Credit: Nick Pitarra (BOOM! Studios)
But there's one small catch: he's unemployed.
Ryan Ferrier and Ian McGinty chart a new chapter for the cartoon wallaby's life in BOOM! Studios' four-issue Rocko's Modern Life. 20 years after the conclusion of his original animated series, Rocko has nowhere to go but up - and Ferrier and McGinty talked with Newsarama about how that's going to happen.
Credit: Jorge Monlongo (BOOM! Studios)
Newsarama: Ryan, what’s Rocko up to in this new series?
Ryan Ferrier: Life, that’s what! When we reconnect with our favorite wallaby in the first issue, you’ll see that our boy is still swimming upstream. He still lives at home with Spunky, and his employment is anything but stable. As such, Rocko is feeling more of a sense of urgency in his position in life, from professionally to romantically. More than ever, Rocko wants to become the wallaby he was meant to be, despite not fully knowing what that means yet.
Nrama: Ian, what got you to sign on for Rocko’s Modern Life?
Credit: Ian McGinty (BOOM! Studios)
Ian McGinty: I mean, a chance to add my name to the amazing roster of writers, artists, and designers that have worked on, what I think, was one of the smartest animated kids’ series ever created definitely had my attention, especially considering Rocko’s Modern Life was originally intended to be a comic and it is one of my absolute favorite animated series. Yeah, that was definitely the biggest thing that got me to get on this. I must say, though, the opportunity to collaborate with Ryan is also up there, as well as colorist Fred Stresing (whom I’ve worked with for years), and letterer Jim Campbell’s work is fantastic. All in all, how could I resist?
Nrama: How would you describe the story?
Credit: Ian McGinty (BOOM! Studios)
McGinty: Insane. I mean, really, it’s insane. The first issue alone is unlike anything I’ve ever seen in a comic based on an animated series, especially one whose popularity has only gone up and up since the ’90s. I’ve stretched every single aspect of my art to make the action and scenes as fun to look at as possible, and I think the comic accurately reflects that unique charm Rocko’s had that appealed to both kids and adults. But yes, insane.
Nrama: The show was called Rocko’s Modern Life but it’s been over 20 years since it came out. Are there any efforts by you to modernize this at all, visually, aesthetically, or otherwise?
Credit: Ian McGinty (BOOM! Studios)
Ferrier: The show was such a wonderfully sharp-witted look at life during its time, and that’s something that still drives our story. We’ve certainly brought the modern era into the fold while keeping everything familiar and relatable. Social media and certain technologies are a big part of the story, and, undeniably, elements of our characters’ lives. More importantly, how people interact with each other socially, and what it means for these characters to be, for better or worse, adults in the modern era, and the challenges they face, is the kind of fodder we’ve been looking forward to working with. This series certainly will not feel dated, nor will it lean at all on nostalgia, apart from being true to the citizens of O-Town themselves.
Nrama: So, Rocko’s here - who else can fans expect to show up?
Credit: Ian McGinty (BOOM! Studios)
Ferrier: The whole dang gang is up for grabs, which we’re incredibly excited about. Rocko’s main crew of pals - Spunky, Heffer, and Filburt - play significant roles in the story, as do the Ed and Bev Bighead. We’re definitely going to be bringing in the fan favorites, from Peaches to Squirmy and Bloaty. We’re also excited to welcome some all-new folks into the mix. The first issue sees one such character in Chalmers the sloth, who was too much fun to create. We’re really confident that fans of the show are going to be more than pleased.
Nrama: Oddly, this comic book series is taking Rocko full circle since Joe Murray originally envisioned this all as a comic book before the cartoon. How deep did you dive in terms of research for this project?
Ferrier: My first order of business was to consume the show, and I fell in love all over again. It was really profound watching it at my age now versus when I was younger. If anything, I connected to it more, having my own life experiences under my belt. Along with getting that familiarity back, I think it’s been really important to connect with the characters and their lives on a personal level. A property like this demands a genuine personal touch, so there is definitely a lot of “us” in the new comic.
Nrama: It’s odd talking continuity with something like Rocko’s Modern Life, but I have to ask - where does this fit in with the animated series?
Credit: Ian McGinty (BOOM! Studios)
Ferrier: We’re absolutely treating it like the years have passed and we’re seeing O-Town in 2017. We’re also keeping a close eye on continuity, so I’d say it’s certainly in canon. There may be a couple superfluous leniencies here and there, but we’re not reinventing anything important to the characters or stories that have come before. The fact that some time has passed since the show makes it a little merciful in terms of continuity, but that’s also part of the challenge and the appeal of going back to O-Town.
Nrama: Ian, I’ve learned that during your work on this, you applied for - and were hired - for Nickelodeon Animation. Pretty surreal as you’re working on a licensed comic based on one of their shows. Can you explain how that happened?
