QRD – How old were you when you first got into comics & did you always stick with them or did you come back to them?

Troy – I’ve been reading & drawing comics for as long as I can remember.  I almost gave them up as a lost cause after the early ‘90s, but then I discovered indy comics like Bone, Cerebus, & Strangers in Paradise. I never looked back.

QRD – What was the first comic book you ever bought?

Troy – I’m not sure, but I very clearly recall getting Marvel’s Star Wars #15 from a spinner rack & reading it in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.

QRD – How old were you when you put out your first comic?

Troy – 25 years old.  Chiaroscuro #1, September 2000.

QRD – What decade do you think produced the best comics?

Troy – I’m not partial to any decade, I just like good comics regardless the era.

QRD – Why comics instead of just writing or drawing?

Troy – It’s the best of both worlds! I love the hybrid. When I think of writing a novel, it usually evolves into a comic story. I’m too visual to rely only on words & I like what the art brings to it.

QRD – Do you see mini-comics & indie comics as paths to mainstream comics or as their own unique media?

Troy – They’re their own thing, it’s up to the creator what his/her agenda beyond that is. I like being on the indy side of things, it affords more freedom. Besides, I never had any desire to draw Batman or Spiderman as a career goal - I’m more interested in telling my own stories.

QRD – How many copies of your comic do you print in your first run?

Troy – I think it was close to 2000 on issue #1 & down to 1000 by issue #7 when I ceased self-publishing.

QRD – How much do you think comics should cost?

Troy – $2-$3? Beats me, I’m pretty much a graphic novel buyer these days.

QRD – How many books do you produce a year & how many would you like to?

Troy – If I’m lucky, 1 book every 2 years (graphic novel), but I’m hoping to pull down a book a year in the future.

QRD – Do you think stories should be serialized or delivered as complete works?

Troy – Depends on the story. Like I said earlier, I pretty much only pick up collected books.

QRD – How are comic strips different than comic books & which medium do you prefer?

Troy – I guess the obvious thing is the strips are often 3-4 panel gags & not extended narratives. Both have their place. I prefer creating longer form stories, but enjoy both mediums.

QRD – How long is it from when you start a comic until it’s printed?

Troy – Too long. Years.

QRD – What do you better with your comics now than when you first started?

Troy – The art gets better.

QRD – At what point in the artistic process do you work digitally?

Troy – Scanning the artwork for print & any colouring. Beyond that I’m very much rooted in the traditional method right down to hand lettering.

QRD – What do you think of digital comics & webcomics?

Troy – Some are great, most are not.

QRD – Do you prefer working in color or black & white?

Troy – I prefer B&W, but I’m seeing the merits of adding colour. It’s just tedious.

QRD – How many different people should work on a comic & what should their jobs be?

Troy – I generally like books by a single creator, but there are plenty of great collaborations out there as well.

QRD – How do you find collaborators?

Troy – I don’t.

QRD – How tight do you think a script should be as far as telling the artist what to draw?

Troy – The writer needs to leave room for the artist to do their job. I doubt I could draw for Alan Moore.

QRD – What comic book person would you be most flattered to be compared to?

Troy – Dave Sim (which Alex Robinson & I were referred to - with pride - as  “Magpies” on his wiki page). People have made allusions to John K. as well.

QRD – What do your friends & family think of your comics?

Troy – They seem to like them I guess.

QRD – What do you think of superheroes?

Troy – I don’t bother with them really. The early ‘90s ruined those books for me for life.

QRD – Marvel or DC?

Troy – Neither. Fantagraphics, D&Q, Top Shelf, First Second (etc) are more my style.

QRD – What comic characters other than your own would you like to work with?

Troy – I can’t think of any really.

QRD – Ideally would you self-publish?

Troy – I have in the past & I may again in the future.

QRD – What conventions do you try to attend & why?

Troy – I like the indy cons like TCAF (my fave), APE, & SPX.

QRD – What do you do to promote your books?

Troy – Hustle them on the net mostly. Maintain a blog(s) & update them a few times a month. Nothing crazy.

QRD – Do you think your comics are well suited to comic shops or would sell better elsewhere?

Troy – Sure, but I think they belong in mainstream bookstores as well.

QRD – What other medium would you like to see some of your comics made into (television, film, games, action figures, etc.)?

Troy – My book Angora Napkin was made into an animated pilot for Teletoon.  I’d like to make more of those someday. Maybe straight to video features?

QRD – Do you consider yourself a comic collector or a comic reader or both?

Troy – Less a collector now & more of a reader.

QRD – What do you see as the most viable mediums for comics distribution 10 years from now?

Troy – Probably a hybrid between Diamond & Amazon. Sort of like it is now I think.

QRD – What would you like to see more people doing with comics?

Troy – Original creator owned graphic novels that didn’t involve superheroes.

QRD – Anything else?

Troy – Yes.