If you suffered through my long and winding review of Simmons’ other apoc-shocker, Flu, then you’ll surely know that I’ve got nothing but admiration for his work. Although I loved Flu, I think it took out some delayed and uncalled for vengeance on me, halting my reading of Drop Dead Gorgeous with a case of the sniffles. But I wasn’t kept away for long! This book has been on my (unrealistic) reading list for a while now after picking up my copy at P-Con earlier this year. Like with his last offering, it was well worth the wait.

The plot of Drop Dead Gorgeous is all in the title. One fine and average Sunday morning, all but a small few of the population of Belfast, and possibly further afield, suddenly drop dead. The ‘gorgeous’ part makes more sense a little later. The book opens in a very easy going way, just some people going about their lives. A few pages later comes the crashing down of the world around those who were left standing. We see the world slowly drain of power, life and control. The fact that it’s set in Belfast helps to make it that much more real, despite the fact it’s shelved under ‘Sci-fi’. All those apocalypse and zombie movies and novels set in Anywhere USA seem so far away and very much American. Just one big city, with reference to the rest of the country, brings it a little closer. It can be open for interpretation to any readers’ city, even though the language is distinctly Northern Irish – which is fantastic, might I add. As well as the main characters’ individual stories, I enjoyed the snippets of other survivors. Simmons shows us a few shots of scenarios we may not have thought of; dependant people suddenly alone after the world comes to a stop.

DDG is a little different from your average zombie novel, in that it’s not all about the zombies. I’ve read a review – one in particular that tickled me for many a reason – that called this a major flaw. For me, I would much prefer to spend page after page getting to know and care for characters before the big bang. What’s the point, otherwise? I don’t want a book of limbs being torn off for the sake of gory goodness. That may just be me being a delicate little snowflake or something though… If you think of it more as an apocalyptic story and can patiently wait for your zombies – and they’re unlike most you’ve seen – then you’ll be pleased with this.

There is slicing and dicing a plenty that work the final chapters up into a frenzy but it’s the characters that are the heart of the story – and as a girl raised under the greatness and cruelty of one Joss Whedon, characters are important to me. Simmons knows his characters well and more importantly, they’re real. Throwing a bunch of stereotypes into a post-apocalyptic setting does not a good story make. Pooling together some developed and flawed – some heavily flawed – people and seeing how they react to a world torn asunder does. That’s one of my favourite things about reading Simmons’ books.

Among those left behind are a foul mouthed tattooist, aging radio DJ, two teens, a troubled young man, a former IRA member, an RIR soldier, an elderly acrophobic and the overzealous Preacher Man. There’s also a few others we meet along the way. Although scattered throughout Belfast, there’s a purpose to each group and things tie together to help move the story along. As I said, they are certainly not shining examples of the human race. They all respond in different ways to the crumbling of society and don’t make the best decisions. If they were all Mary Sues and Garry Stus then how exciting would that be to read? People aren’t perfect and everyone is expendable, no matter how attached you may grow.

I found that the human characters were not the only to feature in the story. In a world suddenly devoid of life, Mother Nature takes a step into centre stage. The world around them appears to be a character all on its own. The Rain makes as much a noise as the hedonistic trio in the Europa do, and The Silence is as unnerving as the survivors are unnerved. This gives the book a rich atmosphere. There’s a definite difference between reading this on a busy bus, and later in a silent room.

There’s some awful stuff that happens – which I’m going to be terribly vague about so I don’t ruin it – but it is all ultimately necessary. I’ve read people complaining that it’s something that apoc writers throw in for shock value, and though it is horrific it has its place within the story and needed for character development. There are also some laughs from characters and Simmons’ wonderfully crafted narrative alike. And lest we not forget the refreshingly muted romance from our young lovers, who at one point reminded me of the budding and brutal romance in The Hole (I swear I wasn’t just daydreaming about Desmond Harrington).

On a brighter note, one thing I can always seem to count on Simmons for is a delightful reference or two. In Flu it was Red Sonja and here I do believe I spotted a little Who. The description of one character just screamed David Tennant to me. Please say I am not wrong.

I can’t recommend Drop Dead Gorgeous enough. We see our own fast paced world come skidding to a halt and allowing you to become invested, only to gallop off full speed with all that you thought you knew. The characters grow as close to your heart as they’ll allow and the corpses that litter the streets rival the sheer amount of skeletons that come tumbling from closets. It’s dark, unrestrained, vicious, broken-hearted, dangerously beautiful, and it’s got a foul mouth.

You can buy Drop Dead Gorgeous, and his other apoc-shocker Flu, from amazon and Book Depository. You can also follow Wayne or like his fanpage on facebook, or go to the one stop horror shop, his site. And if you really want, check out my interview with Wayne from P-Con over on Geek Girl on the Street here and here (part 1&2).

So, Donna’s releasing her latest offering from the Dark Swords series, Untamed Highlander!

