SFist: Bay Blogger Thursday

February 16, 2006

Bay Blogger Thursday

Cartoonist, comix artist, whatevs Julia Wertz of Fartparty.org added us as a contact out of the blue, and with a URL like that, one has to follow up. We took an hour and read everything she'd posted online. Funny stuff that's all her, but also archetypical of San Francisco. Biking, smoking pot, eating cookies, drinking beer, dealing with idiots and hanging out with your friends and family -- that's what it's all about, no?

When we realized that she uploaded her panels to Flickr, making it easy for us to subscribe to them via RSS, comment, etc. we were smitten. We were inspired to create a folder in our Bloglines account just for webcomix, further reducing the number of newspaper sections we need to bother with. Any of you other local scribblers out there, let us know where we can find you.

But when we emailed Julia to request an interview, we got another crazy idea. So after the jump, SFist's first illustrated interview!

SFist: Did you know, Johnny and June do an awesome rendition of 'It Ain't Me, Babe?'
Julia Wertz: Yes, I do know that! Jackson is one of my favorite records. [Singing: 'I life down in shantytown, where chickin's 20 cents a pound']
SFist: So what kind of cheap wine are you drinkin?
Julia Wertz: Spaghetti red! Only the finest of wine to help me finish up a new comic, which is taking FORFUCKINGEVER!
SFist: Why is it taking forfuckingever?
Julia Wertz: Oooh, well, I have to ink the last three panels and photoshop the layout... And I keep getting distracted by my cat, food, email, beer, my boyfriend, more beer, zorks, bears, elves, monkeys, ass pirates, jesus, whores, squirrels, butts, ants, tv, tv, bugs, wieners, pigmy goats, teenie tiny super guy...
SFist: So how's your brother doin'? Are we going to see omre stuff from him?
Julia Wertz: He's doing quite well, thank you. I really want him to make more comics because he's really talented. He actually knows how to draw and he's a great writer and... Heeey! I though this interview was about ME. Me me me!
SFist: Then why bother?
Julia Wertz: [Drinks wine from bottle]
SFist: What gave you the idea in the first place?
Julia Wertz: A few years ago I was broke (still am) and it was my friend's birthday. So, being the cheap bastard that I am, I made her a comic starring a hobo spider. That was my first comic. Then I realized that comics were a less pathetic form of a diary so I started making auto-biographical ones, which I post on the Fart Party.
SFist: No offense, but if it wasn't for Fartparty.org... Where'd you get that name, anyway?
Julia Wertz: I came up with the name Fart Party one night when my boyfriend couldn't stop farting. I suggested we throw a party and fill the balloons with farts. When we want people to leave, we pop the balloons. A lot of people don't like the name 'Fart Party' but that's okay 'cause I don't like a lot of people...
SFist: When do you usually get inspired?
Julia Wertz: I come up with ideas everywhere but I do my best work in the morning & afternoon. After 5pm, I'm a useless twat. [Twat watches TV: 'next on animal planet']
SFist: Okay, how many track bikes are there in your house?
Julia Wertz: There is one track bike and two mountain bikes, all belonging to the boyfriend. I own two road bikes named Bikey and Dr. Luv N' Brite.
SFist: Who are you looking for at A.P.E.?
Julia Wertz: Comic nerds. Cute, preferrably chubby, comic nerds... (I'm really looking for other cartoonists from SF)
SFist: Where do you want to be in print?
Julia Wertz: McSweeneys, The Stranger... [Geek freak out] Vice! The Onion!
SFist: I won't let you off without an esseff story. Something depraved, or at least embarrassing.
Julia Wertz: But... But my MOM is gonna read this!
SFist: Fine. Have it your way. Thanks, Julia, for the great innerview! Now subscribe to her feed, people.
Julia Wertz: ' '

By jackson in Arts+Events , Miscellaneous , News | Link | Comments (9) | Recommend this! (1) |

Tags: Blogger, Blogs, drinking, Features, Flickr, friends, idiots, interview, Julia Wertz, photos, San Francisco, smoking

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Comments (9)

By SFist Jer

[1] | 02/16/06 05:56PM

Jackson -- you MUST replace your staff page photo with one of those.

That was the coolest thing ever. Comic nerd has just gone to comic heaven.

By kelsey

[2] | 02/17/06 09:55AM

She just added me as a contact out of the blue, like, a week ago! I'm in comic nerd heaven too! March 2nd, I've got this blog-like thing on graphic novels going up! Okay, so I write for Yahoo!... Best,

`k.

By sfmike

[3] | 02/18/06 10:29AM

Best interview ever, and I love the huge, illustrated panels.

By Simon

[4] | 03/24/06 11:13AM

Sweet! I'm a new superfan of Julia's comics. Discovered her off flickr. She's goin' straight to the toooop! Go go farty!

By Brian

[5] | 04/04/06 12:19AM

There is no such thing as a "useless twat." FYI.

Meanwhile...Julia's comics are so terrific!!! But it makes me sad that I am not as talented as her...

By Brian

[6] | 04/04/06 12:20AM

There is no such thing as a "useless twat." FYI.

Meanwhile...Julia's comics are so terrific!!! But it makes me sad that I am not as talented as her...

By Brian

[7] | 04/04/06 12:22AM

Sorry for the double post. But, actually, Julia is worth it. ;)

By Daz

[8] | 04/07/06 11:48PM

cool stuff, things like this always inspire me to add more of my own personality into my art but...

By michael

[9] | 08/10/06 01:23AM

dooooooode your life is so f#$*in' awesome it sucks that my drawing suck more ass than michael jackson fans.