Here is our second interview of the series. Today I have have the opportunity to interview the man we all know as def. He is a Eurobricks Reviewers Academy Teacher and a member of the Eurobricks Fellows. You may also know him from the great comics he does. So enough chit-chat and let’s get down to business!
Brickinton: Hello and welcome to this Classic-Bricks interview. Is there anything you would like to start with?
def: I guess an introduction is in order. I’m in my 30’s, I’m a Canadian living in Japan, I’ve been here for a decade, and am now married with a child. I have had three periods of LEGO collecting in my life. Initially as a kid, which tapered off when I was about 11 or 12. Then again for a few years right when I graduated university. I worked at Toys R Us all through that time, and liked the LEGO area, but it was the 1999 Star Wars series that got me back in. I collected them for about a year and a half (knowing whenever they’d go on sale a week in advance), but dropped it when I quit. When I moved to Japan, I liked LEGO, but my apartment wasn’t big enough to collect. A few years later, when I was living with my wife and she was pregnant, and I had more space, and I couldn’t go out to bars anymore, I bought the 2006 Y-Wing off Amazon, and it started me down this road, which has had its ups and downs. Last week I got the Haunted House, and this Friday Chima is released here, so I will be getting more more more.
Brickington: So let’s start out with your reviews. You have are a Eurobricks Reviewer Academy teacher. Do you enjoy teacher others how to make a great review? And how did you like going through the Reviewer Academy process? Would you recommend it?
def: I am on a sabbatical of sorts. I keep tabs on the Academy and give feedback to other teachers, but in the last few months, I haven’t taught. It is very satisfying to see someone who is receptive to it. There is no doubt that the reviews on Eurobricks look as good as any on the Internet. When a new teacher comes up, it’s great to see, and my first ‘friends’ on EB were through the Academy.
I loved going through the process myself. I’ve done art for years, and the hardest thing to get is solid criticism. People like saying, “it’s good!” But the Academy gives just that. Not absolute ways to review, but real feedback about what would make your review better. My first review had a lot wrong with it, from clarity to structure to interesting opinions. I took that feedback, fixed it, and from there I graduated over about two weeks. I had been really desiring to do something with my hobby at that point and had a vacation. I think the average teacher does it over six months or so.
I would recommend it to people who have interest in graphics, in that you need to learn how to adjust photos to make them appear professional looking, and to people who want somewhere to go with their LEGO collecting. If you keep your sets unmixed, and don’t really MOC, it is a ‘next level’ thing you can do.
Brickington: Do you think the Reviewer Academy process is too hard, easy?
def: I think it’s as hard as it needs to be to have good reviews worthy of the front page of the site. Nothing makes me cringe as much as a ‘review’ shot on a cheap cell-phone, photographed on a bed spread. Bed spreads aren’t professional. I’d rather see a good review than the ‘firsties!’ one.
Brickington: You don’t do much MOCing, so let’s talk about your Eurobricks Mafia experience. How do you like that?
def: I like mafia, and I’ve played it here and on other sites. It’s a game of course, but it’s one where the more you put in, the more you get out. Because of that intensity, that area can have intersocial flare-ups, which turn some people off, but most people know it’s in the context of the game, so the players move on from it. For me, I enjoy hosting a bit more than playing these days, for numerous reasons. The main one is that I have my own personal game philosophies, which I can showcase better as a host than as a player. I really want to hold a ‘perfect’ game, a game that satisfies all sides, both winners and losers, and is also a close call, getting down to three players or so. They are rare, since games also rely on the decisions of the players, and you can’t gauge that as a host beforehand.
I know it sounds pretentious, but no more than a Ken Burns documentary about baseball, which is also ‘just a game.’ I think if you are going to dedicate dozens of hours of something, you should take it seriously, which is my way of having fun with it!
Brickington: Would you recommend it?
def: I would if you like trying to read people. And you like to interact in that sort of way. I have to emphasize, it’s not for everyone. I think it’s a great game, and have been playing for three or four years now.
Brickington: Now let’s discuss something you are very familiar with, comics. I have seen your comics and I encourage our readers to take a look at them. Where can they find them?
def: Ah, I’m hosting them mainly on Tumblr, http://squarecomix.tumblr.com
Brickington: Your comics are so professional. Do you do them for a newspaper or something?
def: No. I have had times where I was when I was in my early-20’s, but it was really before I was ready, and didn’t pay enough to live on so I couldn’t continue. I like, and can only do, indie-style comics. Most of the people doing that professionally make a living doing illustration, and the comics are for love. I really didn’t see myself being able to make a living as I was as a 25 year old (quite lazy and immature), so I moved to Japan, to do something different. I learned Japanese, started dj’ing, did Japanese calligraphy, scuba diving (I was in Okinawa), and basically anything I could to expand my life experience. Since I moved here, I’ve been out of touch with all publishing, but I’ve started to build up connections on the web over the last two years. My work ethic is a lot better now than it was then, partly from working in Japan where laziness is not acceptable, and partly from the amount of work I did on EB. I simply produce work on a regular basis now, which means my skills improve. More practice, more improvement. I’m planning to self-publish some work this year in both English and Japanese, and then see if I can get any indie companies interested in it.
Brickington: Do you have a personal favorite out of all of your comics. I know I really liked your slave to the brick.
def: Thanks. That was a strip which really got me back into drawing comics again. At the time I loved that strip, and still like it, but I’m enjoying the work I do now, which is a diary of sorts. They aren’t consistently good, but the best way to have good work is to do a lot, and only print the good half. Then people think you’re much better than you really are!
Brickington: Now let’s get back into LEGO. You are the Headmaster of the Eurobricks Photoshop School. Thus, you are immensely talented at photo editing. Any comments and thoughts on that?
def: I love photo-editing, and do it more or less for all my reviews. I was hoping more people here would be into it, it didn’t pick up much. I know people like those pics enough, since, for example, my LEGO pics on Deviant Art have gotten positive attention. But there aren’t many people interested in doing that sort of thing. If that thread ever picked up, sure I’d get at it more again. LEGO-collecting, Photoshop enthusiasts are a small, small group. 
Brickington: So before we end this interview, I would like to say thanks for giving me the opportunity to interview you and go ahead and give your closing memo.
def: Good luck on your blog! I know for a fact the early days are the hardest times, but if you consistently produce things you like, be it MOCs, comics, photography or blogposts, the positive feedback will come!
BBricks 