Thread "Round 4: kaleygeminni interviews PieGuy259!" in forum "Interviews"

Posted at 2:02AM, Feb. 5, 2009

The first of the interviews from Round 4 of is in- I hope everyone enjoys reading kaleygeminni 's interview of Pieguy259!

1. Who is PieGuy259?
Pieguy259 is everyone and no-one. He burns in the stars and on the mountains. He is the friend of bears and the guest of eagles. He is Ring-winner and Luckwearer, and he is Barrel-rider. He is the beginning. The end. The one who is funny. Resistance is futile. You will be as-stick-ulated.

…Hang on, lost my train of thought there. I'm sixteen, male and I live in Sydney, Australia. I like candlelit dinners and long walks on the beach. And ladies - I'm single.

2. When and how did the idea of creating Stickman and Cube first come to you?

Back before Stickman and Cube came to be, I used to draw comics for my friends, by hand. My big comic was "Phillip Pie" - a comic about a talking pie, named Phillip. While I was working on a big storyline for Phillip Pie, the idea for Cube just… popped into my head. I tried to think of a suitable companion for a talking cube, and along came Stickman. I started hand-drawing them, and looked into webcomicry (you can see one of my earlier attempts here). However, I couldn't find a place to host it. Then, I found out about DrunkDuck, and the rest, as they say, is history.

3. Be honest. How much time does it take to create the visuals, and the script, individually?

Visuals are easy. Don't tell anyone, but most comics are just the same picture over and over (shhhh!). Even the big one-shot comics are simple to make. The scripts, however, are another story. That actually explains most of my erratic schedule, thinking up scripts. It can sometimes take me days or weeks to come up with story ideas, and I'm not nearly organised enough to have a buffer.

4. In general, what is your view on stick figure comics?

They're harder than they look. The thing with stick figure comics is, they have to be fresh, funny and original, constantly. I admire people like Randall Munroe and Rich Burlew, who have managed to stay fresh, funny and original for so many years. With traditional comics, if you run out of jokes, you can take the route of Cerebus Syndrome by developing in-depth characters and storylines. Stick figure comics can't do that. Stick figure comics have to be funny, all the time. They can't afford to try and go serious (with a few exceptions: Order of the Stick has managed to juggle storyline and gags very successfully. Of course, it has better art than most stick figure comics). You see so many stick figure comics start off with a few in-jokes and lowbrow gags, then fade into oblivion because they have nothing else to say. Again: you have to keep it fresh and you have to keep it funny.

5. Your writing is very clever. Are you this witty in person?

Thankyou. I'm even wittier in person. Pity my friends, family, and the New South Wales Supreme Court can't understand that.

6. Just between us… who do you love more? Stickman or Cube?

*shifty eyes* I love each of my characters equally, and this statement has nothing to do with the gun pressed to my temple.

7. Are you REALLY a fan of potato salad? Or were you being sarcastic?

Can't stand the stuff, actually. I was parodying "arc words" - those words that pop up throughout a show/book/comic and end up being part of the big dÃ©nouement. Like "Bad Wolf" in Doctor Who, and those numbers in Lost. "Potato salad", of course, was entirely meaningless.

8. How do you think all this up without short-circuiting your brain?

My brain was short-circuited years ago. Really, it takes time, effort and a whole lot of plagiar… I mean, natural sense of humour.

9. Do you identify more with Stickman or Cube…? Or perhaps The Hat?

I can see aspects of myself in both Stickman and Cube. I've also always wanted to be an evil cackling mastermind like the Hat, but without the whole… devouring people's heads…… thing.

10. What are your main sources of inspiration for your comic?

A lot of my ideas just randomly come to me. Captain Invisible, for example, came about during dinner at Hungry Jack's, out of nowhere. Other times, I can usually find a trope to parody by searching through TV Tropes Wiki, the Bible for any writer, parody artist or media aficionado. Then, of course, there are the holiday/special event comics, which are always good for a quick filler.

11. Could you give us a hint of what's to come in Stickman and Cube?

Well, I'll have to get this whole heat wave thing sorted out first… I can tell you that we haven't heard the last of Robo-Cube and the Hat. I've had a few parody ideas floating around, too. But really… you'll just have to wait and see!

Posted at 10:02AM, Feb. 5, 2009

This is actually really interesting. I don't tend to look at these more random comics, or gag-strips in general too much. (Not because they're bad, I just personally prefer a story) It was really kinda neat to see what sort of thought process (or lack thereof?) is behind it all. Thanks for the insight!

Posted at 3:02AM, Feb. 6, 2009

Hehehe. ^^ Yeah, there's a lot more to stick figure comics than meets the eye. Which, considering what meets the eye is stick figures, isn't hard…

Posted at 10:02AM, Feb. 6, 2009

How do they intend to re-form cube? Pour him into a box lined with wax paper?

Posted at 1:02PM, Feb. 6, 2009

Great interview. This just goes to show in the comics community how much more intelligent and witty our 16-year-olds are in comparison to the mainstream teens who DON'T write and illustrate.
Even stick figure series. XD Creative people are simply more entertaining.

Posted at 1:02PM, Feb. 6, 2009

stick figure comics *especially if you arent drawing them by hand* are a LOT harder than other comics. you really need to understand the basics of motion and movement to properly convery what your stick characters are doing. and you also have to be a better writer, since your words will have more impact.