By Kye Poronsky
“You’re kind of a zero before you start out,” Scott Selsor, author of the new comic strip titled “Zero,” said about being in college. And being in college is exactly what the strip is about.
“Zero,” the reincarnation of his original strip, incorporates issues such as being away from home for the first time, figuring out what you’re going to major in as well as what it’s like becoming an adult.
Selsor’s original comic strip, focused on characters that were “on the edge,” as Selsor described them. “You don’t really know where you fit in yet,” he expressed, reflecting on his characters.
After graduating from the University of Georgia, with a degree in advertising, Selsor moved out to Los Angeles and put his comic to rest. Then last fall I decided to update [Bohemia],” he said, and “Zero” was born.
Focusing on the same ideas as “Bohemia,” “Zero” is a comic strip for the college generation, as Selsor describes it. This new and improved cartoon draws from his very own college experiences for some inspiration.
The five new characters in “Zero” were also developed from a combination of people he knew from school, Selsor said.
The first character is Camp, described on “Zero’s” Web site as “just a guy’s guy.” Then there’s Lilith, who “carries the world on her small shoulders,” and Meredyth, “So fresh. So friendly. So lost.”
Finally there’s Christian,”the hero of zero, until it interferes with TiVo,” and, of course, a token talking animal, a goldfish named Merlin.
Selsor described Merlin as the voice of reason among the other characters. He also added that the goldfish is more on the conservative side when compared to everyone else.
He tries to keep diversity in the characters, and when it comes to political issues, Selsor said he tries to stay in the middle; “I try not to make it too topical… It’s more general.”
He hopes that by keeping his comic strips more universal, it will give “Zero” more of a shelf life. By not necessarily focusing on a specific topic, Selsor believes the comic will as relatable in the future, as it is now.
He hopes to keep the strip alive for a long time to come. Selsor said he really wants to “push these characters,” and in fact, he is trying to create a large college fan base, with hopes of turning “Zero” into an animation.
Selsor has been drawing for his entire life, and creating comics for 20 years. “It’s something that came naturally to me,” Selsor said about drawing. However, animation was not in his plan for a life career.
Selsor majored in advertising, and is currently, still living and, working in Los Angeles for Russ Reid, an ad agency that works with non-profits such as the American Red Cross.
Giving back is something that is dear to Selsor’s heart, and he is trying to inspire others to get involved through “Zero’s” Web site.
On the site there is a tab titled “Don’t Be a Zero.” This section of the site brings viewers to links for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Idealist.org, Ten Thousand Villages and more.
Selsor said that he provided those links to help people find ways to volunteer, and to help people realize they can change the world. However, the site also has other purposes.
“I encourage fans to go to the Web site” Selsor said. “I love hearing from readers” he added. Through Z-Mail, fans can get updates, and free stuff, as well as the comic strip. There is also a place on Web site for fans to e-mail Selsor directly. They can pitch ideas, as well as request a cartoon about themselves and their friends.
For more information about the comic strip, and to get involved, visit www.ZeroStrip.com.