D.J. Kirkland speaks with us on his illustrative roots, new graphic novel, clothing brand, and more
Get to know D.J. Kirkland and his new queer romance themed graphic novel, clothing brand, and so much more!
Queer representation in visual media has been around for centuries whether you realized it or not. From Leonardo Da Vinci of The Renaissance era, to Richard Nugent of the Harlem Renaissance era, to more modern artists like Gengora Tagame who’s created some of our favorite bara, queer people have created some of the most iconic pieces of art in human history.
Sometimes that representation is subliminal, like in comic books and anime where male bodies are hugged tight by form-fitted outfits with just enough skin showing, or the stunningly feminine physiques of our favorite heroines with unmatched diva energy that we often connect with.
As with any type of art form, illustrative work has metamorphosed as society and the culture has progressed. What came before continues to inspire what’s created now, and that brings us to eclectically inspired artists like D.J. Kirkland who crafts illustrations catalyzed from his favorite comic books, anime, cartoons, and video games.
Growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, D.J. realized he wanted to be a professional artist by the age of 8 after watching an episode of his favorite anime Sailor Moon. This early spark of aspiration led him through years of working on his craft to mastering it at Savannah College of Art and Design by earning a B.F.A. in Sequential Art.
Since then, he’s moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and his work has been seen by presumably millions through social media, the several comic books and graphic novels he’s worked on, and the merchandise people have worn around the world with his designs on it.
He’s also created a dedicated following online through his magnetic personality, community focused videos about art and intersectionality, as well as through his captivatingly handsome looks.
His resume as an artist speaks for itself too. He’s notably worked on the Young Men In Love anthology and the follow up Young Men In Love: New Romance published by A Wave Blue World, THE BLACK MAGE and Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Comic Book both published by Oni Press, and is now finishing up his own queer romance graphic novel titled The Fine Line.
A huge focal point in all of his work centers on bringing visibility to Black and Brown representation to the industry of graphic novels and comic books. He also hopes that the work he does will “inspire [more] creators of color to share their vision with the world.”
It’s not often that we see this necessary representation across anime, manga, graphic novels, and comic books, so having someone as talented as D.J. in the industry deliver that visual representation with authentic storytelling is so amazing to see.
D.J. also recently created his own fashion line too called Big Boy Social Club with stylish t-shirts that go up to 5XL and crop tops that go all the way up to 8XL.
It’s so exciting to see some really cool designs made from a queer artist in our community go up to those sizes because us big boys certainly need more options beyond the ones given to us!
I had the chance to chat with D.J. about some of his illustrative roots, his new graphic novel, Big Boy Social Club, and so much more. Check that out below, and if you haven’t read our previous interview with him from 2023 done by John Hernandez, check that out by clicking here!
Bryce Quartz: Hey there, DJ, thanks for taking the time to speak with me today, I’m really excited to chat with you about all the thing you do! How have you been doing lately?
D.J. Kirkland: Hi Bryce! Thanks for having me. I’m doing pretty good! I Just got back from Lazy Bear in Guerneville, CA and it was a blast. So many bears, so little time. Haha.
Bryce: To get some background for our readers, can you share with us where you’re from and how long you’ve been a visual artist?
DJ: Of course. I’m originally from Charlotte, NC but I’ve lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2012. I’ve truly been an artist my whole life. It probably sounds cliche at this point but I’ve been drawing ever since I could pick up a pencil.
More specifically, I’ve been working in the comic book industry since 2015 on various projects ranging from illustrating variant covers for different series to character designs, anthologies and graphic novels.
Bryce: One of the most beautiful parts about art in all mediums is how every artist is influenced and inspired by what came before they started creating themselves. There tends to be that one moment or even several that initiate that spark for each artist individually, whether it’s a TV show they watched as a kid or a song they fell in love with.
Can you tell us what some of your early inspirations were to start creating and if they influence your work today?
DJ: Great question. The original ’90s Sailor Moon anime is truly what inspired me to want to become an artist. I remember pointing at the television as a kid and telling my mom that’s what I wanted to do. At the time, all she saw was a blonde girl with pigtails in a sailor outfit twirling and posing on the tv.
I’m sure she didn’t quite understand what I meant at the time but I’ve been fortunate enough to have always had the support of my family in pursuing a career in the arts.
Bryce: I want to dig a little bit deeper into your journey as an artist. What were some of your first pieces as an artist that you’re still really proud of today?
DJ: I’ll use my college era as the baseline for my artistic journey. I decided to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design my sophomore year of high school when the recruiter told me that it was possible to go to school for art and specifically comics and animation. So once I stepped foot on that campus in 2004, that was the beginning of the rest of my life.
