James Kochalka has been called "one of the brightest lights of independent comics" (by Diamond Comic Distribution). And it is true!

With his unique, instantly recognizable cartoonist style and his works full of elves, cats, robots and minimal ordinary life he has conquered the heart of comic readers and critics.

Bone's creator Jeff Smith says of him: "James Kochalka's work is free and spontaneous… I love his comics. There's nothing better than seeing someone uninhibitedly pushing black ink around a white paper; filling in the corners and layering objects on objects with a full understanding of the spatial depths that exist in a two dimensional world… I love James Kochalka's comics. They pull my head in and I ride along until the end." (from the introduction to Quit Your Job)

His indie works include little masterpieces as: Quit Your Job (Alternative Press); The Horrible Truth about Comics (Alternative Comics), a fundamental reflection on comics medium; Monica's Story (with story by Jon Lewis and ink by Tom Hart, Alternative Press), the irreverent chronicle of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair; the graphic novels, Magic Boy and The Robot Elf and Magic Boy and the Word of God.

His most recent graphic novel is titled Monkey vs. Robot (Top Shelf Production): a funny struggle between a bunch of monkeys against a group of robots maybe revelatory of the battle between the past versus our possible future and of the dangers of industrialization.

Upcoming projects include the publication of his daily personal sketchbook diaries, the sequel to Monkey vs. Robot called Monkey vs. Robot: Battle Wars and his first appearance in a book by a major publisher. He will contribute to DC's Bizzaro Comics Hardcover, an anthology of "strange and subversive" interpretations of DC's classic superhero characters by some of the most interesting small-press and indy comics creators. The volume will be on the shelves this June.

His comics have been published in Canada, Japan, England, Mexico, Australia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain. We'll soon see the first Italian edition of one of his works: a 16 pages book published by Kerosene's staff and contains "Little Lovers", a cute story about cats and birds originally see in the Small Press Expo '98 volume, packed in a all new cover.

But is this all we can say about a man self-proclaimed Superstar? Obviously not!

James Kochalka has an other career mixed with his cartoonist one, a career during for well over ten years. He is a rock star with his group called James Kochalka Superstar, of course. He has issued three CDs: "Carrot Boy the Beautiful" through Sudden Shame Records, "The True Story of James Kochalka Superstar" through Dot Dot Dash, and his last work, "Monkey vs. Robot" through Tarquin Records. With his music he has reached a big success in the indie circuits and Monkey vs Robot has recently win The College 500 Awards (as voted by radio stations and music labels across the country) as "Best Indie Record". In a brief autobiography put on www.bigheavyworld.com he frankly says "I myself don't know how to play an instrument, but I write the songs in my head, sing them to my musicians and they figure out how to play 'em. It's fun and I like it." Actually he is working on his new CD, "Don't Trust Whitey".

Ah, Magic Boy Superstar, a.k.a. James Kochalka, lives in Burlington, Vermont with his wife Amy and their cat Spandy.

More info about James Kochalka can be found at:

http://www.kochalka.tk/ (Swedish James Kochalka fan site)

http://indyworld.com/kochalka

http://www.mp3.com/jks (Kochalka's music on-line that you can download! )

http://www.thepants.com/wte.htm (where you can see the irresistible cartoon: Magic Boy in "Welcome to Earth"!)

ON THE ROAD TO BE A SUPERSTAR

Can you remember the very first time you read a comic book?

No, I can't remember the first. I'm pretty sure it all began before I knew how to read, because my father was a big fan of early newspaper comics, and he probably read them to me. Pogo was my favorite as a kid, and we had a lot of old vintage Pogo books. I liked Peanuts too, Flash Gordon, Krazy Kat, Little Nemo in Slumberland, Li'l Abner.

When did you realize the potentiality of the comics medium to be a carrier for bigger ideas?

I don't think I realized that until fairly recently, in the early to mid 90's. Until then I thought of comics mostly as a kind of disturbed nonsense. When I started getting into the American mini-comic scene was when I realized the poetic side of comics. John Porcellino's King Cat, and David Lasky's Boom Boom were big influences on me.

Why comics?

Well, when I was 8 years old, my best friend and I would draw comics together all the time. We encouraged each other. I think he grew up to be an auto mechanic. We don't really talk or see each other anymore.

In college and the years afterwards I pretty much dedicated myself to oil painting. No one really ever saw my paintings except pizza delivery men and my wife, Amy. But with minicomics, hundreds of people would see them, and would even write me letters of encouragement.

Basically, I drew comics all my life so it was inevitable that I would eventually discover the small press scene and join it. And I think as a scene, it's much more vibrant than American painting is right now.

Which are your artistic influences?

Yeah, I already answered that, didn't I? My other big influence is the Moomintroll books. They are unbelievably great. Also Tintin and Asterix were favorites of mine as a kid. Books for adults haven't had as big an effect on me as children's books have.

What does it means for you to be an "indie" artist?

I guess it means freedom. Freedom to do whatever I want.

Comics: industry or art?

It's an art, as far as I'm concerned and my publishers are more like patrons than businessmen.

