When I was 10 years old, I had to pee really badly, so I left my room to go to the bathroom. Normally, I would just pee in the corner of the rug in my room to avoid disturbing my parents. However, I had recently gotten in trouble for that. So, instead of risking more trouble, I decided to brave it and head to the bathroom.
My dad and mom were having one of their parties, making my journey risky since I had to ensure I wasn’t a nuisance. Stealthily, I made my way to the bathroom, dodging the drunk people in the kitchen and avoiding my brother, who was in his little walker. Finally, I reached the bathroom—it was empty! I had done it! Now I just needed to use the bathroom and I would be safe.
After finishing, I washed my hands but accidentally knocked over a mirror with white powder, (I wasn’t aware what it was at the time) which spilled down the drain. Panicking, I ran back to my room. I didn’t know what the white powder was, but I knew I shouldn’t have knocked over that mirror. I jumped into my toybox (where I often lay) and opened up AVENGERS Annual 18 to read. It was one of my first comics.
My neighbor’s dad delivered mail, and some would supposedly fall off the truck (or so I was told). This kid, who wanted to be my friend but whom I didn’t really like, would give me comics, and I was starting to fall in love with them. I already had a small collection from my HE-MAN figures and TWINKIE boxes.
My dad realizing what had happened came in my room VERY ANGRY. He grabbed this comic and ripped it up and it was years before I would get it in my collection again. He beat my ass for leaving the room and I remember like many nights I cried myself to sleep. This is a vivid core memory of my dad. You can look at this and look at how horrible this situation was and maybe even hate my dad but I learned two major things that day that affected everything moving forward.
1) I love comics. I was devastated for years about my dad ripping this issue up. It meant something to me and I wasn’t even sure why. I didn’t know what to do but I need to figure a way to replace this comic and i needed to get more comics because those pages really made me ignore the rest of the world around me.
2) I would be a good father and i would put my kids through these tragedies. I would never spank my kid and the doors to every room of my house would be open to my children because I never wanted them to feel that they had to hide and not be welcome in every part of my life.
So, let's pause the tragedy here and talk about how it has affected my writing.
GRANITE STATE PUNK
So, in Granite State Punk. I write about about ZEKE’s dad a bunch. He is stern and always wants his son to stay in line. He tends to hold Zeke to a higher standard which causes him to be a PUNK. This is a core theme that i present and its a standard of Zeke feeling he is good enough and him responding.
(IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GRANITE STATE PUNK AND HIS FATHER ISSUE — CHECK IT OUT - WE ARE 400 FROM FUNDING)
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/orangecone/granite-state-punk-only-posers-fall-in-love-punk-rock
COINS OF JUDAS
In Coins Of Judas, the father dies in the opening scene. In later issues, we see that much like Zeke the father is overbearing and expects a lot from his children. They are both trying to figure out how to live up to their parent’s expectations. (Next issue releasing JULY 3rd in comic stores)
So, it’s a theme. Its a theme in my writing that I like myself and my characters often feel they aren’t enough. This is a core brokenness in me as a person that i work on every day but also it affects a ton of my characters. This all came to my attention over the Father’s Day weekend. I pride myself on being a good father. I work so hard to be a good father and its the most important thing in the world to me. This comic career is 18 years late because being a dad was more important to me. Now as a writer. I feel it’s important for me to show multiple aspects of that and this kind of all came into my head this last weekend. It made me realize that as i write new stories that I need to show both aspects of being a father.
Everything, i said about my father above is true. However, it is a snapshot of a person. Let me tell you other things that have happened that put my dad in a different light.
My dad ran into a burning building and pulled my comics out of the fire. I had moved to Florida at this time and my father who ripped up a comic looked at his son and knew his son enough that he would care deeply for these comic books. We lost a bunch that day and anyone who knows comics that smoke had already destroyed them. However, they mattered to him because they mattered to me.
I think people are complex and I think as a writer we should explore all aspects of humanity. I think that’s why my favorite shows are like SONS OF ANARCY. They show people doing bad things but they also do good things because a person is not one-dimensional.
I say this a bunch because i want to share stories that not only are exciting but they say something. They inspire people and touch people. I wont you feel who i am through my writing and have these characters be your favorite.
So, i want to thank anyone who has read any of my books. I hope if you haven’t that you will consider backing them in the future.
Happy Father’s Day, to all Fathers! I think being a father is important and for all my bad stuff with my dad there was good and finding the balance has helped me figure out who i am and who i want to be.
My dad is dead now. He died a few years ago but I still wish that I could have known him better and figured out who he was. He was a broken man, He was very private and his father died when he was very young and i believe he never recovered. My dad had a marriage before my mom and I have a sister that i have never met.
The world is complex but he was who made me. I am here because of him and i am going to try and live a legacy of being the best version of what i wanted him to be. I will do what i can do in real life and in the next couple of years. You will see what i cant do in my writing trying to figure it all our on the page with each and every one of you.
TRAVIS GIBB
PS- HOLIDAY SPIRITS - CHRISTMAS IN JULY 3 is printed!! So, if you want a copy order it now!!
Wow dude, I’m so sorry you had to deal with that. And I’m proud of you for overcoming it. Thanks for sharing.
I really needed to hear that today, Travis . My dad was a wonderful, loving dad, but it was my mom whom I could never live up to her standards. I always felt not good enough. But what you said about other sides to a person is so true. She did a lot of nice things, such as crocheting baby blankets for NICU babies in the hospital, and so on. I have had bitter feelings around her death & her will, where I felt I had been thrown under the bus. (Long story) But you've given me a way to remember her for her good side. Thank you for that. 😺