Big Things: Myatt Murphy and Scott Dalrymple

Today's small press splotlight falls on the creators of the acclaimed and Eisner-nominated FADE FROM BLUE, to find out how two regular guys have taken comics into their own hands.
09 May 2003

Myatt Murphy and Scott Dalrymple are best known as the writer and artist of FADE FROM BLUE, a bi-monthly comic which has already received six Certified Cool stamps from Diamond, three "A's" from CBG's Reading Room and now, after the comic was named a 2003 Buzz Book by WIZARD, has been nominated for a 2003 Eisner for "Talent Deserving a Wider Audience".

By day, both creators work in mainstream magazines; Murphy writes for national magazines including MAXIM, COSMO, GQ and NEWSWEEK, while Dalrymple is an illustrator for magazines such as MUSCLE + FITNESS and CRACKED. They have also produced the miniseries TWO OVER TEN and the satirical FAR FROM SAINTS one-shot.

BIG NEWS:

MURPHY: Besides finishing #8 of FADE FROM BLUE, we're pretty excited about the Free Comic Book Day offering we pulled together called CHRISTA SHERMOT'S 100% GUARANTEED HOW-TO MANUAL FOR GETTING ANYONE TO READ COMIC BOOKS! The book is written as a guide meant to educate non-comic book readers using humor and facts to convince them why they should be reading comics.

The book even ends by steering readers with recommendations of over a hundred and twenty-five titles that range from Marvel and DC to Oni and Slave Labor and dozens of smaller independent publishers, which was definitely the best part of the project. Being able to praise some of the best comic book series out there was an extension of something I always do publicly. Now, thanks to this book, all I have to do is hand someone the list and let them go from there.

DALRYMPLE: The next project is the FADE TRADE VOL #1, our first FADE FROM BLUE graphic novel that reprints issues #1 through #5. Because we're running out of the first four issues and we expect a lot of new readers may come onboard if they're curious who put together CHRISTA'S GUIDE, we decided we needed something for readers to turn to. We're pulling that together now so we'll have it in time for the San Diego Con in July.

BIG BUSINESS:

MURPHY: The freedom of the art form and the absolute certainty that if you have an idea, it's possible to see it through to completion is what made me want to make comics. I think everyone walks around with a story in their heads. I also believe that the best stories ever created have yet to be seen, mainly because those that have these brilliant ideas never think they could ever sit down and write that three hundred-page novel or convince a studio to produce it as a film.

But with comics, you have the opportunity to flesh out your thoughts exactly as you see them and how you want others to see them. There's no budget limitations because your story takes place on sets that would be impossible to build. The only limitations are your creativity and getting enough detail on the page to get a reader to follow what you're trying to say. I don't think anything will ever beat that form of expression.

DALRYMPLE: My first interest was to get into doing matte paintings, but the introduction of computers kind of killed the need for artists that could do that sort of thing. Comics had always been something that I have wanted to do since reading GI JOE back in the eighties, so when my first desire was shot down, I went with my gut instinct to follow the other one that had always been there.

BIG TROUBLE:

MURPHY: The biggest problem is definitely finding the time. My day job is writing for magazines, so when I'm finished with ten hours of daily work I have to sit in front of the same computer screen and hit those same keys over and over and over again. I also think that nothing prepares you for the extra work that goes into self-publishing until you actually do it. The writing's easy. It's the minutiae of publishing that takes more time out of you than you ever expect.

DALRYMPLE: Since I don't write or produce FADE FROM BLUE, I'm lucky to not deal with as much of the business aspect of comics. But for me, the challenge is a two-part obstacle. First, putting on paper exactly what Myatt's thinking for a certain scene or panel sometimes takes a little work, but it's trying to keep all the characters looking consistent that's the real challenge.

BIG SPENDER:

MURPHY: Offering FADE FROM BLUE at half the price of most indies ($1.50) has definitely made creating the series a lot more difficult, but I really wanted to do it. When I wasn't a creator, I used to complain about the high price of comics. Once I became a creator, I realized I was about to become part of the problem unless I tried to make some effort to lower the ones we offered.

