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Sergio
Aragones Takes On Maggie Simpson
An Interview with an Iconic Artist Who
Just Landed a Dream Job
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Fastest
cartoonist in the West.
Check him out at Comic-Con!
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At
Super-Con this year, we interviewed one of the best living
cartoonists, Sergio Aragones, talking about upcoming Groo
projects and, of course, a bit about his past. An incredibly
gracious man, Sergio Aragones is equally at ease with fawning
fans, simpering Fanboys (us) and small children who just find
his work and his attitude appealing. It was an absolute pleasure
talking to him.
Then
we had a chat with Bill Morrison at Bongo Comics, and he
suggested that we stay in touch with Sergio because of a
huge announcement coming. That announcement had Morrison
just about vibrating out of his skin, so much is his regard
for Sergio. And it is perfectly understandable about a man
whose talent is as great as his kindness.
That
was back in May, and today, that announcement came. Sergio
Aragones will be writing and drawing a regular feature in
Bart Simpsons Comics, called "Maggie's Crib",
starting in Bart Simpson #50, available October
28, 2009.
We
went back and talked with Sergio about it, and again...well,
I'd like to adopt him as my incredibly talented uncle. I
think, however, that I'd have to wait in line behind tens
of thousands of fans who got there before me.
Derek
McCaw:
You're going to work on Bart Simpson Comics.
Sergio Aragones: Yes, I'm doing
that right now. I'm doing pages. It's called "Maggie's Dream."
They're single pages and two pages that they'll be putting
between the stories, and I'm writing and drawing complete
stories.
Derek
McCaw: How did you get involved with The Simpsons?
Sergio Aragones: Oh, I was a fan,
from the moment they came out on TV. Day One. I thought
it was the funniest animation I had seen in years. From
that moment I became a devotee of The Simpsons. I
collect The Simpsons. I watch The Simpsons.
I have everything that they've done. I have a warehouse
full of toys of The Simpsons.
When Bill Morrison asked me to work for
them I said, oh, yes I would.
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A match
made in comics heaven!
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Derek
McCaw: From the moment he said it, it seemed
like a really good fit.
Sergio Aragones: Absolutely. It's
my type of humor. I love it and I'm really glad I'm doing
it. I'm really having a good time. I'm doing pantomime humor
from the crib, without words. The stories, of course, have
words.
Derek
McCaw: Are you having to adjust your style?
Sergio Aragones: Oh, of course.
I'm doing it on model. But still, that character's on model
and the rest is my style, you know, and all the rest is
based on my style of drawing.
It's a little adjustment, mostly because
I have been always a stickler for research. I like things
on - when I do a living room, I want to know what is there.
If I have an arch, I have to draw what's behind that arch,
and it has to be correct.
So presently I am referring to the plans
of that house, and do all that research to have it correctly.
The house has to look like the house. The windows have to
look like the windows, and what's in front of the house
has to look like what's in front of the house. So that's
what takes all the time.
Derek
McCaw: And not the task of putting yourself
into a baby's perspective?
Sergio Aragones: I have always put
myself into the perspective of everything I'm doing. If
I'm the villain, I have to think like the villain; if I'm
the hero I have to think like the hero. If I'm doing Groo,
I have to think like Groo. Such as it is.
It's no trouble at all. I know the characters
very well, from every season, every show, from their very
inception.
Derek
McCaw: And how long do you plan on working
on "Maggie's Crib"? Until they tell you to stop?
Sergio Aragones: Sure! I mean, I
put it in my schedule. I'm still doing Groo, I'm
still doing Mad. But Mad now instead of twelve
times a year is quarterly, so now I have more time. It just
(Maggie's Crib) fits in my schedule perfect. So it's
great.
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