This interview is conducted by Bocaj!

Username: TheMidge28
Comic: , Why Chicken, Why?, Clowns, Spiders, and Ghosts: What are you Afraid Of? (DD community project)

Mr. Midge… Here we are… face to face…
My first question for you to answer is in regards to a comic you created dubbed "." My question is this: What inspired the plot, the character design for b/d, all of it?

All of it? Wow…: I'll try my best. There is a lot influences which inspired , ranging from Japanese samurai and ninja films like Yojimbo, Seven Samurai and an anime called Ninja Scroll, Old black and white noir films, Asian Zodiac, Army of Darkness humor… etc. It started with the character of Yokai Urufu and the idea of a character which could use blood as a way to transport from different locations. Plus the idea of the character melting into a pool of blood and emerging from it transformed struck me as freakin' awesome. From there the name came naturally. Most people mistakenly think Yokai is a werewolf, but he is actually a wolf demon; sentient and not a wild beast filled with blood lust. The design for him with his long brows and beard was inspired from Japanese and Chinese renderings of dragons and also the thought that the longer a person's beard and eyebrows are the more wise they were supposed to be. The story is a long one and reaches back to feudal Japan to the story's present timeline.

How are the wife and daughter?

They are doing great! Thanks for asking. Gwendolyn is 17 months old quite a handful and is learning to talk and is a riot… literally! She started a riot at a local mall by pulling out a shotgun to blow away the Easter bunny! How she got the gun…

Does it make you sad that you have very few submissions for your community project? (READER *HINT HINT*)

Not really. People are just afraid to submit.

I know, for a fact, that you use MS PAINT to make your comics (which is kind of ridiculous considering how awesome they look.) My question for you is: Have you ever considered buying (or something similar) a more advanced program, or is it, ‘if it ain’t broke, don't fix it'?

Oh I have considered it. Many others on The Duck have recommended and encouraged me time and time again to try other programs. I really can't afford purchasing PS or comparable programs. I'm not about to download some program illegally. I have considered downloading GIMP which is free, but I hear there is a lot of figuring out to it which with my limited time as it is; i.e. Full Time Job, Family, Friends… Life, makes it not so appealing. I don't know. I might continue kicking around the idea, but who knows?

Why Tom Selleck? (In reference to your avatar, in case you've been living in a hole.)

Why not Tom Selleck? Man there is power in that mustache! Not everybody can pull off a 'stache like Magnum!

Do you believe that you can live up to the meaty manliness that is Tom?

That might be a better question for my wife…

*calls to wife*
Hey wife! Do you think that I can live up to the meaty manliness that is Tom “The Magnum” Selleck? Uh-huh… yeah… really? …okay …no I'm not on the computer again!

Um… she says, um… Yes.

Do you ever dream of meeting a fan of your comics accidentally?

Accidentally? Like on a flight which crashes on some mysterious island and there is some kind of “more than coincidental” connection between us? Um… no. Not really.
I don't think I have fans. I have friends and fellow artists which appreciate my comic and encourage me and support what I am trying to do. I never imagine them as fans. But it would be kind of funny if someone had a little shrine of my comic or me in their closet, where they sacrifice small rodents and canaries. Not encouraging that kind of behavior… I just think it would be kind of funny.

If you were a meme, what meme would you be?

I assume you are referring to internet memes and not the biological theory of memes where they are understood as any unit of cultural information, such as a practice or idea, that gets transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another. I wouldn't want to be an internet meme quite honestly. They are just for a brief moment recognized and enjoyed then thrown away after people have overused them and driven them into the ground. Not an existence which appeals to me…

…

But if I had to choose one, I guess the newest one Mr. No Legs.
If you're not familiar, check videos in my profile.

Do you read the fine print*?
*ANSWERING THIS QUESTION MAY RESULT IN MANY TERMINAL DESEASES SUCH AS: HERPES, CANCER, AIDS, AND FAIL

…

Next question…

Do you laugh at other peoples' misfortune?

