Day 1 (Heather White) – Day 2 (Jeff Stokely)
Day 3 (Joe LeFavi) – Day 4 (Jeffrey Brown) – Day 5 (Katie Cook)
Jeffrey Brown doesn’t need the Fraggle Rock comic book to gain fame; he’s already well-known in the world of indie comics. He’s written and illustrated comics like “Clumsy”, “Bighead”, and “Incredible Change-Bots”. Now he’s bringing his unique style to the Fraggles, and we’ve got a few questions for him regarding how he’s planning on going about that.
ToughPigs: What are the roots of your Muppet/Fraggle fandom? What form does your fandom take today?
Jeffrey Brown: I grew up watching ?¢‚Ǩ?ìThe Muppets,?¢‚Ǩ¬ù and from that fell into watching ?¢‚Ǩ?ìFraggle Rock.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù Now I have a three-year-old son, and they?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve finally started releasing the show on DVD, so I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m able to watch it again with him. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s much better than a lot of the children?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s television being made today.
TP: What is it about Fraggle Rock that lends itself to your artistic style?
JB: I think my sense of humor fits in well with ?¢‚Ǩ?ìFraggle Rock.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù Like ?¢‚Ǩ?ìThe Muppets?¢‚Ǩ¬ù and other Henson properties, there?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s always been a focus on humor in ?¢‚Ǩ?ìFraggle Rock.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a very honest, imperfect humor and I feel like that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s something I try to put in my other work.
TP: What sort of research have you done to prepare for writing and illustrating your Fraggle Rock story?
JB: Just watching the show a lot, and Googling images, as well as looking at the official Fraggle Rock style guide. Mostly watching the show, though. I usually listen to music or watch video while I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m drawing, so naturally I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve been watching all of those episodes while working on my story.
TP: Who are your favorite characters? Least favorite?
JB: The Doozers, especially Cotterpin, were always my favorite. I would?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve been happy if there had been an all-Doozer spinoff show. Boober is my favorite Fraggle, and I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t know who I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢d say is my least favorite?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ Mokey, maybe? Sorry, Mokey.
TP: Which characters have been the most difficult to write for? To illustrate?
JB: My story is pretty short, focusing mainly on Red, so it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s been fairly easy on me writing-wise. In terms of drawing, Gobo has been the hardest to get a handle on.
TP: With few exceptions (The Simpsons, The Escapist), most of your comic works are original creations. What sort of challenges have you found when writing new stories for existing characters?
JB: The biggest challenge is working within the expectations and baggage those characters come with, having them be true to what people know but also keeping them fresh or new. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s also an adjustment to work with editors, but at the same time that can end up being a helpful thing.
TP: Which would you rather be: a Doozer or a Gorg?
JB: Definitely a Doozer.
TP: What has the response to your work from Archaia Comics and The Jim Henson Company been like?
JB: It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s been good. There?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s definitely a bit of pressure to live up to a franchise like ?¢‚Ǩ?ìFraggle Rock,?¢‚Ǩ¬ù but they?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve both been very supportive and positive toward me.
TP: Can you give us a tease for what to expect from your Fraggle Rock comic?
JB: You can expect a Cotterpin cameo and some Red Fraggle running around the cave?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s the most I can say without spoiling it, I think.
TP: Lastly, do you have a message you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢d like to pass along to the fans?
JB: Better not, all I can think of right now is the ?¢‚Ǩ?ìFraggle Rock?¢‚Ǩ¬ù theme song?¢‚Ǩ¬¶
Many thanks to Jeffrey Brown for joining us for this Q&A! And head back here tomorrow for one final (for now!) Fraggle Rock comic book Q&A!
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by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com
