Canadian Web Comic Interviews

Ian McDonald Author of "Bruno the Bandit"

My name is Ian McDonald, cartoonist for the online comic strip Bruno the Bandit. I was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland, and am the youngest of four. Most of my schooling came from the School of Hard Knocks. My hobbies include naked skydiving, shark-wrestling, raiding forgotten burial sites and shrines for priceless artifacts, and telling big lies. I am strong as an ox, yet cute as a button. I am loved by women, and admired by men.

What was the first online comic you ever read?
Kevin and Kell , which I actually read before I myself went online. Cartoonist PROfiles magazine had an article on K&K creator Bill Holbrook several years ago.

What were your favorite comics growing up?
Peanuts was my first big favorite, and is definitely a big reason why I became a cartoonist. Later on, I got hooked on Garfield (back when it was still funny), and then Bloom County and Calvin and Hobbes !

Tell us how you landed began working on your web comic.
Back in the 80's, I used to do my own, somewhat twisted version of Garfield for some friends of mine, which I like to think really helped me hone my cartooning skills. The last of these strips I did was called "What if Conan the Barbarian was Garfild's owner?" These strips gave me so many ideas, that I knew I had to try my hand at creating my own comic strip, thus, Bruno the Bandit was born! I originally tried to get the strip syndicated, but have since given up on the idea. When interest in the Internet became big in the mid-90's, I got the idea to put Bruno online, which is where he's been ever since.

What other writing or comics have you worked on?
I'm currently working on a strip called Meanwhile In The Dimension Of Pain, which appears on the Sluggy Freelance website on Saturdays. It's a spinoff strip from Sluggy, featuring the adventures of several demonic characters created by Sluggy cartoonist Pete Abrams.

For readers not familiar with your work, can you tell us something about this web comic?
Bruno the Bandit is a "swords-and-sorcery-and satire" comic strip, which follows the adventures of a clueless career crook (Bruno) and his "micro-dragon" sidekick (Fiona). It's set in a medieval fantasy world which nonetheless contains many elements of modern technology, such as TV, computers, etc. It's a chance for me to look at the silliness modern society through a fantasy lens. Call it "Dungeons & Doonesbury"! :-)

Tell us how you acquired your artistic skills.
It mainly comes from an interest in drawing and cartooning since I was a kid: imitating the artwork from Peanuts and later Garfield, not to mention all the superhero plus Conan comic books I read.

What artists have inspired/influenced your artistic and writing styles?
For drawing, see above. Charles Schulz, Jim Davis, and later, the various artists who drew Conan the Barbarian are among my biggest influences. As for writing, I'm also inspired by Monty Python, David Letterman, J.R.R Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, to name a few.

Where do you get your ideas for story archs or comedic relief in your comic?
Well, Bruno is never far from my thoughts, no matter what I'm doing. My subconscious is constantly absorbing information, and then spitting it back to me, occasionally in the form of ideas I can use. But quite often, I have to sit down and mine my subconscious for ideas. As Edison said about inventing, ideas are 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.

Your thoughts on the online comic community?
I'm thrilled to be part of it! It may be the most vibrant, colorful community on the 'net today, and it has breathed new life into the comic strip art form, which, under the yoke of newspaper editors and syndicates, seemed to me to be in danger of becoming obsolete.

Being non-american, do you feel somewhat removed from many of the more mainstream web comics?
Nah! The 'net has a way of bringing us all together, which, I think, is a good thing!

Does anything set you apart, being a Canadian comic artist, from other American web comics?
Not in any important way I can think of, off the top of my head...

How, if at all, does being Canadian factor into the creative process?
I might sneak the occasional Canadianism into my work, which non-Canadian readers may miss, but which I like to think my fellow Canadians catch on to. The most blatant example of this was a story I did called "Elfquestion", which was my take on the whole Quebec sovereignty/separation issue. I was pleased to find, however, that many non-Americans still enjoyed the story a great deal, even if they didn't fully understand what I was satirizing.

Have you ever attended any Canadian or American Comic Conventions?
I got to attend Dragon*Con in Atlanta in 2001. Well, that's more of a fantasy/SF convention, but damn, it was fun!

