You know around here we've got a soft spot for the '80s. Today we're talking with Esther Pearl Watson, author of the hilarious and poignant comic, Tammy Pierce is Unlovable, a sadly accurate look at the high school years for many of us.Describe your comic, Tammy Pierce is Unlovable, for our readers who may not be familiar with you.
Tammy Pierce is a 15 year old lovable loser growing up in a small town and trying to survive high school. It's based on a diary I found in a gas station bathroom, although now it's closer to my childhood. It started out as a 64-page mini-comic in which I tried to break all the rules of comics: no grid, broken sequence, speech balloons in wrong places, sloppy writing and mess-ups, inconsistency of character, etc. Bust Magazine saw the first mini and since 2004 I have been doing the back page comic for Bust. Fantagraphics published the complete sophomore year of Tammy's life in a two volume set.
Was the diary set in the '80s? How do you think that influences the comic's content?
Yes, the diary was set in the late '80s. The distance of time helps point out some of absurdity we go through in high school. Especially trying to pretend you can afford certain brands or being obsessed with music to prove you're OK. Tammy finds a Debbie Gibson tape but has to pretend she doesn't like it to impress Ken Edward Olsen who like The Smiths. It all looks silly years later. All those friends you impressed or didn't impress, where are they now?
Can you tell us a little about your other artwork as well?
I also make paintings in a 'grandma moses' style about growing up in Texas with an eccentric father who built flying saucers in the front yard.
