Exclusive Interview with Octopus Pie Creator Meredith Gran
Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, Meredith Gran, author, creator, and artist of the webcomic Octopus Pie, has quite the interesting life. In addition to creating Octopus Pie, she teaches a webcomics course at the School of Visual Arts. Meredith also has a seven-year-old dog and enjoys lifting weights. She took time out of her busy schedule to discuss Octopus Pie Vol 1 with us! Read our interview below.
How long have you been writing comics?
“I started writing and drawing comics when I was about seven. A lot of it was knockoffs of my favorite cartoons and stuff, but I got pretty into my own original characters before long. As least until I was a teen and just wanted to draw anime all the time.”
Where did you learn your craft?
“I studied animation at the School of Visual Arts from 2002-06. I spent a lot of that time studying anatomy and breaking down my style and drawing comics.”
How did you break into the comic strip “biz”?
“I drew comics and put them online! So easy!”
Tell us your inspiration behind Octopus Pie.
“I think it came about the way a lot of people’s work does these days. I had the characters and I just needed a simple story framework to put them. I think Mission Hill was a big influence early on. I just wanted my characters to fuck around and butt heads and have their coolness tested.”
Where did Eve Ning get her name?
“I thought it would be funny to make her name an innocuous pun. Just a mild bit of added cruelty to the joke of her life.”
Is there a Hanna in your life?
“Is, was, will always be. She’s in my childhood friends, roommates, and my very soul. Hanna is all around us.”
Any plans for other comic strips in the future?
“Not yet! I’d like to collaborate with my husband Mike Holmes in the near future. We have a lot of ideas we’re kicking around.”
What kinds of things bring out the nerd/geek in you?
“I love watching movies and breaking the technical stuff down and analyzing all the choices. I especially like films where the director/writer’s vision comes through. The thought of making a movie is so daunting, it’s like a miracle to accomplish that. I like that I can be in charge of everything in comics without that kind of pressure.”
Octopus Pie, Vol. 1 will be available for purchase on February 3.