This is another wild and wierd interview with the underground master of darkness, the immortal Mickmo. It is a hot summer of July, 2002, it would be a good day for a wiener roast if I was not stuck here in Hell looking after myself. Most of this interview got sent to me via email and i just took the best parts and stuff and combined into into one fine mess but parts of it were from actually sitting down with him. I thought it was so compelling, that it had to be included in with some other interviews he did on his site. I insisted he put this on his site, he thought it was worthwhile and he did! Hope you enjoy this interview.....Oh yes, and I am the Oscar Emperor Mayer Hot Dog, in case you are wondering! I am Spam's worst arch enemy! Hah! Others beware my fiery wrath!
Oscar Emperor Mayer: So how are things going for you?
Well ever since I started to do comics, it always seemed like it was an uphill battle for me. Early on they never expected me to do it, but now I am. I am taking the underground by storm and making it my own now. I am just like saying, screw it man, let�s do it!
Oscar Emperor Mayer: So were there any first time things for you as far as your life goes?
Lots of people dont realise these things about me, I was the first underground artist in a major show in Kansas City. I was the first to outsell Alonzo Washington at a show (Creator of Omega 7). I was the first to get let go from Planet Monopolycon as far as a creator goes. (Though I still think it sucks dick!). First to push underground comics in a new format. First in my area to be plugged in an Icelandicon with Blek. I was one of the first to push art in Metal Maniacs with my online art on Ambiance. First in my area to be on both relapse.com and centurymedia.com. First in quite a few things.
More is on the way. But no kids yet thank God! One of these days more and more people will realise the accomplishments that I have been a part of. When that happens, I will definitely feel a bit more thankful then before.
I had a crazy wierd life but I guess it all happened for some odd reasoning.
No matter what anybody did or said to me, somehow it just went forward. I plugged away because I had to. Now there is way more variety to my work, but it took awhile. While the others talked trash, I actually try and do everything within the comic so that it comes out right or at least my way. I realised that this wasen't some big Hollywood production. It is just me doing a small press comic! I am nothing without somebody reading it and saying how much they liked it. If I did that, then I feel reassured that I did my job. I may not make a whole lot of money from this, but what the hell, as long as somebody liked it, then, hey!
See me and Alonzo are from the opposite tracks when it comes to our approach but he is a good guy anyway. He does comics pertaining to black people as the subject matter and I do comics that are just darkly black from my brain matter, you see? It�s all a psychological scale of balance brother!
Oscar Emperor Mayer: It took 4 years between the underground menace Retribution and this Bug-Slayer thing you are doing now.
I had to take my time between Darkmind: Retribution 2 and this thing that I am working on now, Bug-Slayer because I didn�t feel as if it was up to par. I was working full time at night and trying to get an art studio at home and get some of the finances afloat. It was slow. But I guess the difference is this. Retribution was far more angry and dark, Bug-Slayer is on the outskirts of science fiction. I am hoping it will be something of a trilogy.
Oscar Emperor Mayer: So anything about your personal life?
Right now I am working a regular night job, because you almost have to to support you habit in doing this. Even printing up books cost money, I know. Retribution 1 cost me 800 to do, and I had no idea it would get the response it did. But back then it was a darker time for me and I guess the things I was doing reflected that. Now some things are better with this current book i am working on.
Art can get pricey sometimes, but I feel as if I am doing this because I want to pave the way for somebody else out there who may want to do it. So they won�t be embarressed or ashamed to do it their own way. Just because you are lesser know then the so-called mainstream dont meant that you aren�t able to kick ass!
They can see me and what I have done and say to themselves, �Hey I can live a normal life and not be a Rockefeller to do this.� So that they, themselves can do it, going in with some good feelings. That is the way it should be, when you draw or write, you should do it because it feels natural. It should come up from where ever it has to. For me it comes from the gut and dreams / nightmares of the sleep. But for me it is internal, the external part comes from interpretation. It is all a process.
Sometimes I wake up from the deathhold of sleep to do really good pieces of art. My nightmares and dreams are extremely visual.
Oscar Emperor Mayer: Is Bug-Slayer 2 underway?
Yes actually it is. I am like halfway through it. The front cover is done along with some inked stuff.
Oscar Emperor Mayer: Any problems with the woman like me? I am sort of a little midget fatty!
Actually it funny that you mention that. Yes I am sort of an on and off relationship right now. Too much of the fat parents and stuff getting in the way. Well damn if online dating isn�t going to change all of that! Sometimes I guess girls can be worse then being arrested by gay cops that insist on using their nightsticks and strip searching you in front of their buddies. But just understand that this is where I am with my life right now. it could go much better or worse then it could today. But time is of the essence, and I still draw and create to suit whatever need feeds within me.
And it seems like, no matter how many splits I end up in, it just keeps getting better and more involved within the detail of my artwork. Somehow, I just keep doing it in some way, whatever reflects me that day is what I put down on a piece of paper or on the computer.
Oscar Emperor Mayer: Anything you may want to add to this? No god can sacrifice the evil vile lunceon meat that is me!
Yeah! Eat plenty of pizza with doughnuts and drink a lot of energy drinks and chocholate milk! This is the catalyst for pure underground creativity. Yeah check out my website and grab an iron-on and promote me like crazy!!!! i don't mind! Oh and watch out for Marsha the Hutt, I hear she wants a restraining order on me!
See you pal! You are truly my favorite luncheon meat man! Ha ha he he he! You freaking kill me man!
