Interviews Conducted by Robert J. Beck

What made you want to start a web comic?

I suppose it was when I discovered that webcomics
weren't just about gamer jokes. I had male friends
who were big fans of comics like MegaTokyo, Sluggy
Freelance, and Penny Arcade. While they are all
GREAT comics and I have a ton of respect for their authors, they just weren't for me. I didn't get a lot of the jokes since I'm not a gamer. Then I found some webcomics like 9th Elsewhere, No Rest for the Wicked, Devil's Panties, and Girls with Slingshots which were much more up my alley and made me realize you can do long-story comics online.
 
Are you a big fan of web comics yourself?

I am a big fan of comics and webcomics. I tend to lean toward romantic stories, fantasy/fairytale related, or slice-of-life works. I have been burned many times in finding a comic I really connect with only for it
to die before the story was completed. It has made me a bit wary about starting to read a new comic. The fear of disappointment in not getting to know the ending is strong, but I do try to push myself to try new ones as much as time allows.
 
   When you first started Red String, did you ever think
  he would become as big as he has done?

  Not really. I had kind of hoped that by starting a comic
  online it might give me a chance to be more
  experimental with my comic work and get readers to
  check out my other work. I put my heart into the series
  from the very beginning, but I never expected Red
  String to be the thing that eventually took off.
 
  Where did the name of the strip come from?

  The name Red String referred to aJapanese/Chinese
  myth called the red string of fate. It is essentially the
idea of fate bringing lovers together. Destined lovers are connected at birth by an invisible red string and as they go through life and the string gets shorter, drawing them in until the day they meet.

What makes your strip different from others?

I believe that Red String is differentiated by the honesty of its characters. While it is a romance drama, I tend to write the characters with more realistic reactions. I think remembering those 90210 and Melrose Place shows from my teens helped me to realize how over the top teen and romance dramas could be. There were a lot of times I just couldn't believe anyone would make a certain decision. It broke my suspension of disbelief. I tend to look through that same lens when writing Red String. I constantly question how the characters would react and if it's not believable then I don't do it even if the drama would be more intense. I think this works to my advantage and I have had a lot of people remark on that aspect being what makes the story more enjoyable.