Debut “Fayetteville Folklore” issue features local legend Chris “Clunk” Selby

INTERVIEW / KODY FORD

Big Bot’s Chad Maupin is a stalwart of the Northwest Arkansas arts scene. He’s also an accomplished illustrator, who has ran his own fashion and merch line featuring “The Frankenaut” and worked with various brands as a designer and creative director. However, Maupin faced a personal setback a few years ago and had to curb his output. But he persevered and is now releasing a personal project–a new zine called Rant. The first issue is taking pre-orders now and it features local legend, Chris “Clunk” Selby. The Idle Class caught up with Maupin to discuss Rant.

What made you want to create this zine?

I’ve always loved comics and specifically the underground comix and underground press of the 60’s and 70’s.  I’ve become increasingly frustrated by the way social media and the internet has transformed from a tool to connect us and to offer new opportunities to a tool that is dividing us, manipulating us and making us slaves to corporate algorithms.  I want Rant to be a forum for me to discuss topics I care about without any concern for social media or corporate algorithms.  The underground press and comix of the 60’s and 70’s is a north star for me.  They were reacting to the world around them and creating art from a pure space in defiance to corporate culture and the approval of the lowest common denominator.

You and Clunk have collaborated many times over the years. How was it this time?

Part of the process of making this zine was including a timeline of Clunk projects.  It’s nearly been a decade since my first Clunk tee done on a whim when he was running for fake Mayor.  Somehow Clunk became my muse over that decade.  In all seriousness Clunk embodies the spirit of what made me fall in love with Fayetteville.  When I created Rant I decided to have occasional “Fayetteville Folklore” issues to celebrate people and places that I love in Fayetteville.  Clunk was an obvious first choice  since he intersects with so much of our town and embodies a lot of what I care about in community building and cultural advocacy. I think it’s important for younger people to know how much he’s really done in our community to make it cool and to see how much he accomplished without corporate grants or permission.  Clunk just rolled his sleeves up and got it done.

How long have you been working on this project? What has the process been like?

 I was working hard in 2022 for clients to build up surplus money to allow me to spend the first half of 2023 working on my memoir comics and to start a zine.  I became extremely ill and nearly died in early 2022 from what was later discovered to be a lung disease.  Once I could begin working on recovering, I started drawing and making plans for the future. This was extremely important in my physically and mentally emaciated state.  It allowed me to feel connected to the future and not feel like I was on the sidelines of life.  I  developed “RANT” during this period creating the mascot, general tone, topics and more.  It’s been a difficult process but I’m thankful I did it and can finally feel creatively engaged with the public even if it’s in a diminished state. 

Has art helped you work through your recent health issues?

It certainly has.  As I became sicker with my lung disease I was so weak I couldn’t draw, read or think clearly.  I’ve spent a lot of time in my life drawing in the Fayetteville Public Library and wanted to get back as soon as I could.  In early April I went to the library with my daughter and sketched for an hour.  It took me two days to recover.  I kept going as much as I could and began giving myself permission to dream of future projects and not dwell on the serious and potentially fatal problems in front of me.  I began feeling relatively stronger and slowly found a form of my creative voice again.  It was extremely difficult, as  everything has been through this process, but also extremely important.  I am not what I used to be any longer but I’m very happy to have drawing back in my life and a new form of creative identity ahead of me.

You and Clunk have always both been very community oriented people. Do you feel a kinship with him over this?

I really do.  As we spoke for his interview in the magazine a lot of what he struggled with and cared about resonated with me.  Clunk is awesome to collaborate with because he’s down for ANYTHING I want to do, as the nude centerfold in the issue will attest.  But the bigger reason I wanted to spotlight him is to role model the importance of people with some vision and initiative in a community and a culture.  Chris and I are both Gen X and approach what we do from a Punk attitude of just rolling your sleeves up and diving in to get something done. I’m concerned about the way we all have become numb to the increasing stranglehold of corporate interests on literally everything in this country.   We don’t need corporations to give us grants or permission to make a culture that thrives.  We just need each other.

Will there be a second issue of Rant? If so, can you tease it?

I intend to make a couple of Rant issues a year.  Obviously  it has to fit into my health limitations but I think 2-3 issues a year is doable.  The second issue  is “CULTS” and includes interviews of people who have escaped cults and some information on brain washing and how to deal with it.  All of the issues will be sincere, informative but also fun.  I hope so.  You tell me.  Each issue has a letters page and I encourage people to email me their thoughts on issues.  I want Rant to be a conversation.

How can people get a copy of it?

For now Rant is for sale at my website which can be found at: www.big-bot.com

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

The last 18 months of my life have been the most challenging thing I’ve ever gone through.  It’s tested every single part of my being and I could not have survived it without the love and support of my amazing wife Rhonda, my kids and the friends and peers within the Northwest Arkansas creative community.  The outpouring of love and support I have received has been transformational and deeply appreciated.  Thank you to everyone who has made my life so beautiful. 

 

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