Jen Wang first surfaced crafting short comics that appeared online and in the Flight anthologies, but her debut graphic novel Koko Be Good is the first work of hers that most people will have encountered. Its a beautifully illustrated book that centers around three characters, each of whom is tackling in their own way, what it means to be good.
Wang, who graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Sociology, has spent the past few years toiling at a variety of jobs while working on her book. Its entirely possible to dislike her for her youth (she's still only 26), her loose expressionistic linework, and the delicate watercolors she uses so adeptly. The book, though, is very definitely good.
ALEX DUEBEN: Koko be Good was originally a short comic about two characters, Koko and Jonathan, who meet at a bus stop. What were the circumstances behind the short version and where did this idea come from?
JEN WANG: The short comic happened very quickly. Around 2004 I was in my second year of college and going through a lot of changes in my life. Things were happening with the relationships in my life, I switched majors from an art to social science, the war in Iraq was on my mind, as was the Presidential election. I was spending a lot of time thinking about what kind of person I wanted to be, and at the time I wasn't sure I wanted to pursue art anymore. Ironically, I needed an outlet to express my angst and one day the character Koko came to mind. I quickly jotted down the script over breakfast and started drawing right away.
AD: Why did you decide to expand the story into a full-length book?
JW: Well, during the process of drawing the short comic I kept thinking how easy the character was to work with. She really was a manifestation of my inner thoughts, and I wasn't done figuring myself out yet. I wanted to explore the themes in the short comic further, but I needed more time and distance to digest what was happening in my life. When I graduated college I felt ready.
AD: Koko feels very similar in the two stories but Jonathan is very different and looks very different. He really becomes a very different character in the book.
JW: That was one of the things I wanted to change in the full-length version. There aren't a ton of characters but I wanted each one to have a story of their own and feel distinct. Koko is such a strong, aggressive, character, you needed someone to act as her straight man. Someone the audience can relate to.
AD: One of the things people will notice about the book is that it features this very loose expressionistic style and I'm curious how you developed this style and who inspired you in this direction.
JW: My style is really influenced by animation, in particular ones that involve a lot of "acting" and expression by the artists to move the story along. So that's always been a part of the way I draw. But while working on Koko I was also looking at a lot of European cartoonists like Gipi, Joann Sfar, and Nicolas de Crecy who have extremely loose, expressionistic styles. I loved how elegant, yet raw everything looked. I really wanted to capture that in the art of the comic.
AD: Now the book is all yours. Besides writing and drawing the book you lettered and colored it. Why did you want to do it all?
JW: First off, a minor correction about the lettering: I didn't do it! Initially that was the plan, but toward the end I was tired of inking and ended up getting John Martz (also a great cartoonist) to make a font based on my handwriting instead. I think it looks amazing! As for wanting to do it all, I think the easy answer is I'm a bit of a control freak. And I wanted everything to reflect the personal nature of the story in every aspect of the art. It has to feel like the blood, sweat, and tears of one person for it to feel truly intimate.
AD: What was the technical process of drawing the book and how you worked?
JW: I penciled the book on 9"x12" bristol paper. I scanned the pages in, printed them out on light blue ink, and inked on top of that with ballpoint pen. You can still see a lot of the blue ink in there. Then I watercolored on top of the inks. In retrospect I should've inked on top of the bristol because I didn't end up messing up the inks as much as I thought. People have responded positively to the blue ghost lines, but I think it would've looked nice without it too.
AD: What was your thinking behind the coloring. Why did you think the book needed a limited palate and was there a comic or painting or another work that had the same kind of feeling you were going for?
JW: I needed a coloring method that I could do quickly and effectively, and watercolors were that for me. I was hesitant to do a full color book because I don't like the way color can dictate too much in the story. A limited palate allowed me to add depth to the artwork without overpowering overpowering everything else. It also took less time, so all in all it was the logical choice on all accounts.
AD: How did you end up getting published by First Second Books?
JW: We had been on each other's radars for a while. A few years before they'd asked me if I was interested in illustrating one of several comic scripts they had. At the time I was still in school so I declined. So a while later when Koko was ready they were a natural publisher to turn to. They're one of the few graphic novel publishers out there right now that really take risks with their artists, so it was great to end up with them.
AD: Now the major thrust of the book is that Koko wants to be "good" which is something that I think many of us can relate to, and I'm curious about what you thought of as her arc and where she starts and where she ends.
JW: In the beginning, like most of us, Koko's idea of "good" is all about action. It's through her attempts that she starts to realize her heart isn't in the right place. It's not natural for her, and that's when she really has to confront for the first time who she really is. It's a sad day to realize you may never be that admirable, heroic person you thought you could be. On the other hand having that new sense of self-awareness allows her to empathize with other people (i.e. connecting with Faron). So in the end she doesn't end up where she'd hoped, but she's a little wiser, and a little more self-aware.
AD: To what degree is Koko you and the story autobiographical, because it does feel very personal?
JW: Oh it's definitely personal for me. None of the characters represent me completely, but they all reflect aspects of me. Koko obviously comes closest because her story is mine. Like her, I've struggled with trying to be a better person and wanting to change who I am. None of the events in the book are literally autobiographical, but it feels more truthful to me than any actual autobio comics I've ever done.