ELVES, CATS AND MONICA LEVINSKY

Your stories can seem cute full with elves, magic rings, wizards and, of course, for your cartoonist drawing style. But they often contain disturbing moments as for example, the final pee in Magic Boy's Welcome to Earth and in The horrible truth about comics, or, the monkey shitting on Adam's bald head in Paradise sucks, just to name a few ones. Is it a punk spirit's legacy or maybe a lesson of underground comics?

Yeah, it's the punk spirit. I used to go up to restaurant windows and spit at the people eating. I would spit on the window, right at eye level, just to gross them out. But I was young and stupid then. I just felt a little rejected by society, so I in turn rejected them. Eventually I learned that positive actions had a much greater payoff. I try to write pretty positive stories now. I actually think my work can make people's lives happier and better.

What kinds of stories do you like the most to tell? Could you try to define your own aesthetic vision?

Well, life is a struggle, and I try to show that struggle. But for me, however deep the level of stress that I feel, I can see that the earth is just bursting with beauty. I'm trying to push through all the stressful bullshit of my life and experience the world as a joyous explosion. When you break past the struggle, life is gleeful and giddy.

If you have to define your comics what would you say?

My comics are life affirming.

You have drawn Monica's Story, a phenomenal rendition of the grotesque Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky affair. What was the input to do a story like that?

Oh, it was the publisher's idea. Jeff Mason of Alternative Comics thought it would be funny if we did a quick knock-off book when the Starr report came out. Of course we couldn't do a real piece of crap. We portrayed the real human emotions behind the scandal. In fact, we didn't treat it like a scandal at all, but as an honest examination of the workings of these real human being's hearts.

In your last graphic novel Monkey vs. Robot, you tell an almost silent story with a cruel struggle between a group of monkeys and one of robots. Is it nature vs. technology? Do you try to send to the readers an environmentalist message?

It can be read as an environmental story of nature vs. technology if you want to, but that's not my real message. The moral is not that technology is wrong and that it's destroying nature, but rather that technology and nature are two sides of the same coin. If you look closely at the book, you'll see many many similarities between the monkeys and the robots. They struggle because they think they're opposites, but they're really the same. Really the book is my attempt to unite my analytical nature with my animal nature.

Cats are an important element in your work. Why?

Well, because the cats in my life have been almost as important to me as the people in my life.

Can you tell us something about your "Little Lovers" story that will be soon published here in Italy? And in which way the Kerosene's guys have contacted you?

Well, it's a story about love, about a cat in love with a bird and a bird in love with a cat. The cat wants to chew the bird's head, and the bird wants her head chewed. There, I've ruined the story for everyone. I think the Kerosene guy emailed me saying he'd like to publish some of my work… and so I sent him that. I don't know if there's any magic story behind it. I kinda wonder why people are interested in translating my work, surely there's some Italian cartoonist who's just as deserving of being published as I am. Still, I'm very very excited to have my book published over there, and hope I get more opportunities to do so in the future. Hopefully, Italians will like the book. I hope Kerosene does a good job on the translation.

Soon we'll see in print your personal daily strips. Will they add something new that your reader don't know about you and your style or will see the usual, surprising JKS?

Um, I don't know if I understand your question. But yeah, my diary strips document my life pretty accurately I think. They capture my dull physical life, my emotional life, and my imaginative life. They all add up to a pretty complete portrait of the fully dimensional reality of this one human's existence. The book is titled The Sketchbook Diaries and should be out from Top Shelf really soon.

From what I've read you have a story coming out in DC's Bizarro Comics. This is your first mainstream work so how do you feel about and what will be your contribution?

I wrote a Hawkman comic, which was drawn by Dylan Horrocks (who did the great, complex, graphic novel Hicksville). DC wouldn't let the same person both write and draw the story. I guess if a person both writes and draws the story they can make a claim of copyright ownership, and DC wants to avoid that. But I love superheroes and I'd jump at the chance to write or draw one again.

THE HORRIBLE TRUTH ABOUT COMICS

Let's talk about The horrible truth about comics. For me it is one of the most important comics I have ever read and a phenomenal point to start a critical reflection on comics. Of course, I agree with a lot of your ideas. So is it true "you can't stop thinking to comics"?

It's true that I can't stop thinking about comics. Especially now that I do the daily diary comic strip, everything I do all day long, I'm translating in my mind into comics. The Horrible Truth About Comics is my attempt to explain the magical grip they seem to have on me and many other people.

Which is your opinion on Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics?

It's a very exciting book to read when you're getting started in the comics form. But the more deeply familiar with drawing comics you are the more simplistic and diagrammatic it seems.

What do you think should be making experiments in comics? Can the Internet be a new frontier? Or the revolution have to be done in the artist's head and soul?

Yeah, the revolution will be in our minds. However, a technological revolution can affect a change in our minds and souls. Just as a philosophical revolution could also bring changes in technology. I do think it's a little silly for Scott McCloud to be so excited about comics on the Internet. The main problem is that they just look bad. The screen is a poor substitute for the printed page right now. I think he's more excited about the future than about the present. I'm not anti technology though, I love my computer almost as much as I love my cat. Spandy likes to cuddle up next the computer while I'm typing or playing video games.

