An Interview with Owly Creator, Andy Runton ______________________________________
Posted on April 24, 2008
 Since Free Comic Book Day is right around the corner, Riverside Reads thought it would be fun to interview old friend, Andy Runton. He talks about his new FCBD Owly issue and so much more.
Thanks Andy.
Freddy / Brandon / Breanna: When and Why did you create Owly, and when did you start to make the Owly books?
I created Owly when I was in college. He started out as a simple little doodle on a post-it note. I lived at home and would stay up really late working on design projects. I left little notes for my mom and let her know what time I went to bed, and it was always late, so she called me her little owl. She's always loved my cute little drawings - the cuter the better. So I drew this little owl on the notes to make her smile. But I drew him for years and after a while, he sort of became my mascot. In 2001, when I was trying to come up with a comic book idea, I tried everything, dragons, aliens, ninjas...but nothing worked. Then one day I just looked at my little owl and saw what I had. He already had his own group of friends, and I loved drawing him. It all just unfolded. He had been there all the time, and I had missed him. After that, I started writing Owly stories and everything just clicked. The first Owly comics were done in 2001, and I started creating the longer format stories like "The Way Home" in 2003.
Brandon: How did you know how to tell a story without words?
I didn't know how to tell stories without words. And I actually started doing it by accident. I had worked on a few comics before Owly, and I wasn't happy with the dialogue and couldn't make it work. So, I had a deadline to finish one of the stories and just had to leave the dialogue out and let the pictures tell the stories. That was okay with me because I always loved silent characters, and it made me work harder to make sure the story was clear. To my surprise it worked well enough that people who read it could follow the story. But then I ran into some difficulties. Some things are almost impossible to say in just static pictures. I read "Where Hats Go" by by Kurt Wolfgang in which he used icons instead of dialogue. It gave me the courage to use the same techniques to help with my storytelling. I used to design computer icons for a living and was aware that good icons can convey complex ideas clearly. I brought that into my comics. It does make some things hard to say, but that's what makes comics so interesting for me. It's a challenge!
Amanda: Did you like to write and draw when you were in school?
Yes, I did! I've always loved to write and to draw. Drawing was always an obsession for me. I loved art and especially loved experimenting with new tools and techniques. I also loved English, even though I was never the fastest reader. That's probably one of the other reasons I ended up telling stories that used very few words.
Ryan / Kyle: What do you like the best: Writing or drawing?
I definitely like drawing more. It's easier for me to communicate my ideas through drawing then in any other way. Many times I have to write out the Owly stories first so I can share my ideas with my family, friends, and publisher. But I really have trouble doing anything more complex than a simple outline. Anything more complicated than that is easier to draw! The words frustrate me many times, and what I'm saying just doesn't come out right.
Haley: How old were you when you learned to draw?
Well I never really remember "learning" to draw. It seems that I've been drawing my entire life. When I was really small, my mom would give me paper and pencils in church to keep me from making too much noise. Pretty soon, I started bringing little sketch books along and especially on trips. I remember my earliest art classes--my mom teaching me how to draw a house, and my grandfather teaching me how to draw fish and birds... but not much more than that. I also studied art and design in college and that's where I learned how to draw in perspective.
Darren / Danny: Why don’t you use speech bubbles?
Well, besides all of the other reasons I've already mentioned, I'd say that it's really because I just don't like them all that much. I think that they can make it hard to follow what's going on in a comic. Many times, new readers of comics will make the mistake of just reading the speech bubbles. But reading Owly kind of forces you to read the pictures.
When did you learn to draw like that?
I didn't really learn to draw like that until I was around 25. I had learned a lot about writing and storytelling before that, but I had never tried to write comics like Owly until that time. And I didn't really learn, I just tried a few things until I found something and it worked. I'm still experimenting with what works and what doesn't with every story. I'll write my stories and show them to a few people to make sure they're clear. And even then I have to edit the pictures or icons up until the very end to make sure everybody can understand them.
Breanna: What books of yours do you like the best?
I really like all of the books but in different ways. It's kind of like how parents love all of their children equally. That being said, my favorite are probably the ones I just finished, "Owly: A Time to be Brave" and the new story for Free Comic Book Day 2008 because they're the freshest in my mind. The way I draw Owly has evolved over the years and the newer ones are more representative of the way I see him now in my mind. When I look back at the older drawings of Owly, his eyes look smaller and Wormy looks so thin. They just look a little weird to me. It's much the same as looking at old pictures of yourself after the styles have changed.
Emma: Have you ever seen an Owl?
Yes! I've seen lots of owls. They live in the woods by my house. I've seen them sitting in trees and even sunning themselves on the grass. But you can't get very close. Especially with baby owls... you have to be very careful not to get too close because the momma owl is always nearby and is very protective of her babies. I've also seen lots of Owls in zoos around the country.
Emma: Have you written any other books?
I've only written one little piece of another book called "Orzo." It was a little story about a little space alien who is a reluctant hero and ends up saving his planet. I only made about 20 copies of the first part of the story and gave them to my friends. It was fun to do and a necessary step, but I lost interest in it, and it really was a bad fit for me. Once I started writing Owly comics, I decided I wouldn't work on Orzo anymore.
Zack: Are you going to make new characters for your Free Comic Book Day comic?
That's actually a very interesting question because the answer is, "no." I specifically wanted to do a new Owly story and not introduce any new characters. Instead I created a story that deals with the other friends that Owly already has. I'm really happy with it and I can't wait to hear what you guys think of it too!
Danny: Are you going to write another Owly book?
Absolutely! Working on Owly is a dream-come-true. I'm able to write about the things I want to write about and draw the things I want to draw. I get to draw all of these characters that I love... fulfilling doesn't even begin to describe it! At the same time, it's the hardest work I've ever done. But that's what keeps me going. I love the challenge of it. It's like a really hard game that I'm working to master... but it keeps changing and growing so the challenge never ends. I love Owly's world and all of the characters in it so I plan on writing and drawing Owly stories for a very long time. I really don't plan on stopping! Owly still has lots of friends to make and lots of adventures to go on. :)
Thanks for everything, Andy
You can pick up a free copy of Owly and Friends! on May 3, 2008 in Moncton at one of the three comic stores in Moncton (I am pretty sure it will be at all three, but I know for sure that it will be available at Gamezilla - Mr. Tingley)
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