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All Is Full Of Linky-Love: 3 Questions With Brian Andersen, Writer of Friend Of Dorothy, by Dale Lazarov

His bio: A long time comic book loving nerd, Brian Andersen is the creator and writer behind an entire line of indie comics you can joyfully discover more about by clicking on www.sosuperduper.com. Brian lives in San Francisco and still holds out hope that one day he'll go on an amazing adventure with She-Ra (the Princess of Power, natch) or sing a rockin' tune with Jem of Jem and the Holograms fame.

Please mouse-on-over to the below link for a free 8 page preview of his newest comic, Friend of Dorothy.

from Friend Of Dorothy, ©2010 CBG Comic, Brian Andersen

First question: Hero Sandwich says "Scott-John [Friend of Dorothy's protagonist] feels like a real teenager with his own unique worries and difficulties. He's not High Camp, and he's not Midnighter/Apollo grim-and-sullen, which seems to be the current comic industry model for gay male superheroes nowadays."  Is there any particular set of influences or aspirations that guide your sensibility and style?

Wow, gee, what a smart, probing question! Heaven knows I enjoy being probed. To be honest the only aspirations and influences I use in creating my characters, queer or otherwise, come directly from my own exciting life experiences -– such as they are. I'm certainly not a grim and sullen dude, though I have been known to get bitchy and sassy on occasion but I'm pretty sure that doesn't qualify as grim and sullen.

I suppose I tend to write from a perspective of the "everyman," or the "everygay" if you will, whereas most of the people I know aren't buff-ass, underwear model-y, movie-star-hotties with perfect lives and a wealth of confidence. My characters tend to be regular guys and girls, everyday people who are heroic, only with a little extra ounce of swish added.

I do realize that most of my queer characters tend to be fruity, flighty, uber queens, as well as being bold, brave, super tough badasses. All of which are elements I pull from aspects of my own personality -– minus the badass part as I'm fairly certain I couldn't successfully karate chop a Smurf. (Though I'd like too, that Brainy can be so bossy!) I'm a pretty fruity guy myself, so I like to represent us "fruity" gays in a positive light. Just because we're queenie doesn't mean we aren't strong and smart and confident, it doesn't mean we're weak, stereotypical, screaming Nellies.

from Friend Of Dorothy, ©2010 CBG Comic, Brian Andersen

Question no. 2: Other than its purpose as a Superhero/Wizard of Oz mash-up, what do you want people to take from Friend of Dorothy?

First, I really hope people are able to sit back, eat a Twinkie and just enjoy a fun, enjoyable adventure story that just so happens to star a gay teenager. In a perfect world it shouldn't matter the sexual orientation of a character, a good story is a good story, who cares if the lead character makes-out with other dudes or bangs chicks?

Second, I would love for people to think about the terms and slag words used for the LGBT community. There seems to be so much hate and awfulness in the world, and much of it is often directed at the gays. The term "Friend of Dorothy" can be viewed as just a funny, cheesy way of calling someone out for being a queer, but it can also have a negative connotation to it.

In creating this comic I chose to take this potentially derogatory phrase and make into a positive by presenting a heroic teenage character who – though he might have issues and problems – is still capable of being strong and powerful. As I said above, being gay doesn't equate weakness, and being called a "Friend of Dorothy" doesn't have to mean a gay person is all rainbows and sprinkles and limp wrists, though rainbows and sprinkles and limp wrists are some of my favorite things. Gay people are just like anyone else, we can be many, diverse things – including superheroes.

from Friend Of Dorothy, ©2010 CBG Comic, Brian Andersen

Question The Third: What appeals to you about self-publishing *Friend of Dorothy*?

Nothing really. Anyone interested in publishing this book? Anyone? (Are those crickets I hear?) haha. Just kidding.

Ideally having someone publish your work is about 1000 times better than putting it out yourself, because, right away by having someone publishing you it automatically gives your work a sense of legitimacy with the comic-buying public.

When you're published it says to the comic reading audience that your creation, your writing, your art, your whatever, is "worthy," it's good, it has merit. When you self-publish right out of the gate you face an uphill battle, you need to fight against the unholy stigma attached to self-publishing -– that your comic is crap.

Now I don't assume that I'm the next Gail Simone (love you Gail!) or Fred Van Lente (adore you Fred, call me!) but I also don't believe I'm a total hack writer/comic creator/publisher. I have some pretty original stories to tell and just enough skill to pull out a semi-decent comic. Course I do acknowledge that I could be suffering from that crazy America Idol syndrome when a singer thinks they have an amazing voice but are really horrid, dreadful, tone-deaf messes. Thankfully, based on a few overwhelmingly positive reviews, I'm lead to believe otherwise. *whew*

The plus side of self-publishing, and using digital printers like Ka-Blam (who I use exclusively) is that I can put out as many or as few books as I want at a nominal cost. Which is great for a small publisher like myself.

So until I no longer have the teeniest, tiniest ember of talent (which I'm always working on to increase and refine and make into a Phoenix-level bonfire), and stories to tell, and the drive to fight in the trenches against preconceived notions, I'll keep on self-publishing. That or if I get hit by a car. Whichever happens first.

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Dale Lazarov is the writer/editor of chic hardcovers of gay comics filth — STICKY, MANLY and NIGHTLIFE — published by Bruno Gmünder Verlag. Visit Swanderful, his tumblog of Curt Swan comics art, and his very NSFW gay erotic art tumblog, Fuck Yeah Dale Lazarov.

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