Artist Interview: Blue Delliquanti

Blue Delliquanti is a comic artist and writer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their work is often rooted in science fiction and inspired by the relationship between androids and humans, as well as food and the city of Minneapolis. In addition to creating comics, Blue teaches at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

Recently, they collaborated with Ma-Yi Theater Company and Children’s Theatre Company as the illustrator for Drawing Lessons, a play that vividly brings to life the story of a young graphic novelist navigating school, friendships, and her Korean-American identity through dynamic, on-stage illustrations of her manhwa graphic novel.

Blue grew up immersed in the world of comics, inspired by the surge of graphic novels and manga during the early 2000s. After college, they launched their own webcomic, O Human Star. What began as a personal project evolved into a Prism Award-winning story that continued for eight years, during which Blue’s readership grew into a passionate community that supports them across various projects.

We asked Blue about their art, creative process, and inspirations.

Can you tell us about your background as a comic artist? How did you get started in this field?

I've been interested in comics and how to tell stories using it as a medium since I was a kid, and it was a great time to discover new work. This was the early aughts, so there were lots of amazing graphic novels coming out and manga was being imported at an unanticipated scale, so I would sit and read in the aisles of bookstores. I loved studying the artform, but I wasn't entirely sure how I'd go about doing it as anything other than a hobby.

Growing up, I read quite a lot of online comics when that scene was especially vibrant and interesting and I started serializing my own webcomic, O Human Star, shortly after college. I was convinced I'd never reach the conclusion of the story I'd planned out, but after eight years I did it. And over those eight years my readership had gradually snowballed into a really passionate audience that supports me over the many projects I've done since.

What inspires your art? Are there any particular themes or subjects that you enjoy exploring through your work?

I love science fiction, and I'm particularly interested in stories involving robots and androids. But over time I've found that I also like writing about food, and the city of Minneapolis has appeared in my stories more than once. I wasn't raised here, but I love living here. (Plus it makes gathering reference images much easier if you live in the place where your story is set!)

Can you tell us about Drawing Lessons? What makes it special to you?

This is the first time I've worked on a theater project anywhere near this scale, and this production in particular is an interesting opportunity to work with the creators directly and consult on specific details. I teach comics classes to students of all ages, so I was in a unique position to share my experiences of how I would explain a concept to someone learning how comics work, and helping them capture the images they see in their head.

Something I often tell students is that comics have quite a bit in common with theater, as opposed to film or even animation. They're both active mediums - the reader or audience is actively processing the details of what you suggest in the page or on the stage, no matter how simple or pared-down, and by filling in the rest their interior experience is much richer as a result. Drawing Lessons intrigued me as an opportunity to marry those art forms together.

What is a dream project you’d like to make one day?

There are some works of prose that I would love to try adapting as a way to explore and share those stories with others. My favorite novel of all time is The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin - adapting that, or any book of hers, as a graphic novel would be a dream.

What is a fun fact about you?

I like eating insects! I love learning about cuisines and dishes from around the world that use ingredients like crickets or ants - I even wrote a graphic novel based on my experiences making and trying these dishes over the years.

What else fills your time when you’re not creating art?

I love to read books, both graphic novels and prose. During the pandemic I tried to cultivate more hobbies that aren't drawing-centric, and that's when I got into playing mahjong and making miniature dioramas out of plastic packaging and robot model kits.

What advice would you give to aspiring comic artists who are just starting out?

Give yourself opportunities to experiment with your art as much as possible, and make friends - with both people who make comics and people who do something different altogether. The cross-pollination of ideas and interests and dreams will inform the kind of artist you become in unpredictable and positive ways.