Lark Pien began doing mini comics in 1997 and is the creator of Stories from the Ward (SFTW), Mr. Boombha, and Long Tail Kitty. She works out of home and her studio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Thanks to Leland Purvis (in a recent Sequential Tart message board thread) for suggesting that I interview Lark Pien.
Tim O’Shea: How did SFTW come into existence? What was the appeal of telling tales set in a "surreal scientific world of disorienting experiments and encounters" (as described by John Weeks at his Lark Pien page)?
Lark Pien: SFTW started with a character named Closet Girl (CG). She is a person who is constantly trying to establish her sense of identity in a world that is completely out of her control.
With the issue of control, I thought it would be appropriate for CG’s world to be one that is seemingly disjointed but that works (with or without her), where the superheroes, mad scientists and normal folks are all rolled in together.
An isolated space colony is a place that suggests progress, a challenge to human existence, and a representation of our constant will to “push the envelope”. It seems a good enough spot for potential successes as well as total weirdness. In general SFTW is about desperation. I like to see what comes out people when they’re really cornered. Why this topic in particular, I don’t really know. It seems exciting.
TO: Do you prefer the anthology format, rather than be restricted by one set of characters per se, allowing the freedom of an anthology to tell any tale that you want?
LP: So far the anthology format has worked for me, because it lets my mind wander. There’s a lot of creative freedom. I hope the audience doesn’t mind. At the same time, it weakens the book thematically. I’d like it to be more focused.
Let me back up. SFTW is actually one big story; the draft is over 150 pages. It’s a bit of a mistake to mix in a bunch of unrelated short stories together under the title “Stories from the Ward”, as the title only pertains to the stories of Closet Girl. Trip to Pon-Pon Si, Leeda, Love Conquers All are stories irrelevant to the CG world.
I’m hoping to find a chunk of time where I can just draw it all out without interruption and make it one big book. For now, I’ve got the mixed format, because I feel like a single episode of CG doesn’t have enough pages for a comic.
Also, the stories are told out of order, so it won’t make much sense as a bigger story yet. There, There and the “Zombie” story (as readers have named it) are both about Closet Girl, but at different points in the timeline. I’ve never explained this publicly, as these episodes can be read and understood regardless of their sequencing.
TO: As a painter, are there ever any paintings you do that once you start, you realize that there is a sequential art tale behind that one painting that you want to pursue (or vice versa)?
LP: The little paintings that I sell at comic conventions are extensions of a character that I’ve already thumbnailed in stories in my sketchbook or published as a comic. The comic or character comes first, then sometimes a painting. Every now and then the character will change in the painting from when it was in my sketchbook. The comics are in black and white, and the paintings are in color, so they have a different effect. Almost like it’s an enhancement of sorts. In general, they’re good exercises; I enjoy the technical challenge of manipulating colors most.
The “work” I do in paintings are spatial abstracts, totally unrelated to the character paintings. They run on the larger side – about 3’x3’ or so, and are explorations of ideas that have manifested through my schooling in college (studying architecture). A character study might take me a day to a week, but an abstract will keep me busy for several months, maybe even half a year. It’s a long, slow, and intensive process but I like it.
TO: How does your work as an architectural designer influence (if at all) your storytelling approach?
LP: There are similarities between the two. On a very basic level, architecture and comics are technical studies of the relationship of things. For architecture it’s the creative association of space and objects and people. For comics it’s the composition of panels and characters and setting and storyline. Comics and Architecture both are engaged principles of design, which in essence I think is a kind of language we create to convey concept or story or moral.
There is an experiential quality that both architecture and comics share, but that’s a little difficult to explain in short terms here. Space affects us psychologically just as stories do. Most people don’t notice what buildings do to them – there’s a lot more going on than fulfilling just utilitarian needs. On a larger, academic level, architecture serves as a marker of our culture and history. I believe that published comics (cumulatively) have a similar role in reflecting culture and history.
The two really differ in their purpose. The architect has an obligation to the public. Buildings service people, provide shelter and protection. Buildings can take on other characteristics, aesthetic and otherwise, but these afore-mentioned are basic inherent chains of servitude that architects must oblige. The cartoonist has no obligation to the public. Making comics – as a form of art – is a very personal and private act. It becomes public through publishing and distribution, and in this way is obligated to acknowledge the public, but not necessarily be of any service.
My social conscience has always weighed on me some, and I think architecture amplifies the “world on my shoulders” feeling even more. So it rubs off a little when it comes to my making comics.
I don’t worry about pleasing an audience, per se, but I do worry about being detrimental. I don’t think that the world is my playground, so I don’t have the urge to be expulsive and publish every comic that I do. A lot of them are personal or secretive in nature, and those stay in my sketchbook. Ultimately, the stuff that is published will be judged by the public, good or bad, they might like it or not. I can only say that I try to do my best.
