Q&A with ‘Daddy Daze’s’ John Kovaleski
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DC: John, your new comic with King Features, “Daddy Daze,” launched on June 17th. How did you come up with the concept?
JK: I was looking for a new project and ended up reviewing some old projects for inspiration. One of those was a on-line weekly strip I did in grad school about being a first time father. They were all true stories, but for this I fictionalized it up, and kept the character based on my son an infant, as opposed to the gigantic grade-schooler he is now.
DC: You have previous syndication experience with “Bo Nanas,” what did you take away from that?
JK: “Bo Nanas” was a tough strip to write because it was mostly Bo talking to different strangers, so with each interaction I was starting from square one. With “Daddy Daze” writing about characters whose relationships are already established makes a lot of that grunt work unnecessary.
Also, even with my simple style, I realized that I needed to streamline the process. My personal preference is to “get in, get out” when it comes to the actual drawing.
DC: Did you see single parenthood, or single fatherhood specifically, as an underserved demographic on the comics’ page?
JK: It is, but I didn’t create the strip with that in mind (nor think that’s only who it would appeal to). There have been single-parent strips before, but “Daddy Daze” is more about co-parenting – a dad and a mom who are no longer together, but are working together to raise their kid. But, when you boil it down, it’s just about being a parent (many times the circumstances aren’t even mentioned).
DC: Do you have the elevator pitch to an editor?
JK: A single dad and his infant son, who only says one word – “Ba.” Only his family can understand him, like when Lassie’s barking would mean “Timmy’s stuck in the well.”
DC: Will the characters’ age?
JK: I don’t think so. I would lose the whole “Ba” thing, and I think it adds a bit more dimension to the gags.
DC: Do you have a comedic writing philosophy? How do you know when a strip works?
JK: Wow, I wish I had good answers to this. I don’t have a comedic writing philosophy. If I did it might make writing easier.
I guess I know when a strip works if I think it’s funny. That doesn’t mean others will agree. I hope they will.
DC: How digital is your process?
JK: Not very. I do all the coloring on the computer, but I like drawing on paper. It makes me feel like I’m existing in the real world. (I have no actual proof that I do.)
DC: Thanks, John. Best of luck!
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