Interview: Wylie Phenix Is The Creator of Queer Horror, a Cartoon With LGBTQ+ Themes

An Inside Look At Queer Horror

By Ghia Vitale

Queer Horror is an original cartoon that’s being created by Wylie Phenix. Check out this exclusive interview to learn more about why it’s awesome!

​If there’s one thing we know at Quail Bell, it’s that the world needs more queer representation in the media. That’s why we’re glad Wylie Phenix is making our dreams come true by animating Queer Horror. Yes, this cartoon is notable because it contains LGBTQ+ characters and themes. But it’s also outstanding because of how it reflects Phenix’s lived experiences as a queer person. Therefore, it’s the perfect kind of media for individuals who trend towards the queer side of things and away from the heteronormativity that our society/culture imposes upon us.

Continue reading to learn more about Phenix and his unique animated creation:

1. What inspired you to start making Queer Horror? Did you always envision it as a cartoon and what medium did you first use to flesh out the idea?

Queer Horror was born straight out of heteronormative rage, from growing up seeing zero queer representation in cartoons. I watched a lot of Disney Channel and Nickelodeon… where even the talking animals were straight. The show itself though is based on my experience at a performing arts high school. I went from a super homophobic environment to one that was 99% queer. It was the first time I was ever around identities that weren’t straight, cis, white people. We had yoga instead of gym, rode the bus to the city with businesspeople each day, had monologues as homework, oh man. This cartoon is about the people I met there and the lessons I learned. I fleshed it all out with an extremely messy desktop where all my files are just littered everywhere. This includes word documents where it started in book form, aesthetic photos, photoshop files…

2. How would you describe the concept of Queer Horror?

If you’re LGBTQ+, you’re born with special powers, and there’s a place called Camp Queer where you get to hone them with others like you. In each episode, there’s a moral and an evil villain. We deal with serious issues in the community like 'no fats, no fems’ and social media specifically in the first episode. It’s like a mixture of Harry Potter, Scooby Doo, old Degrassi, and Mean Girls.

3. Who is your favorite character in this series?

I think it’s totally Blue, who’s played by Zaine Kellman. There’s just something about his voice that’s so… leading man that can carry the whole show. Him or Daniel Franzese’s character, who’s super special to me because he played the first gay man I ever saw in a movie.

4. What has been the biggest challenge in terms of creating and launching this cartoon?

When I started, I knew absolutely nothing about animation! Every day it’s a push to execute that vision in my head… and at first, I got lost many times. It was hard to see the bigger picture because I was zooming in on the tiny details. I spent an entire six months on a carnival scene with a ton of moving rides and people and lights… and I didn’t use a single second of it. But it taught me everything I needed.

5. Do you have a specific release date nailed down in 2020 or is it still up in the air?

It’s completely up in the air, but that’s the beauty of it all! I tore muscles in my back from pulling all-nighters for a while, so now, I practice that self-care and try to pace myself.

6. Are you involved in any other creative projects?

I’m constantly making content with my boyfriend on YouTube, but mainly, I’m world-building at Queer Horror.

7. Is there anything you would like the LGBTQIA community to know about Queer Horror in particular?  

Every voice you hear is someone who identifies with that character in real life. Every song you hear is from the iconic Gabe Lopez, who’s working on Drag Race now and has red hot talent! Other than that, each and every episode is made with good intentions.

You can subscribe to Queer Horror on YouTube for more updates. That way, you'll know once it comes out!