John Hover is a fantastic cartoonist hailing from Louisiana. He is the creator of the humorous comic called “Seafood Comics”. The story stars Red (the redfish) and Poboy (the speckled trout) as they deal with life underwater with their friends Kajun, Kreole, and Roux. I asked John if he’d share a little insight into his comic and life and now with great delight I present John Hover and the world of “Seafood Comics”.
David: Can you give me a little insight into the making of your comic, where did the idea and concept come from?
John: Well, I got the idea for Seafood from my surroundings. Being from Louisiana you get to see how big fishing really is, as well the Seafood industry…and man the seafood here is really awesome! I’ve put on a few pounds if you know what I mean. I’ve always been a big fan of comics, but have never seen a comic strip with sea life from Louisiana. I just thought creating a comic with a Cajun vibe and southern sea life might be something unique, since it’s close to me.
David: When did you decide you wanted to be a cartoonist and how long have you been cartooning?
John: First off… I have always loved to draw, I used to doodle all the time in class; I guess that’s why the grades weren’t too great. In the third grade other classmates would circle me as I drew battleships at the end of class. Back in 1999 my first year of college, I took many art classes. It was there that I discovered you could actually work drawing comics for newspapers. I just remember thinking it would be cool to have a job like that. In 2002 I started drawing my first comic, Bubbleheads which gave me great experience. I submitted the bubbleheads to many syndicates and in return got many rejection letters.
David: What are the things that inspire you as you create any ritual or process to get you going?
John: First I begin to meditate…. just joking. Typically I begin drawing late at night starting usually around 12am when everyone is asleep. I already have a collection of sketches that I skim through and decide which one I’ll be drawing for that night. Using the sketch as a guide I draw directly into the computer with my digital drawing pad. If anyone says drawing digitally is easier, they’re nuts. It took me a good while just to get comfortable with the digital pen. I also color everything digitally and I created my own font for my comic strip. It takes me about three hours to do a single comic. Coffee is my friend.
David: Who are some of your cartooning influences?
John: That’s an easy one. You gotta love Charles Schulz…. I mean who doesn’t. His work is classic and will live on forever. I remember as a kid looking forward to reading Peanuts. Patrick Mcdonnell is a big influence on me. I love the fact that his drawings are simplistic, but have high impact. I think subliminally I draw some of my characters in that style.
David: What is your ultimate goal with your comic?
John: I want to share my comic with as many people as I
can. I enjoy making people laugh and giving something for people to look forward to. Although it is a goal to make people laugh, it as always been a dream to have two comics get syndicated.
David: You definitely have a fun comic and I expect to see many great things ahead for you in the future.
Check out these links to see more of John Hover and “Seafood Comics”:
