Tozzer 2 – The interview

If you ever meet them in person, Rob Dunlop and Peter Lumby come across as the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet and people your mum would approve of as they are such “nice young men”.

However, find out more about them and you realize that beneath that civilized and urbane exterior lies hearts of pure blackness and they are almost certainly in league with the devil.

All you have to do is read Tozzer and it proves that they are really rogues intent on corrupting our young in a way that rock and roll only really dreamed of.

I catch up with them via messenger and find out about their pernicious plans for global conquest, maybe using an army of giant killer robots, maybe not, but a real plan dedicated to the total perversion of truth, justice and the American way...

Glenn: How the devil are you both?

Pete: Flippin' knackered. Hard day's slog at the office.

Rob: I've been basking in the glorious sunshine that has immersed the fair land of south London.

Glenn: What got you both into producing comics?

Rob: I blame Pete for my interest in the medium. He was always more of a comics fiend, but kept passing me comics and graphic novels until I saw the light. Then a few years ago, I had an idea for a comic based on a computer game. So I teamed up with Pete, put some ideas down on paper, and we approached the management of a games company. They went for it. We found ourselves getting paid to create comics, which needless to say was pretty sweet.

Glenn: That was the Carmageddon comic series, wasn't it?

Pete: Holy shit - you've heard of it?

Glenn: No, I've read your website.

Pete: Ah! Thought we were famous for a second

Glenn: Did a little research beforehand. I remember the game well, though. Maybe Tozzer will make you famous.

Rob: Well, maybe famous within our immediate circle of friends

Glenn: ...so Tozzer just followed on from there?

Rob: Yeah, pretty much...

Pete: We were bringing together the kind of ideas which came out of Carmageddon. And we were collaborating very well, sharing the same twisted sense of humour, which helped.

Glenn: I take it from Pete’s answer "Hard day's slog at the office" that you haven't yet been able to give up the "day job" to work on Tozzer full-time?

Pete: Well, Rob’s working on comics full time, while I'm currently working for a games development company in London.

Glenn: Really? What do you do for them?

Pete: I'm the lead concept artist, which means that I get to draw all kinds of crazy-looking characters and then see them in 3d, and animated. Which is fun, but not as easy as it sounds!

Glenn: That sounds like a dream job.

Glenn: Do you read any comics yourselves? If so, what?

Rob: Yeah, when I get the time. There's a couple of great comics which I read recently, Bear and Street Angel, both from SLG. My writing on Tozzer means I'm always on the lookout for quirky, funny stuff elsewhere. Bear is especially my cuppa tea, as it's got that daft British humour thing going on, and the writer's not afraid to take chances.

Pete: I guess in recent years it's been a Hellboy fest for me, since I first picked up The Chained Coffin. I was an art student at the time, and Mignola's strong use of chiaroscuro was a big inspiration.

Glenn: Yeah, you’ve gotta love those heavy shadows that define Mignola’s artwork.

Glenn: Rob - I notice the comics you mentioned where both independent comics - do you think that more independent comics are more able to deliver an experimental approach to comics?

Rob: Indie comics can obviously take more risks. I guess the more you spend on creating and marketing a title, the more you want to stick to tried and tested formulas. Hence the amount of T&A on the shelves. But I suppose there's a certain amount of comfort for the average reader in knowing more or less what they're buying. The same goes for movies.

Glenn: Absolutely. But, I suppose this is one of the things that make movies a good target for parody in Tozzer...

Rob: Yeah. We get to vent our frustration at the increasing shlop which comes out of the Hollywood machine, and burst a few ego bubbles as well.

Pete: There's plenty of so-called stars who need to be brought down a peg or two.

Glenn: So, do you see it as a Bill Hicks style mission - you know "taking on all those fevered egos that taunt the collective unconscious?"

Rob: Yeah, that and it makes us laugh.

Glenn: So, am I right in thinking everything is a target for lampooning into the Tozzer tale or are there any "sacred cows" you wouldn't touch?

Pete: Sacred cows? Fuck 'em!