AD: So what's next for you?
JW: Writing with what I hope will be my next book! Fingers crossed!
Wang, who graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Sociology, has spent the past few years toiling at a variety of jobs while working on her book. Its entirely possible to dislike her for her youth (she's still only 26), her loose expressionistic linework, and the delicate watercolors she uses so adeptly. The book, though, is very definitely good.
ALEX DUEBEN: Koko be Good was originally a short comic about two characters, Koko and Jonathan, who meet at a bus stop. What were the circumstances behind the short version and where did this idea come from?
JEN WANG: The short comic happened very quickly. Around 2004 I was in my second year of college and going through a lot of changes in my life. Things were happening with the relationships in my life, I switched majors from an art to social science, the war in Iraq was on my mind, as was the Presidential election. I was spending a lot of time thinking about what kind of person I wanted to be, and at the time I wasn't sure I wanted to pursue art anymore. Ironically, I needed an outlet to express my angst and one day the character Koko came to mind. I quickly jotted down the script over breakfast and started drawing right away.
AD: Why did you decide to expand the story into a full-length book?
JW: Well, during the process of drawing the short comic I kept thinking how easy the character was to work with. She really was a manifestation of my inner thoughts, and I wasn't done figuring myself out yet. I wanted to explore the themes in the short comic further, but I needed more time and distance to digest what was happening in my life. When I graduated college I felt ready.
AD: Koko feels very similar in the two stories but Jonathan is very different and looks very different. He really becomes a very different character in the book.
JW: That was one of the things I wanted to change in the full-length version. There aren't a ton of characters but I wanted each one to have a story of their own and feel distinct. Koko is such a strong, aggressive, character, you needed someone to act as her straight man. Someone the audience can relate to.
AD: One of the things people will notice about the book is that it features this very loose expressionistic style and I'm curious how you developed this style and who inspired you in this direction.
JW: My style is really influenced by animation, in particular ones that involve a lot of "acting" and expression by the artists to move the story along. So that's always been a part of the way I draw. But while working on Koko I was also looking at a lot of European cartoonists like Gipi, Joann Sfar, and Nicolas de Crecy who have extremely loose, expressionistic styles. I loved how elegant, yet raw everything looked. I really wanted to capture that in the art of the comic.
AD: Now the book is all yours. Besides writing and drawing the book you lettered and colored it. Why did you want to do it all?
JW: First off, a minor correction about the lettering: I didn't do it! Initially that was the plan, but toward the end I was tired of inking and ended up getting John Martz (also a great cartoonist) to make a font based on my handwriting instead. I think it looks amazing! As for wanting to do it all, I think the easy answer is I'm a bit of a control freak. And I wanted everything to reflect the personal nature of the story in every aspect of the art. It has to feel like the blood, sweat, and tears of one person for it to feel truly intimate.
AD: What was the technical process of drawing the book and how you worked?
JW: I penciled the book on 9"x12" bristol paper. I scanned the pages in, printed them out on light blue ink, and inked on top of that with ballpoint pen. You can still see a lot of the blue ink in there. Then I watercolored on top of the inks. In retrospect I should've inked on top of the bristol because I didn't end up messing up the inks as much as I thought. People have responded positively to the blue ghost lines, but I think it would've looked nice without it too.
AD: What was your thinking behind the coloring. Why did you think the book needed a limited palate and was there a comic or painting or another work that had the same kind of feeling you were going for?
JW: I needed a coloring method that I could do quickly and effectively, and watercolors were that for me. I was hesitant to do a full color book because I don't like the way color can dictate too much in the story. A limited palate allowed me to add depth to the artwork without overpowering overpowering everything else. It also took less time, so all in all it was the logical choice on all accounts.
AD: How did you end up getting published by First Second Books?
JW: We had been on each other's radars for a while. A few years before they'd asked me if I was interested in illustrating one of several comic scripts they had. At the time I was still in school so I declined. So a while later when Koko was ready they were a natural publisher to turn to. They're one of the few graphic novel publishers out there right now that really take risks with their artists, so it was great to end up with them.
AD: Now the major thrust of the book is that Koko wants to be "good" which is something that I think many of us can relate to, and I'm curious about what you thought of as her arc and where she starts and where she ends.
JW: In the beginning, like most of us, Koko's idea of "good" is all about action. It's through her attempts that she starts to realize her heart isn't in the right place. It's not natural for her, and that's when she really has to confront for the first time who she really is. It's a sad day to realize you may never be that admirable, heroic person you thought you could be. On the other hand having that new sense of self-awareness allows her to empathize with other people (i.e. connecting with Faron). So in the end she doesn't end up where she'd hoped, but she's a little wiser, and a little more self-aware.
AD: To what degree is Koko you and the story autobiographical, because it does feel very personal?
JW: Oh it's definitely personal for me. None of the characters represent me completely, but they all reflect aspects of me. Koko obviously comes closest because her story is mine. Like her, I've struggled with trying to be a better person and wanting to change who I am. None of the events in the book are literally autobiographical, but it feels more truthful to me than any actual autobio comics I've ever done.
AD: So what's next for you?
JW: Writing with what I hope will be my next book! Fingers crossed!