THE CONVENTION COLLECTIVE: Thank you for joining us in the Spotlight Brett ! How did you get into comics and why did you want to become an writer?
Brett Murphy: I got into comics after writing for a couple of different music blogs. I always had a love for comics and I always wanted to become a comic writer since elementary school. I grew up on X-Men and wanted to be like Chris Claremont.
TCC: What genre do you like writing the most?
Brett: My favorite genre would have to be comedy. I grew up a big SNL fan and always had an appreciation for comedians and comedic writers.
TCC: What was the first work you completed, where you stepped back and thought, “Yes, y’know what, I can do this for a living!”?
Brett: I would have to say Paranormal Hitmen. When I was writing the series, I felt that I grew as a writer and learned a lot from writing the first four issues.
TCC: Which writers inspire you? And they don’t have to be in the medium you work in, either…
Brett: The writer who most inspired me would have to be Chris Claremont. His writing on X-Men to me, is one of the best pieces of writing for comics. I also had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Claremont and he is one of the nicest people.
TCC:Can you tell us your greatest fan moment, interacting with a personal hero of yours where you may have gone a little weak at the knees?
Brett: I grew up and still am a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan, so when I had the chance to meet Brian Dawkins I was excited.
TCC: What is your favorite fandom? Who is your favorite comic book character/movie/tv character?
Brett: My favorite TV character would have to be Dwight Schrute from The Office. I just love his character’s wackiness and the dialougue he has with Michael Scott and Jim Halpert on the show is great.
TCC: What’s your working routine? Do you work regular set hours and days, keeping certain days free for personal time, or do you find you create any time the muse takes you?
Brett: I tend to write at night. I don’t have a reason for this, I just feel I am more creative during this time of day.
TCC: When you’re creating, what do you use for background noise? Some creators use music or podcasts, some use a TV show that they just can listen to in the background. What do you use?
Brett: I tend to listen to music. I usually put on Pandora and start writing.
TCC: What was the first comic con that you remember attending? And, indeed, what was the last?
Brett: My first con was Wizard World Philadelphia and my latest was NYCC 2019.
TCC: What’s your favourite element of a comic convention? And which bits could you easily leave behind?
Brett: My favorite part is artist alley. The parts I can leave behind are the ad booths that have nothing to do with comics or pop culture. I feel that those booths are taking away a spot for a comics vendor or creator/artist. Learning about how I can save money on a new shower is not what I am looking for when attending a comic con, haha.
TCC: At a convention, when you’re not behind your table or doing the things you have to do at a con, which corner of the show would we find you in?
Brett: Either artist alley or the comic vendors set up at the show.
TCC: A lot of creatives are also taking to crowdfunding – such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo – to generate income from their work. What’re your thoughts on that?
Brett: I think Kickstarter and Indiegogo are the best way to go when starting out as a creator. Before I was able to have series published and distributed on Diamond, I started out on Kickstarter. It is a good way to gain readers and get your name out there.
TCC: What projects have you recently finished? What are you working on at the moment, what projects are coming up that you can talk about?
Brett: I wrapped up the first volume of Paranormal Hitmen, and right now I am working on a licensed series that I hope to announce in the near future.
TCC: How do you stay connected with fans? Do you use a mailing list or newsletters, are you active on social media?
Brett: Social Media is the best way to contact myself.
TCC: Where can people find out more about you and reach out to you?
Brett: People can find me on Twitter and Instagram @bmurphywrite
TCC: Thanks Brett, for your time!
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