Meet Greg Slagel | Writer & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Greg Slagel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Greg, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
My family moved around while I was in school so I’m from a bit of everywhere. Oklahoma, New Jersey, Nebraska, Texas. I started college as a frat guy at a party school, but ended as a prominent nerd at a university for brainiacs. I spent my twenties producing animation in Texas before deciding to pivot into writing and art.

My upbringing often had me in spaces where gay men weren’t particularly welcome, and I was often the first openly gay guy my peers had met. I got a lot of “But you’re not like Kurt on Glee?” and “Which of us is hot?” I was forced into feeling representative and I tried to make the most of it. That experience made me more firm in showing up as who I am, and that’s what I try to do through my writing and art.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started my career on the production side of animation and quickly rocketed up to producing shows. It was an exceptional part of my life, but as my twenties neared their end I started questioning what I was doing every day. One night, I counted up the amount of views on the content I’d produced, and stopped counting when I crossed one billion. It was time for a change.

I wanted to make content full of queer people, preferably with some element of magic or science fiction. Not with a gay best friend as a side character, but with the spotlight placed on us. I pivoted over to writing just as the pandemic hit, so between global upheaval and the writers strike it’s been a bumpy ride, but I love what I get to make now.

Much of my screenplay work has been on projects locked behind NDAs, so recently I’ve been targeting writing and artwork that can be posted more freely online. My Instagram page is where I post short stories, poetry, illustrations, and previews of upcoming comics/webcomics. Not all of my work involves explicitly gay characters, but assume everyone is queer unless proven otherwise.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My must-do LA activity is eavesdropping in busy coffee shops around the city. I often work on my laptop or tablet over a morning cold brew, and folks in LA will brag about the most insane plans. A day spent in lines at Disneyland is far less memorable than overhearing a group of sunsoaked gals planning a mushroom infused chocolate business so they can afford to give birth next to a dolphin.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to mention Drink and Draw LA, a group that puts on a weekly three hour figure drawing session in West Hollywood. It’s an exceptional group of artists that has brought community and collaborators into my life.

Website: https://Www.gregslagel.com

Instagram: @GregSlagel