Hyperbole and a Half, a webcomic that is so funny, manic, and (at times) emotionally wrenching that it deserves its own entire category, has finally spawned a book! The book, subtitled "Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened" reprints many of Allie Brosh's best-loved pieces, and, excitingly, includes some all-new work which I can't wait to read. Brosh is unlike anyone else in the field today, an Internet-era treasure, an unexpected wonder of the 21st century. I don't know how she does it, but I'm delighted to have ordered my own copy, and was fascinated by this interview with Wired's Laura Hudson:
WIRED: A lot of your best stories come from your childhood, including your most recent comic about a dinosaur costume that turned you into a monster. How many amazing childhood experiences did you have, anyway? Do you worry about running out?
Brosh: I think that’s something that pretty much everyone who works in a creative capacity worries about all the time. I felt like I was out of material probably three months into blogging, after I picked all the low-hanging fruit. But over time I’ve learned that as I evolve as a writer and a storyteller I find better ways to frame a story in a way that makes it more interesting, rather than a you-had-to-be-there kind of story. I’m sure at some point I’ll run out, but for the time being I feel a bit more secure after seeing myself go through that so often and come out on the other hand with a new idea.
WIRED: One of your comics, “This Is Why I’ll Never Be an Adult,” inspired a meme sometimes called “All the Things.” How do you feel about having your work repurposed outside your comic in a way that isn’t credited and that you can’t control?
Brosh: I think it’s fine when it’s just the internet playing around with it and having fun with it. I sort of get sick of seeing it sometimes. [laughs] But occasionally someone will come up with a creative new way to use it that really makes me laugh. I don’t enjoy when, say, some cause I don’t agree with uses it to support their agenda. That rankles me a little bit, but there’s not much I can do to prevent that. But for the most part I like that people are having fun with it. It’s not OK to use it to sell things, or anything that would be copyright infringement, but I enjoy its nature as a meme.
Hilarious Hyperbole and a Half Webcomic Becomes Hilarious Book
