What’s your name? – Lizz Lunney.
What’s your real name? – Elizzabeth Lunney.
With two Z’s? – Yes, the extra Z is a spare just in case. You should always be prepared.
Which animal do you most resemble? – I always used to think a meerkat, but certain adverts ruined meerkats for me. So maybe a Pygmy Marmoset. Those tiny monkeys. The best of all the primates!
Do you prefer to use a pen or a brush for drawing? – Pen! I prefer a biro really, but it doesn’t scan well. So I use a drawing pen.
Do you have a secret super power? – I can juggle. That’s no secret, though. I can also play the harmonica. That is a secret.
Dogs or cats? – Cats cats cats.
What’s the largest amount of cash you’ve ever found in the street? – £20! On the way to a party! It was a birthday party. I spent the money on Champagne and took it as a gift!
What’s the best thing about being a cartoonist? – Getting paid to draw talking chairs and lazy rabbits.
Comical Animal is renowned for showering its contributors in catnip (my fee for writing this was a Faberge Crème Egg); what was the first strip you were ever paid for? – I donated a Diefenbaker cartoon to the Due South Fan Club charity Auction in Canada in the 90s which sold for £48 but the first time I was paid for a drawing myself was probably my “Tyger Tyger” Threadless t-shirt years later, I reckon.
Were you in Canada at the time or was it a Hands-Across-The-Ocean demonstration of solidarity? – Hands Across the Ocean! It was my dream to go to Canada at the time but I didn’t get to visit there until years later when my Due South love was sadly not as strong.
What was your favourite comic when you were a kid? – The Beano, but I also liked The Dandy and Whizzer and Chips. My favourite strips were The Bash Street Kids and The Bumpkin Billionaires. I bet those guys are still trying to get rid of all that money.
Were you a Whizz-Kid or a Chip-ite? – I was in all the fan clubs possible. Dennis the Menace Fan Club, Desperate Dan Fan Club, Chipper. They inspired me to form my own! I had a gang in junior school called “The Fun Club” where I was the leader so I always liked to think I was like Danny from The Bash Street Kids. I’m probably more like Minnie The Minx these days. I don’t have a gang now! *sob*
What is your biggest indulgence? – Watching documentaries, while eating crisps in bed.
Do you hoard or do you collect comics? – I hoard everything, not just comics. Magazines, books, trinkets, tea sets, jewels, clothes, Boglins, bits of string. I’m drowning in my own stuff. I’ve filled two houses.
Have you ever been a pipe smoker? – Never! I hate smoking. I’m very anti-smoke of all kinds. Even bonfires. I hate them!
Which publisher do you buy the most stuff from? – Probably Top Shelf I’d say. Good old Top Shelf!
What’s the one thing you find the most difficult to draw? – I’m not really into drawing people. I have some human characters (Keith the Wizard, The Man with Tetris on his Chin, The Boy with Living Ears etc) but I prefer to draw animals, objects or food with human characteristics rather than complete humans. It makes for more interesting stories.
What do your family think about you being a cartoonist? – My Dad has always been a big fan of The Beano so he is quite happy that I draw cartoons for a living. It’s because of him that I read comics as a kid and got into drawing them anyway!
Does your Dad still take a peek at The Beano? – Yes. He still buys The Beano and asks for the Annual for Christmas every year. He is a big Derek the Sheep (Gary Northfield) fan!
How much money have you got in your pockets right now? – None! I’m wearing PJs, no pockets!
So, where do you keep your handkerchief? – Either in my sleeve or tucked in the elasticated waist band of course.
Text Book. Cheers, Lizz.
Enjoy her site, and follow tweets from @Lizzlizz and her miserable friend @depressed_cat to get a fine distillation of her humour. For nowt.
Interview by Anonymouse – thanks little fellah.
