Today’s Best of the Year choices come courtesy of Oliver East, a man who’s been walking the Earth (“you know, like Kane in Kung Fu”), usually by the metal lines of the local railways and then creating very unusual comics from them, part travelogue, part local history/commentary/observation, part something indefinably Oli, which have been very well received. His first hardback collection of Trains Are Mint came out earlier this year from new press Blank Slate Books to some great reviews and even bagged a nomination at the prestigious Ignatz Awards; Oli’s artwork for his rock’n’roll chums Elbow (the glamorous life of the international artist!) graced their Mercury award winning Seldom Seen Kid and we eagerly await a future story of him driving a large vehicle into a hotel swimming pool as cocaine (or perhaps sherbert) pours out his ears. The second Trains Are… collection Proper Go Well High, will be released by Blank Slate later this month. Over to Oli:
FPI: Could you tell us what your favourite three comics/graphic novels and/or books have been this year and why they stood out for you?
Oli: Three? I might struggle to find three comics I liked this year. Funny I should get this email now as I’ve just read That Salty Air, which was nice enough, while waiting for my students to finish a workshop. Really weird timing as I don’t read many comics at all, but that was good.
(cover to That Salty Air by and (c) Tim Sievert, published by Top Shelf)
The Heroic Mosh Of Mary’s Son by Malcy Duff was awesome as our Yank friends might put it. I love how he does this really grotesque detail and will spend panels and panels on a solitary action. He’s a bit of inspiration for me actually, not that mine looks anything like his, but I think I might have ripped him off now and then.
What else came out this year? This is really bad isn’t it, as a supposed comic book artist, not to be able to recall any comics? Apparently the British small press scene is vibrant and there’s loads of good stuff about but I haven’t seen any of it. People seem to get lauded just for bringing something out, and then when I track it down I’m usually disappointed. The good stuff I have found, or artists whose upcoming books I’m looking forward to, don’t make a big song and dance every time they fold and staple something, they just quietly plug away, maybe blog every now and then to show their still alive, and most importantly, let the books speak for themselves. I’m thinking now of Stuart Kolakovic and Spleenal. I picked up a Milk Kitten thing as well the other day, which was pretty good.
(pages from A Gosling by and (c) Stuart Kolakovic)
FPI: In other art forms was there anything in the world of radio, TV, film or other artistic endeavours that really drew your attention this year?
Oli: Radio? I listen to my mate Guy Garvey‘s show on BBC 6 music and there’s a podcast called This American Life, which regularly has me sobbing over my drawing board. I have Five Live on all day Friday but I hate the way that on digital radio you can hear all the saliva in people’s mouths and them smacking their lips and heavy breathing and that. It’s ming. I can only get through half of Mark Kermode’s film thing before getting angry.
I’m trying to wean myself off TV but I can still fit time in for double Friends and double Scrubs. I know, I know, its shit but I can’t help myself.
Film? I don’t go to the cinema because people insist on eating and breathing and turning up just to annoy me so I subscribe to Love Film. Watched that The Darjeeling Limited last night; two hours of my life I won’t be seeing again. Wes Anderson just makes some God awful films. Can’t remember the last good film I saw. The Diving Bell And The Butterfly, was that this year? That was good, had me in floods. I just Googled “films released 2008” and got Ace Ventura Jr., Bong Hits 4 Jesus and Bonnie & Clyde Vs Dracula. Is there really a need?
As for music, Future Of The Left’s album carries on from where the McLusky main man left off when that band split. It’s just a fierce album from start to just before the ‘filler’ track at the end. My old band supported them once but I was too much of a pussy to say ‘owt to him. Roisin Murphy is Yorkshire’s answer to Grace Jones and her album drags out my inner gay whenever I’m waiting for ink to dry. Animal Collective’s Strawberry Jam was last year but I only found it the other month.
(album cover for Roisin Murphy’s Overpowered)
Plus I discovered Sufjan Stevens this year as well. If I could make comics that look like how Sufjan Stevens supporting Animal Collective would sound, I’d die a happy man. They wouldn’t sell though. I’m crappin’ on now and in need of editing, but Santogold’s album, Portishead’s Third, Hercules And Love Affair, M.I.A’s Kala and Qui’s Love’s Miracle for the very welcome return of David Yow. If David Yow could be screaming at the front of this imaginary gig of mine, then that’d be just peachy.
FPI: On the professional front how did you see the comics world in 2008, from your own point of view as a creator putting your work out there (did you feel it was a good year for you?) and what did you think of the way the comics biz was in general this year? The business becoming more diversified, more accessible to new readers and creators or less welcoming?
Oli: As for the industry, I couldn’t tell you. I just keep my head down and draw, leaving the industry up to Kenny. But in terms of the year personally, it’s been the best yet for obvious reasons. I met a publisher who likes my stuff and wants to throw money at books I’ve made. Trains Are…Mint came out and some people said some nice things about it. I started the year with resolutions to get my next book published (Proper Go Well High) and to succour a publisher for my unique one of a kind Trains Are…Mint 4, both of which have been snapped up by Blank Slate. I think they fancy me or something. I’ve also begun work on the follow up to Proper Go Well high, which is a Germany based opus with the working title ‘Berlin And That’. So aye, it’s been a very good year. It’s all downhill from here then. I’ve already described Proper Go Well High as ‘the difficult second album’ and said Berlin And That is where Trains Are…Mint jumps the shark, so I’ve already covered my back for when everyone thinks they’re shit.
On the other side, I’ve learnt that people really weren’t joking when they said there’s no money in comics. I figured out I could get more money doing a five day residency at Medival getting weird shit tested on me than if every copy of Trains Are…Mint sold, which was a years work. But you know, it’s a labour of love. That’s what I keep on having to remind myself. It’s a labour of love. I tried to get Kenny into the idea of doing a range of Trains Are…Mint dolls, you know, as a money making idea, but he wasn’t up for it.
(cover art for Proper Go Well High by and (c) Oliver East, published this month by Blank Slate Books)
FPI: What’s the next project you are working on that we can look forward to?
Oli: Proper Go Well High should be out by Christmas from Blank Slate. That’s me walking from Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool Lime Street and its loads better than Trains Are…Mint in my opinion. Drawings are better and it’s got a nicer pace to it. And I’m working on Berlin And That, which sees me walk from Alexanderplatz in Berlin to Frankfurt (Oder) on the Polish border. I’m collaborating with about 30-40 friends on that and it’ll be mint. Or shit, we’ll see.
FPI: Lastly, are there any new names you’ve come across recently you’d like to pass on as one to watch for?
Oli: Short answer? No. I know chuff all about comics and couldn’t tell you anyone you don’t already know. Right, I’ll through my hat in the ring; best comic of 2009/10? Whatever Stuart Kolakovic comes up with, with Proper Go Well High 2nd. Most likely to be arrested for contents of new book under obscene publications act? Spleenal, and Kenny for putting it out.
As you were
Wed, Dec 10, 2008
Best of the Year 2008, Comics and cartoons, Film, TV and radio