A Word With Nial O'Connor

Either a Beano, 2000 AD or Roy of the  Rovers comic. In the mid to early 80’s in Ireland, that’s what was available. The first comic I started ‘collecting’ was Wolverine.

 

So many reasons! Most essentially, a love of reading stories and a love of pictures. 

 

Pepe was inspired from footage of football in the 70’s - especially world cup videos. The players had so much time, they could let the ball flow around the park, re-directing it’s movement rather than stopping it dead with tight control. It just looked like so much fun – really just playing with a ball. I wanted Pepe to be an embodiment of this spirit, the spirit of kicks in the park on a lazy summer day.

 

 

The idea of flowing 70’s football is consistent with the aesthetic I try to apply to all aspects of comic creation. Anything that is smooth/flowing/syrupy - from Art Nouveau to Paulo Di Canio’s right footed volley against Wimbledon. Psychedelic themes generally mix in well with this.

 

YES!!! Too much fun! My biggest challenge is restraining the art so it doesn’t interfere with the readability of the story. Of course there are frustrating days, but generally, you can put your head down and start drawing in the morning, and the next thing you know its night!

 

 

My experience of France was extraordinary in many ways. I had to adapt to a foreign culture and way of life while struggling financially, but it was full of wonder and inspiration at the same time. It was certainly a time of highs and lows, but I did fall in love, which helps in viewing the world with rose coloured glasses. My ladylove got a job in Shanghai, so I followed her there in 2006.

 

A lot of people are sinking their money into this place at the moment. The upswing of this hyper development is a lot of opportunities and freedom in creative fields. Combined with the relatively low cost of living, it allows enough free time to continue working on personal projects.

 

Seeing a guy on the street dressed in his pyjamas, with glad wrap around his hair, pointing at me and laughing. You know you’re not on your home ground when the guy in pyjamas and glad wrap has more street cred than you.

 

 

The creation of a series of Pepe albums. I have been working on a series of stories over the last few years, and will have the first full colour Pepe out later this year in an exhibition and limited edition collector‘s run.

 

It’s just the wholesome feeling you have after a very full and productive day. You lay your exhausted head on to the pillow and boom – you’re out like a light – sleeping deeply and soundly till the first light of the next day, recharged and refreshed and ready to go again. 

 

I’d like to think that by the time I’ve made my last brush strokes and pencil lines, I could honestly look back and say that I gave it my best, that I pushed my abilities as far as I could. I hope people delight in my images, that for the brief moments they spend looking at it, they linger over the curves and forms and find them appealing in a way they can’t verbalize. I hope they slow down for a few moments in the day and a small smile creeps into the corners of their mouths.