Interview with Brian Anderson, Creator of Sophie: Jurassic Bark and Frankenstein's Hound

Thanks for joining usat Smack Dab, Brian! Tell us all about the whirlwind world of Sophie and herpuptastic adventures!

 Thanks for having me! Sophie, my real-life furball, is themastermind behind the whole operation. These graphic novels are her journeyfrom "only child" to wrestling with a new human brother, adopted catchaos, and a revolving door of foster pups. She tackles it all with sass andimagination, of course. Think of it as a real-life documentary with a healthydose of Sophie's wild fantasies thrown in.

Animals are basicallybuilt-in comedians, right? You gotta narrate their inner monologues! Do yourfoster pups get the same treatment?

Absolutely! Each furry friend gets their own unique voice andpersonality, even the fosters. Sophie was a mashup of Peppermint Patty andRipley from Aliens. The cats have thick accents, some German, some Swedish, itdepends on their mood. Every character is based on a real animal, which helpsbring their cartoon versions to life. Let's just say, I've had some prettyinteresting foster pups, and their quirks always find a way into the story.

Calling all aspiringcomic creators! What's your golden nugget of advice?

Read a ton and draw and write even more! Stash a notebook inyour pocket – you never know when inspiration will strike and then vanish likea phantom treat. Perfect for those endless waiting rooms or car rides, too. Ieven started wearing cargo pants (not my favorite look, but hey, gotta do whatyou gotta do!) just to have that notebook handy.

 Character first, storylater, or vice versa? What's your creative process?

Definitely characters first! They're the heart of the wholestory. I spend a lot of time getting to know them before mapping out the plot.Back in the "Dog Eat Doug" days, I wrote and tossed out hundreds ofcomics before I really nailed the characters. Those were usually the easyjokes, before the characters truly came alive. Same goes for novels. I wrotethe first book of "The Conjurers" without understanding the maincharacters, which meant a whole lot of rewriting. Comics allow your charactersto evolve over time, but I like to spend a good chunk of time drawing andletting them develop before diving into the story.

"Frankenstein'sHound" features a world-domination plot by cats. Sounds about right! Humorcan be a fickle beast, though. Do you have any secret techniques for conjuringup laughs?

That notebook comes in handy again! Funny lines and twistsrarely appear on command (much like some dogs I know). But when you step awayfrom the drawing table, your brain keeps working on the problem in thebackground. So, the solution might pounce on you at the most unexpected times.I also steal a trick from comedians: I come up with a premise and then workshopit until it makes me laugh. Same goes for the heartwarming moments!

Balancing realism andfantasy – is it a juggling act, or does it flow naturally?

It all came naturally. My inner child is stuck at around tenyears old, so daydreaming is basically a superpower. It also makes it morerelatable for young readers. They can imagine themselves on adventures with mycharacters, or be inspired to create even wilder ones.

Family is a big themein Sophie's world – adoption, sibling rivalry, and the joys of family life.What sparked this focus?

Another natural element! When I created the newspaper strip,Sophie was my only fur-ever friend, so I invented Doug. A few years later, myson arrived, and the strip became a documentary of our lives. All the toys,furniture and situations in Sophie and Doug's world came straight from ourworld.

I came to graphicnovels later in life, thanks to my brother. You're a big advocate for usingcomics to boost literacy. Tell us more!

Absolutely! When parents ask how to get their kids reading, Isay let them explore everything! Eventually, they'll stumble upon a characteror genre they love. Boom! Instant reader. Comics are especially great foryounger kids. The pictures help them connect with the characters faster and canbe more engaging than a book that starts slow or doesn't match their readingstyle.

Let's face it, screens rule the world these days. But how manykids, after watching a superhero movie, would love to keep the story going byreading the comics? Comics are the perfect gateway drug to reading! They usedto be looked down on, but thankfully things have changed a lot since I was akid. I've even gotten numerous letters from teachers who used the comic stripsin the classroom as a teaching aide. First off, that melted my heart, butsecondly, it confirmed that if you make reading fun early, you'll get morereaders later.

What's next? SurelySophie will be going on additional adventures!

Yes indeed! We have a lot planned. Some of it I can't let out ofthe bag yet, although, let's just say, you may be hearing Sophie's voice in adifferent medium soon.

Where can we find you?

Usually curled up with several dogs and cats. Oh, you meanonline? You can find me at www.brianandersonwriter.com (which is the same aswww.dogeatdoug.com) and @dogeatdougcomics on IG.