hitter. I think it may have been due to needing glasses at the time. And the fear of being hit by the ball. The last thing they taught little league pitchers was control. Then in junior high and high school I wanted to play football. I loved the competition, but mostly I just liked hitting people. But I realized that was unrealistic being that I was 5 foot 9 and not extremely fast. When I admitted to myself that I wasn’t going to play big time college football, I turned back to my original love. Art. And I was beginning to get into comics in junior high and high school. I wanted to be the Punisher and one of the X-Men. My love for the medium just became a passion. And after creating a character based on myself and his badass little sidekick, I never really looked back.

Richard: And Ms Venus, how did your attraction to comics first come about?

Venus: Humm, the origin to my attraction to comics…haha…back in 1988-ish, I remember being in the first grade and playing Ninja Turtles with the little boy next door… ahh… those were the days! I always wanted to be Raph, however the little perv I was playing with insisted that I be April and he was Casey Jones… and that lead to the whole I’ll show you mine if you show me yours. Needless to say, I beat up that little boy… and started hanging out with another boy who was obsessed with comics. Together we would use up all of our wide ruled loose leaf paper on our own comic book. We worked on it on the bus to and from school… and at school until we got in trouble. I miss those simpler days. Then I moved away and pretty much grew out of the “tom boy” phase and put the comic books in the closet, until high school where I met yet another guy… damn those sexy artists!! He showed me this comic book he made in grade school called “The Bunnisher” (yes, a Bunny “Punisher”). Since then I got back into the scene (not too nerdy heavy) books like Sandman, Books of Magic, Invisibles… and so on.

Richard: So how exactly did the Grrry book come to pass? And how did the two of you define your working relationship with such a crazy book like that?

John: Well, it seems Grrry has a mind of her own. Venus told me she had an idea for a Grrry story. And during the writing Venus asked me how Grrry would respond to certain situations. Grrry is a staunch supporter of the underdogs in the world. And that sums up a lot of her unflinching faithfulness to her friends. Venus wrote it and I drew it. It was a pretty simple working relationship that time around. It became more hands on for Venus during Fuzzyface since she wanted to make sure I was doing justice to the several legacies we were touching upon. Venus and I work pretty well together. She knows my style and trusted me a lot to compliment her writing style. But I was open to critique and value her opinion on what she saw visually when she wrote it. But I think we share a similar warped mind for something like the work we have done together.

Venus: I liked the idea of The Book of Grrry. I read the first one that John: wrote and thought it was hilarious. I honestly don’t remember if he asked me to write the second one or if I asked him… but the story came from an event that I saw with my own eyes at a grocery store. I
ended the story with what I wish I had the balls to do… which was absolutely no problem for Grrry!
John: seemed to feel the same way about Grrry and how she would respond to the situation. So… with the agreement on the story and characters, everything fell easily into place with G2.

Richard: Youth In Asia has a growing cult following of readers, but the characters have also garnered support from fellow creators like Jimmie Robinson and Simon Bisley. What is it about Grrry and Agnew that strikes a chord with so many people?

Venus: John’s characters Agnew and Grrry are definitely my favorite two from the world of YIA. Agnew just because he’s hardcore and cuddly at the same time, and Grrry because she is fearless.

John: Well, right off I knew that if there was going to be an iconic character associated with Anti-Hero Brand Press and Youth in Asia it was going to be Agnew. I think the reason he is so well liked is because people can remember a time when they were a kid and they had a stuffed animal that made them feel better and more secure. Plus he’s cute, and he’s super hardcore. I mean what other sidekick is so diminutive and still kicks so much ass? As for Grrry, the whole tattooed hardcore punker chick look is in. And yes, as Venus said, Grrry is the voice I think a lot of us wish we had at times. She does what she wants when she wants without fear of repercussions.

Richard: Underneath the parody and spoof of Fuzzyface, there is obviously some knowledgeable fanboyishness regarding both the Texas Chainsaw Massacre as well as numerous works from the late Jim Henson- particularly the Muppet Show. Where else have you both found inspiration for what you do? Who influences you, no matter the medium or genre?

John: I would have to say I get a lot of influence from comics, movies, music and believe it or not professional wrestling. ECW in particular. As far as comics go, I am influenced by artists, writers, and stories themselves. I am particularly influenced by Steve Gerber and Gene Colan’s work on Howard the Duck; Rick Spears and Rob G who did Teenagers from Mars; the late Will Eisner; and Frank Miller. In terms of film I am influenced by both actors and directors; Fairuza Balk and Edward Norton are my favorite actors; while Guillermo del Toro and Luc Besson are my favorite directors. My musical influences vary a lot. I dig Rage Against the Machine, Wendy Orlean Williams and the Plasmatics, The Misfits, P!NK, Joan Jett, Immortal Technique, KRS-One, Public Enemy, Black Flag. As far as wrestling goes, my main influence is Extreme Championship Wrestling. They established a very violent style in America, but also had a lot of top flight wrestlers. Guys like Terry Funk, Mick Foley, Sabu, Rob Van Dam, Raven, Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle and Triple H are some of my storytelling heroes in the ring.

Venus: Yes… absolutely love love love Jim Henson and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but you can’t forget the tip of the hat to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein! I have found inspiration in helping/motivating others get their work up and out. I’ve collaborated and helped out several friends from this book to screenplays to other nameless projects. I’ve also worked with children a lot in my life, and the way a child thinks alone is very inspirational to me. I have many heroes that I look up to like David Lynch, Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, H.P. Lovecraft, Roald Dahl, Ray Bradbury, HR Geiger, and so on…

Richard: Will we see ramifications from the new Fuzzyface book echo through into Youth In Asia, or is this a kind of dream story? And for that matter, I have enjoyed watching Youth In Asia evolve from a vigilante tale more and more into the story of a group of weird, funny, and violent whenever and wherever necessary friends. Does it all tie together? Will we see more of Nash’s backstory? And can your ever-increasing use of visual puns and hidden gags possibly get any funnier?

John: Yes. There will be ramifications from the Fuzzyface storyline. As you may have noticed, three new characters emerged from the closet door into the Youth in Asia Universe. As for Fuzzyface himself, the reaction has been very favorable so far. So there’s gotta be more stories involving the Patchworked Menace. Venus and I have already discussed a few ideas. One of which she came up with that sounds like it’s going to be super fun to draw.

The Youth in Asia stories will tie together. I started out wanting it to be a vigilante heavy story, but the characters seem to have taken a life of their own. And I am happy to make it more of a slice of life comic, with story lines that will delve into meta human vigilante style issues. However, I aim to make this book more about the group of friends and their lives together. Although that will include the vigilante character of Nash having to take center stage every once in a while.

Not only will you see Nash’s back story, but you will also get to see more of where Agnew comes from, as well as main characters Kyle and Grrry’s origins. I plan on doing it in another graphic novel sized one shot. As it takes me quite a while to churn out single issues, I may as well make it a graphic novel and have it all tied in to one book. It’s going to be a very dark concept that will reverberate through the Youth in Asia Universe and affect the group for the life of the book.

As for the visual puns and hidden gags, that’s probably my favorite part of doing comics. I mean so few people actually pick up on the little aspects of the book, but I have to say when someone does bring it up, it makes it all worth it. There are going to be plenty of them in the future. I am actually working on an inside joke story that involves Grrry and two of my real life friends who will appear in a future issue. So, I am hoping they continue to get funnier, but it’s all up to interpretation.

Richard: So what is next for the both of you? And what are the dream projects?

Venus: Well, as John mentioned we have discussed a few ideas for other possible collaborations. It’s been a lot of fun working together and Fuzzyface is doing well, so why not! I personally like to have several projects going at the same time, it helps keep me awake and prevents burnout or writer block! Currently, I have three other collaborations I’m working on, plus a few of my own works that need to see the light of day! Humm.. as for dream projects, I’d just like to finish a project of mine that I’ve sat aside for way too long now.

John: I plan to go back to work on Youth in Asia. At the end of issue 5 I hint at an impending battle. I gotta get to work on the art for 6. Already have the script. And I have to begin working on the origin story for Youth in Asia. It’s going to be titled, Youth in Asia: Ten Years in Hell…

If Venus wants to work on another Fuzzyface project, I am totally game. It was a lot of fun to work on.
And I do have a project my dad approached me with: a children’s book. I am looking forward to this project as well, as it would only be the third collaboration in my career, and only the second partner I have ever worked with professionally. And it will test my art skills, as I will have to adapt them to a style he chooses for the book.

As for a dream project. I would love to do an Agnew origin sequence with Simon Bisley. And I would have to say, I really want to plot and story board a live action movie trailer for Youth in Asia with my cousin and my good friend working behind the scenes.

Richard: So any final words before the bills come in? Fuzzyface: The Agnew Chainsaw Massacre is available now. Will it help fight diabetes? Or terrorism?

John: Unless laughter is a cure for diabetes then I’m gonna have to say, “No”. However I feel that the freedom of speech we utilized and the laughter just very well may be a cure for terrorism. In a very small way at least. The only final words I have are that Venus and I worked really hard on this project and with quite a few other people, I feel it’s both of our best work to date. So check it out.
Heads will roll, and oh yes, there will be stuffing