Featured Collaborators

Steve Tansley

Steve Tansley’s career has taken him through various illustration projects and design directions including illustrating children’s books drawing for a regular web comic called GoodFences.com and creating children’s themed environments for commercial and retail venues.

Steve Tansley

Tell us about your back story, how did you get involved in art and comics?

From as early as six years old I was drawing comics. It was always my hobby and I used to make money at it when I was in middle school. I’d draw superheroes for my friends for a few bucks and go and buy more comics, it was an obsession. I would follow specific artists and try to draw just like them, they inspired the hell out me and still do. John Byrne, Berni Wrightson, Mort Walker, Todd McFarlane, Chuck Jones, Walter Lance and so many others. Bil Keane also has been a great friend and advocate for my efforts.

Which is more important for a web comic, knowing how to draw or how to write?

I think they are equally important, although it’s easy to tell which one is taking precedence. It’s not uncommon these days to find a really funny well written web comic but the art just falls short. But with successful strips like PVP Scott Kurtz is keeping the bar high with both.

In your opinion what makes a web comic a success?

Without a doubt in these days of quick information it has to be social media. Having a web comic be sticky from day to day and week to week is always the creator’s challenge and there has never been more tools to do that than there are today with blogs, Twitter, Facebook etc.

Where do you see the future of web comics going?

It’s hard to say because the landscape is constantly shifting and trying to find its place. There is a lot of discussion about the end of print comics in the newspapers for obvious reasons, but also there is a movement of web comic creatives to band together and try to create an interactive syndicate. That is exciting I believe we will see something like that happen very soon.

Who or what has been your favorite character/why?

Man, there are so many great characters out there and for their own reasons. Homer Simpson, Calvin and Hobbes, Snoopy, Ren & Stimpy, Sponge Bob, Mr.Burns. Their the ones you keep going back to that you can count on when you need them the most. I just read that Archie finally proposed to Veronica. Dude, c’mon a 68 year old teen can’t see Betty over Veronica?!

What is your next web comic project?

My current project is a web comic called “GoodFences” that Bill Goodykoontz writes and I draw at GoodFences.com. It’s a blast working with these characters because they feel so much like my life with the kids, wife, projects, things go bad, things go good and in the end it’s always worth it. But Cartoonity is the latest project, I can’t wait to see what kinds of panels other creatives will come up with. It’s incredible to think that you can collaborate on a creative web comic with someone you never met before. I think the possibilities are endless now.