QUICK QUESTIONS WITH Archie Templar

WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION TO COMICS?
I go by the name Archimedes “Archie” Templar, I’m a self taught artist, philanthropist and former swimwear model who has returned to doing independent comics after a 13 year self-imposed exile.
WHAT COMIC ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
I’m currently working on three major works; which in reality means I will get none of them finished, ever. A crime noir thriller, an alternate history graphic and a collection of very sexy short stories.
WHAT’S THE BEST PART OF MAKING COMICS?
Just creating something that you convince yourself hasn’t been done before and hoping that someone somewhere will find it, read it and enjoy it. There is nothing quite as satisfying as a strangers happiness.
WHAT’S THE WORST PART OF MAKING COMICS?
It’s not the comics fault, but just finding the time to do it…sometimes it will be ten thirty, eleven at night before I get to put pen to paper and by then my energy levels have bottomed out; unless I’m on a deadline for a piece and then I will work flat out until my eyes are blood red and my fingers arthritic.
HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER COMICS?
A fond childhood memory, I was five years old in primary school and someone had left a pile of 2000AD’s in the corner of class and I began reading them and was instantly hooked for life (or at least until around 1994 when I stopped reading them). This was also the year I discovered Page 3 boobies.
WHO IS THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR WORK?
I wouldn’t say there is any one influence, but there are certainly artists who I admire so much that I actually envy them…Bernie Wrightson, Arthur Rackham, Brian Bolland, Guy Davis, Richard Corben, Frank Quitely, Harry Clarke…all amazing artists in their own way…
WHAT TOOLS OF THE TRADE DO YOU USE?
I have yet to make the full leap to digital. I only colour (badly) using photoshop. Everything else is old fashioned pencils, ink over pencils, rub out pencils, rip paper in process, finished.
WHAT IS THE SINGLE WORK OF WHICH YOU ARE MOST PROUD?
Well I was pretty proud of my first self published title “From The Pants of Archie Templar”, but it was more of an experiment to see could I actually finish something, it also contains more colour than the actual spectrum itself which was fun for the sheer kitsch value. I was really happy with 2010’s 24 Hour Comic effort “The Novak Seven” which I’ve had printed in high quality finish. Putting a value on a 24 hour comic is even harder than putting a value on regular comics, but that’s another debate.
WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE RECEIVED?
“Don’t go down on me, I have herpes.”
WHAT IS THE WORST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED?
“Duuude, you’ve totally got to go down on her!”
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CURRENT IRISH COMIC SCENE?
The Irish independent comic “scene” is such a mix of people and talents that it’s hard to sum it up in a few sentences, suffice to say that I have met some seriously talented people in the last four years since I decided to come out of my coma and face my first mid-life crisis head on by drawing comics again. While I enjoy living in a vacuum, mixing with like minded folk does help spur you on and I do think that it is only going to grow and grow…reading back over this bit it all sounds a bit maudlin but my delete button is broken. So be it.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN IRISH COMICS IN THE NEAR FUTURE?
I think it’s been said before but I think people are still waiting for that one epic graphic to be independently produced that will stand head and shoulders above everything else and then things will go into overdrive as everyone’s egos begin salivating and they set their sights a little higher; or maybe like me they’ll just keep plodding along trying to get whatever work they can out there in between taking forty lashes from The Man.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN COMICS IN GENERAL IN THE NEAR FUTURE?
If colour was banned from all comics everywhere in the world for just one year, I think that would be mega.
WHAT WAS THE LAST COMIC THAT MADE AN IMPACT ON YOU?
A very mainstream superhero graphic called Old Man Logan. Epic artwork and ball busting dialogue, with a side order of ultra violence. I also recently discovered Thomas Ott, a Swiss artist whose work is so beautiful it makes me cry.
FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO START MAKING THEIR OWN COMICS? (And don’t say DON’T 🙂 )
Be prolific, don’t feel bound by anyone, doing your own comics is one of the rare times in life when you can do exactly what you want and express yourself completely without being hindered by convention, editors or third parties.
ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?
Never!
Archie Templar publishes under Bi-Product-Productions. He currently writes for Ireland’s first newspaper that only prints the truth, “The Templar Times”. In the running for next release under BPP is either “Guns, Girls & The Facts of Life” or “The Comic Book Of Love”, slated for 20–.  You can see what he has done so far by visiting his awesome website at www.archietemplar.com.