We recently had the chance to connect with Allen Carter and have shared our conversation below.
Allen, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first hour and a half of my day begins on my laptop. My online work ranges from checking emails and social media for responses to any vending opportunities to promote and sell my self-published comics, to throwing out messages of support for fellow comic creators and their endeavors (whether it be a big comic convention, signing, kickstarter goal, etc), and finally my own comic projects that are ready to color on Photoshop.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello! My name is Allen Carter of Carter Comics, and I am the artist, writer, and promoter of three comic series, all with ties to my hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii: The travel parody Damn Tourists (the idea and first two issues were based in Hawaii), the science-fiction Cosmic Force (taking place in the 50th state during the late ’80s and early ’90s), and The Figure-of-Speech Mongoose (inspired by the real-life animal that was imported to the Hawaiian Islands in the late 1800s). Growing up on the island of Oahu, my love of comics began with a few Saturday morning superhero cartoons, a first grade writing workshop, and my father’s old comic book collection. All of that led to a light bulb over my head to ask myself: Why don’t I create my own comic stories? The rest is history. I am currently working on both a seventh issue of Damn Tourists, taking place in South Dakota, and the 8th and final issue of Cosmic Force, which will be a large two-part story that includes the previous seventh issue in trade paperback form.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My parents, specifically my mother, saw my love and talent for art when I was six years old. At that age, I wanted to be a bus driver, simply because I loved riding the city bus. That was until my mother suggested that I be an artist. Again, being that young, I wasn’t aware of the many jobs that were available, so while the title of artist was new to me, I definitely took it seriously after that.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I almost gave up on my art completely back in my early twenties. Following my first trip to Los Angeles from Hawaii to visit my sister and cousin, I had an art school interview that went ok, but after I returned home, I became very nervous about moving away so quickly to start school. I eventually turned it down because I didn’t feel that I was ready, but in the back of my mind I felt like I made the biggest mistake of my life. That experience made me sour on any type of art, and I didn’t draw anything for several months. During those months, I was seriously contemplating to stop drawing for good, but a talk from my family luckily put my mind at ease, and I went back to my art a few months later.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
When the comics industry uses the phrase: “This is what sells.” Despite mainstream and independent comics being vastly different, this phrase will also creep into the world of self-published creators and print/commission artists. Every year or few years, their will be a certain genre that becomes popular (vampires, zombies, kids characters, etc), and instantly becomes a trend that everyone in art and comics feels they need to follow in order to either achieve success or maintain it. What makes an Artist Alley, Small Press. or any other row of of original content creators at a comic convention or art festival appealing, is each vendor having something different that stands out from everyone else. A creator’s passion for their work is what truly sells to me. While I feel that doing your own version of a hot genre or character is fine, a row of artists who have at least one of the same zombie or vampire art prints in a similar style for example, just makes what should be an exciting creative area of a show bland and uninspired.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When I leave this earth, I would want people to speak about how a reserved and shy kid from Hawaii slowly came out of his shell thanks to his passion for art, the other creative people he met, and the exciting experiences he went through such as being interviewed for his work on radio shows and podcasts, meeting all types of customers from all over the world at conventions, and especially traveling to exhibit at comic conventions outside of the state. It’s something I don’t think could have happened if I wasn’t in the right environment at the right time of my life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/cartercomics1
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/cartercomics
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Allencartercomix
- Other: BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cartercomics.bsky.social
Online Store: https://indyplanet.com/carter-comics
