Hervé

Hervé: Is this your first project?

No.

Hervé: You say that you have an animation background?

It pays my bills

Hervé: How different is animation from comics?

I never worked much in comics, never made much money. As for animation, I got in there to make some money.

Hervé: Which one has more challenge?

I dunno. In animation, the goal is to copy someone else's style. It's my 14th production so I'm getting used to it.

Hervé: So your friend gave you the idea and didn't work on the project?

Not really no. I basically turned the machine on and told him I'd give him his share of money if there was any to give.

Hervé: Did he like the result?

I think so.

Hervé: What other projects are you working on?

I'll be drawing the second part of One Bloody year in June 2005. I'm drawing Charlotte Sometimes, an x-rated comics with Steve Grant. It's on the back burner but will be published by Eros.

Hervé: Have you met Gary Groth, Eros' publisher and owner of Fantagraphics?

I never met Gary Groth.

Hervé: How was the reception to One Bloody year?

I've only had good press. Yeah mostly was good and online. Overall, I'm getting a very good reception.

Hervé: Who are your influences?

Steve Bissette, Byrne, Alan Moore, Totleben. Other great influences are Bernie Wrightson, Paulo Serpieri although he's more into porn and better known in Italy. There's also Frank Miller. People always compare me Charles Burns, but I haven't look his stuff much. More personally, I would say Yanick Paquette, Gabriel Morissette, Denis Rodier have been gig influences.

Hervé: In terms of story and writing, who has influenced you?

Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Warren Elis and Garth Ennis.

Hervé: How is your creative process?

I make two-inch high thumbnails. When I'm satisfied, I blow them up to the final size of the page. I get all my photo references for the project. When I'm satisfied, I blow it up and print it as non repro blue lines. I letter by hand, everything else is done in the computer. For writing, it's pretty chaotic. Until I have enough contents and then I structure the story.

Hervé: How is the self publishing process?

I'm not sure that I have enough stuff to say I have an opinion. I had to learn about business fast, keep organized. I learned to do the next thing very quickly, before they pile up. For advertising, I can't say I know what I'm can be done better. For the printing, I used Quebec or, but I haven't checked elsewhere even though I could probably get it for cheaper. It's all less pain in the ass than I thought it would be.

Hervé: How do you find the market for horror?

I don't know. I find it odd to know about something broad. People make sweeping generalizations, think you know everything.

Hervé: How about the local market?

I was published in Zine Zag, but I don't know their market.

Editor's notes: Michel added these details later:

Re: creative process: I letter CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES by computer, I letter ONE BLOODY YEAR by hand, I write scripts and process reference with the computer, and I sketch and ink by hand.

Re: horror market: I find it odd that people who see me do one horror comic expect me to know everything about the broad spectrum of horror fiction.

You can find out more about Michel lacombe at his own Web site.