With that out of the way, I’d definitely say any illustration where I got to experiment with traditional manga screentones were pieces I’m still proud of to this day. I’m trying to get back into doing more traditional art like this. This was a concept illustration for a web comic I worked on called Aerial Rave.
What’s crazy is that I’ve actually met people at conventions who remember me working on that comic. You truly have no idea who’s a fan of your work out there or how long they’ve been supporting you.
Bryce: Your published work now is very meticulous and quite stunning. It’s very obvious to anyone viewing your work for the first time that you’re experienced as a visual artist! What does the creative process look like for you when it comes to coming up with an idea and executing it?
DJ: That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you! I usually start off any illustration with warm up sketches. I don’t always have a clear pose or idea off the top of my head. I truly just try to get over the fear of a blank canvas and start sketching something just to get my brain going. From there it moves to a more refined sketch, then finished linework, and finally onto color.
Bryce: You’ve worked as a comic book and graphic novel artist across not only your own published comics but others as well. Can you tell us a little bit about your work in the Young Men In love anthology as well as The Black Mage?
DJ: Very similarly to Dream Daddy, I was thrilled to have been asked to work on the Young Men In Love anthology and the follow up to it, Young Men In Love: New Romance. Working on any content that’s explicitly queer and doesn’t have to be watered down is always going to be something that I gravitate towards.
While Black Mage isn’t explicitly a queer graphic novel, I was still able to bring in a lot of aspects of my own lived experience along side my co-creator Daniel Barnes. Getting to tell a story about being one of, if not the only Black person in a PWI (Predominantly White Institution) through a shonen manga influenced lens was honestly a dream come true.
We tackled topics pretty head-on and, in some aspects, pretty on the nose with certain themes. But considering we’re in a literacy crisis and the average reading level seems to just be getting lower, you sometimes have to hit folks over the head with the point for them to really get it. Haha.
It’s been quite some time since Black Mage dropped in 2019 but I’m still so proud of the work Daniel and I made together and hopefully we’ll get to make more comics in the same vein as Black Mage in the future.
Bryce: You also worked on the 5th story in Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Comic Book, based on the multi-award nominated video game Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator, and to say I’m obsessed that you got to be a part of that is an understatement. Looking back now, how does it feel to have your work featured in that series?
DJ: It’s truly an honor to be associated with Dream Daddy! I had no clue how big of a hit it was going to be and I’m definitely glad it was! I was in the middle of working on Black Mage when I got the call to contribute to Dream Daddy, so juggling my first graphic novel at the same time was a challenge.
It was a ton of work but ultimately I knew I had to take it on. I still get lots of compliments about it to this day and I’d love to do the art for another Dream Daddy game or a queer dating simulator someday.
Bryce: You are currently finishing up a queer romance graphic novel that’s both written and illustrated by you titled The Fine Line. I’m very excited for this to be released soon because it will highlight some important topics connected to the bear and LGBTQ+ community that deserve representation in the medium. Can you tell us a little bit about the narrative of this project, some of the themes that will be covered, and what it means to you personally?
DJ: I’m still working on this graphic novel currently. It’s taking a bit longer than I’d hoped to make this a reality but it’s happening! To answer your question, The Fine Line is a graphic novel about a group of chunky queer 30-somethings navigating both platonic and romantic relationships.
The main character, Elijah, has his world shaken up by a steamy sexual encounter involving his boyfriend, Javier, and a cute guy they met at a party named Kai. It’s a story that asks the question of what the fine line is between the relationships in our lives. Whether the relationships are romantic, platonic, monogamous, or open, the book explores all of these relationship structures with the care they deserve.
We don’t see many stories featuring adult queer men, especially queer men of color. I wanted this book to represent some aspects of my own lived experience in a heartfelt way. I hope y’all will feel that when you finally read it.
Bryce: Do you have a release date for the novel and where will we be able to purchase it?
DJ: No release date yet but you’ll be able to buy it at your local comic book shop or anywhere you buy books!
Bryce: I want to touch on a topic that’s very important to us here at Bear World Magazine and hopefully to everyone else too. The surge of generative AI has taken up so much space on all of our timelines and has impacted the entire industry for artists around the globe negatively. Can you tell us your take on generative AI, how it’s impacted the general perception of visual art and the artists that create without it, as well if it’s impacted you personally?
DJ: The chokehold that Generative AI has on the bear community absolutely needs to be studied. It feels cheap, derivative (because it is) and it lacks any real point of view. I truly hate how many LGBTQIA+ clubs/bars and events are leaning into using it when plenty of queer creatives would be happy to lend their skills to create marketing materials for their events.
