Wonder of Comics: Interview with May 2009 Zuda Contestant – Beertown B’hoys

What’s the gab? Gangsters and wiseguys in Brooklyn is how I would sum up Steve Bialik’s Beertown B’hoys in this month’s Zuda competition. Steve’s entry this month has received a lot of attention particularly for it’s b/w style and B’hoy talk.(If you want to see a list of B’Hoy translations hop on over to Steve’s blog at http://beertownbhoys.blogspot.com/2009/05/bhoy-talk.html) Here’s what Steve has to say about his comic and love of everything Brooklyn:

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your comic Beertown B’hoys. How did the project come about?

I’m a cartoonist from Brooklyn, NY. I’m currently classified as “weird”, but I’m hoping with enough fame and fortune I can work my way up to “eccentric.” Beertown B’hoys is an offshoot of another project I’d been working on. I was fleshing out the backstory of one of the main characters and realized it was better than the main story, so I changed focus.

2) Give us your pitch, can you briefly summarize the concept behind the story for people not familiar with your comic?

Coitainly! It’s about the rise of real-life gangster Monk Eastman, who was, at the turn of the century, the most powerful gang lord in New York and America’s first celebrity gangster. Eastman isn’t the main character though. It’s an ensemble story about the people around him. So I guess you could call it the Sopranos meets Newsies.

3) What is your background in comics? Is this your first webcomic? Why did you bring this comic to Zuda?

Aside from my past Zuda entries I have published a graphic novel called Minister Jade through Cellar Door Publishing. I brought the comic to Zuda because overall I enjoy the whole Zuda experience. This level of exposure and feedback isn’t widely available to a lot of newer creators. And the money doesn’t hurt either. I’m sure for a lot of new creators their Zuda checks represents the first money they ever made in comics.

4) The b/w style artwork of your comic has made your comic stand out amongst the entries this month. How did you decide on this style? What is your creation process for each of the screens like? Did the Zuda format present you with any particular challenges in the creation of your screens?

Considering the exaggerated (some would say cartoony) style of the artwork, I thought color would make the comic look way too upbeat and romantic (although if the strip is allowed to continue I do plan to use some color in the future for that exact reason). The look I was going for was something between graffiti and Max Fleischer cartoons. I’ve gotten mixed reviews on it so far. Some like it, others think it clashes with the subject matter. Since most crime/noir comics are drawn in a gritty, realistic style I can definitely understand the latter opinion. All I can say to people who think that is– trust me. While it may not be the right style for a crime/noir story, it is the right style for THIS crime/noir story.

5) You have cited your love of Brooklyn as an inspiration for this comic, what are the top five things you love about Brooklyn.

The pizza, the bakeries, the F train, the history, the diversity.

You can read Steve’s entry Beertown B’hoys on Zuda.com.