TO: As a "renowned world traveler" how often do you find your travels find their ways into your stories?
LP: I’m working on a travel series with Mr. Boombha right now. He goes on a long, long trip that takes him to far away exotic places. His adventures will be contrasted with the very stable and domestic life of Flower and Bee back at home. Those two will be moving out of SFTW and into Mr. Boombha’s world.
He doesn’t quite know what he wants or why he’s gone, but he knows he can, and there’s a bit of comfort in that – the ability to choose where he’s going, even if the direction aimless. In the end I think Mr. B. will be a changed squishy little fellow, for better or for worse.
TO: I read that you did a Long Tail Kittycookbook is that out already? Do you like to cook, or did you collaborate with someone on the recipes?
LP: I don’t know why, but lately I’ve been choking when cooking for friends. I’m a good cook though, really!! I love to cook. I do fine when I’m cooking for Thien and myself.
There are 29 original recipes by my ma, my aunt Mayling and me. My brother contributed one as well. There are only two traditional Chinese recipes; the rest are fairly western – roast game hen in pear sauce, salmon with crispy potatoes, stuff like that. Some of the recipes are easy, under a ½ hour prep time. Some can get pretty laborious – the crab salad goes on for five pages! I put them in though, because they’re worth it.
The cookbook is over 80 pages right now – I made about 30 of them to sell at APE. They’re very, very handmade, silkscreened and ribbons everywhere. A real assembly nightmare. I make them in very limited numbers at present.
There are 50 pages or so of comics that I didn’t include in the book – it broke my piggybank (sad, sad Lark). I submitted it (with the comic stories) for a Xeric but didn’t get it. I’m trying to finalize it now and submit it to book publishers (i.e. Chronicle Books).
Each section (Soups, Salads, Mains, etc.) is prefaced by a comic story that illustrates what food means to us. The Soup section has a piece about comfort. The Salad section has a piece about nostalgia. Etc. etc. The end result is to have a book, which is informational and likewise emotionally fulfilling. I think it’s important to make this connection, really have people understand what it is about food that make us want it all the time… besides getting hungry, y’know.
Not to complain, but I wish I’d gotten the Xeric – I was trying to push the idea that comics can be a powerful tool in the world of everyday books, and that the cookbook would be a good vehicle for this campaign. The Xeric Grant would have been very appropriate – pertinent - versus some other random art grant. But I’ll keep looking, and see what help I can find.
TO: Is there any additional comics work on the horizon, or are you focusing on non-comics painting at present?
LP: Right now I am finishing up a piece for Scheherazade (anthology ed. M.Kelso, pub. Soft Skull), and will be doing one more anthology piece for Hi-Horse (ed. A. Arp). This year I’ve done stuff for Spark Generators, Studygroup 12, Broad Appeal, Diesel Sweeties, Pennydreadful Press’ Bay Area Travel Guide, and Orchid. This was the year of anthologies for me! That and half a dozen comic-art shows. I am really glad that I’ve been asked to participate in these projects, but it’s left me super scatterbrained. I would like to get back in my saddle and work on SFTW and Mr. Boombha and the cookbook. Other Long Tail Kitty minis may have to wait.
Animation companies like Nickelodeon have expressed their interest, but I think I can handle only so much multi-tasking. Should a good opportunity arise, however, I might not be able to pass it up! If anyone knows a good entertainment lawyer, please let me know. (!)
People have been SO nice at conventions; I look forward to SPX. So much creative stuff comes out of SPX. I can’t wait to see what other Comic people are doing. I’m going to carry ‘round my little red purse and buy, buy, BUY!
TO: Is there anything you'd like to discuss that I did not ask?
LP: Schedule-wise, I’m hoping to have the first Mr. Boombha travel book out at SPX in September. October will be the month for San Francisco open studios – I’ll have my abstracts up to show - that should be fun. Early November, Thien and I will go down to Supermarket at UCLA. Hopefully he’ll have more Ninja of Market Street comics and I’ll have SFTW #5 ready to go. Wish us luck. Hope to see you there.
Let me back up. SFTW is actually one big story; the draft is over 150 pages. It’s a bit of a mistake to mix in a bunch of unrelated short stories together under the title “Stories from the Ward”, as the title only pertains to the stories of Closet Girl. Trip to Pon-Pon Si, Leeda, Love Conquers All are stories irrelevant to the CG world. 
The two really differ in their purpose. The architect has an obligation to the public. Buildings service people, provide shelter and protection. Buildings can take on other characteristics, aesthetic and otherwise, but these afore-mentioned are basic inherent chains of servitude that architects must oblige. The cartoonist has no obligation to the public. Making comics – as a form of art – is a very personal and private act. It becomes public through publishing and distribution, and in this way is obligated to acknowledge the public, but not necessarily be of any service. 