Who’s Who Geek Edition: Emily McGuiness

I decided to do a set of mini interviews with people I’ve interacted with and have extraordinary backgrounds. Many I’ve met via Facebook and many I’ll meet when I attend SDCC for the first time this July. Next up is Emily McGuiness!

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Name: Emily McGuiness
Site: http://www.facebook.com/emily.mcguiness
emilymcguiness.daportfolio.com
tiescomic.blogspot.com
Online Handle: @Emily_McGuiness
Age: 29
Fave cartoon/book/movie/whatever: Batman is still my all time favorite comic and cartoon.

L: Independent comics sometimes tell the best, underrated stories. How is it working for Boom! Studios, an indie label that I feel has personally been churning out some fantastic titles lately (like Adventure Time!)?

EM: We are real cowboys riding on the edge. We get to do some amazing things because we don’t have the shadow of a big studio or corporation behind us. We’re also really branching out our kids line KABOOM! and our lit imprint BOOM! Town. Not a day goes by where I don’t want to read something sitting on an editor’s desk. The best part is I get to tell people all about it and usher these great stories into the world. It’s a whirlwind but it’s tons of fun! And I get to scream at a camera every week and let people know what awesome books are coming out! Who wouldn’t love that?

L: You also dabble in art (which is AMAZING by the way). Is there someone you’d like to work alongside with to create an original comic?

EM: I would love to tell Scott Snyder stories. I can’t help but love Batman and American Vampire. And I couldn’t pass up a Michael Alan Nelson story either.  Swords and hot chicks! I’m there.

L: Since you seem constantly doing something amazingly cool, what kind of projects do you have in the works?

EM: With my first book out, I am hard at work on the second. It’s all about finding work in the crazy town of LA. There will soon be a blog where people can check out the process before I start releasing it as a webcomic. Keep checking back on Facebook for more updates and you can see a sneak preview here. I also am always in search of more artists to join my art collective, Latchkey Studios. We have been able to do some amazing events and shows here in LA and abroad and I can’t help but want to work with more talented creators. I also run a monthly dinner for all different artists. It’s the last Thursday of every month and we always seem to have a great time. We get to share and learn from one another. Whew! That sounds like a handful even to me!

L: Everyone has a science fiction property that means the world to them, be it Star Wars, Back to the Future, or even E.T. What’s yours?

EM: The original Rod Serling Twilight Zone probably most influenced my taste in Sci-fi. I couldn’t get enough of that “horror in the backyard” type storytelling where everything was just slightly off and the everyday became desperately sinister.

L: Would you mind telling us a little about your efforts getting Ties: A Story of Letters and Scotch out in the world?

EM: This story had been with me for about 6 years and after a whole boat load of submissions I just had to get it out. So I self published, did the Kickstarter thing, and now have the books in hand wherever I go. I see it wholly as a trial and error first effort and boy! did I learn a lot. I did a lot of stuff by hand – like individually emailing over 300 reviewers. My little story about “What would happen if you had parents by mail.” turned into a life growing experience that I will be sure to bring to my next book. In the mean time you can find it here and learn all about angst and Ira. 

L: I ask this question of everyone, so be honest: If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what position would you want? I know I’d crap my pants.

EM: Propaganda Minister. The Control of Information is EVERYTHING. Who wants to be a figurehead?

Many awesome thanks to Miss McGuiness for taking the time out to chat with me!