Not only that, these Large Language Models have inherent racial bias, so whenever people choose to generate content, it’s pretty much exclusively white men with one too many fingers. I greatly appreciate the notion that patrons of these bars, clubs, and events are pushing back against organizers using GenAI by refusing to attend. Is it enough people to actually make these spaces change? It’s hard to tell but maybe one day they’ll get the hint that people aren’t interested in AI Slop.
My biggest issue with GenAI to me is the lack of any regulation, the number of natural resources it utilizes and how data centers harm communities around the country and the world. I have many incredibly talented friends who have lost their jobs due to AI and have been unable to find much work since. I truly hope that they’re able to bounce back and support themselves.
The one silver lining from this GenAI mess is that I feel like more people are actively looking for human made work. Some events are outright banning any AI generated content which is great. So while we wait for meaningful regulation and safeguards around Generative AI, I’m happy to see people taking it upon themselves to minimize engagement with it.
Bryce: Earlier this year, you launched your own clothing brand called Big Boy Social Club with T-Shirts, tank tops, mesh jerseys that go up to 8XL, and it’s really taken off! You have some really awesome designs too, but I’d expect nothing less from an artist of your caliber. Also, I think I’m gonna need to buy myself that mesh crop.
Can you tell us why you started this brand and some of the feedback you’ve received from your customers so far?
DJ: Again, thank you so much for the kind words. It might sound a bit silly, but I started Big Boy Social Club because I wanted to make stuff for myself. It was a play on those “Anti Social Social Club” shirts I’ve seen around for years, but I wanted to make something for big boys and the people who love them.
When I make things intended for purchase, my goal is to make people feel good. A lot of comments I’ve received from people who buy anything from Big Boy Social Club is that they feel confident and sexy in it. Especially the jerseys.
A lot of people have told me that they’ve received multiple compliments on them when they wear them out which in turn makes them feel good. Mission accomplished, I’d say!
Bryce: You’re quite a popular creator on TikTok having built your following to over 154k since joining the platform. I always love seeing your content come across my For You Page whether it’s your cultural commentary, comedic moments, or art advice!
Has building your own community on TikTok helped you as a business owner, an artist, and personally as well?
DJ: Yes and No. I personally don’t put a ton of effort into TikTok these days because follower count doesn’t necessarily convert to much. We’re all constantly battling an ever-changing algorithm that tends to favor negativity and ragebait over meaningful and nuanced conversations.
That problem isn’t exclusive to TikTok of course but it’s a symptom of the current social media landscape.
However, I greatly appreciate the followers who actually engage with my content there. I’ve met so many wonderful people from all over who say the kindest things to me which definitely keeps me going.
Bryce: I see that you also occasionally stream on Twitch playing video games with a V-Tuber model that’s extremely cute! Did you design that model yourself and how often do you stream?
DJ: The character was designed by me and he was modeled by a fantastic 3D Artist who is currently choosing to remain anonymous. If and when they decide they’re comfortable identifying themselves, I’ll absolutely shout them out because they deserve all the praise and commission work.
Their work is phenomenal, and I think my V-Tuber model is a testament of that. I don’t stream as often as I would like these days but I want to get back into it more consistently soon.
Bryce: Now I must ask you my staple question that I ask everyone… What are some of your favorite foods, restaurants, or dishes? Give me recommendations, because I’m always hungry!
DJ: Another excellent question. I love Chinese, Korean and Japanese food a lot. I love going to Korean BBQ or any AYCE restaurant. There’s a local spot by my house called Combo Express that has the best salt and pepper chicken I’ve ever had. It’s always a crowd pleaser at any gathering we have at my place.
Bryce: Outside of being an iconic visual artist and content creator, what are some of your favorite pastimes, hobbies, or travel locations?
DJ: So much flattery! It’ll get you everywhere with me. Outside of drawing and gaming, going to the gym is one of my pastimes. I never thought I’d be a gym person but it clicked for me one day and I honestly can’t get enough of it.
Considering that most of my favorite things to do like drawing and gaming are pretty sedentary activities, doing something that gets me active was necessary. I also play rugby with the San Francisco Fog Rugby Club. It’s an incredible organization that I’m so happy to be apart of.
Bryce: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today, DJ! Is there anything you’d like to leave our readers with today?
DJ: Of course. It’s my pleasure. I’ll keep it short and sweet. Fat people are hot and you’re way more creative and capable than you give yourself credit for!
Be sure to give D.J. a follow on social media and check out his website to see more of his work as well as purchase some merch!
Website – Instagram – TikTok – Big Boys Social Club
