First comic you read that made you want to work in comics?

Well, ALF #1 was the first comic that made me want to draw alien life forms. The first one to make me want to draw comics would've been some miscellaneous SPIDER-MAN comic I picked up when I was thirteen. It wasn't very good, but I saw the possibilities of the medium and realized that I could do that... and maybe even get paid for it!

Last person you spoke to on the phone?

Takeshi Miyazawa. He woke me up at noon, demanding we go out for coffee. I don't think he realized that being startled awake and straining to reach the phone is rather painful when you have a cracked rib. Bastard.

(Okay, my amazing girlfriend Sabina just called from the other side of the country, so I guess she's the last person I spoke to on the phone. But I'm sticking with my first answer, because I get a kick out of publicly calling Tak a bastard.)

First time you met one of your heroes?

Jim Mahfood and Scott Morse were two of the first guys I met whom I truly admired and respected. That would've been at San Diego Comic-Con International back in '98. I think I was lucky to meet a bunch of friendly creators first, rather than the ones burdened by vanity and arrogance. I still have the LittleGreyMan sketch I got from Morse at that show.

Last time you cooked a meal?

I just cooked and ate a pot of KD, aka Kraft Dinner macaroni and cheese. I believe KD is the official foodstuff of Canada. I know I eat it more than maple syrup.

First crush?

When I was really young, I had a crush on a girl named Sam. She was several years older than me, and was usually riding her horse when I saw her. That was a bit of a problem, since I'm allergic to horses. But I wouldn't let that stop me, so I picked a flower and meekly hung around Sam and her horse until the time was right to present my flower and proceed to woo her. I guess that's when I learned that it's difficult to sweep a girl off her feet when your eyes are itchy, red, and swollen to the size of baseballs.

Last time you spent $100 on clothes?

$100 at once? I don't even own a pair of pants that aren't falling apart.

First thing you do when you book into a hotel?

Flop on the bed and declare that I hate airports and traveling and all that other whatnot. Then I go to the balcony to see if I can get a glimpse of any of the other guests. I've yet to witness any really seedy activity through a hotel room window, and I'm quite disappointed.

Last time you cried?

My eyes may have gotten a little moist while watching MY SO-CALLED LIFE on DVD. As Jamie S Rich says, it's almost impossible not to cry when Claire Danes does.

First teacher to make a difference to you?

Without a doubt, my German teacher, Mr Stÿmper. He taught me that being a goofball may be good for a laugh or two, but you can't be the class clown forever.

Last time you told a lie?

That last answer was complete bull. My school didn't even offer German. I learned the above lesson by watching Uncle Joey on FULL HOUSE.

First time you feared for your life?

When the only thing on TV after school was FULL HOUSE.

Last comic you read that reminded you why you love comics?

Hmmm... It may have been Mawil's BEACH SAFARI, published by Top Shelf. It's full of exaggerated cartooniness, but it also has a lot of subtle scenes; the kind that give added depth to the characters and an overall atmosphere to the story. That's what gets me excited about comics. Seeing someone use the range of possibilities available to us.

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