In celebration of this, Bitten By Books is hosting a giveaway. A Kindle giveaway!

*pause for ooohing*

So, Donna wants to know…

What are your favorite type of heroes to read about?

Answering her that question is only one of the many ways to earn yourself some bonus points and a competition entry!

So, click on the photo in this post to be whisked away to Bitten By Books to support Donna Grant, and full details on how to win this nifty prize!

Donna’s twitter | site | blog | facebook

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What first interested you in art?
I have no idea. I tend to think art picks you. It’s a sort of compulsion really, to draw, paint, dance, whatever…been drawing since a very young age, couldn’t tell you why, I just always loved it. Art, obviously, is beautiful so it’s easy to be interested in it.

Did you get much encouragement to continue or make a career out of it?
Oh, enough I guess. I new I was ok in school and my parents supported my passions.

Have you studied art or are you self taught?
Studied design at University, which is sort of related and I got some good things from it, but true drawing wise, no real formal training apart from some life drawing classes really.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
A small boy in Botswana?
No idea. small things, random times. All depends.

Who are some of your favourite artists?
Ralph Steadman, Klimt, Victor Ambrus, Paul Pope, a bunch!

What are your hopes for your career’s future? Any dream projects?
Right now? Just being productive. I haven’t been of late and I’d like to get some new projects out of me if I can.

Which of your pieces or projects are you most proud of?
Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse.

How would you describe your style?
Moody and sketchy… but it’s not up to me. It’s how others see it that matters.

What drew you more to comic book illustration than other areas of art?
Its a visual storytelling medium…and I like to tell stories.

What’s your favourite medium to work in?
Pen and pencil, with a dash of watercolour.

Are you working on anything at the moment?
Too many little things for lots of little projects. And… some Wormwood Gentleman Corpse too.

Can you give me an idea of your creative process?
Not too much. That’s a pretty involved question really. I just plot, draw, then feed it all into the computer to colour.

How did you get your career start?
My work was seen online and a job opening came up that I was asked to try for… and I got it. Hellspawn. After/during that, I did a small book that got a movie deal and sort of blew up, called 30 Days of Night… that sort of gave me the profile that led to a career really.

Ben’s twitter | facebook | tumblr | deviantART | Formspring (art,work) | Formspring (silly)

* Warning that nastiness may abound in trailers, as well as spoilers for any that are sequels *

[REC]2
I haven’t yet seen this, or the US remake Quarantine, but it definitely looks worth the watch. I like the use of handheld cameras to tell stories like this. When it’s done well, and with good reason, it can turn out quite well. Or it will just make you a bit dizzy and queasy. Well, in fairness, this may do that with a little help from the zombie creatures though.

Night of the Demons
The original has been on my ‘to watch’ list for a while now. Yes, it is another remake, but on first watch of the trailer I’m already excited to see it. It looks to be in keeping with the jokey feeling of the 80s and doesn’t take itself too seriously at all. I’m looking forward to this one.

The Silent House / La Casa Muda
I am incredibly excited about seeing this. One continuous shot. I remember being awed by that one take shot in Ong Bak, but a whole movie! (By the way, Tony Jaa owns….everything!) Effects and cues have to be right on target, lines delivered properly, everything or they have to go right back to the beginning! The mental journey the lead actress must go through could be brought right back to the beginning at any slip up. And I didn’t know until I watched this trailer that it was filmed on a camera phone too. My, we have come a long way! After reading a review singing its praises, I found one thing they touted as being a brand spanking new idea – her use of a Polaroid to light the way during one scene, giving us flashes of the horror. Something similar was used extensively in the video game Fatal Frame, as well as in Rear Window to a lesser extent.

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night
This. Looks. Wonderful. I’d seen a teaser trailer absolutely ages ago and had totally forgotten about it. It’s got ghouls and laughs by the bellyful! Zombie support groups, big baddies, what more could you want? Really?

30 Days of Night: Dark Days
I watched the first 30 Days of Night so long ago that I can’t remember anything of it. Except for blood and snow, but that’s a given. Whether I enjoyed it or not, this sequel looks watchable. I think it’s already out on DVD (I may have even seen it in the shop – clueless) but I only saw the trailer this morning so it goes on the list! I know there’s been a few other sequels, with Shawnee Smith I believe, but I do quite like the cast of this one; Kiele Sanchez, Mia Kirshner, Harold Perrineau and even Katherine Isabelle! I will be watching in the near future.

Chain Letter
Such a simple, and done, concept. I had a Point Horror book that followed the same kind of premise, but probably not as brutal. The text that flashed on the screen was a mite silly, and it rhymed in an overly trying way, but it could deliver a giggle, jump or scare.

The Descent: Part 2
I really enjoyed the first part of this franchise. It was atmospheric and claustrophobic, with mysterious flashes of the creatures that dwelled underground. In this part, the only survivor has to return. One thing I already like about this is that there is a good reason for there to be a sequel. Arising from the ground battered and bruised and missing all of your friends who were killed mysteriously would draw some attention and disbelief from the police. Getting to the bottom – all the way down to the bottom – of the matter seem logical.

