Alterna Comics talk The Chair, Trading Cards, Pop Culture and more!

You know how sometimes you're just travelling around the internet and you find the most incredible site and you think, "I have to DO something with that?"

That's exactly what happened to me with Alterna Comics.

Alterna Comics was created by president and publisher Peter Simeti on January 4th, 2007. Alterna has published a variety of genres, including but not limited to: horror, sci-fi, suspense, humor, superhero, children's titles, and fantasy/adventure.  Alterna Comics titles are currently distributed through print by Diamond Comics Distributors and Partners Book Distributors and through digital by Comixology, Drivethru Comics, iVerse, and My Digital Comics.

President and publisher Peter Simeti was kind enough to answer some probing questions from me.

What inspired you to start a creator-owned graphic novel publisher?

There's a tremendous amount of talented artists and writers out there and I wanted to essentially help spread the word about their stories.

Have you always had a fascination with comics / pop culture?

Yes, as long as I could remember. Read my first comic when I was six years old, it was a Spectacular Spider-Man issue and I've loved them since.

Aaron Harvie MasterChef All Star!!

Aaron Harvie is an all star in every sense of the word. You know him from MasterChef Australia 2010 and the recent All Stars series and he is all star in every sense of the word. He's one of the nicest, most affable people I've had the pleasure of dealing with this for this site... and he can cook!! But too bad, girls.. he is taken. 

You know when you come away thinking that you've 'met' someone special, it's gonna be a great blog post! 

Firstly, thank you so much to my friend Alison Fourie of AMF Typing  for recommending me to interview Aaron. You made a great call! With Aaron's interest in pop culture, his support of charities including The Salvation Army, and his inspirational use of cooking as therapy, thus teaching people a way to cope with life's struggles, he's the perfect interviewee for Pop Speaking and I am touched and humbled by his humility. Thank you Aaron for sharing and for being you. 

Sometimes I wonder what it's like being the one asked questions, specially when you have someone who doesn't really know much about your subject of expertise. I really know NOTHING about cooking, though I love watching the creativity and ingenuity of those who do, and Aaron managed my questions with flair and brilliance! 

My first off the mark question:

How did you become a chef? Did you study and if so where, and who or what (if anyone) inspired you to cook?

Well first of all, I am not a Chef, just a passionate home cook! The rules of MasterChef state that you cannot be a trained Chef or have held a position in a kitchen, working the line cooking for 10 years prior to entering. I have always been a keen student of food; my father was an inspiration to me growing up, as he is one of the best cooks I know.

You got to the final seven in Masterchef Australia 2010 and were eliminated after a fish and chips challenge. I think the fact that it’s sometimes the simple things that undo us is indicative of how stressful it must have been in that kitchen!!

I did get eliminated on a Fish and Chips challenge, but it was the chips not the fish that was my undoing…. They were pretty soggy!!!