Brian Andersen is just getting his comic book, So Super Duper, off the ground, but I’m already hooked and loving it. It’s such a fun take on the super hero genre, and even though the artwork isn’t amazing, the characters and their story more than make up for it. Andersen has done a great job of giving each character a unique voice and portraying the struggles of someone who doesn’t really fit in. So Super Duper is totally worth the price. Here, Andersen talks about his comic and where he wants to go with it.
Pink Raygun: Do you write and draw So Super Duper?
Brian Andersen: I do. I write, draw, color, ink, everything.
PRG: Could you give a brief synopsis of your book?
BA: Basically, it’s about a character named Psyche who is part of this super team where everyone is your stereotypical super hero: strong, powerful, confident, and he’s anything but that. So, he’s not as super as everyone else, which is the ironic name of the comic book because he’s not really super at all. The only power he has is he can read people’s emotions. That’s not really a very conducive power for super heroics. You can’t fight criminals with reading emotions. So, he’s kind of a weak type of character.
PRG: What made you dream up this idea?
BA: It’s kind of based on me. I love comic books and I love super heroes and I always wanted to do something like that. I thought that if I ever did something in comics, it would be super hero themed and then I also wanted to do something I could relate to. Something like me, where I always felt not as great as everyone else sometimes. Just an everyday normal person who’s not as handsome as this person, not as buff as that person, but still trying to do his best.
PRG: It felt very high school to me with the super team. Like there was the big muscular jock and the queen bee, and then there’s Psyche who doesn’t fit in with any of them.
BA: Also, all the characters assume to know that he’s a homosexual person, but he himself doesn’t know that yet. So, he’s kind of oblivious to who he really is in that aspect, as well. Everyone else is like “What’s his deal? Why is he here? He has no powers and I think he’s gay”.
PRG: The homosexual aspect didn’t seem like an issue. Obvious, but not an issue, if that makes sense.
BA: Yeah. It’s not something that is an issue in the comic, it’s just part of his personality and who he is. But, it doesn’t define him as a person. It’s really a conflict for anybody who doesn’t feel as great as the people around them in their everyday life.
PRG: Is this the first comic that you’ve done?
BA: My very fist.
PRG: What was your process in doing the book?
BA: I basically wrote page by page and I had a layout of how I wanted the pages to look and how I wanted the story to flow. From there I would draw each page based on a script.
PRG: What’s your artistic background?
BA: Self-taught, which I think is kind of evident! Its a very simplistic art style because that’s how I draw. I don’t have a lot of ability. I have the ability to portray my story and that’s pretty much it. I”m kind of limited sometimes, but I do the best I can with what I have.
PRG: Do you have any hopes or dreams for So Super Duper beyond self-publishing your book?
BA: I just want anyone to pick it up and if they love it, great. I want to do something creative that someone could enjoy.
PRG: When you’re writing this, who are you writing it for? Who do you imagine reading this?
BA: Probably more for me. A lot of writers say write what you know or write what you like. So, I wrote something that I would like to read. Hopefully, there are other people like me who want to read about a sort of Charlie Brown-ish character in a super hero world. It touches on that, then obviously the gay themes.
I don’t want to narrow it down to one theme, because it’s pretty much for everyone. It’s a cute, fun, whimsical tale. There’s no heavy message that hits you over the head. It’s just an enjoyable read. It boils down to being happy with who you are and survive in whatever world you are in.
So Super Duper is available for purchase at Brian Andersen’s website, and issue one is part of Pink Raygun’s “Couldn’t Make APE?” prize pack. Subscribe to Pink Raygun by Email for a chance to win.
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