Justin Winslow was born in Kansas but missed the tornado to Oz. Now, he resides in Brooklyn, New York with all the local Munchkins. His comic, Mythfits, reflects his fascination with everything Pop, surreal, mythological and absurd. Formally trained at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, his primary influences range from underground comics to unicorns and rainbows. When he is not creating his comic, he can be found illustrating and designing in ad land. To see more of his webcomic, check out mythfits-comic.blogspot.com.

GLT: Has the comic industry always been accepting of GLBT people and artists? Or do you think this is a new movement?

JW: It’s hard to say, really. In my experience, the comic industry seems so dominated by the straight world that I never really saw much gay-friendly content growing up. However, today’s youth probably gets to benefit from some of the GLBT-friendly themes in comics, since the GLBT community has identified itself over the past 20 years or so. It’s great to see this identification slowly appear in comics and at Comic-Con. I think cartooning oneself is the highest form of self acceptance for any group. If GLBT characters are appearing more and more in comics, it’s great because it shows acceptance across the board from us and from the straight community.

GLT: Is it safe to say that for comic artists all over the country, Comic-Con is what GLBT Pride is for the GLBT community?

JW: Yes, I think that’s a pretty accurate assessment. It’s a chance for comic creators and worshippers to flaunt their “lifestyle”, ha-ha.

GLT: What is your favorite style of comic or graphic novel drawing and rendering and why?

JW: Shocking as this may be, I never gravitated towards the typical muscle-bound superhero style. I always found that style to be suffering from testosterone overload. I have always preferred more graphic looking art or unusually styled characters and comic strips. I’ve always gravitated toward underground comics and graphic novels that let the story decide the style or medium. I’ve always loved the comic styles of Jim Woodring, Gary Panter, Maurice Vellekoop and others like this, that might appear in the pages of something like the RAW comic compendiums of the 80’s and 90’s.

GLT: Is the comic and graphic novel community very close?

JW: I think so, yes. We seek each other out, because we’re usually a rare breed. Although, certain circles seem somewhat competitive so I suppose that can separate us too.

GLT: I feel like I have to ask, when and why did Furry’s come about and are they widely accepted? What is your take on them and how are they a part of comics and Comic-Con?

JW: I think the Furry community is interesting. I would guess the reason we have Furrys is similar to why Hentai exists in Japanese comic culture. Apparently, some people grow up attracted to comic characters. I don’t consider myself or my work of the Furry category, but hey, if this is a community that brings people together then why not?

GLT: Do you think that there are subtle hints of homosexuality in mainstream comics and if so what ones?

JW: Oh, I think there are definitely hints of homosexuality all over the place in mainstream comics. All sorts of innuendos can be read into all of the superhero type comics, from their outfits to their relationships. All it takes is an active imagination. I would guess this is why some GLBT people drift towards the world of comics.

GLT: Do you prefer Marvel or D.C comics and why?

JW: Neither really. I find they tend to put out all the more typical, mainstream, superhero comic work. I wish RAW comics were still around. I dig Drawn & Quarterly and other independent publishers like them.

GLT: What is your favorite comic book line right now and what do they offer?

JW: I read Vertigo’s “Y: The Last Man” series recently and I’d recommend that to anyone. I thought it was really subversive and smart the way the story is told. Plus, the art is beautiful. I also love to get my hands on Ivan Brunetti’s work because it is so sick and twisted, but hilarious.

GLT: The comic book industry has always taken freedom of art to a new level. Do you fear that if the industry goes mainstream that this could be compromised?

JW: Well, like I said earlier, I think some of the comic industry has gone mainstream. It is what it is, but that doesn’t mean that work will be my favorite.

GLT: Do you have any boundaries in regards to your artwork and why?

JW: Well, if you’re asking if I have any boundaries in my work, I’d say no, not really.

GLT: Being an artist, do you believe you view the world in a different way than others who do not consider themselves artists?

JW: Yes, and reality constantly reminds me of this, ha-ha.

GLT: What is the most homosexual theme or character that you have personally used in a strip or comic?

JW: My comic, Mythfits, is about a unicorn and a robot in love, so I’d say that is pretty gay. Seriously, I think my whole comic has a queer sensibility to it. The robot and unicorn’s sex is never revealed, so you don’t know if they’re two boys in love, two girls in love or a boy and a girl. I wanted their gender roles to be translated in different ways by the viewer.

GLT: How would you define your comic and artistic style and how did you develop it?

JW: People have always used the word “whimsical” to describe my work, but sometimes that word makes me cringe. I like the positive connotations of that word, but unfortunately and wrongfully, many people associate “whimsical” with work that is cloyingly cute or of no importance. I like the term Pop Surrealism, so I’ll go with that. My style developed out of my interest in all things Pop and surreal, and I try to keep it simple and graphic so it communicates easily. Once, another comic artist compared my style to the New Yorker cartoonist, Charles Barsotti, and that made me so happy.

Thank you for sharing your story with us and a very happy Comic-Con from the Gay & Lesbian Times. We look forward to seeing your work again in the near future.