And Soon The Darkness
Although I do pretty much blame them for what happens, it is still a terrifying premise. And it’s got Karl Urban. How could I say no to watching this? I believe it’s also a remake, and just check out the film poster on the imdb. A Perfect Getaway, anyone? (A smashing movie, I may add)

Amphibious 3D
Just…. just watch the trailer. I knew I had to include this when I seen the poster, before even watching the trailer. The very epitome of silly. And it’s in 3D!

Box of Shadows
Fantastic acting from some (note the sarcasm), but the idea is interesting. It made me think of Flatliners but with more physical ghosts than metaphorical ones.

13 Hours
The Brits know how to scare. This is from the folks behind the fantastic Dog Soldiers and looks to be just as action packed. The creature has me even more intrigued. I thought it was a werewolf, but a flash near the end has me thinking otherwise.. *intrigue*

Fading of the Cries
Ree. Dee. Que. Lus! I have no idea what is going on. She starts out far from home on this journey and the guy protecting her. Whaa? The acting, whaa? Some of the creatures do look pretty cool with some fantastic make-up effects but as for the digital effects… Note to movie makers, if you cannot make something look good digitally, don’t use it in abundance – bats, birds, even the crowds in some of the shots look laughable.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
Three words – Guillermo. Del. Toro. The trailer lulls you into thinking it will just be a short tv spot that offers nothing. Then comes the snappily edited action. I actually didn’t watch parts of it – yes coward – but my overactive imagination will thank me later!

Insidious
Leigh Whannell and James Wan know horror. The first Saw, c’mon that was fantastic! The sequels have lost the run of themselves and just sank into the gore-drenched horror genre, but that first film – perfect. And Dead Silence… Puppets *shudder* It was tremendous and terrifying. I watched it as early in the day as I could, hoping I’d have time to let it sink in before dark. I think that actually worked for me but, yeah, puppets… Anyhow, their latest offering looks to be just as spooksome, and that metronomein the trailer really gets the goosebumps bumping.

Scream 4
Scream is one of my all time favourite movies, horror or otherwise. They definitely lost that fire at the trilogy progressed, but now the embers have been relit with the fourth instalment. I’m happy to see from the trailers that it doesn’t look terrible. In fact, I may just enjoy it. Huzzah! And the cameos and actors I that like just keep popping up throughout the trailer. I wonder if there’ll be any familiar faces making an appearance, except for Ghostface, of course.  

After.Life
I really like this. At least, I hope I am going to really like this. At the very beginning I thought it would be some yucky autopsy movie but, thank Joss, it ain’t. The cast agrees with me – Ricci, Long and Neeson – and the story seems interesting. Long should do more horror, and more everything really. I loved him in Drag Me To Hell and though this is a lot less with the comedy, it looks to be a treat and he should deliver. Ricci is no stranger to horror and shouldn’t disappoint. And Neeson’s Neeson, good or bad.

- – - – -

What first interested you in art?
I’ve been drawing since I was 4, and throwing temper tantrums because my drawings didn’t look the way I wanted for about that long.

Did you get much encouragement to continue or make a career out of it?
My mother is an illustrator, so I never had the idea that art wasn’t something you could support yourself on.

Have you studied art or are you self taught?
I’m an art school dropout, but I got my real eduction slumming around Europe when I was 17 and filling massive sketchbooks.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
New York, subversive performance, coffee, bestiaries, animals god made wrong.

Who are some of your favourite artists?
Chloe Cruchaudet, Clayton Cubitt, Zoetica Ebb, Travis Louie, Joe Coleman, Aubrey Beardsley, Bosch, Toulouse Lautrec.

What are your hopes for your career’s future?
I want to draw more big things.

Which of your pieces are you most proud of?
The 90 feet of murals I just did for The Box Soho, the London branch of a notorious NYC nightclub.

How would you describe your style?
My friend Roger Klein describes it as “Toulouse Lautrec meets Dr. Seuss”.

What’s your favourite medium to work in?
I’m currently trying to make acrylic my bitch. It might be working the other way around.

Are you working on anything at the moment?
A new graphic novel for First Second books with my eternal conspirator John Leavitt. Its about a carnival of immortal outcasts traversing rust belt America.

What drew you to the themes you base a lot of your work on?
A meanspirited streak and a lifelong fascination with the Moulin Rouge.

Can you give me an idea of your creative process?
I usually start with injokey doodles. My actual pieces are pretty freeform- I ink and pencil simultaneously, and a bit stream of conciously.

How did you get your career start?
I don’t believe in the idea of a big break, so it was more endless hustling and grabbing every opportunity I could claw for myself.

How did the idea for Dr. Sketchys come about?
Worked as a life model. Found the classes sterile. Thought I could do better.

.

