Kids Comics Month: Get To Know Chris Houghton

Whether you’re young or old, regardless of your tastes and interests, there’s no denying the appeal of a well-written, well-drawn comic book or graphic novel. “All-Ages” doesn’t have to strictly mean “For Kids Only”… especially when there’s so much wonderful content being created today that’s perfectly suited for anyone to pick up and enjoy.

This month PREVIEWS celebrates Kid Comics throughout the issue with plenty of new and backlist titles available. And in anticipation of this month’s theme, we reached out to some of All Ages Comics’ most talented creators for these mini-interviews! You may know the titles, but do you know their creators? Hopefully you’ll get a better insight into these talented creators with this month’s special feature!

Chris Houghton
Penciler/Inker  Known for: Reed Gunther, Adventure Time, The Simpsons (SEP110428)

PREVIEWSworld: How would you describe your comic to a young reader to get them excited about it?

Chris Houghton: Reed Gunther is a series about a goofy cowboy who rides a grizzly bear and fights monsters! It's a comic filled with ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and hilarity! I think it resonates with young readers so much because it has equal parts scary and funny… that's a fun combination.

PREVIEWSworld: What got you excited about your comic?  Is there any part in particular you can share about the upcoming story?

Chris Houghton: Each story takes Reed and his friends into uncharted territory. I always like seeing where they'll end up next and what kind of trouble Reed will get himself and his friends into!

PREVIEWSworld: What do you think is the most essential building block in crafting a story geared toward young readers? And how have you employed it in one of your more recent projects?

Chris Houghton: I don't think there's much of a difference between telling stories for kids and telling stories for adults. The content might be a bit different, but universal feelings like love, friendship, and selling your soul to the devil for a jar of pickles (see issue #10!) are things we can all relate to.

PREVIEWSworld: What was your favorite comic as a kid? And how does it continue to influence you today?

Chris Houghton: It's hard to pick a favorite but Calvin and Hobbes made a huge impact on me as a kid and continues to today. The characters, their relationships, the world Watterson built, the complicated mess of growing up, etc. What a feat. And he did it all in as a comic strip!

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Please recommend three current comics for kids that you enjoy, and provide a few sentences about why you think these comics are top picks!

1. Reed Gunther Vol. 2 TP (MAR120444)

WHY? Okay, maybe I'm biased (I'm biased.) but it's a great trade with a bunch of one-shot stories, crazy adventures, and hilarious hijinks!

2. Usagi Yojimbo Saga Vol. 1 TP (JUN140046)

WHY? Usagi's been out for a long time but I don't think enough kids know about it! Fun, one-shot (for the most part) adventure stories with a ronin rabbit as a main character? Yes please!

3. This One Summer GN (MAR141196)

WHY? Totally different than the others on this list; It's a great slice-of-life story that's beautifully drawn. Really captures the feeling of slow summer days.