Returning last week after an extended hiatus, “Li’l Depressed Boy: Supposed To Be There Too” brought everyone’s favorite sad ragdoll back onto the stands for the first of a series of new minis. Picking up where we left off, LDB, Spike and the gang arrived with aplomb as if we never missed a beat, and much rejoicing was had all around for those of us that care about that melancholy fella — and probably for some of you new to the series as well.
As such, we chatted with S. Steven Struble and Sina Grace, the dynamic duo behind the series, about LDB’s future, the new series, music, love, depression and more.
LDB went away for a little bit but has now returned. Can you talk about what led to putting him on the shelf for a bit?
S. Steven Struble: First of all, we had fallen rather far behind schedule. I think issue 16 shipped a full year late. We decided it would be best if we built up a queue of books before solicited again. In the meantime, that hiatus was extended due to some life events and my bout with depression.
Sina Grace: Image Comics was pretty straightforward with us that we’d have a home, but we’d have to come back with enough material stockpiled so there wouldn’t be shipping hiccups.
What makes now the right time to bring him back?
SSS: We’re ready. The book will ship on time. I’ve fought my demons and we’ve got a story to tell.
SG: Also *puts on Economics Professor cap* I feel like the market has shifted a lot in the past year or two. You see Veronica Mars and Community finding a way to thrive because their core fan base makes it worthwhile. Since LDB went off stands, Borders went out of business and a LOT of people checked out the series during those deep discount sales. We’ve got a whole new audience excited for more stories.
Since taking a break from the series, how have you found the return to be? Sina, you for example worked on a completely different style of book; have you taken things you’ve learned while making that and incorporating it back into LDB?
SSS: It’s like catching up with an old friend.
SG: I’m way better at drawing denim jackets than I was a year ago. That, and I don’t have a 40+ hr/ week day job, so I’m able to incorporate a lot more detail on the pages.
It appears that the story is picking up right where the previous one left off. Can you talk a bit about what we might be seeing in this volume?
SSS: When we last left LDB, things were getting pretty serious with Spike. Also, there was a major conflict at his place of work. We’re going to be exploring the ramifications of these events. Also, a certain face from the past reappears.
LDB was already pretty accessible from an issue to issue read, but in terms of the new readers, a big flashy #1 will certainly be attractive. Have you guys done anything with the book to cater to the newbs for Round Two?
SSS: Exposition, exposition, exposition. Also, we’re doing a short little recap strip to fill in the gaps where character dialog can’t fully express everything that’s happened.
SG: I’m trying to be more mindful of establishing shots, and making sure readers get a sense of pacing in this series right from the get-go.
Now that you’ve both grown and changed a bit, how have you found the relationship dynamic changed? How has your creative process evolved?
SSS: The biggest change is that we’re working ahead before soliciting issues now. As it was previously, we’d fallen behind because we were always rushing to do the book at the last minute. Now we’re ahead and it’s a much more comfortable way to work.
SG: I think there’s more trust between us, too. We’ve always had a shorthand and understanding of what the other person wants, but I feel like we know how to communicate and make each other’s work stronger than before.
Continued belowThe first volume was like none other in that it didn’t follow traditional comic book storytelling formats; there was continuity and an ongoing story, but no big, bombastic, universe-shattering moments per issue — just ones at a smaller, deeper, more personal level. What are some of the things you’re aiming for the second volume to focus on with LDB? Is there anything in particular you’re looking to draw from?
SSS: The book is thinly veiled autobiography. I take a lot from my own life and jumble it around to make it fit a narrative. As for what we’re focusing on, LDB is currently in a relationship with a girl named Spike. We’re going to explore the dynamic of LDB actually getting his feelings requited for once.
SG: I’m also excited for what Struble has cooked up for the entire ensemble. Readers will get to see a lot of relationships grow and shift with this volume and the stories to come.
