A few weeks ago, Vertigo Comics released Revolver (read our review of Vertigo's Revolver), the new graphic novel from the popular and unique cartoonist Matt Kindt. Revolver is the story of a guy torn between two different worlds: his dead-end day job and a world in chaso amongst a social apocalypse. We got to talk with Kindt about the genesis of Revolver, his upcoming projects, and the craziness of San Diego Comic-Con.
CraveOnline: Thanks for taking the time with us! Let’s start simple: where did the idea for Revolver stem form?
Matt Kindt: The root of that would be from my earliest day-jobs. Sitting at a desk all day pretending to work and wishing I was somewhere else. That combined with a love of end-of-the-world as a genre in itself.
CraveOnline: That certainly sounds familiar [laughs]. How did Revolver end up at Vertigo?
Matt Kindt: I'd shown my then editor, Bob Schreck the outlines for my next 3 books to see if one of those would be a good fit for Vertigo -- and he chose Revolver. My books are just going to be my books and I felt like a couple of my more recent ideas might be a good fit for them -- and I'd wanted to work with Bob since forever and was excited at the chance.
CraveOnline: Often times when a project tackles things like terrorism or social commentary, it can come off a bit heavy handed. Revolver avoids that. Is that something that concerned you?
Matt Kindt: I hate politics in my art. I have my beliefs like everyone else but when you start putting those beliefs into your art it doesn't change hearts and minds - it just reassures those that share your beliefs and turns off those that disagree with you. As a result I really try to avoid reading anything that's overtly political and I definitely make a conscience effort to keep it out of my books. I wont' say it's without politics but I try to keep that as a subtext at the most. If you keep the story about individuals and their decisions it ends up being more interesting anyway.
CraveOnline: There’s a lot of deliberation in Revolver between the dead-end day job and the chaotic end-of-the-world scenario. Obviously, you’re making a career as a cartoonist, but have you ever been stuck in what you felt was a dead-end job?
Matt Kindt: I think any job where you're not enjoying the work you're doing is a dead-end job. And I had plenty of those. I'd start imagining my life doing this same boring job for 15 or 20 years and then retiring and freak out a little. What is the point of that? If you're going to spend 90% of your waking life doing something then that something should be enjoyable if not out right awesomely fun. But I think I started out thinking, well, I've got to be financially stable and have a 401k and get all of this set up - but the job I had to hold to have all that was completely unfulfilling. It wasn't worth it. To me the trade of less financial stability for a work I love doing (comics) is totally worth it. I think we'd have less angry drivers on the road if more people took that leap.
CraveOnline: Who or what are you most influenced by when it comes to cartooning?
Matt Kindt: I'm not sure I'm really influence by anybody anymore. The last few years I've been going back and looking at Chester Gould's Dick Tracy and Roy Crane comic strips for inspiration. And I really don't know if there's an influence there -- maybe in the way I spot blacks and that kind of thing but just to get excited about making lines on paper again - those are the things I gravitate towards. Also -- I had sort of a transformation as an inker a couple years ago when I was watching Chris Schweizer inking in his sketchbook. I told him this later -- but he inked this hand so perfectly with these wonderful thin and thick lines of the brush that I still think about those lines every time I pick up a brush to ink.
CraveOnline: Comics have seen an influx of post-apocalyptic stories in the last few years, and though Revolver certainly doesn’t fall into that generalization so easily, what do you think is the catalyst for this sudden interest in our downfall as a society?
Matt Kindt: I really don't think it's new -- I grew up watching Planet of the Apes and Red Dawn and Escape from New York and I really just think that end-of-the-world is just a generally popular sub-genre - like time-travel or heist stories. There's just so much you can do. If there's a resurgence in that genre I don't know why really -- I think zombies might be to blame. And the obvious answer is 9/11 of course -- the ripples of that will be around for a long time.
CraveOnline: Revolver makes mention of people buying things they don’t really need. What’s your one possession you absolutely love but absolutely don’t need?
Matt Kindt: I have an amateur JFK life-size sculpted bust that is the best/worst thing ever. It barely even looks like JFK. I love it irrationally.
CraveOnline: Did you make an appearance at SDCC this year? If so, how’d it go?
Matt Kindt: Yes -- it was crazy as usual. I did the Vertigo panel and then signings and meetings with editors and producers -- both Super Spy and 3 Story got optioned in the same week so it's been an exciting few months getting to be involved with that. I feel like I've gotten lucky with the people I'm working with -- I'm not having to protect my work at all -- I'm just having fun collaborating and seeing what happens. It's been nothing but fun. The end result of that is that I don't actually get to see SDCC -- I end up seeing more on-line when I get home then when I'm actually in the middle of it.
CraveOnline: Wow, that’s awesome! Getting your work optioned is exciting, I’m sure. What’s next for you?
Matt Kindt: I have three new full length books due out next year -- all of them written and I'm plugging away on art right now. Strange Crimes of Red Wheel Barrow (First Second), Super Natural (sequel to Super Spy for Top Shelf), and End of the World (for Oni).
CraveOnline: Well, thanks so much for your time Matt, and we’ll be looking forward to all of your upcoming work!
