Here’s a kick-off of a section of Arflovers that’s sure to inspire. “Give Me Five!” is where I ask a star comic creator five quickies. Colleen Coover is the perfect start for me ‘cause her Small Favors is one of my fave comics of the last few years. And her lighted hearted lesbian duo from that comic make a fabulous appearance in the next Arf in the “Get Your Hands Off Of Me You Big Ape” section.

(click for a closer look)

Colleen and I shared an autographing time slot at the Fantagraphics San Diego Comic-Con booth last summer and she’s as nice as her comics are fun. Give me five, Colleen…

1. What is your earliest comic book memory?

Sitting on a couple of phone books under a hair dryer after my Mom had washed my hair, reading Harvey comics and DC 70′s horror comics. I used to think that reading the captions was optional, so I’d just skim over them and piece together the story from the pictures and word balloons.

2. Who is your favorite old skool cartoonist?

Milton Caniff— I love his line work, ability to set a scene, his use of dramatic suspense (especially romantic suspense!) to keep readers hooked from day to day and week to week, and his ability to make even strips that were full of nothing but exposition interesting and exciting.

3. Current projects?

I’m just starting a new graphic novel written by Paul Tobin, who wrote Banana Sunday under the name Root Nibot. The title is “Freckled Face, Bony Knees, and Other Things Known About Annah.” It’s a character study of a young woman who may or may not be in the thrall of a very strange delusion about a missing sister.

4. I’m excited to have your Ape/Women painting in the upcoming Arf Museum. Any personal ape fantasies?

Whenever I go to the zoo, I want to have the orangutans for my pals. Hang out, go to the ball game, that sort of thing. But really I don’t think they’d be very good companions, no matter how friendly Clyde was in the “Every Which Way But Loose” movies. You can’t believe everything Hollywood tells you, and I’m pretty sure that a grown male orangutan would be a terrible driver.

5. Betty or Veronica…or Archie?

Duh! Betty! You crazy? Veronica’s just lucky she’s got dough, or she’d be kicked to the curb in no time. And Archie— I never understood what the hell those chicks thought was so damn fascinating about Archie.