"I got into underground comics fairly early on and kind of wandered away from the superhero stuff, but I was an art student and I was drawing a lot as a kid"

This quote by Jonathan Lethem speaks to his early interest in comics and art. He was drawn to underground comics, which are comics that are not traditional and typically have a more subversive or experimental nature. He was likewise an art student, which likely assisted him to establish his skills in illustration. He was currently drawing a lot as a kid, which likely helped him to develop his interest in comics. He also mentions that he "strayed from the superhero things," which suggests that he was more interested in the more innovative and experimental aspects of comics. This quote talks to Lethem's early interest in comics and art, and how it has formed his career.