Nobody does humor comics like Michael Kupperman.
With that in mind, we invited him to our cavernous underground headquarters in an attempt to suck out his unique brain juices and study them. But he said he didn't want to, and we didn't have time to argue, so we just interviewed him instead.
KOPhD: Michael, welcome to our lair here at the ISS. How was the minecar ride through the Horror Tunnel?
MK: Surprisingly relaxing, I actually used the time to prepare and eat a sandwich (although I suspect there were some scorpions in there, which I ate).
KOPhD: So, Mr. Big-time TV Man, tell us about the pilot for "Snake 'n' Bacon." How involved in the production were you?
MK: The pilot was the brainchild of Scott Jacobson and Rich Blomquist, who were writers on The Daily Show, as well as on some of Robert Smigel's TV Funhouse cartoons on SNL. They constructed a script, with live-action scenes they originated and animated vignettes taken directly from my book Snake 'N' Bacon's Cartoon Cabaret. It was also they who got Adult Swim interested and really got us the deal. I was responsible for the animation more than anything else, and I drew every inch of it myself, in very little time. I think that's why it has an unusual look to it... I also brought in people such as Peter and James, and John Kuramoto, who did the animation. John is absolutely the best, he has also animated Chris Ware and Kim Deitch, as well as doing movies like "American Splendor."
KOPhD: What are the chances we'll get to see a full season?
MK: Very slight right now. Adult Swim was very happy at first- then the enthusiasm seemed to go away. Who knows why? So unless they change their minds, or another network wants to purchase the rights from them... I very much want to do more animation, and am negotiating with another network now, over an idea of mine that's very different, and not derived from my previous work at all.
KOPhD: How do you know Peter Serafinowicz?
MK: He wrote me some years ago, saying he loved my comics. I'm ashamed to say I didn't recognize the name, although I had seen Look Around You. When I realized, of course, I was bowled over; Peter's a genius. I did a little writing for his BBC2 sketch show, and he did voices for "Snake 'N' Bacon." I'd love to do something else with him sometime, hope it'll happen. If I can get a deal for another show, he'll definitely be involved.
KOPhD:An issue of your comic, "Tales Designed to Thrizzle" is in the background of some shots of Channel 4 show "The IT Crowd," and some of your comics were animated for "TV Funhouse," too. When will you fully take over the world's television airwaves?
MK: Hopefully while I'm still alive! I should point out, too, that a real hacky cover I did for Screw years and years ago was shown during the Beth Littleford Daily Show interview with Al Goldstein, and thenceforth on New York's channel 35 every week for years after that.
KOPhD: We're big fans of "Tales Designed to Thrizzle" here. But outside of Jesus' evil half-brother, Pagus, who we think is great and should give us a call, supervillains seem underrepresented in its pages. What have you got against our kind?
MK: Nothing! In fact, I have done supervillains,but usually for Nickelodeon Magazine. In fact I'm working on a supervillains piece for them right now. I agree about Pagus, there should be more of him; but he needs a bigger stage, I haven't got him quite figured out yet.
KOPhD: "TDtT" is big on parodies of Golden Age, non-superhero comics and ads. Where does your fascination in that 1930s and 1940s-era storytelling and advertising style come from?
MK: Well, by inhabiting these forms, I can outline the shape of the joke much easier. But old popular culture is just fascinating, period, because it was genuine and people were still learning, not aping the past or following a set of rules and restrictions they don't even understand anymore.
KOPhD: Your humor is beautifully absurd, and your art combines surrealism with old-fashioned comics. Who are your influences, artistically and comedically?
MK: There are so many, and there are new ones every day. But to start with, cross "The Smithsonian Book of Newpaper Comics" with SCTV. (And then mix in Monty Python and Zap Comics, etc...) My other influences include lack of sleep and mishearing things.
KOPhD: How did you get involved in Marvel's "All Select Comics" Anniversary Special? What can you tell us about your contributions to it?
MK: The editor is Alejandro Arbona, who was already very enthusiastic when he was at Wizard magazine. He selected the character for me to do- "Marvex the Super-Robot." It's a perfect fit.
Marvex is from 1940, the very beginning of comic books, and the tone and drawing style are feverish, to say the least. In his first two Timely appearances he completely changes appearance, although he remains consistent in his habit of refusing the romantic advances of women because, after all, he is a robot. I only hope I've done the character justice! Alejandro has shown me the cover, which is by Russ Heath(!) and is amazing!
Comments
I will make the people at adultswim peel off their own skin if they don't do at least a full season of Snake 'N' Bacon! Rabid District Attorney... genius.
...and seriously, how do they not see how badly Tim and Eric suck?
Posted by: TheCatastropheSyndrome | June 4, 2009 5:47 AM