1. Red Sonja
From the time I was just a little strange and freckled child, I was in love with Sonja. I was raised on Conan and his adventures, which of course overlapped with Sonja’s (even though he’s technically not Conan in it, but we know..). I wasn’t introduced to the comics until some years later, but the towering, flame-haired Brigitte Nielsen instilled within me a pride in my natural hair colour – sadly a source of shame for many of my kind – and in being taller, and in some cases stronger, than some boys in school. She’s a sword-wielding heroine any girl can look up to.

2. Lara Croft

Again, Ms. Croft’s been with me for many, many years. I remember countless hours sat infront of the television, watching my dad and brothers play Tomb Raider II over and over. I could only really take care of The Great Wall, and still have trouble handling a lot of the levels, since I would get over-excited and the nerves got the better of me. But that was enough for me. Watching her shoot her way through anything – tigers, Yetis, dinosaurs – while maintaining her femininity and possessing a rather high intellect, just made me want to be her… fall-away floors, spikes and all. She also had a lot to do with my love of history and why I would always answer, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” with “archaeologist or egyptologist”. We could always throw in some danger and intrigue!

3. Tank Girl

I first seen the Tank Girl movie before I really knew what was going on in it, let alone get half of the things she was saying. I remembered bits and pieces, but I always thought she was played by Gwen Stefani and not the equally as shiny Lori Petty! I seen it again a few years later and got a bit obsessed, still not completely aware of everthing. I just thought she was the single most awesome woman ever! She had funky hair (that part of me always wanted to try!), cool clothes and a tank!  By the time the movie and I were eventually on the same wavelength, I was totally hooked. I’ve slowly been building my collection of the comics (I believe there should be 2 in the mail, in fact) and soaking up all the Tankie I can find. And she’s one of the most fun characters to draw, the artists that have worked on it are simply phenomenal! She’s tough as nails, rude, crude, brazen and bazooka-brassiered!

4. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer

She’s just a regular young woman… But, oh wait, she has to save the world! Boy trouble, fitting in, highschool, friends, homework. We shared the same problems, granted mine were less apocalypty, and was a heroine you could relate to. I’ve been watching Buffy for half my life – not without pause – and it’s still held in that same precious spot in my heart where it forced its way in all those years ago. I have to say though, Buffy was not the only great woman in that show; Willow, Joyce, Cordelia, Tara, Anya, and Dawn all taught girls everywhere something about grasping onto the strength we possess and, forgive the pun, living up to our potential. In particular, I was a Willow girl - nerdy, loserish, hopelessly enamoured of someone just as clueless, odd humour, easily excited, loved my library. I could go on. I even have the hair and pale complexion to match.   

5. Amanda Palmer

Fearless. Iconic. Comedian. Opinionated. Lover. Artist. Poet. Hero.

I have mountains of respect and love for Amanda. She’s a true music artist and an even truer person. My path to discovering her was all by chance. First off, I caught The Dresden Dolls late night on Channel 4, or something, performing ‘Coin-Operated Boy’ and another song. Their appearance and the set really grabbed my attention ( it was similar to the Live in Paradise set). I had missed their name but jotted down “Coin-Operated Boy” on a piece of paper. That always stayed in the back of my mind. A year or so later, I found an advertisement for the Live In Paradise DVD in a magazine and loved the photo. That too was saved. It was around then that decided to look them up since we had finally gotten a computer. Again, I was hooked!! I searched Virgin until I found Yes, Virginia, brought it home, listened to it repeatedly, and the rest it happy history. 

As they continued on, then went on hiatus, I followed them together and seperately. The music they were making was just so different to what I had heard and they were doing such interesting things. Then when she went solo…forget about it! I was awe-struck when I first heard ‘Astronaut’. But it’s not just her music and her lyrics, it’s her. She cares for the fans and does all she can to keep in touch. I hadn’t experienced anything like that before, the dialogue between artist and audience. She’s not afraid to try something new, or something no-one has ever tried. Then there’s he whole thing about being half of one of the best power couples, um, ever! I really, really could go on… This went on a bit, but she is one of the only two real people on this list!

6. Zoe Washburne

Ever the feminist, Joss Whedon knows how to write kickass female characters! Zoe, Mal Reynolds’ right hand woman and one half of a most unexpected couple, is an Amazon warrior woman, through and through. She’s more than capable of taking care of herself - trusty gun at the ready – and can crack a joke (many great deadpan moments) and have a laugh with the guys. Yet, when it’s time for the more sentimental stuff, she’s a softy – looking after the poor, defenseless Saffron.  She can be dominating, which is a loved and hated quality to hubby, Wash, but can be a wife just the same. Mmm, wife soup… She’s proof that you can be the hardass leader of men and the lover.

