INTERVIEW: Artist Juan Doe lets the cat out of the bag in ‘Strayed’
Image: Courtesy of Dark Horse / Provided with permission.
An astral-projecting cat? Yes, it’s about time.
Strayed, from Dark Horse, is the work of writer Carlos Giffoni and artist Juan Doe. The new series takes place in the far future and involves a cat named Lou and his owner, Kiara. They must take on a military-industrial complex that threatens all of humanity and kitty-cat-dom.
There’s a tradeoff in Lou and Kiara’s battle for justice and peace. They’ll need to hand over their nine lives to save billions.
Strayed #1 hits comic stands today, Aug. 14. Matt Krotzer provides lettering, and Dustin Nguyen has illustrated a variant cover of issue #1.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Doe about his new project. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
How did the initial idea for Strayed come about?
This was all Carlos. I was just sitting in my dojo, cross-legged Buddha pose, sending out mental signals to the universe about wanting to do a trippy comic book project. I believe my message was heard, and Lou pinged me. Once I got the pitch from Carlos about an astral-projecting cat, it was a wrap. I was on board hook, line and sinker.
What was the working relationship like between you two (Carlos and Juan)?
Working with Carlos was an incredibly satisfying experience. Even though this was his first official big comic book project, he was beyond professional. I saw early on that he was a serious person, and with that I mean he’s a person that gets shit done. Once I realized that, it was easy to commit to him and to the book full throttle. Once we actually started the physical process of getting this book done, it only got better. It was a true collaborative process, akin to jamming together to make a great tune, very musical in how we riffed back and forth with the word and image.
Are you cat people yourself? Do you love this animal?
Sadly, I am allergic to cats, but that didn’t stop me and my family from growing up with both cats and dogs. My siblings and parents still have cats, so those quixotic little felines have always been a part of my life.
Is it difficult to illustrate a feline character?
Drawing cats should be an official art major. Especially if you draw from real cats, studying them can be a transcendental experience, and I know I’m not the only one to feel that way. Luckily I’ve always loved drawing cats and felt very comfortable with the character. The cool thing was to try to infuse the real life model, which is Carlos’s cat, Lou, within the comic book framework to make him come alive and connect with the reader. It was a pleasure to illustrate him.
Do you believe Strayed offers commentary on today’s society and issues in 2019?
Absolutely, sadly too close to reality sometimes. We’ve always seen political systems used as an excuse for the greater good in order to prop up other agendas that have broader, nefarious ideologies. That is part of the appeal of Strayed to me; it’s a David vs. Goliath space opera with a cat vs. a planetary empire regime. It’s a simple idea that contextualizes many of those societal experiences in a profound and thoughtful way, through a cat.
When did you first fall in love with comics?
I don’t remember a time when comics were not a part of my life. I always had a collection of some sort, and I have to thank my dad for always being thoughtful enough to buy me comics every weekend. It was something that I looked forward to without fail. It’s such a beautifully, unique medium.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Strayed #1, written by Carlos Giffoni and illustrated by Juan Doe, is available today, Aug. 14. Click here for more information on the Dark Horse title.
