KATIE BAIR
Artist for NHS

Katie is a artist and cosplay designer who has become the new writer and artist for Antarctic Press' Ninja High School comic. She also has an ongoing title of Oasis Destiny in the Shoujo anthology series. She's also a part of Ryuhana Press which do manga-styled webcomics, and she creates customized anime costumes.


KATIE'S CREDITS

2003 AP Tourbook, How To Draw Manga, Kareoke Kate, Ninja High School, Shoujo

Interview taken over the internet (Sept. 2003)

• HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ANIME-STYLED ART?
  Since I was sixteen, so about 12 years. Previous to that I was trying western comic book style, but after much frustration, and several years playing Japanese video games I figured I'd give this whole Japanimation style a try. Much to my suprise, I took to it quite easily, and that's what I've been working in ever since.
  
  
• WHAT FIRST GOT YOU INTO BEING AN OTAKU?
  I'm not sure how much of an otaku I really am. I can honestly say I've never bought anything in the dealer's room, and I'm pretty sure that's a prerequsite of being a true otaku. I've been watching anime, reading manga, and playing Japanese games since I was 5, so if I am an otaku, I've been one for 23 years.
  
  
• HOW DID YOU COME ABOUT BEING THE NEW WRITER/ARTIST FOR NHS?
  Antarcitc had already picked up Oasis Destiny earlier in the year, and had asked if I could submit some pieces to the Gold Digger swimsuit issue. Unbeknownst to me, Robby Bevard, who was writing NHS at the time, was on the lookout for a new artist to take over the book after Ben Dunn's final issue. The previous artist, David Hutchison, was working on his own books and wouldn't be able to continue with Ninja High School. Well, to make a long story short, Robby saw my drawing of Gennadrid in the swimsuit issue and sent me an email. The rest is pretty much history.
  
  
• HOW MUCH INVOLVEMENT WILL THE OLD NHS HAVE WITH THE CURRENT STORYLINE?
  Pretty much none. You don't need to have read any of the old Ninja High School to understand NHS. Originally, Robby planned to call the book Neo-NHS and start over from #1, to show people that it clearly is not the same storyline, but execs thought it would be best to keep the 100+ numbers. Ironically, I've found that more people have been confused by that than anything else.
  
  
• TELL US ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN ANARCTIC'S NEW SHOUJO?
  When I brought Oasis Destiny to AP, it was with the intention of having it printed as a 120 page graphic novel. But being that I was an untested artist, they thought it would be financially wiser top break it up and put it in an anthology. The new Shoujo anthology features the entire 6 chapters of Oasis Destiny, along with several other stories. Some of which are actually shounen in genre.
  
  
• WHAT IS YOUR SERIES OASIS DESTINY ABOUT?
  The story follows five sisters who protect the fortress city of Oasis. Referred to as The New Goddesses by the citizens, each of the girls has a certain talent for different aspects of live. For instance, Syd, the Goddess of Technology, is good with machines, Mae, the Goddess of Information, is fluent in all languages, and Terrell, Goddess of Nature, has a special connection with plants and animals. They're led by the eldest sister, Kiana, who is a natural warrior and tactitian. The city itself is the last stronghold of civilization on Earth, and is located in the middle of a desert wasteland. Not everyone who journeys to the city is looking for a peaceful life though, and they are often attacked by bandit hordes, seeking to take Oasis' wealth of food and supplies for themselves.
  
  
• WHAT DOES YOUR GROUP OF RYUHANA PRESS DO?
  Ryuhana Press was established to help out young artists who are trying to get their feet wet in the comics industry. Basically, as a manga artist, I've been asked for tips and advice from folks interested in getting into comics and manga, so I started this site with a group of students to share some of my knowledge. The students themselves participate in running the group, so they get plenty of hands on experience with dealing with all the behind-the-scenes part of publishing as well.
  
  
• YOU'RE ALSO A REGULAR COSPLAYER. WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET A NEW OUTFIT TOGETHER AND WHAT DO YOU USE AS THE BASIS FOR DOING THAT CHARACTER?
  I usually select an outfit based on looks, and how much I like the character. I won't wear a stupid looking costume no matter how much I like the character, and I won't go for the pretty costume worn by a complete ninny. I used to worry about whether or not it was too hard, but I've since learned that as long as I'm willing to work for it, I can make just about anything. After I select a character, I spend about a week or so studying the costume, sketching it out, and breaking it down into it's component pieces. Before I buy any materials, a research and compare prices online. Like most cosplayers, I'm poor, so places like the Salvation Army and the dollar store can be invaluable resouces. I am fortunate enough that I have a mannequin in my size that I can use for fitting, so after I get my materials its all sewing, gluing, painting, and fabricating.
  
  
• DO YOU DO CUSTOM COSTUMES FOR OTHER COSPLAYERS?
  I do custom wig designs for other cosplayers, since they can still enter cosplay competitions with them. A couple of them have even won awards! My wig design service has become more popular than I ever expected, which is good since I get to help out more people, but not-so-good because I find I barely have enough time to get them done along with a monthly comic!
  
  
• WHAT FUTURE PLANS DO YOU HAVE INVOLVING YOUR COMICS WORK?
  I've completed the script for the prequal to Oasis Destiny, titled The Diary Of Gerone. It'll probably be a couple of years before I can get to that drawn, due to its massive size. Besides that, I'm working on a How To Break Into Comics segment for AP's How To Draw Manga series, and I'll still be doing NHS for years to come!
  
  

KATIE'S WEBSITE