Hey everyone, today's post is a conversation/ interview with the wonderful Matt Salisbury. Matt is someone whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with and he agreed to sit with me for a few hours and let me pick his brain a bit. Within the interview we talk about all sorts of things including, comics, teaching, our shared work, etc. It was a great talk and I hope you enjoy it.
Tony: So first and foremost, thank you for doing this with me. I’m just gonna bounce some questions off ya, does that sound good?
Matt: Not a problem, thanks for asking me to do this! And sure, sounds good!
Tony: So, what is your comic book origin story? What got you into comics and what drives you to create comics?
Matt: So, I've had a love of comics since I can remember but I think the first time I really got into them was seeing my older brother’s collection of comic books, he had everything from Superman to Green Lantern and indie stuff like Spawn and Predator comics. I used to sneak through them when he was gone and quickly read through them.
As for why I create that's the big question ha. There's just all these ideas and images that go through my head and I needed a way to get them out. I've always wanted to tell stories and to draw the weird way that I see the world, eventually I realized that comics was the best way I could satisfy these needs.
Tony: I find that with comics, whether it be as a collector, a reader, or a creator, there’s always been a sense of community and camaraderie. As a creator how have you moved your way through this community, finding collaborators and the projects you’ve done with others? Along with starting your own.
Matt: The community is great and when you find your way in you can be really amazed by all the wonderful talent and ideas being shared. At first it was hard finding my way in or even a local community, it wasn't until I attended college that I met fellow readers and aspiring creators.
I started put more art out there and meeting creators who I call friends now. I think finding out about Scott Snyder's writing class was what really helped, joining the discord was game changing for me. I got to share my work and meet wonderful creators like yourself and Justin Hawkins (one of three editors on Tales from The Cloakroom Volume 2).
It’s also given me the confidence to pursue my own writing and to bring that to the public.
Tony: On the subject of creators, you help others create in your own way. For those you may not know you are an art teacher correct? What brought you towards that side of things, teaching that is?
Matt: Yes, that's correct I also work as an art teacher for a community arts school. I love teaching people and introducing them to new facts and practices especially in art. I initially got into it while I was in college, I had quit my retail job and was working as a teaching assistant on campus, eventually I moved on to my current art school.
Tony: What is the first thing you teach your students when it comes to their art? What’s the cardinal rule for you?
Matt: The most important rule I teach them is to expect and embrace mistakes. Speaking from my own experiences, if you know you will make mistakes it takes away that pressure of perfection and allows you to grow.
Tony: That’s an amazing rule, not just in art but in general. I’d like to pivot into our shared work if that’s okay with you?
Matt: Absolutely!
Tony: So, for those who don’t know you and I have a story within Tales from The Cloakroom volume 2. The story is nothing short of a horror story, and when I pitched it to you I remember you saying something along the lines of you aren’t a horror guy and you hate clowns. Yet you still wanted to draw the story, what was it that made you want to help me create “Coulrophobia”?
Matt: Haha oh wow you've got a better memory than me that's for sure. Yeah, at the time I never saw myself as a big horror artist and looking back at my sketchbooks I'd ask myself what the hell I was talking about. I'd only ever drawn one horror story before and for a while I had only done a few slice of life or lil romance stories so I felt a little unsure about doing it, especially the clown bit.
After reading your pitch and script though I just kept thinking up scenes in my head and I just had to do it and make it the creepiest thing I could think of.
Tony: I’d say you definitely hit the nail on the head with the creepiness. That Tom fellow is one creepy bastard!
Matt: Haha well, if I'm given the chance to draw a creep in a clown costume, I'm going to make the best design I can.
Tony: You also had the honor of doing the variant cover on the book. As your collaborator on the book, I know a little of the behind the scenes and process stuff. I remember you telling me that you were going to go heavy on the Jock inks. How did that opportunity arise, why was Jock a big influence on your line work with this cover, and how does it feel seeing your cover in people’s hands now?
Matt: Jock is a big inspiration for me and one of the many names of inspirations, for the cover specifically I had a few ideas on how I could go about it. Some were very Dave McKeen and Bill Sienkiewicz inspired but, I wanted something more graphic and that would let me get to play with inks more before color and that's where his influence comes in. If you look at his art in black and white it still looks fantastic so I tried starting from there.
