Photo by Tammy Anderson
Brian Anderson is the creator of the new middle grade graphic novels Sophie: Jurassic Bark and Sophie: Frankenstein's Hound. His other work includes the comic strip Dog Eat Doug. He lives in North Carolina.
Q: What originally inspired you to create your character Sophie, and why did you decide to create these new middle grade novels?
A: Sophie was inspired by my real-life dog, and the comic became a documentary with a touch of imagination when my son was born. I always planned to expand beyond the shrinking newspaper strips, and graphic novels were the perfect way to unleash Sophie's adventures and character growth.
Plus, I got lots of emails from young readers who'd never even seen a newspaper, but loved Sophie. That was the final push to take the leap into graphic novels.
Q: Do you usually work on the text first or the art first--or both simultaneously?
A: It's a chaotic dance of both! I'm always scribbling and writing in my notebook, whether I'm waiting for the doctor or to pick up my son from school. You never know when an idea will strike, and I don't want to forget it. Plus, doodling and writing keeps the rust off the creative gears.
Q: As someone who has created comic strips, graphic novels, and picture books, do you have a preference?
A: That's a tough one! I love them all, but graphic novels offer the most freedom. I can explore the characters and their world in so much more detail.
That said, I let the story dictate the best medium, whether that be a picture book, novel, or comic.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the books?
A: I hope they love Sophie as much as I do! These comics keep her spirit alive and are a way for me to share her with others. I also hope they see themselves in her struggles and how she grows from them. And by including my real-life foster dogs, I hope to change the stigma around shelter animals.
It’s super gratifying to hear from parents that love reading about Sophie as much as their kids. I have a lot of adult readers from the newspapers so I’ve always tried to make the comics work on many levels. Hearing stories of families reading these comics together fuels my fire to create more.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Sophie book 4 is taking shape in my notebook. I also had the opportunity to create and illustrate a steampunk world for the first “Choose Your Own Adventure” Tarot Deck. The deck comes out in September and is perfect for kids.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Well, there's something I'm not supposed to mention, but let's just say you might hear Sophie's voice in a different medium soon, one that doesn’t require word balloons. Oops, did I say too much?
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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