Championing comics for an innovative Scotland
Stephen White on Raising Amy
We talk to 'Stref', or Stephen White, about his new book, Raising Amy.
Stref has written for DC Thompson’s The Dandy and The Beano. His first book for grown-ups, Milk, was published in 2009. Raising Amy is the book version of his three panel cartoon strip. You can also read it on Playstation Comics and the iPhone. We just read the book though. Books smell nice.
Graphic Scotland: What inspired you to make a comic about a wee ginger psychopathic girl?
Stephen White: I had originally written the strip with a little boy as the lead character (called WILD CHILD), but changed it to a girl as there is a tendency towards bad boys in other strips. When you put a chainsaw in a girls hand she still retains a certain cuteness, as opposed to a boy who just looks a bit demented; therefore you can get away with a lot more. I made her Ginger to retain a Scottish element - even though I slightly Americanised the language.
GS: What age group is Amy aimed at? (I only ask because I would have been delighted by this as a kid, but in today's paranoid world I'm sure a lot of responsible adults wouldn't be brave enough to recommend this to a child.) Will this be a cult hit with kids?
SW: The book seems to go down well with children of all ages, 7-70! There are a lot of movie references the young won't get, but they seem to like the sicker jokes. Hopefully there is a bit of something for everybody.
GS: Amy's nose-picking habits are repulsive. Did you ever eat your own snot as a child, and if so, is it an ongoing habit?
SW: No I didn't and no, it's snot!
GS: Do you know any children like Amy? What comics or books influenced you?
SW: I originally based WILD CHILD on my friend's young son - who was hysterical! My favourite newspaper strips growing up were Garfield, Beau Peep, Fred Basset, Calvin and Hobbes and Hagar the Horrible, though I haven't really read any for years. I moved onto Mad Magazine in my teens, then into the Marvel and DC universes for a while. Now I prefer books like Jimmy Corrigan, or anything by Daniel Clowes - you know, the indy stuff.
GS: There are moments where Amy's Dad laughs with her when he should be scolding her, and it's quite touching. Have you drawn on any family relationships of your own for Amy's family?
SW: No, all characters in this book are fictional... even though I do have a daughter called Amy!
GS: Why did you call Flower's stalker Dick?
SW: That's just one of those jokes the younger kids won't or shouldn't get! Really though how did I get away with that? I mean, Flower and Love Sick Dick...come on!
GS: You've left this on a cliff-hanger. Will there be a sequel?
SW: Well, I have to say that...oops! There's the doorbell, gotta go!
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