Do you believe that popular cultures preoccupation with the Anime-style of art has diluted the overall quality of web comics, or improved it?
Can't say the anime style has either improved or diluted the quality of web comics, in my opinion. It really depends on the talent of the artist. Using the anime style won't make one a better artist or anything.

What movies, cartoons and TV shows are your favorites?
Movies:
Heavy Metal
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Anything from Monty Python, especially The Holy Grail
Akira
The first 3 Star Wars movies
The Lord of the Rings trilogy

Cartoons:
Bugs Bunny
The Simpsons (first few seasons)
King of the Hill
Beavis and Butthead
Stickin' Around
Homestar Runner (web cartoon!)

TV shows
Monty Python's Flying Circus
The Late Show with David Letterman

The various Star Trek shows
Fawlty Towers
Mr. Bean
All In The Family
Frasier
Get Smart
The Beverly Hillbillies

If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring with you and why?
1. A huge pile of lumber
2. A fully stocked carpenter's workshop
3. The world's best boatbuilder.

I'll let you figure out why! :-)

What books do you read?
I usually try to read good ones! :-)
Stephen King is my favorite author, but I also like to read fantasy and science fiction, and, more and more these days, books on philosophy and spirituality. I also love to read comic strip collections, as well as comic books, most of which I borrow from my friend Mike.

How can somebody contact you?
Wait until there's a New Moon, then, on a floor of purest marble, draw a pentagram (8' diameter) using the blood of virgins. Place a lit black candle at each of the points. Sacrifice a goat in front of the pentagram, and then recite the verse on page 1156 of the Necronomicon. If you do everything right, I should materialize within the pentagram. But if that's too much trouble, you can just e-mail me at ian@brunothebandit.com.

That ends the interview, any last words of wisdom?
Oh, I have plenty of wisdom, but I never share it! That's what keeps me a step ahead of the competish!

-Ian McDonald
http://brunothebandit.com

Authors Favorite strips:

"War of Words"
"If Wishes were horses..."
"The Nose Knows"
"All Brawn, No Brain"
"Saint Anger"

