An Informal Chat with Brendan, Creator of "Utencil Boy"

August 2005

826NYC: We're reprinting Issue 4 of your Utencil Boy comics series, "Super Ultimate Utencil Man Vs. The Perfect Person" in the new issue of the 826NYC Review. Is that one of your favorite comics you've made?

B: [Long pause] Yes. Yes it is.

826NYC: Why?

B: For me it's all about the endings. If it doesn't end with a bang, it's not worth reading. With this one I really like the end when I drew "To Be Continued" right where there has just been a fusion between the two characters.

826NYC: You leave us with a cliffhanger. You seem to do that a lot.

B: Yeah, but this one is really more of an explosion. Issues 3 and 4 both end with cliffhangers because I got the feeling people wanted action. And when people want action, I give it to them. The more action, the more business. The more business, the more subscribers. [Pause] Actually, I was in the hospital when I wrote that.

826NYC: Really?

B: Yup, I broke my arm.

826NYC: How?

B: Big cousin. He was older. No, he was my age. We were jumping on the bed and he fell on me.

826NYC: Hmm.

B: Yup.

826NYC: So are you taking subscriptions for the comics now?

B: Yeah! I just started my own company. We make all my stuff, not just comics. There are Lego figures, costumes - small, medium and large, and children's small - and a website. Oh, and we might do a video game.

826NYC: Wow, a Utencil Boy video game?

B: Yeah, but I just need a game system to sponsor me. Like Microsoft, PS2, or Sony.

826NYC: You want Sony to sponsor you.

B: Yup.

826NYC: Let's get back to your creative process for a bit. Can you tell us about the origins of Utencil Boy?

B: It all happened because it was a really boring day. I didn't want to watch TV or play on the computer and I had just finished my Captain Underpants book, so I thought to myself, "Why can't I make comics?" and I couldn't see any reason why not. So I sat down to think of a character and I kept looking at my pencil and the paper, then at my pencil, then the paper and I thought, "There's my character." So I asked my dad for a better name for "pencil" and he said "utensil." So that was it.

826NYC: And you changed the spelling.

B: I'm creative.

826NYC: Are you the only one you know who makes comics?

B: Yeah. Well, one of them had an idea for a character called "The Evil Sharpener" but I told him he can't top my thing. None of them can. But they're good at helping my make my Lego figures and costumes. The company needs them.

826NYC: Can you tell us anything about your next issue?

B: The next one's all about big laughs.

826NYC: No explosions?

B: Nah, the people are ready for funny, so I give them funny. In this one, Utencil Boy decides to draw his own comic called "Big Head."

826NYC: The character draws his own comic? Wow.

B: Yeah, well he's a pencil. It makes sense.

826NYC: You know what that's called? Meta-fiction.

B: I know what it is. I like it - it shows my true Picasso.

826NYC: When do you decide to make a new comic?

B: When I'm tired of doing anything else - tired of TV, tired of the computer, when other kids are outside playing but not doing anything that's fun. Then I start to draw. But I'll never stop making comics. Never, ever, ever.

826NYC: Any final words you'd like to share with your readers before we finish?

B: Yeah, I have something. No matter what your friends say, keep doing what you're doing. When I started all my friends told me it was lame but look where it's gotten me - I'm getting interviews and money, money and interviews. And I'm getting respect. Yeah, that's good - I'm getting respect. They all told me making comics is for wussies but now they all want to make comics. So yeah, I'd say just keep doing it.

826NYC: That's all?

B: That's it.