E. E. Eugene on Optimism, Libraries, and Fire Axes

Hi, E.E.! Thanks for taking some time to do this interview. Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi all! I’m E.E. Eugene, a freelance writer from Casper, Wyoming. I write news, reviews, satire, and obviously comics. My background is in history and I still love digging through sources, though these days it’s usually researching an old comic or sitcom I love. In my free time if I’m not reading comics I’m probably playing Magic the Gathering or D&D. 

You wrote “Late Fees,” which will appear in the Sidequests Anthology. What was your inspiration for this short comic?

The biggest inspiration for “Late Fees” was how important the public library was to me as a teenager. It was a place of refuge for me growing up and I wanted a story that reflected that feeling. I decided on a post-apocalyptic setting where community and peace would be stripped from the characters, creating a longing for those places. As far as other stories that inspired mine, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the influence I wear on my sleeve, but I was also thinking a lot about the Marvel comic Runaways. 

If you were living in a post-apocalyptic, magic-infused world like in “Late Fees,” what would be your weapon of choice?

The historian in me wants to pick a cool polearm like a halberd or naginata, but I’d probably be better off with something simple like a fire axe. I like to think my love for old books and research would lead me to some kind of neat magical power so I wouldn’t need to worry about a weapon. 

Have you ever had to pay a late fee on a library book? If so, what book was it?

Oh man, I’ve paid so many late fees in my life. Too many to list! I do remember losing a library copy of Catch-22 and being super worried they would take my library card away if I couldn’t find it. Fortunately, I found it after a week or so. I don’t think I could have built up the nerve to go back if I hadn’t.

If you were tasked with a comic-worthy sidequest, what would it be for?

Coffee is the only thing I can think of that I’d go on an epic sidequest for. There’s no monster I wouldn’t face or mountain I wouldn’t climb for a magic mug that was always filled with fresh hot coffee. If the world’s last cup of coffee was on the line, it would take priority over any world-saving quest I might be on. 

Who are some of your writing heroes, whether in comics or other media?

Joey Comeau is the first name that comes to mind; his novels and comics are some of my all-time favorites. Some of my biggest comic-specific writing heroes are Chris Claremont, Gail Simone, Charles Schultz, and Gene Luen Yang. I also have a huge soft spot for Gothic writers of all stripes, particularly Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, Flannery O’Connor, and Anne Rice.

As a comic book writer yourself, what do you think makes comics special as a storytelling medium?

I think there’s a simple magic in how comics marry narrative with visual art. Plot and characterization give the art context, helping readers engage with and relate to the images they’re seeing. Meanwhile, the art elevates the story by making the characters into icons and filling the plot with dynamic imagery. It melds the beauty of visual art with the engagement of literature. 

What comic book character do you identify with most, and why?

As an anxious, overthinker from a young age, I’ve always felt a deep kinship with Charlie Brown. Even as an adult, I find his particular blend of pessimism and enduring hopefulness closer to my disposition than any other character, regardless of medium. His tendency to procrastinate on those pesky book reports is also a feature I identify with a little too much. 

Any new projects you’re working on?

I don’t have any new projects going, but I have an ongoing TV podcast called Real Piece of Sitcom. You can check it out anywhere podcasts are available. 

Where can readers find you online?

You can find me online at X.com/E_E_Eugene.