Richard: What is the basic storyline of "Teddy and the Yeti"?

Jeff: The first issue of any new title is a balancing act, I think, because you've got to tell a compelling story while fitting in a lot of exposition in the meantime. The first issue of Teddy and the Yeti is no different - we'll learn a little bit about our character's origins, but that serves as a backdrop to the main plot of the issue. Very simply, Ted is part of a global defense agency, and he's partnered with an Abominable Snowman. Their jobs, which will become more well defined over time, involve protecting the planet against anything that threatens it. In this first issue, Ted is kidnapped and the Yeti has to go after him, which sets up the reemergence of a character from their past.

Richard: What exactly is a Yeti?

Jeff: The Yeti is a mythical creature that goes by many names, but if you think of a Bigfoot that lives in the Himalayas, you've got a pretty good idea. Stories of Bigfoot and the Yeti have circulated for hundreds of years, so we're drawing from popular mythology here, but I hope that our Yeti distinguishes herself from others of lore.

Richard: Who are the main characters in this comic?

Jeff: Well, the title of the book gives you a pretty good idea of just who the stars are. We have Ted, a robotic hero who enjoys cooking and baseball, and the Yeti, a nine foot monster who just so happens to be a pacifist vegetarian. The origins of the comic, by the way, begin with the evening that the rhyming title came to me - the characters came second, but in this case I don't think the overall concept suffered. At least...here's hoping!

Richard: How do you think Phil Hester's cover turned out?

Jeff: Obviously, Phil is a consummate professional and put his best effort into the cover for issue #1, and I think that effort shows. Llikewise, Duane Redhead - the book's penciller and co-creator - and Karin Rindevall did a fantastic job on the inks and colors of the cover, respectively. It's an understatement to say that I'm thrilled with the overall results, but - still - I'm thrilled. It's a classic action shot that the best first issues always seem to capture. Phil, in drawing the cover, added in a few subtle design elements to Ted which Duane ended up incorporating into the character later on.

Richard: How did you come up with the idea for this comic?

Jeff: Like I said a little earlier, the first thing to come was the title, and things just started to roll downhill after that. I saw some of Duane's artwork on the Digital Webbing message boards and I knew that I had to work with him on something, so I took the chance and contacted him. Pretty soon afterwards I was putting a story together which pitted our main characters against the robotic counterparts of historical figures, because I wanted to write a story called "Presidents and Precedence". So, as silly as it may seem, the overall concept of this book came as much from quirky phrases as it did a lightning bolt of inspiration.

Richard: Why is "Josh Howard Presents: Sasquatch" important?

Jeff: Well, it's important to Teddy and the Yeti because that's where we find the duo's first appearance, all the way back in the yesteryear of 2007. Josh Howard Presents: Sasquatch is an anthology-style graphic novel put together by the fine folks at Viper Comics. There were two rules you had to meet to be included in the book: first, your story had to be good. Second, it had to relate to Sasquatch in some manner. I actually came late into the game with this book; some friends were working on a story for the title and introduced me to the editor. As fate would have it, someone else had just dropped out of the book at a pretty late stage, and here I was with a completed story that just happened to involve a Yeti as one of the main characters. Just a few months after I found out about the title, it was printed and on my shelf. Quite the auspicious event!

Richard: What is Andromeda Jones: Message in a Bottle" about?

Jeff: In every issue of Teddy and the Yeti, there'll be a backup feature starring some of the other creator-owned characters I've worked on over the years, and The Amazing Adventures of Andromeda Jones gets the call for the first issue. The history of this character is probably too complicated to go into right now, but suffice it to say it's an action/sci-fi concept featuring the title character in various scrapes. You don't have to know the character to enjoy the back-of-the-issue story, and my goal is to keep it that way for future stories whether they feature AJ or not. In the second issue, we'll have a backup featuring Mr. Massive, the teenage superhero with A.D.D.

Richard: What are some of the other comics you have worked on?

Jeff: I'm always working on comics in one form or another, whether I have published work to show for it or not. I was lucky enough to have my first piece of comic work - ever - printed in the Dark Horse anthology Strip Search. Since then, I've had various short stories published through other companies and a few self-published endeavors, such as a full issue of the aforementioned Mr. Massive, though I like to focus on what I've got going on right now. Other than Teddy and the Yeti (which takes up a whole lot of time, believe me), I've got a title called The Protector that I'm working on with the extra talented Mike Adams and Jorge Correa, Jr. (of Action Comics fame) that deals with the death of the world's only superhero - I think it's really got potential; there's also The Partisan, a collection I'm working on with the magnificent Paul Tucker. It's a dark, personal tale about a man who wants to end the world all by himself, and it's some of the most satisfying stuff I've ever typed up.

Richard: Where does your inspiration come from?

Jeff: I like to tell stories that no one else has come up with yet. I don't know how often I succeed - probably not THAT often - but I enjoy trying. I don't want to tell a story that follows all of the traditional comic book conventions, and I'm inspired to put something different out there for others to enjoy. I'm always inspired by the artists I work with; how people can get to be as talented as Duane Redhead I'll never know - I know that I'LL never be able to do what he does with a pencil and some ink.

Richard: What do you have planned next?

Jeff: Right now I'm focused on getting Teddy and the Yeti out on a consistent bi-monthly basis. After that, there are always things burning in the back of my head, but I'll be happy just to stay on schedule with my current commitments.

Richard: Do you think it’s possible such creatures as yetis and Sasquatch’s exist?

Jeff: I'd really LIKE it to be possible, I'll say that much, because the myth is such a beautiful one - a gentle ape-like creature living out its days in peace with the earth, hiding away from humans and their influence...but it does seem a bit doubtful, especially when you consider how much space a sustainable race of Bigfoots would need compared to how much they do conceivably have in the American Northwest and Canadian forests. I hate to be someone who doubts their existence as I spent much of my childhood absolutely sure we'd eventually uncover their secret insular society, but I suppose there's a time when you have to face facts. This doesn't in any way take away from the fascination I have with the myths and the stories, though.

Richard: What is most important in your life?

Jeff: Wow, time for some introspection, huh? As much as I enjoy comics and most everything about them, I'd like to think that I'm not so shallow as to say they are the MOST important things in my life...although I do like 'em quite a bit. I'd say that my faith in God and the relationships I share with my wife, my family, my friends and my dog (hey Rusty!) fit that top bill. But, I do like comics. I do.

Richard: How can someone contact you?

Jeff: If someone shouts loud enough for long enough, I'll probably hear eventually. In lieu of that, I am as electronically dependent as most my age. My e-mail address associated with T&Y is wagonwheelcomics@gmail.com . There's plenty of content including previews of the comic book at www.teddyandtheyeti.com . I even do the Facebook thing, but you'll just have to do the legwork and actually perform a search if you want to find me there - I know, outrageous!

Richard: Any words for your customers?

Jeff: I just hope that people can see the love and effort I'm putting into the book when they're reading Teddy and the Yeti (because you ARE reading it...right??). The only comics worth reading, in my opinion, are the ones where the creative teams are not just talented but passionate about what they are doing, and I dare say Teddy and the Yeti contains its share of both.