Bronycon's over, but we’ve still got a
little more exclusive information to cover for you! Today we’ve got a panel featuring Katie Cook,
Andy Price, Heather Breckel, and Tony Fleecs, the folks who bring us the
official MLP comic. Head below the break
for the highlights.
-What projects do you work on outside of pony?
Tony: Pony takes up most of his time, but he draws covers
for other comics, like Purgatory, as well as working on a graphic novel, and a
miniseries called American Goth Chick.
Heather: Works on the Ninja Turtles animated series comic,
and her own webcomic. She also watches
anime and pets cats.
Andy: Other book covers, Littlest Pet Shop and Adventure
Time comics.
Katie Cook: A few projects with Marvel, for Star Wars, some
children’s books, and her own webcomic. Also she’s a parent.
-How do you come up with the details of the setting?
Tony: Use the real world as influence for environments.
Andy: Ilustrators file away things they see as part of their
normal life as inspiration for later.
It’s like they’re “doing research whenever they’re conscious.”
-What are the differences in working on derivative work, and
what creative freedom do you have?
Katie: We have editors who often tell us what not to do.
Andy: There are many steps.
The concept goes to the editor, then to the licensor, and so on. It’s
very different than creating an original project.
Tony: There is some leeway though, especially stylistically
in the art.
Andy: Hasbro’s actually happy with what we’re doing,
art-wise, and gives us lots of freedom.
-How much ability do you have to collaborate with each other?
Katie: Andy and Katie have the added benefit of having known
each other for a very long time. They collaborate
on everything.
Heather: Doesn’t really collaborate with them until the end.
Generally finished pages are just given to her to color after they’re made.
-How do you avoid clashing with the show’s canon?
Andy: Hasbro handles making sure they don’t step on the
show’s toes or vice versa.
-How do you apply the lighting and other visual effects in
the comics while still making the ponies’ color schemes obvious?
Heather: Photoshop layers work wonders for that. Keep them organized.
Andy: What’s interesting to him is that the concept of
drawing with a pencil is alien to so many people. Some people just can’t grasp that he draws
with a pencil.
Heather: She applied what she knew from traditional art to
her digital coloring, and suggested that if you’re used to digital, try picking
up a pencil and drawing, and you’ll find you’ll learn a few things you couldn’t
get from digital.
-When you’re introducing something new, what strategies do
you have to make the new element still have the Equestrian feel?
Katie: Talked about new villains introduced in the next
issue of Friends Forever. introduce some new villains. They’re cows called the Cattle Rustlers.
Andy: It’s a matter of working in personality both written
and visual that works with the mood of the show.
Heather: She looks at the show for coloring ideas.
-The comic series receives some negative comments about
contradictions with canon. How does the ?
Katie: Hasbro sends notes, so any contradictions with canon
are missed by both Hasbro and the comic staff.
Some things that have been filtered out by Hasbro: a comic plot idea
from a year ago was rejected because it was very similar to the plot of the
not-yet-released episode Rarity takes Manehattan. There was also an instance of Scootaloo
flying that Hasbro denied.
Andy: The comic staff works on a drastically different schedule
than the show writers, so they work together however they can. As far as Hasbro is concerned, the comics are
to be considered part of canon canon.
Tony: Added that, on the rare occasion that the show
contradicts the comics, then the show’s version of the event is canon.
Katie: Admitted she would like to see Tibbles (Luna’s pet
possum) on the show.
Andy: A lot of what happens on the show is actually
determined by the fans. Things that
catch on in the fandom are examined by Hasbro and the show staff.
-Do you guys struggle with the motivation to get up and do
art, and if you don’t, how do you fix it?
Andy: Yhe deadline is a great motivator.
Katie: This is the coolest job in the world and you need to
try to put it in perspective of how much worse of a job you could have.
Andy: Find a time of day or an environment that works for
you.
-What’s your favorite thing that you’ve added to the comics?
Andy: Tibbles and Good King Sombra.
Heather: Made Lyra an alicorn once.
Katie: Hippie ponies from the Rarity micro.
