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Dav is an unusual name. When did you drop the e from Dave, if you did?
Why? |
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I got the name "Dav" back in 1983 when I was a waiter at Pizza Hut .
They made a name tag for me, but the letter 'e' on the label-maker was broken.
Instead of printing "Dave" it printed "Dav". The name stuck (I'm just glad I wasn't named
"Damen").
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Why is underwear funny? |
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I think it's funny because you're not supposed to laugh at it.
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Did kids used to make fun of you or your name growing up? |
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Sure. There are many former classmates of mine who will
forever remember me as "David Puke-ey"
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Who was the inspiration for (George and Harold)? Who would play them in
a movie? |
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Actually, George and Harold are both based on me. If there was going to be a movie,
I'd push for Gary Coleman and Tom Cruise (they're both about the right height).
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And the principal, Mr. Krupp, who inspired him? |
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For legal reasons, let me just say that the cruel and evil principal, Mr.
Krupp, may or may not have been inspired by one and/or more of my childhood
principals.
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Why do you choose to use poor spelling for the boys' cartoon drawings? |
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I think it's realistic. I was a terrible speller as a kid, and the comics
I made back then often contained bad spelling and grammar. I didn't care-- I
just wanted to tell stories.
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Do teachers look down on (the misspelled words)? |
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I've heard from some adults who were not happy about the misspellings, but
I think they're missing the point. Adults often do that (they're not always as clever as kids). The point of all the mistakes in George and Harold's comics is: it doesn't matter. The comics are still good... and funny... and worthwile. Even with all the errors.
I think some kids get too caught up in trying to be "perfect". So much so, that they're afraid to be creative because they might make a mistake. It's my hope that these kids will read George and Harold's comics, notice the mistakes, and realize that creativity doesn't depend on proper spelling, grammar, or even perfect artwork (Harold's drawings aren't much more than stick figures). I'm hoping these "less than perfect" comics will encourage kids to try being creative on their own, without the often paralyzing fear of "messing up".
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Who was your favorite children's author growing up and why? |
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I liked James Marshall, because he was silly and his characters were easy
for me to draw.
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Did you ever have a subcription to Mad Magazine? What's your opinion on
the mag? |
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I never subscribed, but I did buy it often. "Cracked Magazine" was another favorite. They
were both really fun.
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What's the worst letter or phone call or criticism you ever received? |
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I don't get too many negative criticisms. I think the worst was when a teacher at an elementary school in Naugatuck, Connecticut made a kid stand against the wall during recess because he had brought one of my books to class.
That really bummed me out. I found out who the kid was and sent him a box of
fun stuff.
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Best letter? |
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It's hard to pick a best letter- I get so many. I think the
best ones come from parents and teachers who thank me because their kids (reluctant readers) have FINALLY found something they love to read.
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Can we expect a Captain Underpants doll, tv cartoon, or movie? |
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There is a plush doll out now, but I don't want to do any movies or TV shows. I think things stop being cool when they're too overexposed.
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You use a lot of illiteration...Wicked Wedgie Woman, Ricky Ricotta,
Voodoo from Venus - do you have a favorite? |
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I think "Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants" is my fave.
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If there is a lesson to your books, what is it? |
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I try not to put "lessons" in my books. Don't kids get enough of that at school?
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Who was the irreverent children's author of your day in past? |
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I think it was Roald Dahl.
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What will the next title be for the adventures of Captain Underpants? |
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Two books are coming up. They're called: "Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, part 1: The Night of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets",
...and...
"Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, part 2: The Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers". They'll both be out in the Fall of 2003.
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Anything else I should have asked you? |
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Well, everybody usually asks how I got my start... so just in case you're
wondering, here's my answer:
I invented Captain Underpants back when I was in the second grade. I was
the "class clown", and got in trouble constantly for making my friends
laugh. To punish me, my teacher would send me out into the hallway. I
had a lot of spare time sitting out there, so I began drawing pictures,
writing stories, and making my own comic books.
That's where Captain Underpants was born. Oddly enough, my second grade
teacher gave me the inspiration. She happened to use the word "underpants" during class one day, and everybody in the classroom laughed. She got mad and shouted, "Underwear is NOT funny!" This only made us laugh harder. At that moment, I discovered that underwear was a powerful thing: not only could it make my friends laugh, but it could also make my teacher very angry! What fun!
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