The opportunity came up from a call for variant covers in the discord which I believe you had shared with me. I had never tried designing a cover before, so I was a little unsure, but I just went with it. I imagined the kind of cover that would grab my attention in store or online. It's still wild seeing it in print and really affirming for me as a creator.
Tony: I know I’ve told you this a lot before, but it is a great cover. I could definitely see the Mckeen and Sienkiewicz influences for sure.
Matt: I really appreciate that!
Tony: Here’s a fun question for you. If you could write or draw any big two characters (Marvel or DC), who would it be and why?
Matt: Oooh I have a couple characters for this actually. I think for DC I'd really like to write and maybe draw an Etrigan series cause there's so many opportunities there to play with his history and mythology and I'd love a shot at Dr.Fate.
Tony: Oh yeah, those are some great choices. The real question is if you wrote Etrigan would you make his dialogue rhyme?
Matt: I think that would be fun to keep, it's just a goofy part of his character and there's such a charm to it as well. If you play it against horror and mystery it just works, just look at Saga of the Swamp Thing by Alan Moore.
Tony: This is going to sound sacrilegious but, I still haven’t fully read that run. Though I do know what you mean, keep that old Kirby charm but make it a bit more serious. I think that’d be sick. Hopefully one day we see your name on an Etrigan book!
Matt: Haha oh have to! For a horror lover I think it's one of the top must reads in comics. And yeah, there's just some things that shouldn't be changed and a character's form of communication is an important part of who they are. Hopefully one day if I can sell DC a good enough pitch.
Tony: For sure, sometimes characters should stay the way they are. It's like if you saw a story with Constantine not smoking a cigarette, it’s just kind of strange. I’ll definitely have to read through Moore’s Swamp thing fully soon, maybe I’ll have you back on to talk all about swamp thing. (We could talk more off record lol)
Matt: Yeah, now that being said it's also important to embrace change and experiment, one of the reasons I'd like to write an Etrigan series is to see who Jason Blood is outside of being the cryptic British man who turns into a demon. Really play into the relationship between him and Etrigan. And absolutely would love to talk Moore's Swamp Thing.
Tony: I think that’d be a great take on a severely underutilized character like Etrigan.
Tony: I don’t want to take too much of your time, so I have just a few more questions if that’s alright with you?
Matt: Sure thing!
Tony: So, it was recently announced from the author you worked with that you were an artist on the graphic novel adaptation of “Haunted Canada” correct? What is it like knowing your art will be in a book published by Scholastic Canada? I mean that’s a huge deal dude!
Matt: It's really mind blowing, for one thing as being so early in my career I never expected I’d be getting to work with Scholastic so soon and on such a big-name book here in Canada. I'm really looking forward to seeing it on shelves next year.
Tony: With the year coming to an end and 2024 vastly approaching, do you have any big plans, or goals for 2024? Anything readers should keep an eye out for?
Matt: Goals right now are to get to working on a couple stories I've been brewing up, a couple graphic novels, and some short stories.
Tony: Lastly, what have you been reading, listening to, or just overall enjoying as of late, any recommendations?
Matt: Reading has been a mix of stuff. I've started reading the Trickster series by Eden Robinson as well as Fish Flies by Jeff Lemire, and Rare Flavours by Ram V and Filipe Andrade. As for music I'm always listening to City and Colour but, been getting back into my indie days with Teagan and Sara and some Midwest emo with Mom Jeans and Hot Mulligan.
Tony: You had me at Hot Mulligan, they are in my top 5 favorite bands of all time.
Matt: Haha I recently got into them, and I love their energy and song writing!
Tony: My friends say I look scarily similar to their lead singer so I feel an obligation to plug them whenever I can.
Matt: Hah
Tony: Well, alright dude I think I’ve taken enough of your time today. Thank you so much for allowing me to pick your brain for a bit. I always look forward to hearing from you and working with you. Thanks dude.
Matt: Anytime dude thanks for this it was fun! Talk soon!
Great convo.! I would absolutely love to read a conversation about Moore’s Swamp Thing! One of my favorite runs! Also, thanks for the name drop, Matt! 🤘🏻
Awesome interview!