At Home With Illustrator/Bar Reviewer Bill Roundy… Sorta
Bill Roundy is the brains (or…the hands) behind “Bar Scrawl,” The Brooklyn Paper’s series of illustrated bar reviews. When we suggested a traditional BK Shelter home profile — like, with photos — he offered to do us one better and draw the place himself. So without further ado, we present to you Bill Roundy’s BK Shelter profile illustrated by none other than Bill Roundy.
What do you do?
I’m a cartoonist! I draw a weekly comic strip for The Brooklyn Paper called “Bar Scrawl” – basically, I visit bars all over Brooklyn and draw my reviews. I also draw a journal comic, and make funny pictures about Dungeons & Dragons. Finally, I have a freelance day-job doing production work for online colleges.
How long have you lived in Brooklyn?
Almost exactly 12 years. I moved here in late March, 2001.
Why did you move to Brooklyn?
I moved to NYC to take job as Arts Editor at the New York Blade (I’d been a reporter at our sister paper the Washington Blade), and slept on my cousin’s couch for few weeks before I found a cheap place in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is the only borough I looked at, because it seemed to have everything I wanted (it does).
What’s your favorite thing about the space?
I have plenty of space – my bedroom is huge, the living room is large enough to entertain, and there’s plenty of closet space.
What’s your least favorite thing?
The radiator only has two settings: OFF and SURFACE OF THE SUN.
What are the three things you’d save first in a fire?
My iPhone (to call the fire department), my leather jacket (to stand outside in the cold), and my whiskey flask, to console me while everything burns.
What’s your favorite room in the space? And favorite time of day?
I love my bedroom/office. It’s got a little spot to sit by the window and drink coffee, storage for my many (many!) comics, and thick blackout curtains to keep out the sun until I’m ready to wake up. And I can look over my original art pieces – I’ve got a pencil sketch of Aquaman from Silver Age artist Ramona Fradon, and a page from Smax!, written by Alan Moore. My favorite time is the early afternoon – light from the window lands right on my drafting table.
If you suddenly received a windfall of cash, what changes would you make to your space?
I’d frame the rest of the art I’ve collected (and buys some more!), and replace my bed and some of the other furniture with comfier versions.
If you could move your house/block/neighborhood to another city, which one would it be, and why?
Nope. After living in Brooklyn for the last 12 years, I don’t think I could survive anywhere else.