Posted by B.Scott
Return to The Main Page - Canadian Web Comic Ezine



	Canadian Web Comic Interviews Ian McDonald Author of "Bruno the Bandit" My name is Ian McDonald, cartoonist for the online comic strip Bruno the Bandit. I was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland, and am the youngest of four. Most of my schooling came from the School of Hard Knocks. My hobbies include naked skydiving, shark-wrestling, raiding forgotten burial sites and shrines for priceless artifacts, and telling big lies. I am strong as an ox, yet cute as a button. I am loved by women, and admired by men. What was the first online comic you ever read? Kevin and Kell , which I actually read before I myself went online. Cartoonist PROfiles magazine had an article on K&K creator Bill Holbrook several years ago. What were your favorite comics growing up? Peanuts was my first big favorite, and is definitely a big reason why I became a cartoonist. Later on, I got hooked on Garfield (back when it was still funny), and then Bloom County and Calvin and Hobbes ! Tell us how you landed began working on your web comic. Back in the 80's, I used to do my own, somewhat twisted version of Garfield for some friends of mine, which I like to think really helped me hone my cartooning skills. The last of these strips I did was called "What if Conan the Barbarian was Garfild's owner?" These strips gave me so many ideas, that I knew I had to try my hand at creating my own comic strip, thus, Bruno the Bandit was born! I originally tried to get the strip syndicated, but have since given up on the idea. When interest in the Internet became big in the mid-90's, I got the idea to put Bruno online, which is where he's been ever since. What other writing or comics have you worked on? I'm currently working on a strip called Meanwhile In The Dimension Of Pain, which appears on the Sluggy Freelance website on Saturdays. It's a spinoff strip from Sluggy, featuring the adventures of several demonic characters created by Sluggy cartoonist Pete Abrams. For readers not familiar with your work, can you tell us something about this web comic? Bruno the Bandit is a "swords-and-sorcery-and satire" comic strip, which follows the adventures of a clueless career crook (Bruno) and his "micro-dragon" sidekick (Fiona). It's set in a medieval fantasy world which nonetheless contains many elements of modern technology, such as TV, computers, etc. It's a chance for me to look at the silliness modern society through a fantasy lens. Call it "Dungeons & Doonesbury"! :-) Tell us how you acquired your artistic skills. It mainly comes from an interest in drawing and cartooning since I was a kid: imitating the artwork from Peanuts and later Garfield, not to mention all the superhero plus Conan comic books I read. What artists have inspired/influenced your artistic and writing styles? For drawing, see above. Charles Schulz, Jim Davis, and later, the various artists who drew Conan the Barbarian are among my biggest influences. As for writing, I'm also inspired by Monty Python, David Letterman, J.R.R Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, to name a few. Where do you get your ideas for story archs or comedic relief in your comic? Well, Bruno is never far from my thoughts, no matter what I'm doing. My subconscious is constantly absorbing information, and then spitting it back to me, occasionally in the form of ideas I can use. But quite often, I have to sit down and mine my subconscious for ideas. As Edison said about inventing, ideas are 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Your thoughts on the online comic community? I'm thrilled to be part of it! It may be the most vibrant, colorful community on the 'net today, and it has breathed new life into the comic strip art form, which, under the yoke of newspaper editors and syndicates, seemed to me to be in danger of becoming obsolete. Being non-american, do you feel somewhat removed from many of the more mainstream web comics? Nah! The 'net has a way of bringing us all together, which, I think, is a good thing! Does anything set you apart, being a Canadian comic artist, from other American web comics? Not in any important way I can think of, off the top of my head... How, if at all, does being Canadian factor into the creative process? I might sneak the occasional Canadianism into my work, which non-Canadian readers may miss, but which I like to think my fellow Canadians catch on to. The most blatant example of this was a story I did called "Elfquestion", which was my take on the whole Quebec sovereignty/separation issue. I was pleased to find, however, that many non-Americans still enjoyed the story a great deal, even if they didn't fully understand what I was satirizing. Have you ever attended any Canadian or American Comic Conventions? I got to attend DragonCon in Atlanta in 2001. Well, that's more of a fantasy/SF convention, but damn, it was fun! Do you believe that popular cultures preoccupation with the Anime-style of art has diluted the overall quality of web comics, or improved it?* Can't say the anime style has either improved or diluted the quality of web comics, in my opinion. It really depends on the talent of the artist. Using the anime style won't make one a better artist or anything. What movies, cartoons and TV shows are your favorites? Movies: Heavy Metal The Nightmare Before Christmas Anything from Monty Python, especially The Holy Grail Akira The first 3 Star Wars movies The Lord of the Rings trilogy Cartoons: Bugs Bunny The Simpsons (first few seasons) King of the Hill Beavis and Butthead Stickin' Around Homestar Runner (web cartoon!) TV shows Monty Python's Flying Circus The Late Show with David Letterman The various Star Trek shows Fawlty Towers Mr. Bean All In The Family Frasier Get Smart The Beverly Hillbillies If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring with you and why? 1. A huge pile of lumber 2. A fully stocked carpenter's workshop 3. The world's best boatbuilder. I'll let you figure out why! :-) What books do you read? I usually try to read good ones! :-) Stephen King is my favorite author, but I also like to read fantasy and science fiction, and, more and more these days, books on philosophy and spirituality. I also love to read comic strip collections, as well as comic books, most of which I borrow from my friend Mike. How can somebody contact you? Wait until there's a New Moon, then, on a floor of purest marble, draw a pentagram (8' diameter) using the blood of virgins. Place a lit black candle at each of the points. Sacrifice a goat in front of the pentagram, and then recite the verse on page 1156 of the Necronomicon. If you do everything right, I should materialize within the pentagram. But if that's too much trouble, you can just e-mail me at ian@brunothebandit.com. That ends the interview, any last words of wisdom? Oh, I have plenty of wisdom, but I never share it! That's what keeps me a step ahead of the competish! -Ian McDonald http://brunothebandit.com Authors Favorite strips: "War of Words" "If Wishes were horses..." "The Nose Knows" "All Brawn, No Brain" "Saint Anger" Posted by B.Scott Return to The Main Page - Canadian Web Comic Ezine