As part of the Liberator trade paperback, Black Mask Studios asked a stellar team of comic creators to play in the world that Matt Miner created. Each team had the chance to create a short story using characters and ideas already explored in the first volume of Liberator, adding to the world and further looking into animal activism and rights. The collected issues combined with all the backups make the Liberator trade a huge collection of comics with a cause. All week long on StashMyComics I’ll be talking with some of the contributors to the Liberator trade, like Ales Kot, Fabian Rangel, Jr., Brian Level, and, of course, Matt Miner himself. Check out all the previous interviews here.
Today we talk with Tess Fowler, creator of The Rascals webcomic and more, about her story Anchor Point which was written by Matt Miner.
Leo Johnson: How did you initially get involved with contributing a backup to the Liberator trade?
Tess Fowler: Matt and I connected via social media. He thought I’d be a good fit. I hope I did him proud.
LJ: You worked with Matt Miner on the story Anchor Point. What’s it all about?
TF: Without revealing too much, and without speaking for Matt: it’s a look into the background of a known character. And it touched my heart immediately. Some of us come out of the womb with a mission, and those we meet in our earliest years can often affect that mission greatly.
LJ: Liberator deals with animal activism and those that are a part of that world. Do you personally have any connection to the subject matter?
TF: I grew up with an older sister who charmed tarantulas and alley cats in the hills of Northern California. Today she rescues cats on the East coast, working closely with local shelters to save lives. She was always something of a beast whisperer when I was a kid, and it left me with a very personal view of those who advocate on behalf of animals.
LJ: Finally, for anyone who hasn’t read it, why would you suggest picking up a copy of Liberator?
TF: Matt Miner is an agent of change. This isn’t just a comic. He’s saying a lot with this series. And it’s worth your time. The other creative folks involved within its pages are some of the neatest, most skilled folks around, too. I highly recommend giving it a read
If Liberator sounds like something you’d be interested in, the trade releases 4/9 and can be ordered from Amazon or single issues in digital or print can be purchased from the Black Mask Studios store.