I've fueled a lot of our projects by selling off parts of a comic collection I've had since I was a kid. Two years ago when we first started, I think I had a hundred and fifty long boxes of books. Now it's down to six. If there's anyone to thank for FADE FROM BLUE, it's Ebay!

BIG AMBITION:

MURPHY: I can honestly say I'm already making the type of books I would make even if money, time and opportunity weren't issues. I think the only difference would be adding color, producing more types of books that fall in line with the same standards we've set and I'd lower the price on our books even further. For me, it's about sharing stories, so if I had the freedom to do it financially, I'd probably be creating books and offering them to others for free. I think our low cover price and investment on our Free Comic Book Day edition are proof of that fact.

DALRYMPLE: My mind changes so much, I don't know if it would be worth the effort to be in charge of my own book. One minute I want to do a STAR WARS book and the next, I'd like to do something completely one hundred and eighty degrees from science fiction. I kind of live that, "If the wine is sour, pour it" credo. Even though I'm sure Myatt would disagree, I feel I've destroyed a lot of personal projects over the last couple of years because I wasn't pleased with how they progressed. So, if you ask "what comic would I make without constraints," I'd say anything that gives me freedom to create, but follows someone else's vision so I can't change my mind.

BIG UP:

MURPHY: A lot of my inspiration has always come out of Japanese manga. I've always believed that we're copying the wrong things here in the States about manga that make it so special. Everyone focuses on the art style, but what's always made manga brilliant is the superior storytelling involved, not the big eyes and speed lines. Hitoshi Okuda, Osamu Tezuka, Shizuru Hayashiya, Rumiko Takahashi, Kia Asamiya... the list could go on for me. On the American side, my tastes lean towards the creators that play out tragedy well in their work, such as Neil Gaiman, Terry Moore, Alan Moore, Damon Hurd and Sean McKeever - especially THE WAITING PLACE.

DALRYMPLE: Most of the people that I admire have either passed away or no longer do comics as often as I wish they would, such as Alex Raymond, Frazetta, Will Eisner, Wally Wood, etc. But I always pick up anything with Bernie Wrightson's name on.

BIG TIME:

MURPHY: We're working on finishing up the first story arc of FADE FROM BLUE, which should conclude with #10 in December. After that, Scott and I have several projects lined up that are going to be more one-shot in nature, yet using the FADE FROM BLUE girls. We have a lot of fans that like the characterization of FADE FROM BLUE, so these one-shot issues will be filled with plenty of that style. However, these issues are also going to be a chance to Scott and I to stretch our wings creatively without being bound too much from continuity.

DALRYMPLE: Mostly I want to keep doing what I'm doing on some level and always have fun doing it. But what's next? I couldn't tell you, because each month seems to be a different challenge. I'm venturing into more magazine illustration in between doing FADE FROM BLUE, so that's been interesting to try my hand at.

BIG FINISH:

MURPHY: I know I've never believed myself to be the next great storyteller. All I really know is that I've always enjoyed writing stories that I wanted to read. So, if I could be remembered in any way, it will hopefully be as someone that always wrote what he liked, not what would necessarily sell.

DALRYMPLE: I've never really given any thought to how I want to be remembered. I guess I consider myself a long way off from reaching that type of status. I also think that you have no control over what you're remembered for. I could be known for my work on FADE FROM BLUE right now or remembered for something completely unrelated to comics twenty years in the future. All I know is that I can't wait to see what work of mine the majority of fans out there decide is the work that stands for who I was as an artist.

BIG DEAL:

FADE FROM BLUE, FAR FROM SAINTS and TWO OVER TEN are all distributed through Diamond, FM and Cold Cut. We also have limited amounts of FADE FROM BLUE #1-6, TWO OVER TEN #1-5 and the FAR FROM SAINTS one-shot available on our website.

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