This morning I sat down (at my computer) and had a nice chat with this Canadian fellow. You may have heard of him. His name’s Scott Ramsoomair and he does this comic called VGCats. Yeah, you know, that one with the video gaming felines that you guys are always talking about.

Anyway, the transcript of our conversation lies below… We were also voice chatting in Skype during the interview so I’ll try to fill in the stuff that we didn’t type as best as I can remember.

Michael: So, Scott, what made you decide to get into the game/web comic scene? What do you think you bring to the table that people don’t get from other comics of this sort?
Scott: Buttsex, lots of buttsex.

Michael: Oh right, of course. That’s very similar to how 4cr got started, but that’s another story…
Scott:Indeed, a sexy story. Filled with explosions and jumping. But no, it was just boredom from my day job so I’d draw silly things when I got home or on lunch. The first site [I made] was a terrible cliché for a webcomic. After reading Penny-Arcade for the first time I thought I’d try that instead.

Michael: So you actually had something going on before VGCats?
Scott:Yeah, a badly drawn comic and a sprite comic, both will never again see the light of day.

Michael: How unfortunate. That would be fun to see.

I tried pressing him for a link or glimpse of his early work, but to no avail.

Michael: Moving on to another point, the name’s VGCats. That doesn’t make sense, I mean, cats don’t even have thumbs. Please explain.
Scott: I’m very unoriginal. I went “hey I gots cat, I DRAW THEM NOWS,” and just named them after the two cats I had at the time because I’m terrible with names… So bad. I mean look at the title: it’s half an acronym!

Michael: Oh, it’s not that bad. It’s something simple and memorable.
Scott: Memorably bad!

Michael: Another notable thing about VGCats is its superb quality in the visuals department. How did you learn to draw and could you describe the process you put into making a comic?
Scott: I knew how to draw a little before the comic. Though it was never anything professional. About 2 years of art in high school. :P The comic itself taught me how to draw. I also spent a lot of time at work “working” at learning photoshop tutorials and taught myself that too. That’s why the early comic look so horrid. It’s a gradual process of learning what does and doesn’t work.

Michael: Well the quality has certainly improved as time has gone by, but that is how it goes in the comic world I suppose.
Another thing about VGCats is that it’s updated weekly as opposed to daily like some comics.
Scott: I’m lazy.

Michael: I think I read that you spend around six hours on each strip. Is this right and if so why does it take so long?
Scott: So very lazy.

Michael: Haha, we all know how that goes…
Do you pay attention any criticism you get? After doing this as long as you have it probably doesn’t matter anymore, but is there some annoying request or complaint that people bring to you time and time again?
Scott: Nope. If it makes me laugh I’m happy with it. You can’t really take internet chatter seriously.

Michael: So you wouldn’t follow in the footsteps of Mr. Uwe Boll and fight your critics?
Scott: Heh, I hope to follow nothing that man has ever done.

Michael: Good point, good point.

Here we went off on a tangent about Mr. Boll’s filmography. There’s supposedly one film that he’s actually proud of, but neither of us could figure out what it was and therefore concluded that it does not actually exist.

Michael: Speaking of people hurting gaming, I seem to remember you had a little ordeal with Jack Thompson a little while back, what was going on there?
Scott: He’s a loon.
GROUND BREAKING NEWS.

Michael: STOP THE PRESSES
Well, that pretty much sums it up I would suppose. Crazy men need no reasoning.
Scott: Pitty to see that little amendment he lobbied for passed.

He was referring to a Louisiana bill that was recently passed into law restricting the sale of violent video games to minors. Mr. Thompson not only lobbied for the bill, he wrote it.

Michael: So VGCats has gotten to be one of the most popular sites around these parts. Every week when 4cr posts a comic strip we always get at least one commentor stating “This sux. where’s VGCats?” How is it that you’ve managed to carve out a space next to really heavy hitters like Penny-Arcade and what do you see as the thing that sets VGCats apart?
…And don’t say “because the characters are cats.”
Scott: It’s just slowly gone up in hits from month to month. I really don’t know how it happened. Maybe because the characters are cats.

Michael: Haha, maybe.
So, down to the gamer side of you: What are some of your favorite games?
Scott: Zelda OoT, Metal Gear Solid, anything Kirby. Except that one where they rode stars… That can burn in hell.

Michael: Haha, so you would say the one game where Kirby didn’t suck was the one Kirby game that did suck?
Scott: Yes. Kirby’s Adventure for NES is still the favorite in the series for me.

At this point of the conversation I started talking to him about E3 and, primarily, Nintendo’s showing.

Michael: Oh yeah, did you try out the Wii at E3?
Scott: Nope. 6 Hour line was a little much.

Michael: Ah, the line was a little killer I suppose.
Scott: It was either play Wii or play the rest of the show. I had a friend who was gonna sneak me in on Friday but I’d be late for the airport.

Michael: Ah, unfortunate.
Scott: Not that everyone else wouldn’t tell me how great it was…DAMN THEM.

I seized this opportunity to rub it in a little as well.

Michael: Well from what you know, what do you think of it?
Scott: I think it’ll do well. I can’t wait too see some injuries from it. “I got this shot grandma!” *THWACK*

Michael: Haha, I’m sure we’ll see many comics about that.
So we know you’re a gamer, but do you read any comics?
Scott: Web comics or “comic” comics?

Michael: Either/or
Scott: Lets see.. The ones I follow regularly are Penny Arcade, 8-Bit Theater, Press Start, CAD, The Perry Bible Fellowship, and Staccato.
Offline, Ultimate Spider-man is pretty rockin’.

Michael: Nice selection.
Well, that pretty much sums up the questions I have time to ask right now, but i do have one more. One which may very well be the most important question you’re ever asked:
Pirates or Ninjas?
Scott: Robots.

Michael: Agh! Well, I suppose they are passable.
Alright, then, thanks a lot for your time and i can’t wait to see what strip you have in store next week…or whenever you get around to posting it. (Scott’s not known being punctual when it comes to updating.)
Scott: No problem, thanks a lot.
…hey! I see what you did there!