1. What initially drew you to comics?
Like many cartoonists my age, the Calvin and Hobbes treasuries were incredibly influential. I've been drawing cartoons and comics from a very young age, but the Calvin and Hobbes strips really cemented that love for me. That was in middle school, and around that same time I started visiting our local comic book store on a weekly basis. I discovered Jeff Smith's BONE comic through Wizard Magazine, and my local shop started stocking the book for me. That comic was special because it bucked so many of (what I assumed were) the conventions of comic books. It wasn't a superhero book. It wasn't in color. It was independently published. As an adult, I now realize that Jeff Smith was following in the footsteps of giants, but—as a thirteen year old—this was very new to me. And exciting. There was someone telling the kind of stories I'd like to tell in a much larger format than what I was used to seeing in the newspaper. All that to say Bill Watterson and Jeff Smith, with a dash of Batman and Superman, were heavily influencing me and inspiring me to create comics during my formative years. And I've carried that love into my adulthood. 2. Please tell us about your creative process.
The creative process changes so much from project to project, but—regarding graphic novels—I think my editors and I have found a pretty good rhythm while working on this second book together. So far, it's looked something like this: I start by writing a brief outline of the book. This is basically a series of benchmarks, or high points, that I want to hit in the story. The outline is short and fragmented, and typically only fills a half-page to a page. Next, I write a detailed outline using the brief outline as a guide. The detailed outline is usually 2-4 pages, and I try to get as specific as possible about any scenes that are vivid in my imagination. During this process, my editors help me make sure I'm connecting all the dots from the brief outline. Once we finalize the detailed outline, my editors release me to start thumbnailing the book (which, for me, is more like tight-penciling). The thumbnails are drawn in 20-30 page chunks. So I'll start by scripting out the pages (this is usually very messy because I'm the only one that sees the script), and then I'll pencil them up on my iPad in Procreate. Once a chunk of pages are complete, I'll turn them into my editors, and immediately start work on the next chunk. During this process, my editors are providing notes—most of which will be addressed when I ink the pages. Sometimes there are things that need to be reworked prior to inking, so I try to make sure all major revisions are addressed BEFORE I start the inking process on the entire book. I'm very routine-oriented, and once I start a phase of the process I don't like to switch back and forth between phases (sometimes you have to, though, but I do my best to limit it). After the thumbnails have been approved, I'll start inking. And after inking, I'll color the book. And once the colors are done, I'll finalize the text and balloons. All of these phases are done in chunks based on a schedule my editors devise. Certain parts of the process (such as inking) take longer than others (such as finalizing text), so the amount of production for each phase varies. When the letters have been finalized, the entire book goes to another team of editors, proofreaders, authenticity experts, and designers who will have their own batches of things that need to be addressed. While waiting for this feedback, my editors and I will start the process all over again for the next book. So there's actually a bit of overlap where I'm finishing up details on one book while production starts on the next book. From the outside looking in, it can seem like a long time passes in between books. But behind the scenes, we're all super busy trying to crank these things out as quickly as we can! 3. Please tell us about Travis Daventhorpe for the Win! (and any other titles you'd like to share about).
Travis Daventhorpe will be a four-book series published by First Second Books. The first book, Travis Daventhorpe for the Win!, hits shelves on March 21, 2023. I'm currently working on the second book, Travis Daventhorpe Powers Up!, which is scheduled to release in 2024. Travis is a socially awkward eleven year old, but he's a super talented roboticist. His best (and only) friend is a robot he created named Travbot. One day, when a test-flight goes awry, Travis and Travbot crash land in a forest where they find a magical sword. It's here that Travis learns he's the prophesied hero of a kingdom in another universe. The series will follow Travis as he prepares to defend the multiverse from inevitable destruction. Along the way he'll forge amazing friendships with unlikely folks. The series will feature tons of video game references, dinosaurs, robots, magic, and wizards. I have no idea if kids will actually enjoy the series, but I can tell you that I am having an absolute BLAST creating it! 4. Where can we find more information about your work?
You can find more information, including progress updates, at my website: wesmolebash.com. While there, sign up for my kinda-monthly newsletter where I share some behind-the-scenes info about my life and creating comics, as well as book recommendations. You can also follow me on social media. My name is @THEWesMolebash on all the major platforms.