Johanna Taylor is an illustrator, concept artist with a BFA in Animation and graphic novelist based in Salt Lake City. She is passionate about tabletop RPGs, and comics, exploring topics of mental health through storytelling. Johanna also enjoys video games and reading Victorian classic novels over tea with her cat, Raven. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @JohannaMation.

I had the opportunity to interview Johanna, which you can read below.

First of all, welcome to Geeks OUT! Could you tell us a little about yourself?

I have a BFA in animation, and I am passionate about film, TV and all things animated! I grew up in Utah and was a huge anime fan and gamer as a kid–I played every Zelda game I could get my hands on, and I play a lot of video games and tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons as an adult. I love to read classic Victorian-era literature and comics of all genres, and I enjoy cross-country skiing. I am passionate about stories with folkloric themes, mental health narratives, dark comedies, historical fantasies, magical realism, and D&D-style fantasy adventures. I am a member of the Cartoonist Cooperative, a concept artist, comic creator, and illustrator–but during the day, I work part-time as a graphic designer.

What can you tell us about your debut graphic novel, The Ghostkeeper? What was the inspiration for the story?

THE GHOSTKEEPER was inspired by Oscar Wilde’s novella, THE CANTERVILLE GHOST. I was intrigued by the idea of solving a haunting by talking peacefully with the ghost and learning about their struggles and personal fears, and movies like PARANORMAN and THE SIXTH SENSE also informed the feel of the story. It was originally pitched as THE SIXTH SENSE x KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE, because I wanted to create a quiet and cozy story that also dealt with heavy topics and darker subject matter in the style of Miyazaki’s films.

As a creative, what drew you to the art of storytelling, especially graphic novels/comics?

I started out wanting to be a storyboard artist, but a hand strain injury caused me to pivot to illustration. Once my injury was healed enough that I could jump back into artmaking full-time, I still found that I had a drive for telling stories that never quite went away, and both reading stories and writing stories became a cathartic way for me to process difficult things I was experiencing. I think comics are an underrated medium in terms of audience, since they’re typically seen as “just for kids”, but not only can they deal with very mature and emotionally intense subject matter, they also bridge gaps in accessibility and employ visual storytelling techniques that aren’t achieved easily in other mediums.

How would you describe your creative process?

I go on a lot of drives, go on walks, and shower a lot, because that’s when inspiration strikes when I’m working through a story, haha! I put on video game soundtrack music that suits the mood of what I’m writing (THE GHOSTKEEPER was written & drawn with Bloodborne, Shadow of the Colossus, Hollow Knight, Nier Automata, or Final Fantasy soundtracks playing in the background). My process is very vibes-fueled, whether that’s through music or going on Pinterest to look for visual inspiration and create a moodboard, or reading comics from the artists whose paneling styles inspire me.

What are some of your favorite elements of writing/illustrating? What do you consider some of the most frustrating and/or difficult? 

Thumbnailing is a very mentally taxing part of the process, but I enjoy it a lot because it’s the first step in making the story come together visually and it’s satisfying to arrange comics panels on the page. Writing is difficult for me because I have the least amount of experience with it compared to drawing, and inspiration and motivation can be fickle.

As a creative, who or what would you say are some of your greatest artistic and creative influences and/or sources of inspiration in general?

I am inspired by French and European comic artists—specifically Suheb Zako, Guillaume Singelin, Loic Locatelli, and Ulysse Malassagne. I also draw inspiration from a lot of concept artists working in animation and games such as Cory Loftis, Tracy Butler, Hayao Miyazaki, and Max Ulichney, because I like to create characters who feel dynamic and alive on the page. Fantasy, sci-fi and horror are my genres of choice, but lately I’ve enjoyed branching out and trying different genres that I wouldn’t normally be drawn to, like autobio and nonfiction.

Aside from your work, what are some things you would want others to know about you?

I love to travel, and I am always looking for recommendations for cool places to visit. I don’t always have the means to go places, but I try to make time and space for it when I can. I’m also a huge advocate for mental health and wellness in the comics and entertainment industries, and for therapy in general. I am also obsessed with my black cat Raven, and post about her a lot.

What’s a question you haven’t been asked yet but that you wish you were asked (as well as the answer to that question)?

I haven’t been asked if I encountered any ghosts while working on my graphic novel, and the answer is yes! There was a ghost named James haunting the airbnb I was staying at in Edinburgh who would rattle the pipes in the middle of the night.

What advice might you have to give for aspiring comic creators/graphic novelists?

Resilience is extremely important in this line of work. It means accepting rejection with the faith that another job opportunity will come along, and understanding the importance of being prepared for whatever those opportunities may be, whenever they arrive. And sometimes, it’s okay to punt. It’s okay to pivot, retreat, take a beat and re-evaluate when things get unsustainable.

The world is not set up with artists’ success in mind. It’s the failing of an unfair, imbalanced system, not the failing of you as a person. But don’t let that stop you from moving forward and creating what you love.

Also take care of those hands!! Get an ergonomic keyboard, mouse and drawing workflow sooner rather than later!

Are there any other projects you are working on and at liberty to speak about?

I’m participating in 3 indie comic anthologies–one is WISH UPON A STAR, a sci-fi fairytale anthology from Limit Break Comics kickstarting in September, one is MUSEUM OF THE UNCANNY from Very Big Comics, and a third that will be announced very soon! I also have two graphic novel pitches on submission right now, for which I’m just doing the art and other writers are doing the writing. One is in negotiation with a publisher, and I should be able to announce that one sometime in September.

Finally, books/authors would you recommend to the readers of Geeks OUT? 

Here are some of my must-read comic creators, and their comics:

Ethan M Aldridge (THE PALE QUEEN, ESTRANGED duology)

Tillie Walden (ON A SUNBEAM, CLEMENTINE series)

Ngozi Ukazu (BUNT! – art by Mad Rupert)

Nadia Shammas (SQUIRE – art by Sara Alfageeh, and WHERE BLACK STARS RISE – art by Marie Enger)

Rosemary Vallero-O’Connell (LAURA DEAN KEEPS BREAKING UP WITH ME)

Chan Chau (ENLIGHTENED, written by Minh Le)

Guillaume Singelin (PTSD)

Jes & Cin Wibowo (LUNAR BOY)

James Tynion IV (SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN – art by Werther Dell’Edera, A NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE – art by Álvaro Martínez Bueno)