‘Nothing Better' than college days
College-based novel gets foundation grant

By Matthew Price
Published: June 1, 2007
Modified: May 31, 2007 at 7:46 pm

For writer/artist Tyler Page, there's "Nothing Better” than getting a comic book grant.

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The Xeric Foundation, a private, nonprofit corporation established by Peter Laird, co-creator of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” assists comic book self-publishers and will fund Page's college-based graphic novel, "Nothing Better.”

"Nothing Better Volume 1: No Place Like Home” will debut at the 07 Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art Fest in New York on June 23-24.

The book is expected to ship to comic stores in September. Volume 1 contains chapters 1 through 7.

"Nothing Better” focuses on college roommates Jane and Katt.

"Jane has left home for the first time to attend a small Lutheran college, expecting to make friends and lasting memories, until she finds out her roommate is her complete opposite in almost every way,” Page said. "Katt means well, but her views on partying, boys and even religion begin to drive Jane crazy.”

Page came up with the project as his sister-in-law prepared to go to college.

"My wife and I were being a little more nostalgic than normal,” he said. "Additionally, just from being married and hearing all of my wife's stories over the years, I've come to understand pretty well what it was like to be a young woman at that time — high school going into college.

They were experiences I didn't have. I didn't date in high school, either, so for the longest time it was hard for me to even imagine what it must have been like to handle all of the normal pressures of school and friends and then to throw a relationship on top of that at such a young age.”

"Nothing Better” is an ensemble drama that includes other college students and co-workers.

"I purposely set it up so I could tell ‘personal' stories, but that would be couched in the greater world of the rest of the characters and their stories,” Page said.

"To some extent, I saw ‘Nothing Better' as a kind of TV show on paper. And even though it's intended to be a larger story, I've continued to approach it in a serialized fashion, one chapter at a time. I think it's a great format for this type of story.”

Page was nominated for an Eisner Award, the highest comic book industry honor, in 2003 for his graphic novel series "Stylish Vittles.” That project began as part of Page's quest for a masters' degree project in graduate school, and grew into three graphic novels.

With "Nothing Better,” Page's wife, children's book author Cori Doerrfeld, serves as contributing editor.

"While she gave her input on the ‘Stylish Vittles' books, I pretty much did what I wanted because it was ‘my' story,” he said.

"But with ‘Nothing Better,' "I really wanted to have an editor of sorts, and Cori was more than willing to assist; she's a talented artist and storyteller in her own right.”

"Nothing Better” is serialized online at Web Comics Nation, www.webcomics

nation.com/tylerpage.

"I've gotten tons of emails and comments online about it, lots of people swearing that I must have gone to their college,” Page said.

"Which must mean I'm doing a good job of keeping the story universal — enough so that anyone can find themselves in it.”

"I purposely set it up so I could tell ‘personal' stories.”

Tyler Page, artist, writer