User: Skulldog

Comics/Projects: BRINK obviously, but I also have two secret projects going on behind the scenes. Both are collaborative efforts, I just can't say too much more on those yet.
Age: Oh geez, 24.
What part of the world do you live in: New England area of the US.
Are you single/boyfriend/girlfriend/married: I live with my (Awesome) boyfriend of over a year now.
Children: None.
Day job: Freelance illustrator / Artist. That also makes me a full time manager for myself too.


How did you get into comics? Is Brink your first?

I actually finished my Bachelors degree at Savannah College of Art and Design with a major in comics, so four years of nothing but comic work. I always liked story telling, so comics seemed like a good way to go with that hobby. BRINK is not my first webcomic, I hosted a second comic called ‘Fox’s Game' back when Drunk Duck first started. I stopped work on that about the time DD had a massive server wipe with an upgrade.

Let's have a bit of a brief on Brink for those who haven't read it.

BRINK is, at it's heart a slice of life story with a touch of non-reality. The story focuses on two volunteer subjects, Devin and Five, their struggles with life, and figuring out if they're really as crazy as they think they are.

What is the Brink program? Can you tell us much without giving too much away?

I don't want to go to deep into that, but I will say this: I think a lot of people tend to make any sort of government power above us seem more evil than they really are at times, there's still some good going on in them.

Are Five and Devin the only two participants in the program, or are they just the only two we see? (If there are more, will they be shown in the comic?)

*laugh* Oh yes, there's more of them. As the story stands now, two more are set to join into the program later in the story, and there's a third who's already been a member in the past. All three will show up in the comic, some a lot sooner than others.

The idea of manipulation is a big one in the comic. Problems about trust, secretiveness, and the unknown come up too. There are also elements that contrast passivity and rebellion. Also, despite all their differences, the main characters all seem to be headed someplace bad. Could you tell us a bit about some of the themes you have put into Brink?

One of the major themes I've been trying to keep going in BRINK, is the idea of trying to figure out one's place in the grander scheme of things, which can be almost impossible, if you can't even figure out yourself first.

There are some fairly strange things that happen in Brink, either on a small everyday level or on a grand scale. Have any elements of your own life or experience made it into the comic? (Not that I'm suggesting you have mental problems…)

Man, I wish I could say my life was as interesting as my comic. I think the closes I get is doing Sudoku puzzles on the kitchen floor like Devin. A few of my own hobbies and interests do surface a bit within BRINK though. First, I'm a follower of Urban Exploration, so a lot of the backdrops that I use, tend to be more desolate and well, abandoned looking. Another more off beat hobby I have is collecting skulls and other bones, I think that one speaks for itself..

Which of Brink's characters do you identify with most? (This is my clever substitution for the “who is your favourite” question.)

I have to say Devin in that case. I'm a bit of a snarky bastard, who's content to stay at home, unless encouraged by my own instigator, of which I have a few.

What are some of your favourite aspects of the other characters?

Even though they haven't gotten much screen time yet, I enjoy the crew working at BRINK, particularly Felix and Tobi. It's been both fun, and a bit of challenge to write characters from the perspective of the one's doing the experimentation. From an art standpoint, I like Zero, he's got a lot of expression for a skull.

Devin doesn't seem to have much in his life- just him, his dog, occasionally Five, and Brink. What else does he do, which you don't show in the comic? Or is he really just that boring?

Devin really is that boring, and he knows it. He's got a lot to learn and overcome, we'll get to see a lot of that as the comic goes on…

Who is Five, aside from a bit of a free spirit? She seems to be the source of much of the change and disruption in the comic.

Five was one of the original volunteer subjects into BRINK, and has been there the longest now. Under all that ‘who gives a care’ attitude and delusions of immortality, she's got some real issues. Of all the characters, she's probably the most complex, I feel, there's a lot still to come with her. Lots.

Everyone wants to know about Zero, the dog. What can you tell us about him?

Well first, he's a Bull Terrier, since I get asked his breed a lot. Despite Devin's best attempts to isolate himself, the first thing he did was buy a dog. Zero was pretty much Devin's only friend during that time. I might end up having a side story about that in the comic.

Is there something going on here with numbers that we don't know about yet?

*laugh* That's the most asked thing about BRINK. Honestly no, there never was any intention to have numbers play a part in the story. Secret is out, so I hope no one's disappointed.

Did Devin have his symptoms (blackouts, violent tendencies, hallucinations) before he joined Brink, or did some of them happen after?

Devin was pretty normal before BRINK, with the exception of the bitter attitude and social failings. Pretty much everything else came with the job.

One of the things I'm struck by is the comic's visual style. The colors are soft and a bit hazy, and overall the comic looks calm and kind of non-threatening. I would even say that taken as a whole, the comic feels kind of lonely and quiet. Was any of that intentional?

I was very much going for a feel that was almost dream like. The character themselves don't always have the best grip on reality, and I wanted the art style to carry that feeling over to the reader as well.

Anything else you want to get off your chest?

Well, I'd like to thank everyone who's keeping up with the comic. I'm pretty amazed to see how many people enjoy it, despite the off beat story and setting.

I've got a lot more story tell, so here's to hoping I get to finish BRINK fully.

Thanks for the interview.