April 11, 2007

Bill Galvan: From the Scrapyard to Riverdale
by Rik Offenberger

Rik Offenberger: When did you start drawing?

Bill Galvan: I started drawing when I was about 7 years old. I grew up reading Curt Swan’s Superman, the classic DC of the 70’s and 80’s, and of course, Archie.

RO: What type of art training did you receive?

BG: I didn’t start to get serious about drawing until I was in high school. I started reading a lot of books about anatomy and perspective. Then I won a scholarship to the Academy of Art in San Francisco for a summer in 1986. In college I took art classes, and graduated from Southern Utah University in 1996.

RO: How did you first Comic, Thunderbird come about?

BG: At Southern Utah University in 1992, I was the editorial cartoonist, but wanted to do a comic strip. Their mascot is the Thunderbird, so I figured the best way to get in the school newspaper was to do a superhero of that name. After a year long run, I sent in some samples to a local comic book publisher in Utah that was publishing a black and white anthology. They liked Thunderbird, and soon it became it’s own series that ran bi-monthly for 2 years. It was an amalgam of a previous character that I had created with a costume that gave the character flight and lightning powers.

RO: Doesn’t Marvel own the name Thunderbird?

BG: A few months after I created my comic strip, I got a big book of Marvel history for a gift. I noticed a picture of the X-Men, and a native-American hero called Thunderbird in a group shot. It looked to me like they were different enough in theme that it wouldn’t be a problem. I really just wanted to do a comic about a character that flew and shot lightning bolts.

RO: What happened to the 2005 re-launch of Thunderbird?

BG: Writer Nathan Shumate and I relaunched Thunderbird in 2005, with a brand new storyline and full color graphics. We had a 4 issue storyline, but only produced two issues before we had to pull the plug. The sales just didn’t support our retro superhero book. Issue #3 is done and half inked- we might return to it someday, who knows?

RO: How did Scrapyard Detectives come about?

BG: The Scrapyard Detectives was created as a way to educate children about the value of diversity and teamwork. I work for a non-profit organization, The Diversity Foundation, and their mission is to spread the message that being different is okay. The comic features three kids from different backgrounds that work together to solve mysteries. We published our third issue last year, with a story by Jesse Leon McCann who recently wrote Krypto for DC Comics. This year we plan to collect all three issues into one graphic novel, and I just finished illustrating a special origin story written by Batton Lash of Supernatural Law.

We’ve had some really high profile creators work on the series, which just keeps getting better with each issue. Jesse and Batton have not only shared their talent, but have donated time at our booth last year at Comic Con, signing books and talking to fans. We also have JM DeMatteis writing the introduction for the collected volume as well. It’s a worthy cause, and we welcome more creators to come on board.

RO: What made you decide to produce a free comic?

BG: The Diversity Foundation is a non-profit, and doesn’t charge for it’s educational materials. The publication and production of the books are funded by the foundation and any donations we receive. Teachers and librarians love them, because they are full color, professional books that are provided for every student. A lot of reading and literacy programs use them as well. For more info, go to www.smilesfordiversity.org.

RO: How did you get into Ron Johnson’s book “Famous Mormons: Interesting Profiles of Well-Known Latter-day Saint”

BG: I really have no idea. I guess someone submitted my name.

RO: How does your faith interact in your comic work?

BG: My work has always stayed pretty much in the mainstream. I like working on books that I can share with my family and kids.

RO: In 2006 Archie had a Talent Search, how did you hear about it?

BG: I was preparing to go to Comic Con in 2006, and saw that Archie was having a panel on the 65th anniversary of Archie. They said that they were looking at portfolios afterward, which kind of surprised me, because in the years that I had read Archie, I never saw any submission guidelines. So this was something I didn’t want to miss out on.

RO: What type of sample did you prepare?

BG: I just brought my portfolio of Scrapyard Detectives work, to show them that I could draw.
Thematically, Scrapyard Detectives is similar to Archie in that they are both all ages titles featuring kids without superpowers.