7. Penelope Garcia

My name is Sarah and I am a Criminal Minds addict. One of my favourite characters from the show is Garcia, the uber geeky, super stylish, techie goddess! Yup, that’s her full title. Garcia has to deal with a lot! She didn’t sign up to the BAU to fight crime and investigate murders (in fact, she didn’t sign up at all…), yet she has to bear the weight of some brutal stuff. Researching murders and criminals of every kind, watching videos of killings to find clues within the soundtrack; basically seeing and learning more of the world’s evil than most folk aught to. It’s this very reason that she decorates her office with colourful toys and fluffy and sparkly accessories, and keeps conversation light with her quirky humour and phone answering technique. She finds a way to seperate the two worlds and not become a disturbed shut-in, as some might do in her position. She’s also incredibly independant and has been since a relatively early age. She doesn’t need a man (but she does eventually get a cute’n'geeky one in the form of Nick Brendan!) and is completely comfortable with herself. Just look at her fabulous wardbrobe and her interaction with Derek. Oh, the flirting and the nicknames! I have respect for the character as well as the real women, and men, that old similar jobs.

8. Lisbeth Salander

Lisbeth is a more recent addition to my list of heroines. Ever since I seen The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - what, last year – I loved her. She’s the outsider, not in the awkward highschool way but in the severely abused way, and just doesn’t take anything lying down. She’s been through hell and made it, and doesn’t show any sign of letting herself get dragged back into that mess again… of course she is, otherwise what would the trilogy be about? She’s pierced, tattooed, almost shaven-headed, dresses in dark colours, and is very beautiful. Lisbeth is as complex a character as they come, and I really have to applaud Noomi Rapace for her performance. Lisbeth may do her best to stay out of trouble, in her painfully introverted and terse way, but doesn’t cower away from a fight. If you’ve seen the movies or read the book, you know what I’m talking about! Yes, she’s rough around the edges but I think she’s one of the finest heroines in modern culture.

9. Frida Kahlo

Okay, I will keep this short since I could literally write over 3,000 words on her! She was an incredibly influential woman and paved the way for many artists, both female and Mexican. Comfortable with her sexuality, unafraid to show the world her inner self and willing to take a stand for her political beliefs.  Her life was hard, and that’s an understatement – countless operations, a result of an accident when she was young, and a passionate turbulent marriage to Diego Rivera. And, of course… her art! It’s just amazing. I knew the bare bones of her history a little over a month ago when I decided to write about her for a college essay, now I am a massive fan and cannot wait for the exhibition of her and Diego’s work here next month!!  

10. Xena, the Warrior Princess

Oh, how I miss the days of watching Xena and Hercules! She was just the coolest. The costume, the weaponry, that war cry – you know you’ve tried to iminate it. I can remember playing Hero Quest with my brother when I was little and my character name on the score sheet would always be ‘Xena‘ (and what a good game!).  She reminded me of Red Sonja, more so with that whole Hercules cross-overy goodness. And then Gabrielle was just awesome too. I always wanted a staff to swing around, hit bad guys with, help me on treks through forests… all of which I do so often.

11. Awesome Gals Everywhere

I’m not forgetting Wonder Woman - how could I? It’s just that I didn’t grow up with her. I knew of her, and the iconography of her as the strong woman, but that was about as far as my knowledge went. My knowledge has grown some over the years, but not by much. The comics are on my to buy list, and season 1 od the tv series and the animated movie (with Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion) are sitting on my shelf waiting to be watched. I have to mention Wonder Woman Day, as it’s just a fantastic organisation.

Also, the women behind Geek Girl Con, and all the other geeky girls I follow through blogs, twitter, facebook, harass in person (she’ll get this is her, I hope). There’s too many to name, but they know who they are and must know just how amazing each and every one of them is.

Finally, my fellow Geek Girls (usually found ‘on the street’). I’m forever grateful for having the opportunity to have met all of you, even online, and to get to work with you. You all, quite simply, rock! 

I’m gonna be mushy here and add: My Mam. She ain’t nearly as geeky as the rest of this list, but she’s my hero none the less

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How about you folk? Care to share yours?

- – - – -

What first interested you in art?
Honestly, I don’t recall a time when I wasn’t interested in art at all. My mother always encouraged my brother and I to be creative – to paint, draw, make things – so, I guess that’s where it all started.

Did you get much encouragement to continue or make a career out of it?
To continue it as a hobby, yes. Not so much to make a career out of it, although I do have some good arty friends who are extremely encouraging and supportive of what I do.

Have you studied art or are you self taught? Do you have any plans to study it?
I had art classes all through school and college, but most of what I do I’ve learned myself, just through trying things out and lots of practice. At the moment I don’t have any plans for studying art, as in a fine art degree. Personally, I think if I were to study fine art it would eventually become tedious, taking away from all the fun of it.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Everywhere. Music, other art, books, friends, movies, dreams, nature, cities…this list could go on and on. Sources of inspiration are limitless.

Who are some of your favourite artists?
A few friends, Sylvia K, Audrey Bishop and Robin (who you’ve already interviewed), as well as Hieronymus Bosch, Dali, van Gogh, Degas, Chagall, Hockney…there really are too many to list here. With the internet and online portfolios, it’s so easy to find new and amazing artists to be inspired by all the time.