You has said: "Craft is the enemy", "Craft isn't a friend" and these statements have started a lot of discussion and polemic. Can say us what do you really want to say?

Well, I don't know exactly what I was thinking at the time I said "Craft is the enemy". Let's just start over from a new beginning. I think that artists who are great craftsmen, who have perfected their craft, are artists who have atrophied and have stopped growing. I would rather always be reeling off-kilter than be settled. Also, the process of attaining greatness is one of struggle against unbearable odds and surpassing your abilities. You don't attain greatness by learning a collection of graphic tricks and skills that you can pull out of your hat at opportune moments.

THE MAGIC MUSIC BOY

In which way your music and your comics interact each other?

Well, they're both a big part of my daily life. I draw comics everyday, and I write songs everyday. Like life itself, music and comics are part of the bubbling joyous froth of my existence.

Music and comics. If you have to choose?

Interviewers LOVE to ask that question! Why do I have to choose?

I have listened to your music and it seems to me very contemporary and low-fi. Which are your music influences?

I love amateur music. I love music by people who lack technical skill, yet who are just bubbling over with amazing melodies. But I can appreciate good musicianship too. But melody is probably the most important quality of music that stirs my soul most deeply.

If you have to define your music?

It's silly and sometimes dirty, but it's melodic heart runs deep. They're not novelty songs, they're songs about my deepest thoughts and feelings expressed in a silly, goofy way.

In one of your songs titled "I am rock", you sing: "my name is Mr. Rock n' Roll/ and you know that I want your body/ I could also use your soul/ my name is rock, Mr. Rock n' Roll". Is it your music a very physical experience?

Well, my live performances are very physical. I come away from my shows battered and bruised. But I think even the music itself is physical. In the sense that it can elicit a powerful emotional response, and emotions can have a strong physical effect on your body.

I remember a funny story contained in the Small Press Expo '99 volume and titled "The 3 Geeks in: Who heck is CBLDF? (by Rich Koslowski). In that story there is you guest star appearance singing nude something about a "little pony". Is it a true fact? Do you do that number habitually in your live show?

I performed in the hotel bar at the Small Press Expo. (The expo is held in a hotel.) I did take off my clothes while singing. I never walked naked through the comics convention floor like he draws me doing in that comic, though.

I often get partially naked at my rock shows, but not every time. It's a little different than you might imagine though, it's not so freaky.

Which is the most powerful emotion you get from singing live in front of an audience? Which difference in meeting your readers in a convention?

Meeting my fans at a convention is always a little awkward feeling, but they're a lot more nervous than I am, so I try my best to put them at ease. It's nothing like performing though. Performing is pure power…

A simple curiosity: is it true you know Moby?

Yes and no. I haven't really spent any time with him since he got famous. Last time I hung out with him was years ago. He promised to "scratch" records on one of my albums but it never happened. My next album should have a song on it that he sang back up on though. And when I say he sings backup, I mean he's one person in a crowd of 30 people singing backup. He and his friend Paul Yates took their penises out during the recording.

How do you feel being a Superstar?

It feels awesome. It's really cool that so many people enjoy the work I do. I hope I'm having a positive effect on the world.

Which is your dream comics project? and your musical one?

My dream comics project right now, is to draw a comic in the style of an old fantasy adventure video game, like Zelda or Final Fantasy. I've got a couple other books to finish before I get to work on that one, though. I'm currently working on a new book for Top Shelf called Pinky & Stinky about two pigs exploring the moon. It's really silly. I don't know yet if it will add up to anything deeper than just a silly romp. Musically, I'd really like to have my own weekly animated musical T.V. show.

Let finish making a comics little game. I'll give you 5 comics artist's names and 5 comics character's names and you can say whatever you want. I well know you are a man without fear!

Artists: Robert Crumb

His sketchbooks are better than his comics. His sketchbooks are fantastic.

Moebius

Elegant, but ultimately meaningless.

Alan Moore

Too pretentious and mystic. But I loved Watchmen. That's one of my favorite books ever.

Hernandez Bros.

They're awful. I've tried to read a little and just found it really awful and had to give up. A lot of people like them, so what do I know. I think one of them draws really well, but I don't know who is who.

George Herriman

He's great! I especially like the Tiger Tea series of Krazy Kat strips.

Characters: Pogo

Great looking character. Nice round head and funny nose.

The Spirit

Didn't appeal to me as a kid because it looked to grown up. Doesn't appeal to me now either, though.

Sandman

I like the Baby Sandman story. The story that had cute cartoony drawings of Sandman as a baby is the only one I ever bought.

Calvin& Hobbes

The design of Calvin and Hobbes is great. The just look great standing next to each other. They compliment each other's size and shape and movement.

Superman

He's great. The more goofy and outlandish Superman's stories are the better. 60's DC comics are weird and great. I love the stiff drawings, but don't love the stiff writing as much. Those comics seem the product of bad writers with wonderful imaginations.

Thanks for your willingness, kindness and time.

Images, characters and likenesses © and TM James Kochalka