RO: In the press release Archie mentioned you showed up at the convention in a home made Jughead t-shirt, was this something you made for the con or do you make all your own t-shirts?

BG: I made my own Jughead shirt to wear for the day of the Archie panel. I just wanted to show that I was a fan, and also wear something that was a little different from all the other superhero stuff out there. I think that Archie Comics should have more shirts available for fans- and I’d love to design them!

RO: Can you take us through the steps from preparing your sample to getting your first Archie script?

BG: Well, I showed Fred Mausser and Rik Offenberger my stuff at the con, and he seemed to like what I showed him. A few weeks later, Victor Gorelick sent me a script with all the Archie characters in it, and I drew a few pages and sent them in by email. He liked them, and then sent me a contract. A couple weeks later I got my first script in the mail.

RO: Had you always been an Archie fan?

BG: Yes, I’ve always liked Archie Comics. I started reading Archie Comics back when I was a kid, and have followed the comics ever since.

RO: How long was it between the time you showed your art and you were told you got the job?

BG: Probably about a month.

RO: Does Archie give you enough work to quit your day job?

BG: Not yet, but I’d love to work full time on Archie if I could!

RO: How do you juggle 2 jobs and a family?

BG: My day job is as Creative Director for the Diversity Foundation, specifically the Scrapyard Detectives comics. Then I go home and draw Archie at night. It really wouldn’t work without the support of my wife, who has encouraged me throughout my career. My four kids love Archie Comics, I read Betty and Veronica to my daughters, and my sons read Sonic and Archie.

RO: In addition to all that you are making convention appearances, how do you find the time?

BG: It just works out I guess. I’m not on any tight deadlines, and Archie is just so fun to draw, I’m having too much fun to complain! Also, Archie values literacy and kid friendly comics, so Scrapyard Detectives goes hand in hand with that. At WonderCon this year, I was on a panel about literacy and comics, The Secret Origin of Good Readers, and talked about Scrapyard and Archie Comics.

RO: What type of reaction have you got from friends and family now that you are drawing Jughead?

BG: My family loves that I’m drawing for Archie. They all recognize the characters and remember reading them when they were young. My father used to read Archie as a kid back in the 40’s as well. They’re really happy for me that I’ve achieved my dream!

RO: What is most challenging about drawing Archie Comics?

BG: The biggest challenge I have is trying to loosen up my style, and be a little more exaggerated in my approach. Dan DeCarlo was so good at making his characters expressive and fluid. And Stan Goldberg injects them with so much personality- looking at their work is where I aim for.

RO: Archie Comics have a more standard look to their characters then other companies do, were you given style guidelines?

BG: I looked a lot at my Archie collection at home, and their style sheets on the web. When I left Comic Con, I poured over my copy of “Love Showdown” on the plane ride home and started sketching. After my first assignment, Victor Gorelick really helped me refine my work, and get the styles down just right.

RO: How much freedom do you have in your interpretation of Jughead?

BG: As much as I was worried that my Jughead wouldn’t be different, I find that I’m developing a style of my own. I do have some freedom to interpret him, but I wouldn’t want to make any big changes, or he wouldn’t be Jug! He’s perfect as he is!

RO: Are you going to be doing the Jughead stories in every issue of Jughead and Friends or will you be doing a variety different comics for Archie?

BG: I will be drawing a variety of stories for Archie, featuring all the characters. This story for Jughead and Friends #22, is a collaboration with Archie legend George Gladir. I met him last year at the SLC Library for an Archie signing, and he is a great guy. I love his Jughead stories, they are really fun to draw. I also started writing a few Archie stories of my own, so I hope that I can do that more. I bounce a lot of story ideas off Batton Lash and George, and they give me a lot of advice. That’s one of the best things about being with Archie Comics, in that I meet a lot of great comic creators, and learn as much as I can from them.