Edited 07/21: Michel Mulipola is back for ComicFest 2021! Have a read of our 2019 interview with Michel ahead of this year’s ComicFest — coming up Saturday 21 August at the National Library in Thorndon.

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Next on our “5 minutes with..” is Michel Mulipola. He is a self taught comic book artist from Auckland, New Zealand. Michel has been immersed in the world of comic books from the tender age of five and has wanted to draw comic books from that moment on. He has also done work for BOOM! Studios’ line of WWE comics, various anthologies and is currently working on the U.S comic book, Headlocked: The Last Territory.

Q: What first got you interested in comics?
A: I fell in love with comics before I started school. I stumbed across my Uncle’s collection and instantly fell in love with the bright colours and bold characters.

Q: What is your average day like?
A: My average day is usually spent drawing comics, answering e-mails, scolling through social media and playing video games. Some days, you could find me at Arkham City Comics in Auckland or visiting schools as part of Duffy Books in Homes’ Role Model program.

Q: Can you tell us about a current or recent project you’ve worked on?
A: I’ve recently finished up a comic book for the NZ School Journals which should be in schools later this year and am currently working through the next volume of the Headlocked graphic novel series.

Q: Do you have any traditions or rituals that help you when you get to work?
A: I don’t have any traditions or rituals. I kind of play the day by ear and go with the flow.

Q: Who/what is your biggest influence or inspiration?
A: I don’t really have ONE person who is the biggest influence for me. The medium of comic books itself is the inspiration. In terms of artists, as a kid growing up in the 80s and 90s, I can’t go past Jim Lee’s X-Men run as an influence on my art.

Q: What or who are your favourite NZ comics or creators?
A: Funnily enough, Roger Langridge and Dylan Horrocks are some of my favourite NZ comic creators. I also will have to say Toby Morris and Ant Sang are very good friends of mine and Ben Stenbeck’s work is always freakin’ awesome!

Q: What is your dream comic project?
A: I’ve had an opportunity to do short dream projects with BOOM! Studios’ WWE comics, drawing some of my favourite wrestlers. I would love to be able to illustrate a Green Lantern comic sometime as he is my all time favourite superhero.

Q: What are you excited to share with ComicFest attendees? Just a taster!
A: I’m excited to share my story as a Polynesian comic book artist. And maybe I’ll show off some art too…

Q: If you were to enter our cosplay contest, who/what would you dress up as?
A: As someone who constantly dresses up in tights and beats people up, I am no stranger to cosplay.
I have cosplayed as Spider-Gwen, Star-Lord, Green Lantern, Bane and the Green Power Ranger in the past. As for now, I would love to cosplay as Thanos. I’ve got the Infinity Gauntlet, I just need to paint my skin purple and grow a scrotum chin.

You can find Michel online in the following places:
Instagram: @bloodysamoanart
Twitter: @bloodysamoan
Blog/Website: bloodysamoan.com

Edited 07/21: Giselle Clarkson is back for ComicFest 2021! Have a read of our 2019 interview with Giselle ahead of this year’s ComicFest — coming up Saturday 21 August at the National Library in Thorndon.

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We caught up with Giselle Clarkson, a Wellington-based freelance illustrator and cartoonist who is also interested in rock-pooling, foraging, and doing crosswords. She has a monthly comic about children’s books being published by NZ website The Sapling, covering topics that range from why John Burningham is responsible for the millennial avocado crisis to a review of species that are named after fictional characters. She also makes comics about science and conservation issues for scientists, a zoo, and the NZ School Journal.

Q: What first got you interested in comics?
A: When I was a kid I loved Tintin, The Far Side and books by Raymond Briggs, but it wasn’t until I was at university and discovered webcomics that I realised how broad and accessible the medium was. Discovering stuff like Hark! A Vagrant, Hyperbole and a Half and xkcd gave me the idea that I could do it too.

Q: What is your average day like?
A: I work full-time as an illustrator/cartoonist and my studio is at home, so there are a lot of pyjamas and cats involved. I try to keep pretty regular 9-5 hours because most of my clients are in offices, but the best part is never having to set an alarm clock. I think my job is only about 40% drawing, the rest is emailing. So much emailing.

Q: Can you tell us about a current or recent project you’ve worked on?
A: Last year I worked with the Tawaki Project to condense their scientific paper on the extraordinary feeding habits of tawaki penguins into a short comic for sharing on social media. It was better recieved than we could have hoped for, and even retweeted by Diana Gabaldon of all people! It was super exciting to see how comics can work effectively as a science communication medium.

I also make a monthly comic for The Sapling (a NZ site for adults about children’s literature). Sometimes I review new picture books or write biographies of authors and illustrators, or share weird and cool facts I find out about classic kid’s books.

 

Q: If you were to enter our cosplay contest, who/what would you dress up as?
A: The pink character from Alex Norris’ comic strips (the ones that always end with “oh no.”)

You can find Giselle online in the following places:
Twitter: @giselledraws
Facebook: GiselleDraws
Blog/Website: www.giselledraws.com