An Interview with Independent Comic Book Creator Steve Hamaker

By Justin Colburn

Two and a half years ago I was given the opportunity to represent Marvels & Legends at my first comic book convention. So on Thanksgiving weekend my friends and I loaded up the car and headed to Columbus for Mid-Ohio Con '99. Of all the artists and writers at the convention there were only a handful who made the convention a memorable experience for me, and out of those few one person sticks out in my mind more than any of the others.

Steve Hamaker had a small booth in artist's alley showcasing a project he was hoping to eventually publish called Fish N Chips. I stopped at his booth as I was making my way around the convention and after talking to him and flipping through his portfolio I noticed Steve had some drawings of a very popular independent comic series called BONE. When I asked him about it he told me that I was looking at the action figure designs for the series and that he had been the project leader for that particular line. Even as I sit here writing this Steve's BONE figures are staring down at me from atop my computer desk. After talking to him, I instantly developed a liking for Steve and for the rest of the convention I frequently found myself stopping by Steve's booth and talking with him. I didn't really hear much from him for the next couple of years. The toy company he was working for went under and he began working for Bone's creator, Jeff Smith. As time passed I had forgotten about Fish N Chips and had decided that Steve had most likely moved on to new projects, pushing it aside.

A couple of months ago I was going through our distributor's catalog and was pleasantly surprised to see a half page ad for the first issue of Fish N Chips. I decided that since Steve had given me such a good experience at my first convention, I was going to promote him as much as I possibly could on a local level and after a couple of messages back and forth he agreed to do an interview via e-mail.

Justin - Whenever I think about how I developed an interest in comics I always think back to the very first comic book I read as a child. What was the first comic book you remember reading and do you still have it?

Steve - The first comic I ever read was probably Marvel's Indiana Jones #2. I don't still have it. TMNT #1 (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) was the first real impression that comics made on my life. I did spin-off mini-comics with my own characters for years while that comic was first out. That was pre-movie and TV show. I loved those books.

J - What books are you currently reading?

S - I am reading the Dark Horse Akira collections. I always loved the movie since it came out. Now reading the comic, and I see how much better the story is. You can do so much more with comics sometimes. There's more space and time to play around with the characters. It's incredible art work too. Otomo is a genius.

J - Who were your influences as an artist and what attracted you to their style?

S - Again, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird (TMNT) were the first. I hadn't read any Frank Miller until after I was in college, so he would've been a big one for me. I wish I had lots of obscure influences, but honestly I loved all sorts of mainstream stuff. Cartoons like Transformers, Thundercats were big. Of course Chuck Jones' Warner Bros. stuff changed me.

J - What about your influences as a writer?

S - I never really thought about writers as far as being influences on me. I have never felt like I'm a very good writer, so naming influences would only insult those people, I think. Working with Jeff Smith was the biggest impression as a "writer", but more importantly as a "storyteller". Storytelling is more about meshing the writing and cartooning. Knowing when and how your characters speak...that sort of thing. Jeff Smith is a master at it.

J - What was the biggest inspiration behind Fish N Chips?

S - TMNT has always been the first, because even as a kid I knew those guys were going against the flow in publishing. In the 80's, anything that wasn't Marvel or DC had little chance of making it big. I admired those guys, and I still do.

J - You've said Jeff Smith was a big help getting this project off the ground, what all has he done for you?

S - He's incredible. He actually forced me to show him my roughed pages as I was doing the first issue. I was terrified, even though we're like friends! We just brainstorm over dinner every once in a while. Just being around him at conventions, and seeing how he handles every aspect of self-publishing, really helps.

J - What has your experience working with Jeff Smith been like?

S - The best. After a few months of only dealing with the toy design stuff, I decided I wanted to wiggle my way into other aspects of the company. There are only 5 people there, including Jeff and his wife, Vijaya. Everyone does everything, so that's how I got into lettering the Rose (A Bone spin off mini-series) books. No one else was able to do it, and certainly not because I knew how. I didn't know how at all!! I just learned as I went, same with the coloring. I did some samples for fun one day, and now I do every coloring job they need done. I can't believe they let me! Jeff really trusts me, which is so cool.

J - Other than the BONE what other lines of action figures have you worked on?

S - I worked at Resaurus, which is now completely out of business. There I did design work on the first Bone line, 2 lines of Street Fighter, Duke Nukem, Quake, Pickups...these cool little guitars, and some other stuff, that never came out. I still do freelance design work for some other toy companies.

J - I know I'm jumping a little ahead here, but have you given any thought to Fish N Chips action figures or other merchandise?

S - Of course! It's funny because I know so many factories in China from being in the industry, that I feel like I could just do the toys myself. If I did toys, I would totally produce them myself. I have sculptors that I trust, and factories that could do it right. It costs a lot of money though, so it wouldn't happen for a little while. I do plan to do a "Fish" snow-globe sometime next year, if things go well.

J - If you could work with any other writer/artist who would it be and why?

S - I would love to work with Mike Mignola (Hellboy). I love his storytelling style so much. Not sure what I would work with him on. Maybe I could take out his trash? Ha ha.

J - If you could work on any other comic book series, which would you choose and why?

S - Definitely Turtles! Peter Laird is starting the book up again, and I love it! I would kill to do a pin-up or something.

J - David Mack (Kabuki), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo) and Dave Sim (Cerberus) are all creators who made their careers working on one particular character, but other independents like Brian Michael Bendis (Ultiamte Spider-Man) and Matt Wagner (Mage) have diversified their work over several. Which category do you hope to fall under in 10 years?

S - Wow...10 years. I don't know. I have this one story for Fish N Chips, and after that I guess I would probably want to do something different. I have some different stories in my head that are really different from this book, but it all depends on people accepting me first. You know, if people actually care if I do comics at all. Ha ha. I will definitely want to do more FNC stories. How about... In 10 years I want 10 thick trade paperbacks of my work...how's that? Ha ha.

J - If you were given an opportunity to take Fish N Chips a larger publisher, like to Dark Horse or Image, would you take it or continue publishing independently?

S - Self-publishing is very hard. At this point I would probably let someone publish me. Creative control is the reason I did it this way to begin with, but if you have no advertising support, then no one sees your book. I'm dealing with that now actually. Diamond can't carry my book if the numbers don't go up, but I have no way of getting people to order more, other that word-of-mouth. Image and DH have ad departments and of course, lots of readers from years of publishing. Jeff Smith did a year with Image for that reason. He got a nice readership boost from it, and then went back to doing it himself.

J - If you could work for any other comic label, who would you choose and why?

S - I like Antarctic, Oni and Image. I say those because my book would most easily fit into their library. Dark Horse would be great, but I'm not sure if I fit in.

J - Do you plan to attend any conventions this year?

S - I do. I'm going to Pittsburgh Comicon, Small Press Expo, San Diego

Comicon...not setting up there though, and Mid Ohio Con. That's all I think I can afford right now. Ha ha.

J - When is Fish N Chips issue #2 expected to ship?

S - #2 comes out in April.

J - Are there any other projects you're currently working on? If so, when will they be shipping?

S - Just my lettering and coloring stuff for Cartoon Books. Rose #3 just shipped, and the Rose trade compilation is coming soon. The covers for BONE, of course, every 2 months. Just Fish N Chips for me on the personal side.

J - Thanks for your time Steve, I really appreciate it.

S - Thank you! You were there from the start, so it's awesome to talk to you now! I hope I can do this again in 10 years!

If you'd like to check out some of Steve Hamaker's work you can visit his website at:

www.fishnchipscomics.com

or the BONE website at:

www.boneville.com

or stop in your local comic book store and ask for a copy.