Yes, if you can't laugh at someone else's misfortune, who's can you laugh at?

Do you laugh at your own misfortune?

All the time! Every morning when I look at myself in the mirror I laugh at my misfortune. Then I curl up in a ball and cry. It takes me 3 hours to get ready for work.

Seriously, if you can't laugh at yourself, how can you be justified laughing at the kid with Tourettes cussing out the kitty cat playing in the sun light?

What is the most important part of your comic making: dialog/humor, plot, or art?

Art and Plot are equally the most important in my comic making. I spend a lot of time trying to get the scene exactly right and wanting to tell a story which people will enjoy and will want to read. Dialogue/Humor, for me, ain't dat hard. But again I might be deluding myself.

Who is your biggest artistic inspiration?

Now there is a common misconception that Frank Miller is my biggest inspiration because my comic has that stark graphic black and white pulp noir feel with an addition of red or some other color, but that isn't the case. Yeah it looks similar to his work in that both of our art is black and white and have one additional color, but that's where the similarities end. My biggest artistic inspiration is actually not in comics but in film. Akira Kurosawa. His body of work is amazing. Yojimbo was by far my favorite. His earlier films in black and white with their shadows and well placed lighting created an atmosphere which was like a character in the story all its own. One film Stray Dog, stands out in mind particularly.

Do you laugh at my misfortune?

…

Next question…

Can you explain your username?
Yes, I am able to.

Will you explain your username?
Yes, I will.

Explain your username. Now.

*Bocaj pins TheMidge28's arm behind his back*

Okay, okay! Geez! My last name is Midgley. All my friends and even my wife call me “Midge”. Now there may be other “Midges” out there… but I am The Midge!!!
Yeah, I know. It's not that exciting. The 28 is a random number which people assume it's my age but it's not the case. It's a random number.

Knock Knock.

Who's There?

TheMid

TheMid who?

THEMIDGE28!!!

Aren't I funny??
*Bocaj hands TheMidge28 a twenty*

Yes… yes, you are funny. *winks at Bocaj*

Do you think you have a reputation on DD? (I'd say yes.)

A reputation? Hmmm… Probably. Whether it is good or bad, I really can't tell. I have this weird idea, which I know is false but I think it's funny anyways… The idea is that I am actually mental challenged, i.e. retarded, but I don't know I am.

Any closing comments? (Yes or no answer only)

no.

8D Now I know…..



And knowing is half the battle!!!!!

YES YES YESSSSS!
Bocaj, you are pure win, and I love you.
Midge, you're just as much win and I like you as a friend.
;)

I always thought the “28” in your name was the last two digits of the year you were born!
:)

…

8D

XD good stuff, Midge. You *do* have a rep on DD - you're the patron saint of featured comics. That's a pretty big deal. You ought to make buttons or something.

crocty
I always thought the “28” in your name was the last two digits of the year you were born!
:)

I thought it was because he was the 28th Midge to roll off the assembly line.

usedbooks
I thought it was because he was the 28th Midge to roll off the assembly line.

I heard he killed and ate the other twenty seven, thus gaining their power and becoming as awesome as he now is.

Best one yet. Seriously. Now I wanna be interviewed by Bocaj :3

Rutger
Best one yet. Seriously. Now I wanna be interviewed by Bocaj :3

Just watch out…seriously my arm is still hurting.
*winces in pain*
But the sexy makes up for all the pain.

Who doesn't want to be interviewed by Bocaj?
Seriously *loads shotgun* who doesn't? >:)

spiritmonkey
Who doesn't want to be interviewed by Bocaj?
Seriously *loads shotgun* who doesn't? >:)

Aaawww…
Well, I wish I could interview everybody, but sadly, I'm too busy, and I hate you all.(jiklul)

Great interview. But if I was Midge, I would've held out for fifty bucks instead of twenty.

That was the one interview I wanted to read before I die. Not that I'd like to die now.

Awesome! I need to browse the forums more. These interviews are great…