Obviously LDB is a very personal book, and Steve, you mention a bout of depression had come up. The creation process is viewed by some as therapy, but given that the book has always felt like it captures a universal, shared experience of growing up, how have you found the process of working on the book taking root with you?
SSS: I’ve lived with depression all my life. I really write the book to say “You are not alone.” But I’m saying this to myself, not the reader. The readers are the ones showing me that I am not alone. Also, it can be quite cathartic to explore these situations through the lens of writing. For instance, since I’ve had to write Jazz from her point of view, I see what she did to LDB as more of an oversight than the malicious intent I felt when I went through the exact same situation with a girl.
Is there a particular aspect of LDB that resonates the most with you? Whether it be the use of a song, a cameo, an aspect of his personality, et al.
SSS: Well, LDB is me. That’s the long and the short. But I do love showing someone soundtracking his life like I do. There is hardly ever a time where I don’t have music on. I like that with the music that LDB is choosing to listen to, you don’t need to share his thoughts — you can hear them in the music.
There’s a big celebration of music in the series, but obviously there’s a wall between the typically audible realm of music and this sequential medium. What are the challenges you guys have faced when trying to get the idea of a song into the book, and has that gotten any easier the second time around?
SG: There’s a struggle with trying to show readers visually how something as subjective as a song affects the character. What I try to focus on outside of floating music notes and the song being listed under the panel is really concentrating on every single detail: who’s dancing, how are they dancing, how many people are around, what do they look like, what’s the staging like? The crowd and pacing in the Childish Gambino pages were vastly different than the scene where The Like were playing a house party. Long answer short: we play closer attention to the details to capture the mood!
LDB was already steeped in music, but of course the music I listened to 24/7 a year ago is not necessarily the music that I listen to today. What kind of musical influence will we be seeing in Volume Two, if you could tease?
SSS: I’m obsessed with finding new music. I’ll always go back to my sentimental favorites, but I’m always looking for a new band to obsess about. In issue one there is a reference to the band Dog Party. They’re two sisters who put out my favorite record last year. In issue three, LDB and Spike go to see a concert by the band Lemuria. I’m always trying to work in what I love.
There’s no doubt the power of music, and there’s no doubt the power of comics either. Seeing as you’re both working on a series that is the cross-section of the two, what do you guys find is the true power behind working in these mediums?
Continued belowSSS: Music and comic books are two of my favorite things in life. Honestly, without the two of them I’d never have made it through my teenage years. You can find so much empathy for any situation you’re in through these mediums. No matter what you’re going through, someone else has gone through it and has written about it. It’s great to not feel alone.
Looking back at the first volume and comparing it to what we have ahead, what would you say are the major differences — in approach, in storytelling, etc. I know this book picks up where v1 left off, but as you get back into the groove of the series, what are you most excited for people to see?
SSS: When we started Volume One, we were still doing LDB as a web comic. We revamped from the style we had been using on the web comic to tell longer stories. I knew that we wanted to collect it into a print book, so I was really writing for two audiences: The people who would read it 20 pages at a time, and the online readers who would only get to see one page a week. Now that we are strictly just writing for a print audience, there are certain things that I couldn’t do back in the old days. I can have sequences last longer than a single page. We can do splash pages. We can give moments more time to breathe.
So as we head towards the debut of the second volume, do you have a plan in place for the book? Are we seeing it as an ongoing still, or are we seeing it in shorter minis now?
SSS: Yes. There is a plan in place. We will be moving forward as a series of mini series. But following the example from Hellboy, we are going to list on the inside cover the number the story it is in sequence. In this first issue, it starts out saying “Chapter 17.”
Last but not least: depression is an uncomfortable topic for many people. It’s just kind of one of those taboo things we don’t really talk about, if it is ever addressed. But as the creators of this book, do you have any messages you’d like to give to people who are going through rough times?
SSS: Depression can have many causes. I suffer from it, myself. In the end, the best advice I give myself is, “you’re not at fault for your brain chemistry.” You’re not the only one going through this. Find someone to talk to. It hurts, but it’s survivable.