What are your hopes for your artwork? Do you see it in your future as a career or just a hobby?
Well, both, sort of. I am currently studying Graphic Communication at UCA, Farnham. I love design as much as I love art, but I view them slightly differently – graphic design I see as my career path, and art, while I can use it within design and for illustrations etc., most of the time I like to keep it just for me, for fun.

Which of your pieces are you most proud of?
That’s a tough one. Perhaps a painting of Amanda Palmer that I did a few years ago. I spent a week working on it in my spare time, late at night, whenever I could, and it made me fall in love with painting all over again.

How would you describe your style?
I’m not sure if I have a definitive style yet. I like to try different things, different techniques, different materials. Maybe  there’s a style that follows through into each piece, but I’m not sure. I do have a penchant for drawing or painting people, mainly faces.

What made you focus more on that area more than another?
Drawing or painting people and faces? I always feel like just by looking and really seeing someone and studying every detail of their face, you can tell so much about who they are. I find it fascinating.

What’s your favourite medium to work in?
Aside from the often overlooked, but most important, pencil, I like painting with acrylics. However, last year I tried out oils for the first time and absolutely loved it.

Are you working on anything at the moment?
Not at the moment, I’m extremely busy with university work right now, but I do have a folder filled with various ideas for paintings that I’ll hopefully get to work on eventually.

What drew you to base a lot of your work on Amanda Palmer?
Her music, both solo and with The Dresden Dolls. I found a connection with her music that I’ve rarely had with other bands or musicians, and that provided a lot of inspiration for me.

Can you give me an idea of your creative process?
Whether I’m drawing or painting, from a photo or from my head, the first thing I do is sketch. I will spend hours sketching things out before I even really start, so that everything is perfectly positioned and arranged in the way that I want it to be. After that, I’ll just jump straight in with whatever medium I’m using and work on it for a few hours at a time. I’m very patient with drawing and painting, if something isn’t right, I’ll work on it for however long it takes to make sure that it is.

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”The politics of it were striking at the time, they have a black lead…the clear anti-Communist hysteria that’s running through that film…And there was so much going on in the movie that it wasn’t your typical horror film”.  – John Landis, director of ‘An American Werewolf In London’

The 1920s saw the age of horror triumph in Hollywood with simple monster movies, like ‘The Bat’ and ‘The Monster’. During that period people enjoyed the short escape from the anxiety of World War I. Soon Hollywood took the horror further with the aim being to truly scare the audiences. It was in 1931 that the now classics ‘Dracula’ and ‘Frankenstein’ were released. Following on from their success, boundaries were pushed again. Bela Lugosi’s ‘White Zombie’ would set things in motion for a string of zombie movies to follow. It used the voodoo sorcery myth to explain the walking dead. This mythology was soon to change with the introduction of George A. Romero to the genre.

Horror movies had always been something abstract, something that didn’t occur in everyday life. The last thing Cold War America wanted was for the horror to be introduced into the mundane. People were terrified of the threat of a Communist take over and the “zombie was the perfect monster to encapsulate such anxieties”. Films at the time reflected these fears, like ‘Invasion Of The Body Snatchers’. Hitchcock‘s ‘Psycho’ internalised terror and showed that the real threat was not “in the skies” but in everyday life. That the monster “is not simply among us, but possibly is us”. This idea influenced Romero and just a few years later “Night Of The Living Dead” was made, pushing all the previous boundaries far beyond where they thought imaginable.

‘Night Of The Living Dead’ (NOTLD) was made on a low budget by the production company, Image Ten Inc. The film tells the story of a group of seven people who take refuge in a farm house while fending off the hoards of the walking dead that gather outside. Romero wanted to show the end of the world, but felt that “rather than opening with the fait accolpli, it might be more interesting to observe the world during its collapse”. This reflected fears at the time of America’s Capitalism crumbling at the hands of Soviet Communism.

They didn’t just set out to make a normal horror movie. They wanted to ensure it would attract attention and stand apart from the other movies at the time. Co-writer John Russo stated, “We wanted to make sure it got noticed…forcing the picture into more daring areas than other films had gone”. It’s worldwide acclaim and worship proves that they indeed achieved their goals. It influenced many budding film-makers that went on to create some of the most notorious horror movies we know today.  Among these was Tobe Hooper, director of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’,  “It had a profound affect on my life…as a result of seeing that film…I decided to do a horror film”.

Many people in the movie industry began to realize that horror movies could be so much more, even containing an underlying political statement as this film had. NOTLD explored the anxieties of the people as the threat of Communism seemed to be forever looming overhead. The next few years saw an abundance of ‘Dracula’ and ‘Frankenstein’ sequels trying to recapture Old Hollywood horror. However, the horror movie industry was forever changed. Boundaries were continuing to be pushed. ‘The Exorcist’ (1973), ‘Jaws’ (1975) and ’The Omen’ (1976) were released in the years following NOTLD.

