Welcome blog readers. Those of you with exemplary taste will need no introduction, of course, but today we'll dive into the beautiful soul of a tortured genius, Ken Fisher. Creator of the award-winning and spine-tingling comic, Tom the Dancing Bug. We sat down with Ken recently to ask him the questions his reading public wants, nay HAS, to know.
Q: Hello. You are Ruben Bolling?
A: Yes, I am.
Q: But you are also Ken Fisher?
A: Yes, but aren’t we all, deep down?
Q: Respond to the rumors that the short-lived Christian Slater TV show “My Own Worst Enemy” was based on your life.
A: I have decided to respond not verbally, but through interpretive dance.
Okay, I’m back.
Q: I’m amazed by the brilliance of your writing, yet when I first met you, you were wearing a 1996 Cher tour concert t-shirt … explain please.
A: That’s because our first five meetings were wholly in your imagination. The unicorns should have been a tip-off.
I’m wondering if these questions are going to get any less silly. Since you gave them to me all at once, I’ll scroll down and check.
Okay, I’m back again. There are a lot of questions here. And the next one isn’t silly enough.
Q: Why don’t you do a daily comic?
A: I do like the large format I use for the weekly strip because I have room to develop and explore premises. A daily strip usually has to be more gag-oriented, with barely enough room to get a single joke in.
I have thought about the possibility of figuring out a way to use my style of humor in the shortened daily form, and (more importantly) whether there would be a market for it.
Q: I’m always telling my friend that you’re one of the best writers (in any media) today … does this embarrass you?
A: Ordinarily it would, but not in this case because I know this “friend” is one of your imaginary unicorns. But thank you.
Q: You sold the “Harvey Richards: Lawyer for Children” character to New Line/WB for a feature film ... what’s the latest?
A: Well, here’s the deal. About a year ago, I was told that an actor was in place to play Harvey -- and he was my dream choice for the role. This was great. Unfortunately, a couple of months ago I was told that he’s no longer in. This sucked.
(I’m not going to mention his name, since that may be a breach of some Hollywood code of etiquette.)
At this point, I’m pretty far removed from the process; I’m only given information second- or third-hand, through the kindness of one of the producers, so I’m never sure exactly what’s going on. But I believe the studio is going to try to find another star. I’ve offered my services, but haven’t heard back.
Q: What’s the last good book you read? BTW, I’m recommending the Teri Hatcher unauthorized autobiography.
A: Here are the books on the table next to my bed:
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey, by Candice Millard. It’s taken me a while to work my way through this one, but it is excellent.
The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, by Michael Chabon. I’m also reading Chabon’s The Final Solution to my daughter, (my second time through it), and it is superb.
The Complete Peanuts 1967-1968, by Charles Shulz. Working my way through these volumes has been a joy.
The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol. 4, by John Buscema. The J. Buscema Conans are pure comics fun.
Cul de Sac, by Richard Thompson. Got this as a present from a good friend... but I had to tear it away from my kids so I could read it. They were literally laughing out loud as they read it.
Q: Come on, Ken. How can an autobiography be “unauthorized”? And you went to Harvard?
A: You’re right. Now I’m embarrassed. Please don’t tell your friend Rainbow Starburst Uney.
(Actually, my son is right now reading Lemony Snicket’s “Unauthorized Autobiography.”)
Q: Ted Rall claims that you have the worst taste in music. Agree or Disagree?
A: I certainly agree that Ted claims this -- he does so often, loudly, and with great zeal. His obsession over who has “good” and “bad” taste in music is a charmingly Junior High School trait of his.
Q: What’s in your tape deck right now?
A: Was your reference to an antiquated, outdated device a snarky reference to the fact that most of the music I like is antiquated and outdated? There was no winky emoticon after the question, so I’ll assume you were being hostile.
Seriously, I’ll list “Last Played” songs on my itunes, and then you and your readers can get all Junior High on me:
1. “Right By Your Side” by the Eurythmics.
2. “She’s a Woman” by the Beatles. A song so great it overcomes the opening lyrics “My love don’t give me presents, I know that she’s no peasant.”
3. “Down to Earth” by Peter Gabriel. From Wall-E. At least now you know I’m being honest.
4. “Kashmir” by the Zepp. I’m making this my theme song for 2009.
5. “Girl Don’t Tell Me” by The Beach Boys.
6. “Alison” by Elvis Costello.
7. “Pierre” by Carole King. Now you really know I’m being honest. And that I’m a dad.