McGinty: Absolutely. I was recently asked if I’d be interested in working on a new Invader Zim television special during a week at PixelATL (highly recommend), a festival in Cuernavaca, Mexico celebrating comics, animation, and video games. I met Jenny Goldberg, art director on the project, and Jhonen Vasquez, the creator. I’ve known Jhonen for a couple of years after I did some work for that comic book adaptation, and Invader Zim is another of my top favorite shows, so I freaked out, moved to Los Angeles, and here I am, typing this from my cubicle at Nickelodeon. Funny enough, I’m actually a stone’s throw away from the Rocko’s Modern Life production team, and I’m hoping they read the comic and like what Ryan, me, and the team are doing. It’s basically a dream come true to work during the day on Invader Zim and then go home and work on Rocko’s Modern Life. Definitely surreal.
Nrama: Since you’re there right this moment, can you pop over and ask about working on that too?
McGinty: I’d ask them right now but everyone is out to lunch. I’m planning to give everybody over there a copy of the comic, though, so who knows!
Credit: Jorge Monlongo (BOOM! Studios)
Nrama: Ok, maybe later…
Big picture, what are your goals here with this comic book?
McGinty: I want to make people laugh for both the new and the nostalgic. I think we’ve made something really special here, thanks to a wallaby, a cow, and a turtle (and a dog, and two cane toads, and a family of wolves, and twin lizards, and a milk-spewing monster with an udder for a head... oh, and two parasites). Please enjoy the comic.
Credit: Jorge Monlongo (BOOM! Studios)
Ferrier: From day one, the goal with this new Rocko’s series is to have heart and be funny. We’re not interested in making a story with nothing to say about modern life, and while that can be heavy at times, all the parts are there to be super comedic. I want people to enjoy these new adventures and feel like they connected with it on a personal level.
Credit: Bachan (BOOM! Studios)
Rocko’s Modern Life #1 will be released at Kind of a Lot O' Comics stores - and your local comic book store - on Wednesday, December 6th. Be sure to pick up a copy, it's sure to be a hoot!
Also, from Cartoon Buzz:
A Sneak Peek at the Newest Rocko’s Modern Life Comic Series
Along with a TV movie coming in 2018, we also get to see Nickelodeon’s classic Wallaby in a new comic book series this coming Wednesday, December 6. ‘Rocko’s Modern Life #1’ is published by BOOM! Studios, who has teamed up with Nickelodeon for the Rugrats comic series as well. The storyline surrounds Rocko facing unemployment, a terrible living situation, and increasingly slim job prospects. Sooner or later he is forced to find out just how far he is willing to go to get a job. There will also be a bonus backup story where Ed Bighead finds himself in the dentist chair of Dr. Hutchison! The comic is written by Ryan Ferrier, of the Regular Show and KC Green. Green is also an artist for the comic series alongside Ian McGinty, who has worked on Adventure Time, Invader Zim, and Bee and Puppycat comics.
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Also, from AiPT!:
Exploring Rocko’s Modern (comic) Life with creators Ryan Ferrier & Ian McGinty
Rocko’s Modern Life has a special place in many hearts due to the nostalgic feels we have for the property. It came out at just the right time for impressionable pre-teen and teenage viewers who are now in their 30s. While these fans may have been too young to appreciate Ren and Stimpy, which featured a similar sense of humor, they have a second chance to dive into Rocko’s universe through new stories about everybody’s favorite wallaby in a new BOOM! Studios comic series by writer Ryan Ferrier and artist Ian McGinty.
We simply adored the first issue and can’t wait for more (issue 2 hits comic stands January 10). So to satiate our desire for more gross-out social commentary comedy goodness, we talked to the creators!
AiPT!: I really enjoyed the first issue and it not only gave me new laughs and ideas about the world but brought a heavy amount of nostalgia too! There are, I believe, 52 episodes of the show, Will you be calling back to many of the old characters and locations, or will you focus on creating new stories?
The cover to issue #2 by Jorge Monlongo. Click to see it in full screen.
Ryan Ferrier: One of the things we’re most excited about is bringing back some of the amazing cast of characters from the show and seeing how they will fit in Rocko’s life now, and what ridiculousness they can get up to. But we’re also thrilled to create some all-new, all-weird characters, like Chalmers the sloth in the first story arc. No matter new or old, we’re going all-out with the cast for this new era of RML.
AiPT!: Are you in contact with Nickelodeon in terms of new episodes and this comic series, or does it stand on its own?
Ferrier: Our editors are involved with Nickelodeon, as any licensor would be, but we have no connection or contact regarding a new cartoon, no. Our focus is entirely on making this comic something truly unique, special, and its own thing. The comic is totally standalone from the series. The joy of this series is that the sky’s really the limit, so to have this amazing sandbox to play in is a pretty incredible and fun thing.
The subscription cover to issue #2 by Miguel Mercado. Click to see it in full screen.
AiPT!: Ian, the art is impressive and each page is like a painting with panels overlaid and almost bleeding into each other. The tapestry is beautiful and almost chaotic. how do you approach such a wild world where anything goes?