When the film was released it was met with much condemnation. Christian fundamentalist groups accused the film-makers of being “Satanically inspired” due to the gory scenes of feeding and the circumstances under which Marilyn Eastman’s character is killed. This film was unlike anything that preceded it. The audience, especially children who had been left in the cinema for the double feature, had “no resources they could draw upon to protect themselves from the dread and fear they felt”. Reading Roger Ebert’s review gives great insight into how utterly shocking and terrifying it was; “The movie…had become unexpectedly terrifying”. One of the most striking scenes is when Helen’s daughter becomes one of “those things” and brutally murders her mother with a trowel. As John Landis, director of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, said, “You didn’t see that stuff in movies at that time”.

Nobody survives. This is another thing that people found very difficult to accept. Not only did the characters die, but the hero, Ben, dies. That was the most shocking. The ending was uncompromising and left audiences stunned. Ben makes it through the night, and emerges from the basement the next morning. Outside, the sheriff’s deputies are killing the ‘ghouls’ and burning their bodies. When Ben appears at the window he is shot; “That’s one more for the bonfire”. The audience had no hope to cling to, no happy ending. They were left frozen with fear with tears in their eyes, unable to deal with the horror that had unfolded before them. American culture, particularly westerns, has taught us that there is always a hero. He gets the girl, saves the town and rides off into the sunset. This was not the case for Ben. He was a sort of faulted anti-hero, a far cry from John Wayne.     

Before the release of NOTLD the black community were represented in films, but not always in the best light. The women were usually maids or servants while the men were seen as uneducated and dangerous, like the character Tom Robinson in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’. However, there are exemptions. 1939 saw Hattie McDaniel become the first African American to be nominated for and win an Oscar for her portrayal of Mammy in ‘Gone With The Wind’. Also, Nichelle Nichols became a household name with her character Uhura on ‘Star Trek’.

NOTLD dealt with topical racial issues without ever meaning to. Duane Jones, who played the lead Ben, received the part after simply giving the best audition. This casting makes Duane Jones the first black actor to play the leading heroic character in a non-race-specific role.  On this subject, director Romero said, “At first he thought he’d never get the role…he thought he was being exploited…and finally realised, ‘hey, we’re just making a movie’”. Jones was a well educated man and a former English professor at New York State University. He also went on to hold a professorship at Vassar University. After getting the part of Ben he changed much of his dialogue, as he refused to read the role as it was. The character was originally a simple minded truck driver. If Jones hadn’t made the changes I don’t believe the part would have had the impact it does now.

Romero tried not to make mention of certain things racially and treat Ben like any other character. He did realize that the assassination of Martin Luther King would help the movie get noticed since it featured a black lead. This is mirrored in the film’s ending where Ben is shot. This seemed like the natural route to take since Ben shared many characteristics with King. He was a peaceful man and tried to deal with the attacks without the use of violence. Also, he was a strong leader, even though he was met with some opposition from the character Harry Cooper.  Romero helped strengthen the positive image of the black community in the film’s sequel ’Dawn Of The Dead’. In this, Ken Foree’s character Peter became the first leading black character to survive in a horror movie.

NOTLD handled many topical issues of it’s time. Duane Jones portrayed a strong black character at a time when the Civil Rights Movement was coming to a close. Thurgood Marshall became the first black Supreme Court Justice and the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed. The threat of a Communist take-over was an obvious theme throughout the film with the zombies’ indoctrination. Even the reason for the reanimation of corpses brings about fears of the time. In the film, scientists and military officials speculate that it’s due to radiation emanating from a Venus space probe that exploded in Earth’s atmosphere. America’s Space Race with Russia created suspicions of spy satellites. Every fear America had was exploited in the movie.

NOTLD is accepted worldwide as a legendary piece of movie history. It has been a great source of inspiration for prominent directors, such as Wes Craven, Sam Raimi and Edgar Wright to name a few. I spoke to Tom Savini, director of the 1990 remake, who said; “historically, ‘Night Of The Living Dead’ is a classic ranking up there with ‘Citizen Kane’ and ‘Casablanca’, and personally it ranks as my first feature film as a director, and publicly it propelled the zombie craze that is still very much alive and kicking…or, if you will…shambling”. It’s just celebrated it’s 40^th anniversary and is still as popular as ever. ‘Night Of The Living Dead’ will continue to inspire, terrify, unnerve and delight audiences for many years to come.

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What first interested you in art?
I’ve always been “interested” in art for as long as I can remember. It’s who I am, it’s what I think about, what drives me.  I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pencil!

