I met Alex in 2017 while fellow BAYlies cartoonist Breena and Alex were in the same cohort for the CCA MFA in Comics Program. Then that year at SF Zine Fest I got some of their work, but the most notable thing I got that day from them was a copy of their autobiographical comic ‘Tittybar Tales”, which they successfully Kickstarted that year.

Alex does this unique blend of fanart, history and personal narrative, which always sticks out to me. You can clearly see the anime influences, but also the years they have of being a tattoo artist as well.

Alex was the 1 of 3 Guest of Honor’s for SF Zine Cyber Fest 2020, which was well deserved.

Caticorn Arts 2018

Count Me! Why I Took the U.S. Transgender Survey 2018

Alex L Combs 2020 Interview

Are you from the Bay Area or did you move here?

A: I moved to San Francisco in 2013. At that time my goal was to work full time as a tattoo artist, but I was already developing chronic hand and wrist pain which led me down a different artistic path.

If not, where are you originally from?When did you start making comics?

A: I was born in Asheville, North Carolina and lived in NC for my entire life before moving to the Bay Area. My first memory of trying to draw comics was in middle school, but it’s funny because I have no idea where I got the idea from since I don’t recall reading comics as a kid.

How has your progression of your cartooning career impacted your life?

A: I got serious about my cartooning career after I was told by a physical therapist that I had to stop tattooing or else the tendonitis in my hands/wrists was never going to get better. She recommended that I should get into “computer art,” but I was super depressed and didn’t know what I was going to do.

I was already making some comics and posting them on various webcomics sites, and I was thinking about running a Kickstarter to self-publish them. That’s when I attended the Queer Comics Expo in 2015 and met some teachers from California College of the Arts, a local art school. They told me about the Master’s in Comics program there and I started to feel really excited about the idea of going back to school and maybe even teaching art in the future. Getting my Master’s really pushed fast-forward on my ability to make a career in cartooning.

After graduating in 2019 I got some jobs teaching comics to kids and I’ve discovered that I really enjoy it! Making comics can be hard on one’s body, but for me it’s been an improvement over tattooing. Plus, comics are just such a wonderful way to express myself!

How have you grown since your earlier comics?

A: I grew a lot through going to CCA and learning from the teachers and fellow students there. I think my ability to make my comics coherent has greatly improved! Like any other skill it takes time, study, and practice, but I try to see the challenges as a fun part of it.

What are some of your most memorable moments of your career so far?

A: The memories I treasure the most are exhibiting with the incredibly talented and enthusiastic community of artists at comics and zine festivals around the Bay Area. Even if we don’t always get to talk and interact a lot, it’s an amazing feeling to be surrounded by such a kind and supportive group of people. I really enjoy meeting other artists and following their work.

What is different about The Bay Area comics scene compared to other places you have been?

A: In my 20’s I used to table and exhibit fanart at anime conventions on a regular basis. Being involved in the Bay Area comics scene feels totally different-- it’s inclusive and personal in a way that the anime con exhibition circuits weren’t. But I wouldn’t mind seeing more people wearing cosplay to comics and zine festivals in the Bay!

Any comics recommendations?

A: I like to read outloud to my younger comics students and try to do dramatic voices for the different characters. Recently I read New Kid by Jerry Craft and Space Battle Lunchtime by Natalie Riess.

New Kid is a Newbery Award winning middle grade graphic novel. It's relatable protagonist deals with being the new kid at his school while tackling issues of race in an engaging and often humorous way.

Space Battle Lunchtime is an eight issue fantasy comic that takes place in a gorgeously illustrated cosmic cartoon landscape, but it’s rooted in the emotional experience of a human baker who leaves Earth to compete in an intergalactic cooking show. I didn’t realize there was going to be a lesbian kiss when I started reading it out loud, but the kids were cool with it. I couldn’t tell who was enjoying these comics more, me or the kids!

Any cartoon/tv shows or movie recommendations?

A: In 2019 there was an anime remake of Osamu Tezuka’s manga Dororo, which was gorgeously animated by the studio MAPPA. It’s a dark fantasy taking place in Sengoku-era Japan, (warning it is extremely gorey at times). The story follows Hyakkimaru who is fighting to get his stolen body parts back from a bunch of demons, and Dororo the plucky and quick-witted orphan who is accompanying him on his quest. I was especially interested to watch this anime because the character Dororo is essentially a trans-masculine person who was raised as a boy and insists on being addressed as a boy. I feel that the anime handled this aspect with a lot more nuance and respect than was actually in the original manga.

What influences your work?

A: At this point I feel like almost anything can be an artistic influence for me. I like to look at other comics of course, but I also look to movies and books, as well as visual art such as street art, sculpture, and painting for inspiration.

What do you want to do in comics in the next 5 years?

A: In the next five years I want to make comics about trans issues, use comics to tell trans stories, and elevate the voices of trans people. I would really like to do something with trans elders in the future, especially assisting them in creating art to tell their own stories. I also wouldn't mind drawing erotic comics again but this time from a more overtley trans viewpoint.

What are you working on now?

A: Right now I'm actually working on something I can’t announce yet, but it does have to do with elevating information about trans people. I’m super excited to announce the project soon!

What does your work represent to you?

A: My comics are a way for my voice to be heard.

Thank you so much to Alex for doing this interview. The BAYlies is an archive project and it’s important for me as someone who is here right now to document and record what is happening, what has happened and will happen.

Please check out their work

Website

Peace and Love

-Lawrence