In the course of my life, I inevitably cross paths with people who I know will make a phenomenal difference in the world. In some cases, those folks are unbelievably obstreperous and difficult to engage with for more than short periods, regardless of how much good they will accomplish with their antics. In contrast, there are also the overlooked mild mannered types who blend into the background and they still effect stunning differences in the lives of many with their quiet consistency.

I recently encountered the latter kind of person when I had the pleasure of speaking with Tommy Roddy, the creator and writer of Pride High. I have to admit, I was really moved by the conversation and the interviewee as I questioned him about the origins and development of his characters and storylines.

KD: Can you give a synopsis of your comics for people who haven't read them yet?

TR: In a nutshell, it's about a gay-straight alliance at Poseidon Preparatory Academy, a school for super-powered teens.

KD: How long have you been doing the comics? Is this a full time job for you? What else do you do?

TR: I've been working on Pride High since March 2006, but the comic wasn't officially released until September 2006. Pride High is a full time endeavor, but since it doesn't pay the bills, I still have a day job as an Administrative Assistant at a real estate firm.  I'm also an actor and just landed a voice role in "Applesauce", an upcoming online animated series from Poet Beware Productions.

KD: What inspired you to start Pride High?

TR: Gay-straight alliances in real life.  Pride High is an homage to all the kids out there who are helping to make high school a less alienating experience for LGBT youth.

KD: So what inspired the characters and what inspired the mixed sexuality? Are any of the characters like you or do you base them on any of your friends?

TR: There's definitely a part of me in each of the teens, though there is an adult supporting character that is basically me with super powers.  I'll let readers guess who.  As for the mixed sexuality, I would not have survived high school without the help of my straight friends.  The main characters Scotch Bonnet and Kid Mischief were based on and created by friends.

KD: I really like the name Scotch Bonnet for your fire character. How did you come up with that name, and what does it mean?

TR: Fire-based heroes are a dime a dozen in comics.  I wanted Pride High's resident firestarter to stand out, and so any name with fire, pyre, scorch, singe, etc had to go.  I'm an avid cook and I love hot peppers.  One day, while thinking of names, it dawned on me.  Scotch Bonnet.  The character is Scottish, she has fire powers, let's name her after the second hottest pepper in the world!

KD: Do you have a goal with these comics or are they purely a form of self-expression?

TR: My goal is to take the kids all the way through their senior year.  After that, who knows?

KD: Having a voice in the LGBT community tends to have political motivations, so are you politically active and do you have avenues of political expression or political involvement?

TR: As a multiracial gay man, the personal is political for me.  Pride High stands by the notion that LGBT teens, kids of color, children with disabilities, and nerdy girls all deserve to be treated with respect.  Sadly, this viewpoint is far from universal, so my work serves both a political and artistic purpose.

KD: What is nerdy about you?

TR: I used to have a cassette tape with cartoon theme songs that I would brush my teeth to.  I used it all the way through college.

KD: That's pretty funny. What were some of the cartoon theme songs?

TR: It included music from Spiderman, the Gummy Bears, Dungeons and Dragons, and GI Joe. I guess I've always been interested in things that people consider to be nerdy. It was actually harder for me to tell guys I've dated that I'm into nerdy things than it was for me to come out in high school. People tend to make fun of comic book nerds.

KD: Who are the fans of Pride High?

TR: In addition to LGBT fans, I have a lot of straight female and a couple of straight male fans.  The age range is mainly from the mid 20s to late 30s. I get a fair amount of fan mail from places as far away as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Norway. Actually, a character named Silvermoon from an upcoming issue was created by a fan in Norway.

KD: Your readers create characters for you?

TR: Pride High actively recruits reader characters.  People who register at www.pridecomics.com/boards have access to casting notices. I enjoy the collaborative process and I like sharing the comic with the readers in a way not usually available to them.

KD: So you've created and written a series that everyone can share and identify with. What's been the result of that?

TR: It has offered a great opportunity to get involved in multiple communities, including the LGBT Blind community. I attended the 2007 American Council of the Blind Convention as a guest of Blind Friends of Lesbians and Gays (BFLAG).  As a result of my experience there, Pride High is now available in Braille. 

Tommy has written about people who aren't just examples of gay, lesbian or straight students. He's also given a home to "Heroes with Disabilities" in Pride High. Suravi is a young lesbian woman at Poseidon Prep who is both blind and super talented. Her radiant attack is in fact' the strongest attack out of anyone at Poseidon Prep. Reading reviews and comments about Tommy's kids leaves no doubt that these young folks have a monumental impact on their audience. And even though he's the father of some pretty rambunctious and gifted children, he's a stage parent happy to step quietly aside, and let his kids experience life on their own.