Rob: Well, if you can think of the ultimate taboo subject, then please let us know and we'll try to weave it into Tozzer 3. I do genuinely think that there can be humour in anything. And if it makes the reader more uncomfortable, then that can often add to the laughter, so, why not go for it.

Glenn: I can think of a few - I'll email them to you....

Rob: Thanks, You won't be credited and we'll deny all knowledge

Glenn: Excellent.

Glenn: Out of all the send-ups and caricatures you have used in Tozzer 1 and 2, have you any favorites? Any that were lots of fun to draw and parody?

Pete: I've got to say that the overweight documentary maker (who bears a striking resemblance to Michael Moore) has been fun to work on. He's got a great, belligerent character, and I think the drawings do him justice. I'd also say that I'm also quite proud of Yoda - I mean, the little green guy who is absolutely not related to any Star Wars characters whatsoever

Rob: Yeah, I like Yoda too...that little bastard kicks ass.

Glenn: In Tozzer, the references to Harry Potter are pretty overt, what do you really think of him as a character and, more importantly, what do you think of adults that read Harry Potter books on trains?

Rob: I have to admit - I've done that. I bought that last big fuck-off Potter book, and read it on the tube. What a mistake! I didn't mind the tittering of the fellow passengers so much as the book itself. Which was just an abomination, to be honest. I did rate the first 4 books though.

Pete: Those sad misguided people should be reading comics instead...
Rob: Yeah, that way they wouldn't get laughed at!

Glenn: Yes indeed, I take your point. You mentioned Tozzer 3 earlier? That’s definitely happening then?

Rob: Yeah, barring an act of God, it should be appearing towards the end of next year.

Glenn: Is there much done on it so far, or is it just in an embryo of an idea stage?

Rob: I'm still in the ideas-gathering stage, with some nice controversial themes being thrown around.

Pete: Those sacred cows are gonna get slaughtered.

Rob: Oh yes!

Glenn: I love a good sacred cow culling. When are we likely to see Tozzer 2 in book form?

Pete: Well, we'll be collecting it as a trade in summer 05, if sales of the single issues are high enough.

Rob: Yeah, maybe we won't put it out as a trade. Maybe everyone should go out and buy the single issues in blissful ignorance of the forthcoming collected edition!

Glenn: Maybe they should buy both, just in case there are any "extras" in the book...

Rob: Yeah, extras, good idea. Loads of extras! Like, maybe we'll remove the ending of the single issues and you have to buy the trade to find out what happens.

Pete: Nice one, Rob - always thinking...

Glenn: ...or provide multiple endings...

Rob: Steady on, we don't want to exploit anybody here.

Glenn: I notice on your website you've started soliciting for other comic writers/artists to send in their work. Has anything come out of that yet? Anything promising on the horizon from Ablaze Media?

Pete: You know what, maybe we haven't shouted loud enough, but we do really want to see more work, especially from artists. The nature of the business means that Rob can write more scripts than I can draw.

Rob: I'm working on something very cool right now, which I've talked about with Pete, and he'll be providing the artwork. We've got loads of other projects in the queue as well, one of which I've done a 10,000 word treatment for. And not all these projects are in the comedy genre, which will be a departure for both of us.

Glenn: Sounds interesting. Is there anything you are able to tell SBC readers about them?

Rob: Ok, without giving too much away! The treatment I wrote is for a thriller, set in the not-too-distant future, and it deals with some controversial social issues. It's got a gritty urban feel, along the lines of 100 Bullets. What I'm working on now though could not be more different. It's a humorous mix of period influences. Think Hellboy or The Goon, and that's roughly where the tone is.

Glenn: ...and finally, what would you say to anyone that hasn't tried Tozzer yet?

Pete: Don't panic! There's still time to join the dark side.

Rob: Yes, you see that movie reference? That's like Tozzer, that is. If you're into movies and want a giggle then go see a funny movie - or check out Tozzer for added paper effect. Or something.

Glenn: Thank you both very much for agreeing to "speak" to me.

Pete: Thanks, amigo! Take it easy.

Rob: Cheers! Have a good one.