Did you get much encouragement to continue or make a career out of it?
Unfortunately not. I had a lot of opposition to it from my parents especially in the beginning because they were worried I couldn’t make a living as an artist, especially a comic book artist. There’s no money in comics.  They warmed up to the idea of me doing art after I took my degree in design and illustration, but even then they were skeptical

Have you studied art or are you self taught? Do you have any plans to study it?
I didn’t really study art. I’m mostly self-taught, especially insofar as drawing comics and characters goes. I took an illustration and design degree a few years after I graduated highschool and this gave me many tools that help with graphic design, etc. but in terms of creating art and painting, I’m totally self-taught.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I’m inspired my anime and manga, music, my relationships, and lots and lots of visual stimuli I find on the Internet, in art books, and in the world around me.

Who are some of your favourite artists?
CLAMP, Terada Katsuya, Yoshitomo Nara, Ashley Wood, Raphael, Da Vinci … so many!

What are your hopes for your career in art?
I’m living my dream already. I have my career and I’m making the most of it.  Helmetgirls, as a graphic novel, is my biggest aspiration and even that is happening as we speak.

Which of your pieces or projects are you most proud of?
I’m very proud of my Tanpopo series. I’ve created something completely new and different, something that you wouldn’t think could work – but people love it. Mixing literature with a new story. 

How would you describe your style?
It’s manga influenced with a touch of renaissance.

What made you focus more on that area more than another?
I’m focused mainly on comics because it’s what excites me. I want to do things that are exciting and that I love. Comics is that. Painting happened by accident, in some ways and has become the “other” area. So comics and painting and I love them both because they give me different ways to express myself.

What’s your favourite medium to work in?
Comics – a regular ‘ol BIC pen and paper, though I’m now starting to work with “pro” comic pens. Taking a while to get the hang of them but I like them. And when painting, I use Holbein DUO water soluble oils on wood panels. 

Are you working on anything at the moment?
I’m working on Tanpopo volumes 4&5, a manga for a Spanish singer, Helmetgirls character sketches and concepts and an illustration for the Transmetropolitan Art Book.

What drew you to the characters you base a lot of your work on?
I created those characters in my mind, and as I drew or painted them. They come from my imagination and my hand.  I wasn’t drawn to them specifically, because they come from within me.

Can you give me an idea of your creative process?
I start any project by doing tons of research. I spend hours doing research on images, visuals, stories, etc. that inspire me for the work. Then I sketch out the concepts and when I’m happy with one that I feel will have the most impact or that best represents what I want to do, I begin working on it.

How did you get your career start?
I got my start in comics by working for a small publisher, Committed Comics, for free, while I was coming out of high school. I kept at it, and did work for them out of passion. Not for money. Then, when I went back to university to get my degree in design and illustration, I got some jobs through the program, did a bit of local freelance work in Vancouver and got noticed. I also approached a gallery in Vancouver, Ayden Gallery, with my paintings that I had done for a university project and they agreed to show my work. That’s what got me my start painting.  I was discovered by an LA art collector in 2007 and he got me into the LA Pop Surrealism galleries. The rest is history.

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What first interested you in art?

Being able to create things that are limited only by my skills and imagination.

Did you get much encouragement to continue or make a career out of it?

Not so much from my family, but definitely from friends and people who see my artwork online.

Have you studied art or are you self taught? Do you have any plans to study it?
Self taught. I’ve considered studying art many times in the past few years, but I’m happy with the career pathway I’ve chosen for now and any study I do would be for my own personal interest/as a pastime.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
The many amazing photo-realistic artists whose work I’ve seen online. I feel like they help to push me and improve my skills because they give me something to strive towards.

Who are some of your favourite artists?
Alyssa Monks, Banksy, Andy Warhol… and all of the people I follow on deviantArt.

What are your hopes for your artwork? Do you see it in your future as a career or just a hobby?
I hope to just continue making art as a hobby, maybe taking a few commissions. Perhaps one day when I’m sick of working in science I’ll make the switch and focus more on my art.

Which of your pieces are you most proud of?
My ‘Brisbane City’ stencil, mostly because of how long it took to create. I never thought I’d finish it.

How would you describe your style?
I’m not sure, maybe photo-realism. Whether I’m drawing or stenciling, everything I do is based off a source photo with the intention of creating something that’s very close to or resembles the original.

What made you focus more on your focused area more than another?
Doing a sketch based off a photo was the first thing I did in a high school art class that really impressed my teacher, who convinced me I had a skill that I should practice.

What’s your favourite medium to work in?
Graphite pencils.

Are you working on anything at the moment?
I have a stencil that I’ve slowly been working on for months, and I just finished a sketch today.

What drew you to the themes or people you base a lot of your work on?
Music. Almost everything I draw/stencil is based on a musician.

Can you give me an idea of your creative process?
For my sketches, I usually search for a photo that has interesting textures and contrasts, then start penciling in the main outlines and shapes to get the proportions right, and then go back and fill in the detail. I constantly re-do and alter minute details until I’m happy with how it looks. For my stencils, I usually select multiple photos and edit them in Photoshop to see which would work best as a stencil, then design and print out the layers, cut them out and spray them.