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CREATORS | MICHAEL DERRY |
Occupation: Illustrator
Websites: Troy Comics, Derry Products
First professional project: Illustrations for a corporate newsletter. Really boring stuff.
Dream project: Developing my comic as a movie or TV series.
Favorite personal project to date: TROY
Work outside of comics: I do a lot of character design for different clients, greeting cards and some web animation.
First introduction to comics: MAD magazine when I was like very young.
Most influential comics/creators on your life or career: I am very influenced stylistically and humor wise by BLOOM COUNTY and CALVIN and HOBBES.
Current favorite comic: Don't really have one.
All time favorite comics: Don't really have one of those either.
How do you spend time when not working on comics: Hanging out with my other half of three years or going out and going to parties with friends.
Favorite LGBT character in any media: Willow on BUFFY.
One person you'd like to meet: It's weird living in LA because you do end up meeting a lot of celebrities and most of the time you never even acknowledge that they are celebrities. (John, nice to meet you, I'm Mike, blah blah blah.) I met two of my idols and they were just normal boring people. And not that good looking! Camera and lighting does a lot! I almost don't want to meet them because it's very anti-climactic.
What comic book character would you like to be, and why? Green Lantern. That ring! And he's an artist as well. Aaaand he has a very cute little "buddy".
Last good movie you saw: MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING.
Last good book you read: MAYBE THE MOON by Armistead Maupin.
CDs you're listening to now: Pink, MISSUNDASTOOD.
What aspect of the comics medium draws you to work in it? I like to draw and create characters out of nothing.
What does the phrase "gay sensibility" mean to you? A point of view not immediately recognized by mainstream society.
Does your queerness impact your work? Since I write a gay comic strip, yes!
What advice do you have for aspiring comics creators? Draw what you like and how you want. Please yourself first.
Comics career highlights: Getting picked up by three magazines in one day.