Lonnie Mann's contemplative travel comic "Thoughts From Iceland" debuted on Comixology this week and we talked to him about his time exploring the stark land of shark-eating vikings (who all seem very nice).
Congrats on having your comic featured on Comixology! This is the release of Day 1. How many chapters will follow?
Thank you! It’s crazy exciting. The entire story will be compiled into three individual books, and then a complete volume after that. Books 1 and 2 are about days 1 and 2 of my trip, respectively. The third book will include day 3, 4, and an epilogue.
A lot of your Thoughts From Iceland comic strips have to do with the interesting things you ate while traveling. What was the most adventurous thing you sampled? Was there anything you just couldn’t bring yourself to try? Or regretted trying?
That’s true. I guess “most adventurous” might depend on who you ask.. but it was probably the fermented shark, which was quite a unique experience. I don’t regret any of the food I tried, though I do feel a little bit bad about the small samples of minke whale I had. I actually only regret not having the chance to try more interesting foods, like puffin.
I think the experience of enjoying food is typically hard to capture in a comic, partially because of the economy of the medium, where you don’t often intend for the reader to linger on a smell or a taste very long, and drawings of food are often pretty unappealing. But, it seems to work in your comic. Things look yummy! Is there anything in particular about Icelandic food that you think translates well to a comic page?
Thanks! I don’t think it’s anything unique to Icelandic food in particular, though I did eat at a couple very nice places with lovely presentation. I actually think one of the most important factors in making drawings of food in comics appealing is to couple them with textual descriptions - they can further immerse the reader, and it becomes easier to imagine how the food really looks, smells, and tastes. Then again, that’s kind of the main beauty of comics, isn’t it? Not having to choose between just images or words, but combining them to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
Someone who does this really beautifully is Lucy Knisley, especially in her latest book, Relish. She’s my favorite autobio cartoonist, and a dear friend, and Relish is full of wonderful food comics. Highly recommend!
Traveloguecomics often feel kind of messy, but your panels feel like well composed photos. Were you snapping photos on your trip with an eye toward creating a comic later? Could you describe your drawing process a bit?
Oh, you’re too kind. It’s funny you mention that though, because a big part of me really wishes I could let myself go and be more sketchy and less precious with my drawings. It’s sort of a double-edged sword, the particular look I’ve been trying to achieve on this project. It can be time-consuming to the point of tediousness for certain panels, but truth be told, I’m usually pretty happy with how they come out, so I guess it’s worth it?
I did take a lot of pictures while I was there, which I used extensively for reference. I also took extensive notes about everywhere I went, everything I did, the foods I ate - that’s how I was able to retain specific descriptions of those experiences; they’re still written in my notebook. I did some sketching there as well, though not very much.
I was definitely planning on making some comics about my trip, but I didn’t realize it would turn into what’s ending up being a year and a half-long project. I’m very glad it has, though!
Regarding my process: I start with a script for a particular strip, and use a photoshop template I’ve made for the configuration of panels. Then the first thing I do is all the lettering - narration, word balloons, etc. That way, I don’t put a lot of effort into a part of the drawing I end up having to cover up with a thought bubble. It also helps inform the panels’ composition.
Then I gather reference images I want to use - places, items, etc. These might be pics I took, or pics I find on the internet. I learned about using extensive photo references from an interview with Alison Bechdel (Fun Home, Are You My Mother?), which I watched in a class at SVA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cumLU3UpcGY) - she uses photo reference for EVERYTHING. I like to do so as much as I can.
After that, I sketch all the panels using a pencil-looking photoshop brush, then I ink them, and then I color everything. Lastly, I apply a watercolor texture over everything to give it a more organic feel, and I change the outline colors for certain elements. At that point, it’s done, unless there are any final touches.
There are several beats about being a solo traveler, and something in your upbeat, but solitary tone seems to resonate with the cold landscape of Iceland. Any thoughts on how traveling alone contributes to creativity?
I prefer travelling alone, because it lets me go at my own pace, change plans spontaneously if need be, and I don’t have to worry about upsetting travelling companions if I oversleep or decide I’m not up for a certain activity after all. I also prefer going to museums myself, for many of the same reasons.
I think travelling solo can contribute to creativity because it allows and encourages introspection. You end up spending a lot more time with your own thoughts and observations than you might otherwise. It can be daunting to travel alone, but it works for me. Strangely though, I find it a tougher prospect to go to the movies by myself than to travel abroad by myself.
There are a lot of cute, semi-awkward interactions with Iceland locals. Were they aware you were taking notes for a comic? Did that make any situations even more awkward?
I don’t think any locals knew I was planning on making a comic about my trip.. though I was constantly scribbling in my notebook whenever I wasn’t moving around. There is one point on day 2 when a fellow tourist asked me if I was a writer or a journalist because of it, though! I did tell her that I was planning on making comics, but that was pretty much the extent of that topic of conversation.
Is it difficult getting around as an English speaker in Iceland?
It’s quite easy, actually! Almost everyone is nearly fluent in English, and everyone in tourist spots like downtown Reykjavik are totally fluent. Everyone speaks Icelandic of course, but most people also speak Dutch and English. I’ve heard some people even study a fourth language at university! In my experience, everyone I spoke to was very friendly, helpful, and easy to understand.
After I got back, I was so enthused by my trip, that I actually started taking Icelandic classes here in New York! But there’ll be more about that in the epilogue.
How conscious are you about presenting a queer perspecitive in your comics?
This story has nothing to do with dating or relationships, but the fact is touched upon briefly, a few times. For example, there’s a part when I’m in a romantic restaurant, and I think sort of vaguely about how nice it would have been to be there with a boyfriend. That’s an actual thought I had on the trip, and wasn’t made up after the fact, so it’s truly a part of the story. And there are other times in the comic when I think to myself that a particular guy I interact with is cute, for example.
I think it’s very important for LGBT individuals not to go out of their way to hide their identities in their work. It’s helpful to show people who’ve never been consciously aware of interacting with LGBT individuals that we exist in all walks of life, and aren’t scary. It’s even better when it’s mentioned in passing, as no big deal, because that’s exactly what it should be.
What’s next? Any destinations in your sights for future comics?
Well I did go back to Iceland a second time in December 2013, but I don’t think I’ll make a comic out of that trip. It didn’t lend itself as naturally to a narrative as my first trip, and it was a lot longer (a full week, instead of 3.5 days). I might do a series of illustrations based on experiences I had on that second trip though, probably paired with short descriptions/stories.
But once I finish Thoughts From Iceland (which should actually be wrapping up within a month or so, I think!), I’m going to focus on a comic project I’m tentatively calling A Knack For Languages. It’s - surprise - about learning languages. I plan on drawing it as pages, rather than strips, though it won’t be graphic novel-length. I’ve got most of the script done, so I’m really looking forward to working on that.
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You can download Thoughts From Iceland: Day 1 from Comixology at http://cmxl.gy/1gHBuwt.
Protip: you can access Comixology through their website, iOS, Android, or Windows Phone apps - but if you purchase through an iOS app, Apple gets a 30% cut right off the top, before any money goes to the creator, or to Comixology. So if you care about supporting creators, go ahead and purchase through their website, or through their Android app - your account will be synced across all platforms anyway.
Thoughts From Iceland will continue to update at www.LonnieComics.com twice/week (Mon/Fri) until it’s finished.
Lonnie also has an Etsy shop, where you can buy physical copies of his comics, as well as art prints. It’s at http://www.etsy.com/shop/lonniecomics.