Ian McGinty: First off, thank you. But, man, I’m gonna be completely real here and let everyone know: I literally learned to draw because of Rocko’s Modern Life. With my mom’s help (she’s cool), I would record episodes onto a VHS, pause the thing, and then trace the characters onto paper right off the television. This was a show that really stretched every aspect of the definition of “cartoony,” similar to Ren and Stimpy (and later, Spongebob), but just appealed to me more than most other cartoons and I took advantage of that as much as I could. Heading the art on the new comic, honestly, just came naturally. And a key point of Rocko’s is combining chaos with humor while making everything as visually fun as possible. I mean, we’re talking about a show that made a dude with super powered nipples work. I don’t know how, but the world of Rocko’s Modern Life just makes sense to me. I’m not sure what that says about my brain, but there it is. Thanks, Mom.
AiPT!: There are a lot of jokes in this comic be it visual or dialogue. Ryan, do you approach the scripts thinking about how much humor you can pack in? Do you write and then go back adding in humor? How does one approach a comedy such as this?
Ferrier: For me, there’s a mix of both. I really want to write to play to Ian’s brilliant visual strengths, and really push the visual humor, as comics are a visual medium and Ian has the brunt of the work on his shoulders, which he does phenomenally. But I do want the dialogue to be funny as well; we really just want every page to get a laugh. There’s absolutely no such thing as too much humor in this book, and I’m constantly revising and trying to outdo the previous draft.
McGinty: A quick story. Ryan and I shared a hotel room a couple years ago. I wanna say it was San Diego Comic-Con, probably 2015 or 2016, maybe it was Emerald City. Comic creators always share rooms at large conventions and it’s almost always amazingly fun. Anyways, I’ve known Ryan’s work for a while and we kicked around the idea of working together on a book and Ryan’s caveat was that the artist should be able to change things to best suit the comic, even if it means changing the written script. That’s a big deal. So, long story short, I’m basically in charge of anything visual, and yes, I’ve changed some art to add my own brand of what I think is funny. Thankfully, me and Ryan’s idea of humor isn’t that far off from each other, so it’s all good. Look for some secret Easter eggs, though. One word: pizza.
AiPT!: As an all-ages comic, is there anything you’ve had to leave out or cut out?
Ferrier: I’m lucky in that I’ve written both adult-focused comics and more youth-friendly comics, so I’m pretty comfortable working in both sides of the spectrum. There’s always a little bit of finding your footing at the start, in terms of what we can and can’t do, but we quickly figure it out. I think inherently it would be out of place to try to fit something in that wouldn’t work with the themes and tones of the series, so any sort of edits would be pretty minor. When we land a joke or an emotional beat knowing that it’s a great fit, it’s just so much fun and it really sings to us.
McGinty: Honestly, nah. You’ll see this soon, but the next issue is very intense. I’m lucky in that I work for both BOOM! Studios and Nickelodeon, and they each consist of amazing, amazing people who trust their creators. Ryan and I have worked hard to appeal to new readers and nostalgic readers and I think we nailed it.
AiPT!: I’ve read the original show was outline driven. Do you approach the comic in the same way?
Ferrier: I’m a big outline junkie, and a huge part of my writing process is outlining and planning; I don’t want to waste a single panel, and everything should be airtight. Sure, things can change a little organically once you’re actually in the script, but having a clear path for the story and the characters is paramount to making this the best it can be. We’ve actually got quite a bit of the series already planned, so we know where–and how wonderfully ridiculous—things are going to get.
McGinty: I attack Rocko’s Modern Life. Lemme rephrase that. This is the first comic I’ve done where I don’t even pencil the art. I do thumbnails (very, very small drawings of what the page could look like), and then I go right to inks. I feel this captures the energy of RML more than anything. So, while I may have the majority of the brunt work, I also get the most fun job, and I go about this comic trying to make sure it’s as fun as possible.
AiPT!: How much creative freedom do you have? I read somewhere Rocko was going to have a sister at one point but that was scrapped. Can you add elements like that if you so desired?
Ferrier: We have tons of freedom! It’s incredibly inspiring and makes me beyond excited at the possibilities. We know what ultimately would or wouldn’t fit in the Rocko’s universe, so that definitely helps. But, Nickelodeon and BOOM! have been absolutely amazing at letting Ian and I really make the series we want to make. And I think it’ll really resonate with the readers and fans.
McGinty: We’re extremely lucky. We’re really allowed to add most anything to the Rocko’s Modern Life universe. And trust me, my office at Nickelodeon is 20 feet away from the crew animating Static Cling, the new RML animated special. I would know very, very fast if Ryan and I weren’t being true to the narrative. Adding new elements really seems to be key to the new series, and for that I’m grateful.
AiPT!: What is your favorite method of procrastination?
Ferrier: The internet. Definitely the internet. I could spend entire days just falling down internet rabbit holes if I didn’t go unchecked. That is actually a very terrifying realization, and maybe I shouldn’t be trusted to operate a computer.
McGinty: Cooking and cooking shows, and cooking conventions. I like to make food. Cheers.
You can purchase Rocko’s Modern Life #1 at any comic shop or on Comixology right now. Rocko’s Modern Life #2 is on sale 1/10/18. Final orders are due by December 11th.
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Originally posted: Thursday, November 30, 2017
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