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Talking to Strangers
Hooksexup asks deeply personal questions to people we just met.

Angela, 25

What do you do?
I'm a mechanical engineer in Vancouver, B.C. I also draw a webcomic called Wasted Talent.

Does that impress guys?
Well, guys are usually impressed by any women in comics. We're rare birds. Not so rare anymore, but still pretty rare. I try to keep it on the DL, though, because guys are usually intimidated by a woman in comics, or a woman in engineering. When they find out, they're usually impressed, but I don't put it out there. I don't say, "Hey, I draw comics, you guys!"

How rare is it at this point?
Less and less every day. There are a ton of us coming into the field making names for themselves, and tons of my favorite cartoonists are women. I love Erika Moen, Meredith Gran, Sam Logan, K.C. Green, a bunch of webcartoonists that I've been following for a really long time, and I'm so pleased that I can call many of them personal friends now.

Your comic's autobiographical. Are the people in it also real, your friends, family, neighbors, etc.?
With the exception of my coworkers, for whom I make up fake personas, everyone is real. Things are always based on true events. People ask me if my husband actually exists, because he's so weird in the comic. It's real. He's a real person.

How does your husband feel about being with someone who caricatures him on a regular basis?
It does get weird for him sometimes. He gets final say on everything I write, but he's never vetoed anything. He does feel uncomfortable some days, but I keep it pretty silly, so in general it's all right.

How do you draw him? Do you try to draw him as handsome as possible?
I draw him as handsome as he is in real life!

Kyle, 23

Tell me about your costume.
I'm an AT-ST driver, and I'm with a Star Wars costuming group. We're here at ComiCon trying raise some money for a charity.

What do you do in real life?
I'm a loan officer for a mortgage company, and I'm a swim coach.

Let's say that you're out trying to impress someone. Do you identify yourself as a swim coach, a loan officer, or a Star Wars cosplayer?
I use being a swim coach first, as a way to let them know that I'm physically in shape, I like to stay in fit condition, and if it comes down to me buying a round I'll let them know that I'm a loan officer. Not too much — I don't want them to think I'm made of money — but it's enough.

How long does it take to bring up the "I have a Star Wars costume" thing.
Third date.

How does that usually go over?
I had one horrible time. I was with this really hot chick — she was just a ten. We're enjoying some drinks and she says "So, um, you're part of this costuming group, right? If you drop the group, you know what we can do, right?"

I was like, "I'm thinking I'm following you here." She said, "Uh, yeah. Would you drop it?" I said no. I would never drop the group.

You're that devoted?
Yeah. I'm that devoted. Yes.

That is commitment.
I've brought that up to a few guys in the legion, and they've said, "You're nuts. Why would you do that?"

Do you ever get a good response?
Actually, believe it or not, yes. I am single now, but I was seeing a gal, we'd been going out for about four months and when I told her on the third date, she said, "Wow, that's actually pretty cool."

How much in-group incest is there?
There are the occasional times after cons when we go out, get totally wasted and, uh... yeah. We do have quite a few women in the group and our garrison and people will hook up and have some fun. Sometimes more than two at a time.

Really? Have you?
I have not been so lucky. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of armor. That's kind of a drawback.

Wait, wait... do they incorporate the armor? Is that a thing?
Well, all I can say is that I'm not that high on the totem pole there. I have mostly soft costumes, but the harder the armor you have, the better off in the standings you are.

So, the guy dressed up as Darth Vader, then... is he the leader and therefore the one having the most sex?
Well, he's married... but... he likes to pretend he's God. And as far as we're concerned, yeah, we bow down to him.

Danielle, 29

What do you do?
I draw a comic strip called Girls With Slingshots. It's online and it's updated five times a week, Monday through Friday. It's about booze and boobs, I tell people. Booze and boobs and a talking cactus.

These are interests of yours.
Yes! Maybe my only interests.

You're a cartoonist. Does that impress potential mates?
I guess. I don't really know. Maybe that's why people like me and hang out with me. Maybe they don't like me, they just like the cartoons.

Do you have any good hookup stories?
I was dating a guy — I'll withhold his name, but he's an ex whom I'm really good friends with — a pretty big guy, freckles all over, really cute. We were dating, and he lived in this apartment where all these other guys I used to date lived, too...

Wait a minute. There was an entire apartment of guys you used to date?
Um... yeah. Pretty much. It was me and this other girl, and we managed to date all the guys in this apartment complex, actually.

Good for you?
It was really good for me! I was really into guys who were similar to Kevin Smith. They all looked like him and had the same... well, we all liked fart jokes, it was the biggest thing we had in common. That, and drinking. You know, they were good guys. I really liked them.

But, yeah. We were having sex, I was on the rag, and he had no problem with that. All of my exes and people I knew were all cool with it, but they were sitting in the living room. We finished, and I looked down at him and I was like, "Oh God, you're covered in blood. Oh shit. I guess we'll get some paper towels." He put one finger up and said, "Give me one moment." He walks out with nothing on but the bloody condom, in the middle of the day, into the living room. He has to go through the living room to get to the kitchen. And then I just heard him saying from the bedroom, "Guys — I killed her!" Everybody screamed and ran out of the living room.

Wow. Do you have any crazy exes?
Uh... yeah. I do. Yes. Why are you asking?

Because I want you to talk about them.
Oh, I thought you were going to be like, "Well, we have them here for you, Danielle!" No good stories, though. He was just crazy. I thought he was the town drunk and it turned out I was right. Now I'm kind of terrified to go to my bar.

So, what's with the "guys who look like Kevin Smith" thing?
I don't know. I really liked Kevin Smith movies. I still do, but I really liked them in college because that's what you do in college — you like Kevin Smith movies. And, you know, I feel more comfortable with guys who can be open and expressive about stupid dick jokes.

Comments ( 9 )

Wow. My people can actually be very sexy.

Joe commented on Mar 19 10 at 12:26 am

I gotta give credit to that sweet octopus shirt that Angela is rocking. Her husband's a lucky man!

JK commented on Mar 19 10 at 12:34 am

Yep...time to move to Seattle!

CJ commented on Mar 18 10 at 5:04 pm

Matthew is definitely not gay (did you just say that because he likes prostate stimulation?), he has no lisp, and his lip rings are completely hot. On the plus side, he has such a bubbling and positive personality, that he'll read these comments and just laugh.

Blue commented on Mar 18 10 at 5:27 pm

PO is obviously gay. A sure sign of gayness is accusing strangers of being gay -- takes the attention off you, y'know. Anyway, awesome little interviews. Danielle's story: pure hilarity.

hey commented on Mar 18 10 at 9:31 pm

These are all pretty great.

KS commented on Mar 18 10 at 10:36 pm

@hey, you hurt my feewings :(

PO commented on Mar 18 10 at 11:58 pm

Danielle Corsetto! I read your webcomic! Marry meeeee

CW commented on Mar 19 10 at 1:40 am

Andy's last comment made me laugh!

Webd commented on Apr 10 10 at 4:32 am

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