Meet Ish Galvan | Co-founder of Triple OG Comics / fiction writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ish Galvan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ish, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born and raised in California, and I currently live in North County San Diego. Growing up, I was immersed in Chicano culture, skateboarding, graffiti, and hip-hop. The big difference, though, was that I loved so much nerdy shit. Once I discovered Nintendo as a kid, I was hooked on video games for life. Also, my dad introduced me to sci-fi movies and Stephen King stories at a young age. Back in the day, though, you had to practically hide that you were into nerd culture. It was 100% uncool. Still, I was very lucky to grow up in this chaotic soup of different influences.

Storytellers were respected in my family. I remember listening to my older family members telling stories in Spanish, and I’d be entranced. It could be old stories that happened back in Mexico, or complete fiction. They were masters of magical realism. To this day, I’m convinced that they would be best-selling authors if they only honed their writing. In a way, I’m trying to become like them. Maybe I have already reached their level, but I’ll never be sure. I’ve had a few of my favorite professional authors read my stories, which is always a bit surreal.

As for visual artwork, I was always surrounded by amazing artists. It’s weird for me to see that most teenagers aren’t addicted to drawing. Not to sound like a typical old dude, but I think a big part has to do with kids and adults being addicted to their phones. The artist who created the sickest artwork was respected. It was a good feeling then and now! And just like then, I’m always looking to be around artists who challenge me to level up or get left behind.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I truly believe that, as a team, there’s no one else like Triple OG Comics. We created the first-ever tamalero (tamale vendor) comic book in history, so already we made our mark coming out of the gate.

Most people might look at us and think they have it all figured out. On one part, yes, we’re a Chicano team and proud of it. However, we each have an artistic background that extends beyond comics. Vince is one of the best spray-can artists in San Diego. His lettering blows my mind. He’s also a traditional painter.

As for me, I illustrate both digitally and traditionally, write science fiction and fantasy, create comics, 3D sculpt, and manage a comic program for young artists within my local school district. I’m OK with being a little all over the place. Managing Triple OG includes all kinds of tasks and risks that are strictly business and have almost nothing to do with art, but that’s the reality of a small business.

It has been a journey to reach this point in my life. There have been so many twists and turns, late nights, disappointments, and victories along the way. Sometimes, it’s more vision and obsession that move you forward than a carefully planned roadmap, because things change so rapidly. I’m convinced that success often comes down to who’s willing to go through the most bullshit and not lose heart. Seeing my team score a win is one of my biggest motivators.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite spot in the entire city is the Vista Library. They have air conditioning and all the free books, comics, and movies you can handle. You cannot change my mind. Local rap shows, car shows, and Chicano art festivals are very cool. Still, I’m going to the library to pick up a stack of underground comics I ordered through the inter-loan system, and you can’t stop me.

Get a fucking library card.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve gotten so much support from family and friends. My business partner and friend, Vince Vargas, is the other half of Triple OG Comics, and it wouldn’t exist without him. All the homies in North County, especially Kick-It-Labs and RM The Poet, always have our backs. Of course, we owe a massive thanks to everyone who picked up a copy of our comic book, Tamale Guy, and is eagerly waiting for the second issue to drop.

Personally, I have to thank all the guys connected to Forbidden Futures Magazine: Mike Dubisch, Cody Goodfellow, and Daniel. These guys are super masters, and they’ve always been cool to me. The other guy has to be Marc Laidlaw. I’ve admired his work for years, and it’s pretty mind-blowing to have collaborated with him.

Instagram: @cool_stuffman

Other: Triple OG Comics IG: @tripleogcomics
Vince Vargas IG: @invinceable760
tripleogcomics@gmail.com