Draftsman Frauke Berger: “It would be nice if comics in the bookstore get more than just two shelf boards”

Who shaped her artistically? Which works from colleagues do you particularly like? What do you recommend comic beginners? In the Tagesspiegel questionnaire, draftsmen give insights into their work and their passion for art form. Today: Ms. Berger, from whose series created together with the author Boris Koch “The Ship of the Lost Children” was just published by the final tape.

1. What comes first in your work: words or pictures?
Pictures. I am terribly slow with words, pictures are easier – I also prefer to outline new ideas or concepts rather than formulate them in writing.

2. Listen to draw music, and how does it affect you?
Mostly soundtracks of games or films. When I get tired or crowd of time, but also like to simply do something driving – fittingly, I actually draw faster.

3. What do you like to eat or drink at work?
Ideally, nothing, if there is a problem, there is also a coffee and chocolate break.

4. Suppose your apartment burns: Which comics would you definitely save from your shelf?
Probably the expensive deluxe collectors from “Berserk” (on which I still save).

5. Which draftsmen and author were the most formative for their own development?
A pretty wild mix: initially Arina Tanemura, then Alessandro Barbucci and Chris Riddell and Moebius. At the moment I like how touchingly Tsukumizu tells surreal stories or how Shinichi Sakamoto plays with visual metaphors.

6. Which comic would you recommend to someone who actually doesn’t read any comics?
Since I have often entered the fat, I don’t have a general answer – with my partner it ultimately worked with “Malcolm Max”.

7. Do you think the art form Comic currently has the attention you deserve?
In general, I think it’s great that the manga and web toons are going so well and the selection for children in the comic area is becoming increasingly diverse. But it would also be nice if comics in the bookstore get more than just two shelf boards.

8. Which contemporary comic artists earn more attention than they have at the moment?
I am really happy that “Bibliomania” by Macchiro and Orval will finally appear in German. With Yumiko Shirai it would also be fantastic if her works were accessible to a larger audience.

9. If you had to award a highly endowed price for the comic lifestyle, who would get it?
“Berserk” creator Kentaro Miura.

10. How would you describe what is special about your comics?
A little strange, a little cute and quite colorful.

11. What are you currently working on if you don’t fill out questionnaires?
I sit on a comic story board.

12. Why would you advise a young person to become a comic author – And why would you advise him or her to advise against it?
I would just advise you to start, but also to look outside the box: there are many ways to integrate creativity into working life.

13. How does it feel for you to hold your drawings as printed books in your hand?
On the one hand, it is great to hold the drawing and tied in your hands or even discover in the bookstore. On the other hand, I also need something until I dare to look at the sides again.

14. What grades did you have in art lessons?
In the lower school I found the tasks quite boring, later it became more exciting – that was also reflected in my grades.

15. What can you not draw at all?
Cars and animals – if they should look realistic and do not fly or spit fire.