It’s Thursday which brings us a new interview and our 12th “Women of BOOM!” feature, spotlighting the many kick-ass women that work at BOOM!, Archaia and KaBOOM! We’re focusing on everyone, editors, designers, writers, artists, you name it! We’re making sure to include the hard-working folks whose contributions are often overlooked in the process.

BOOM! (and KaBOOM! and Archaia) has given us unprecedented access and the chance to ask questions to their staff, and creative teams, to find out why the publisher is so successful in hiring women and their experiences in the comic industry as women.

Artist Allison Strejlau is up to the plate this week. She works as an artist, both pencils and inks, for the popular comic series Regular Show.

Graphic Policy: How did you get involved in the comic book industry?

Allison Strejlau: I’ve been drawing comics all my life and I went to college for it. At the School of Visual Arts I made sure to meet as many people as I could through various clubs and conventions and take work wherever it was given. I always had about 4 jobs going on along with my schoolwork. I’ve gotten them from various networking and taking work no matter how small the job was in order to build experience quickly and learn everything I can.

GP: Did you read comics growing up? Do you read them now?

AS: I’ve always loved art and drew comics, but I was a late bloomer to actually reading other comics and even manga. I read my first American comic when I went to college and haven’t looked back, but I haven’t read any Marvel until after I graduated which is really a crime. Now I read everything that comes out and whatever I can get my hands on, and I can’t get enough of it. I can probably talk for hours about it!

GP: How did you come to work with BOOM!/Archaia?

AS: A friend back from school who freelances with BOOM! called me about doing a test page for a comic and I agreed thinking it was probably for some small side story at best. When I got the script it just happened to be a comic for my favorite cartoon, no big deal. They liked what I did and I was hired.

GP: How would you describe your job for people?

AS: I illustrate the Regular Show comic, so that is pencils and inks. I get the script and draw it out, and then print out the roughs or pencils and ink them.

GP: For people who want to pursue a career in what you do, what advice would you give them?

AS: Don’t stop loving what you do or lose sight of your goal. Meet everyone you can and make the best out of every opportunity you can get. Never stop trying to be the best you can be.

GP: Did you have a mentor to help you break into the industry? Do you mentor anyone yourself?

AS: Yes, all my teachers at the School of Visual Arts were amazing and it would be hard to pick one so I’m not going to name drop or else we would be here for a while. They were all people I really admired and I’m so grateful to have learned from them. I don’t mentor any individual really, but I am always open to helping my peers when they come to me.

GP: Do you think women have a more difficult time breaking in and making it in the comic industry, if so why? And if yes, how do you think that can be overcome?

AS: Comics is a hard industry to break into for anyone, and I don’t think gender plays a role at least in my experience dealing with the publishers I have been interested in working for. I can’t speak for others, and I know it exists and sometimes it can’t be helped, but thankfully I haven’t seen this issue come up so I’m not in a position to speak on it.

GP: We notice that when it comes to women in the comic industry, BOOM!/Archaia has a lot of diversity present. Why do you think have they succeeded when so many other publishers struggle with this?

AS: They are willing to take chances on new talent and sadly that has not been common in comics, but obviously it is paying off in the best ways for them and more and more it looks like other publishers are starting to hire newer artists. There is an incredible amount of talented people out there who are just waiting for their chance. It’s amazing to see and I think the industry as a whole has really been flourishing because of it.

GP: We’ve heard horror stories concerning women in the industry, have you ever seen or been discriminated/harassed and if so, how did you handle it?

AS: Personally I haven’t come across any hardships due to my gender.

GP: What advice do you have for women looking to break into the comic book industry?

AS: For anyone looking to break into the industry I can say that it is a difficult road to take but never give up. If you believe you can do it then you can. It sounds simple but some of the best advice I’ve gotten has been to never stop drawing and not to forget to love what you do.

Related:

• Read more “Women of Boom” Interviews