8. “What the Deaner Was Talkin’ About” by Ween.
9. “Land of Hope and Dreams” by Bruce Springsteen. I think I was turned on to this song through Tim Kreider’s blog.
10. “Positivity” by Stevie Wonder. There’s probably always a Stevie Wonder song in my last 10 played. How can you not love the lyric: “I used to have a friend named Minnie Ripperton”?
Q: Is Ruben Bolling based on a real person? Is he an ethnic? Is he here legally? And follow up … does he wear plaid shirts? Does he have an accent?
A: “An ethnic”? Does anyone outside of Kansas City talk like that?
I’m starting to think that Wiley Miller dealt with these ridiculous questions correctly -- by cursing you and refusing to answer at all.
Q: I’ve seen at least two instances of TV commercials unabashedly stealing your jokes … any comment? Any other famous people steal your gags? Any problem with me using the word “unabashedly”?
A: There’s not much I can do about it -- they can always claim it’s a coincidence. And I’d be inclined to believe them.
Q: Will we see a Super Fun Pak book?
A: This may be the question I’m most asked in emails from readers. I have put together a proposal, and sent it to a couple of publishers, but I haven’t gotten a response (which, of course, is a No). I’d love for my next book to be a complete compilation of Super Fun Paks, so I’m thinking about my next move.
Q: I can normally tell where a cartoonist gets their ideas (from the NCS handbook pages 45-80) … but there are a few (you included) who surprise me on a regular (and hilarious) basis … what is your writing process like?
A: I stare at a blank page until I start to panic. Then I think of a bad idea and write it down half-heartedly. Then I panic more. Time passes. More panic. Then I look back at the bad idea, and it doesn’t look so bad. Done. Takes anywhere from one hour to three months.
Q: Give me a “can’t miss” premise for a blockbuster comic strip off the top of your head.
A: “Oh, That Hedgehog”
Q: You were famously quoted in a trade magazine as saying “I am the future of comics.” Elaborate please.
A: If I actually had said that, I would have meant that both I and comics will both grow increasingly obsolete until dying in, at most, a few decades.
Q: Anything else on your mind?
A: Who wrote that question? David Frost?
Q: If you could write a children’s book, what would it be about?
A: I’ve actually written up a proposal for a children’s book which I hope to get off the ground soon. (It’s a can’t-miss blockbuster.)
Q: Any advice for the new judge on American Idol?
Quit immediately, and launch a daily comic strip entitled, “Oh, That Hedgehog.”
Q: Name 10 comics that make you cry they’re so bad. Please do not include Universal Press properties.
A: It takes a lot to make me cry.
Q: If pressed, could you name your favorite UMass alum who works at a syndicate, wears his pants just a little too snug and gets 5 o’clock shadow at noon?
A: Yes. If pressed.
Q: Give us some comics recommendations. Feel free to name non-UPS features if somehow you could manage to think of any.
A: Of course I first think of my buddies and colleagues like the “Cartoonists With Attitude” crew, including Ted Rall, and the Tom Tomorrows, Derfs, Tim Kreiders etc. of the world. But getting outside of my own genre of wordy, alternative weekly comic strip cartoonists, among the comic strips I regularly read are Cul de Sac, Achewood, Monty, and Doonesbury.
Q: You live in Manhattan. That sounds exciting.
A: You bet. I’m right now typing in the glamorous 3-Star Diner while my son does his homework, waiting for my daughter to finish her soccer activity in a gym down the block. Then it’s home for leftover chicken parmesean. It’s a storybook life.
Q: You’re allegedly a bright guy, how can we solve the economic crisis?
A: It’s actually quite simple: If everyone in the country bought two or three copies of my next book, and a network picked up one of my ideas for a TV show, the economic crisis would be totally solved.
You did mean my individual economic crisis, right?
Q: Ruben was called “non-traditionally handsome” by a leading blog some weeks back … how did he cope with that? Did he understand that the blog’s author confused Ruben with noted actor Adrian Brody?
A: I did take exception to that, since I view my handsomeness as exceedingly traditional. But if it was an honest mistake, I can accept that, especially since Brody’s handsomeness is clearly not in the Judeo-Christian tradition.
OK, interview done. Who do you think Ron Howard will get to play each of us in the movie version?
Click here to buy the Tom the Dancing Bug books! Do it now!
John, don't encourage Ken to do a daily strip. If he hits mainstream papers, we're all gonna look like amateurs.
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