Debbie Huey is the artist and writer of the all-ages comic book series, Bumperboy, which includes the Xeric Award winning book, “Bumperboy Loses His Marbles,” and “Bumperboy and the Loud, Loud Mountain,” which was named to Booklist’s Top Ten Graphic Novels for Youth in 2007. Her graphic novels and minicomics have captured the hearts of both kids and adults with their whimsical characters and clever plot lines. But her creativity doesn’t stop there. When she’s not writing, Debbie is creating new Bumperboy merchandise inspired by the stories, as well as handcrafting unique goods, such as needlefelted characters and collapsible purse hooks.

What do you like best, coming up with idea, creating product, or sales? Wow, I really like all of those steps, honestly! Coming up with the idea is the most difficult part because the process can be very frustrating. But once you find that “Ah HA!” moment, it’s a lot of fun. Creating my products is probably the easiest part because in a way it’s when my brain can relax. I usually feel like I know what I’m doing and tend to just crank the item out, whether it’s with drawing comic pages, or needle-felting my latest figure. I love having the finished product in front of me. Sales is can be a little stressful just because I’m generally a shy person, but I love interacting with people who enjoy my work. That feedback is what really keeps me going.

Have you been involved in the D.I.Y movement for a while? I’ve been a DIYer ever since I was a kid! I remember making my own hand-stapled “books” that had my illustrations and jokes when I was very young. As I had grown up, I continued to make my own birthday cards, sculpted figurines, learned how to knit, and drew, drew, drew. This eventually lead to my drawing my own comics and reproducing them at the copy machine, hand-screening the covers, and stapling them all together. It wasn’t until recently that I feel I’ve been involved in the crafty side of the DIY movement with my needle-felted figures and purse hooks. Who knows what I’ll be making next?

Do you ever need to recharge yourself to inspire you, and how do you go about it? I constantly need recharging! Back in the day, playing a video game or watching cartoons was what inspired me. These days, I just love seeing what’s new in the comics and craft world. Sometimes I recharge by reading books from the library, or just by hanging out with my creative friends. Going to great conventions and shows like San Francisco Bazaar is always inspiring and pushes me to think of new ideas!

You can find out more about Bumperboy at:
http://www.bumperboy.net
http://bumperfriend.etsy.com