| Jazma Online |
October
2003
|
| INTERVIEW
WITH DAN SCHAFFER |
| by
Paul Dale Roberts |
|
| transcript: |
|
| What
was the first comic book you ever read? |
| I
don’t know. I remember having 2000ad issue one. It was launched
in 1977, so I would have been about 8. That was probably it. |
|
| How
did Dogwitch get started? |
| Out
of desperation. The comic biz is pretty competitive; you can’t
just stroll up and break in with any old comic book these days. If
you don’t know anyone on the inside, you have to catch
someone’s attention from afar. The only way I knew how to do
that was to keep making my artwork and storylines bigger, sexier,
and crazier, until someone actually noticed me. Dogwitch is the
result. |
|
| For
people unfamiliar with Dogwitch, can you tell us something about
Dogwitch? |
|
I
get asked this a lot, so I can I just reproduce the official
skinny here?
It’s
a bimonthly, black and white comic book about a young, single, and
slightly demented witch, Violet Grimm, whose banishment into the
evil Banewoods has left her a lonely, bored and cranky outcast.
Her provocative home movies have accidentally made her a snuff
video superstar, and brought a whole bunch of fans, creatures and
weirdos to her front door.
She
dates zombies and demons, raises the dead for kinky sex games, and
rants like a maniac as she is confronted with insane supernatural
obstacles on a daily basis. Question is, does she really hate her
life, or is she secretly reveling in her violent and outrageous
B-movie adventures? Violet is the Garbo of witches. A recluse. A
legend. A bit of a psycho!
|
|
| People
are raving over the artwork and storyline, this must have you
busting at the seams with excitement. What future plans do
you have with this comic book? |
| That’s
nice of you to say so, thanks. It’s certainly opening some doors
for me. The comic is following a pre-set story arc, and should be
on the shelves regularly for a while yet. Expect more of the same,
with some new bizarre characters, and plenty of unexpected twists
and revelations |
|
| Off
the wall question – have you ever experienced anything of the
paranormal? |
| Yes,
but I have an almost supernatural ability that allows me to
rationalize everything, so no. |
|
| If
you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring and
why? |
| Nothing.
I’d be fine. Just leave me there. |
|
| If
someone were to make a movie out of Dogwitch, who would be in the
starring roles? |
| I’m
rubbish at this question. The characters live in my head, and
I’m no good at attaching other people’s faces to them. I
don’t think about it, much, anyway. I mean, really, who the hell
would ever be crazy enough to make a Dogwitch movie? |
|
| What
are your favorite cartoons, TV shows, movies, books, comic books? |
| I
don’t watch UK TV; it depresses the hell out of me. I like cable
trash. US sitcoms and MTV. I’m a big fan of Sex and the City.
Xena, Buffy, The Dead Zone, you name it, I’ve been hooked on it
at one time or another. Movies? I dunno. I don’t like the way
they make ‘em anymore, so I’m always disappointed. Last book I
read was Invisible Monsters by Palahniuk. That had me laughing out
loud. Before that, I read “I-O”, by young British writer,
Simon Logan. I’d recommend it for anyone who reads Sci-fi or
horror, and wants to experience it on a completely new level.
Comic books? I’ll read anything I can get my hands on. |
|
| What
are your hobbies and recreational activities? |
| Well,
drawing comics was my recreational activity for years. Now that I
do it full time I’m a bit stuck for a hobby, so I just keep
drawing comics between drawing comics. I’m kind of a workaholic.
Occasionally I’ll write prose, or other comic scripts. That’s
usually just for fun, or to channel out and organize ideas outside
of Dogwitch. |
|
| Well,
that ends the interview, any last words of wisdom? |
| Perception
is nine tenths of reality? Thanks for the interview. |
