Shooting The Breeze With ‘Irredeemable’ and ‘Dragonfly & Dragonflyman’ Artist Peter Krause

One half of the creative team that brought us Irredeemable, artist Peter Krause has an impressive resumé having illustrated such greats as SHAZAM (Power of SHAZAM), Archie Andrews (Archie 1941) and has recently finished up on AHOY Comics’ Dragonfly And Dragonflyman Volume 1. He’s also today’s guest in the interview chair as we continue to shoot the breeze and try and take our minds off the… well, you-know-what. 
Olly MacNamee: Now, for many creators a life of isolation is nothing new, but these are, I think we can all agree, unprecedented times. As such, have you noticed any changes yet to your regular daily routines, for better or for worse?
Peter Krause:  I’ve worked at home for both comics and advertising for over thirty years, so one would think that I’ve got this routine down.  But the anxiety seems to be all around us — it’s made it harder to concentrate.  I have two family members here that aren’t working right now, and I need to accommodate them as well.
OM: Like so many others, have you pledged to take up any new hobbies or interests during this downtime? I imagine after one week that resolution—like New Year’s Eve resolutions—may have ebbed for some? So, do you ebb or flow? And that’s not euphemism!
PK:  Well, I have a project I’m working on for AHOY Comics, so that takes precedence.  Still, the weather in Minnesota is becoming more spring-like, so my wife and I have been out hitting tennis balls almost every day.  And there’s always Animal Crossing when the rain hits.

OM: This could very well go on for a few months, listening to the experts rather than the politicians. We’re all going to soon be clambering the walls, if we’re not distracted. What comic book gems will you have the time to go back, dig out and re-read and suggest to our readers to go order from their local comic book store to help support their business?
PK:  Old issues of Daredevil.  I have the Artist’s Edition of the ‘Born Again!’ storyline, and I never get tired of looking at that David Mazzucchelli art. Frank Miller’s writing is at his peak here.
The Superman titles when Mike Carlin was editor — those stories ran throughout all four titles, so you could get your Superman fix every week.  And all those artists (Gammill, Ordway, Jurgens, Grummett, Bogdanove, Guice) really brought their best.
Walt Simonson’s Orion deserves a re-read.  I need to go back through my Love and Rockets and my copies of Sandman Mystery Theater.
Reading Urasawa Tezuka’s Pluto is time well-spent—that series made me weep the first time through.
Anything that Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips do — they are the best team in comics right now.  And don’t forget your Hellboy books.  Can anyone have too much Hellboy?

OM: Any newer titles out there you’ve discovered or been recommended and enjoyed reading?
PK:  I just finished the collected edition of Batman: Creature of the Night. Kurt Busiek’s fine writing was carried forward by John Paul Leon’s wonderful noir-style artwork. JPL might be the best sequential artist around — I’m just enthralled with his art. In fact, I just commissioned a Daredevil drawing from him.
OM: And, what will be playing on your turntable over the coming weeks? What albums could you not live without?
PK:  When I’m working, I usually have Minnesota Public Radio’s news network on.  But when I want to get away from our grim reality, I have a few old favorites.  Howard Shore’s Fellowship of the Rings, Coltrane, Billie Holiday, any Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Buzzcocks, The Jam, Replacements, Beck.
The middle lad (we have three sons) gave me a copy of Jamila Woods’ Legacy, Legacy. I haven’t listened to it yet—my son and daughter love it.
OM: Any box sets you’ll be going back to rewatching? Or any new films and TV you may now have the time to invest in?
PK:  My television time is limited. In the evening, we’ll watch the Food Network while we read.
I still need to get through my boxed set of Twin Peaks.  So many choices — and even with our stay-and-shelter world it seems like not enough time.

OM: I must admit, getting back to comics, it’s been really pleasing to read, see and hear the comic book communities coming together at a time like this. What have been some of the positive stories coming out of the comic book industry that have caught your eye over the past week or so?
PK:  I feel for the local shops.  I applaud the companies that are taking orders directly from fans and assigning some profits to their local stores. I hope that helps at least a bit.
OM: It would have been the start of another busy comic con season on both sides of the pond, but alas no more. Will you miss these chances to socialise and meet up with fellow colleagues and friends? 
PK:  I don’t do many shows any more, but I do support the local Minneapolis/St. Paul conventions. There are people I see every year, and I’ll miss them since the spring show that was scheduled in May has been canceled. Hopefully the autumn show will go on.
OM: What hopes do you harbour for the comic book industry once these stormy clouds have passed?
PK:  My best hope is that everyone weathers this and comes back stronger.  I worry about the smaller publishers and the mom-and-pop comic books stores.  I’m afraid we might have some casualties there.
OM: Finally, and to leave a smile on our readers’ faces, have you heard any good/bad jokes recently? 
PK:  Rather than jokes, how about Rex Chapman’s Twitter feed?  Rex has funny videos, and they are often heartwarming, too. You can follow him at @RexChapman.
OM: Many thanks, and all the best. A phrase with even more weight to it than usual.
PK: Truth. And to you as well.
Dragonfly And Dragonflyman Volume 1 is available now from AHOY Comics. Do remember t order it from your local comic book store before going online, won’t you?
You can catch up with all our previous interviews in this series here.