My name is Brett Swanson and I’ve been a letter carrier in Mystic, CT, for 30 years. I also create my own line of comic books.
I’ve always loved drawing, and from a young age, I wanted to be a comic book artist. I went to school for cartoon graphics in the late 1980s.
I publish my own line of comic books and I exhibit at shows, fairs and comic conventions.
For the past few years, I’ve also been going to various schools, libraries and museums to teach kids how to make comic books. This can be a way for kids to tell stories, express their feelings or gain discipline while developing their talents.
The story I’m working on now is called “Power Kid.” The main character is Johnny Brooks, a fourth grader who gets his superpowers from a glowing rock. Johnny and his friends fight robots, aliens, dinosaurs and even demented vegetables.
My books are positive and funny. I like to tell entertaining stories, and these are a good way to get kids to read.
Being a comic artist is a lot of work. You start with a blank sheet of paper. From your brain to your hands, you have to come up with the whole thing from scratch. Most of the books out there are done by teams: One person writes it, one person draws it, one guy inks it and another colors it. I do everything myself and by hand. It takes about three or four months for me to complete an entire book.
If you really want to draw comics, be patient. You won’t get it done in a day. Don’t worry about what others think, and don’t be discouraged if you need another job — most comic artists have a side job.
If you become really big, you could make some serious money. But I just do it because I love it. Creating comic books is mostly about having fun.
“Off the Clock,” a column on Postal Service employees and their after-hours pursuits, appears regularly in Link.