Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Comics, depression, entertainment, image comics, music, S. Steven Struble, Sina grace, The L'il Depressed Boy: Supposed To Be There Too

'Everything In The Book Has Happened To Me' – Talking With S. Steven Struble About L'il Depressed Boy

Published Fri, 12 Sep 2014 16:00:00 -0500

by Hannah Means Shannon

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By Alex Wilson

The comic book medium is not known for tackling the serious issue of depression and the pitfalls of relationships even though they are some of the most prevalent problems that weigh on the minds of not just comic book readers, but many who belong to our collective humanity.

S. Steven Struble has taken his personal experiences and problems and turned them into, in my opinion, one of Image's best titles. Struble captures the human experience so well, telling a story that you can lose yourself in. Li'l Depressed Boy (written by Struble and drawn by Sina Grace) breaks the comic book medium mold and tells a visual story in an emotional way. Struble has crafted a story that any comic fan can identify with.

Li'l Depressed Boy follows a young man who battles with his own shy nature and the depression that arises from his timid demeanor. LDB, the main character of the book, navigates the harsh world of dating with depression only to suffer heartbreak.

I talked to Struble about Li'l Depressed Boy and some of the history of the series that is making its way back into comic book shops this October.

Alex Wilson: How did you come up with Li'l Depressed Boy?

S. Steven Strubble: The character started out as a sketch on the back of a middle school math quiz. I doodled him instead of figuring out the math problems. My childhood nickname was "the Li'l Depressed Boy," so in an attempt to try and make that a positive I gave the name to this character. I still suck at math, but LDB has stuck with me.

I drew the character repeatedly throughout my teenage years, and when I decided I wanted to start a web comic it was clear that he should be the star. The initial web comic lasted for about a week of daily newspaper-style strips, then promptly disappeared only to return years later in a weekly comic book page styled strip of disconnected moments drawn by a rotating cast of my friends.

As the webcomic went on, I wanted more and more to tell a story and not just random moments. It was at this time I asked Sina to be the full time artist and started writing for a printed book.

AW: Are there any person stories behind the problems facing LDB?

SSS: LDB is a thinly veiled autobio comic. All the stories are personal and come from my own life. I jumble up the chronology and amalgamate people into single characters, but for the most part everything in the book has happened to me.

AW:Has LDB then acted as a sort of cathartic experience when it comes to the stories LDB is based on, helping you let go of negative experiences in your past?

It helps me a lot with perspective. It's easy to look at the world as if you are the victim and that it's out to get you. But when you can take the time to look at it from various angles, like you have to do when you're writing, it's easier to see that it's not that bad.

In the case of Jazz, writing it and thinking about her motivations, I realize that she didn't do anything intentionally. She saw the relationship differently. She didn't do anything malicious.

AW: Why did you choose to make LDB a doll-like person instead of a more human like character?

SSS: Honestly, that's a boring answer. I usually avoid answering it. I prefer that the audience's reasons be true. I know why I did it, but I've heard numerous other theories that I don't want to debunk because they're true for that person. I will say, there will never be a Pinocchio ending. LDB does not become a real boy at the end. He's always going to be a rag doll until the final issue.

AW: Can you tell me about the experience of bring Andrew Jackson Jihad and Childish Gambino into LDB?

SSS: With the musical appearances, I approach bands that I really love. In the case of Andrew Jackson Jihad, Kepi Ghoulie and Childish Gambino, it's the bands that I was listening to super heavy at that moment in time. Heck, I still listen to all of them very heavily.

I met Kepi by going to his shows whenever he traveled through Amarillo. One day I asked him if it would be okay to have him show up in the comic. He thought it was cool and gave his consent.

With Andrew Jackson Jihad, I just sent them an email out of the blue and confessed to being their fan. I told them I'd love to have them in the book, and they again were down with it.

Childish Gambino — Sina ran into Donald in a coffee shop. Knowing that I was a huge fan, Sina approached him and gave him a copy of the book. Later on, Donald hit me up on twitter to tell me he enjoyed the book. Through correspondence we eventually asked him if he wanted to be in it, himself. He was excited, and even did a variant cover of the issue that he sold on tour.

AW: I had a chance to read the new issue coming out October 1st and it still holds the magic contained in past stories. The Li'l Depressed Boy: Suppose To Be There, Too #1 will hit stores soon and I highly recommend you pick this book up. Li'l Depressed Boy will fill your heart with a truly human story.

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