JP Coovert on your back!

JP Coovert graduated from The Center for Cartoon Studies in 2008 and in his creative wake are many great comics and more than one rad t-shirt.

What happened after you graduated from The Center for Cartoon Studies?

JPC: After graduating I immediately moved to Minneapolis, where my wife had been working at Target for a year already (she designs the print and pattern for women’s pajamas and underwear.) I was unemployed for awhile, but eventually got hired by Jacie’s old boss and started working on designing shirt graphics for little boys, ages 1 to 5.

Didn’t you start a publishing company for comics and records? Tell me about it.

JPC: One Percent Press started in the summer of 2004, when my buddy Stephen and I decided to start putting out comics and records. We were both in bands and both drawing comics, so it made since. We’ve now released 14 records and tons of mini comics, including a few from other CCS grads, Joe Lambert and Alexis Frederick-Frost. We’re currently redesigning our website and getting together lots of new records. We have some really cool comic projects that in the very early stages too!

How is Minneapolis treating you? Do you have a favorite place to draw other than your desk?

JPC: Minneapolis is awesome! The weather is similar to WRJ, but it’s a big city, so there’s lot of fun things to do and good places to eat. I pretty much just draw in my studio, which isn’t much bigger than the space we had as 2nd year students.

Do you hang out with other cartoonists in the area?

JPC: There are so many awesome cartoonists in Minneapolis. I mostly hang out with Brad McGinty and Jordan Shiveley though.

What are you working on in your own time?

JPC: Right now I’m working on two issues of Simple Routines (pictured above). I also have an ongoing adventure comic called There Must Be More that I wish I had more time to dedicate to.

And I just finished working on illustrating the second book in a series called Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Extra Credit. Fun Fact: Former CCS graduate Andrew Arnold does the production on all the books!

Also! I did a two page story in Nursery Rhyme Comics book (also featuring Alexis and Andrew, Lucy Knisley and James Sturm!) which just came out.

Plan on going to any cons soon?

JPC: I will be at the Minneapolis Indie Expo in a couple of weeks and hopefully at Mocca and TCAF next Spring. Come say hi!!!

How has CCS shaped you in your current situation?

JPC: I owe pretty much everything to CCS in some way or another. I definitely wouldn’t have my career and more importantly a lot of great friends. I would probably be a really crappy cartoonist too!

Thank you, JP, for your honesty and amazing hard work! See you at MIX!