IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 05

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 05

native americans in comic books  

In this portion of IPI, we are fortunate to hear from Jon Proudstar, creator of Tribal Force, a comic book featuring Native American superheroes and a historic first for a Native-created comic books, as he shoots the bull with Michael Sheyahshe (me!). In addition to his comic book milestone, Jon is a community leader and Indie filmmaker, working with such Indigenous artists as, Sterlin Harjo (a former classmate of mine, during our time at the University of Oklahoma) and others. I first became acquainted with Jon when he agreed to do an interview about Tribal Force for my book, Native Americans in Comic Books. Since then, Jon and I have continued communicating and sharing ideas about Native American portrayal, both in comic books and in mainstream pop-culture, in general. Here, Jon shares some wisdom and insight from his life experiences about how we Indigenous people can begin telling our own stories (which, if you've read my book, is one of my personal 'soap boxes,' as well). Enjoy.

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

JP: I am Yaqui, Jewish, and Mexican

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

JP: It wasn't till I was a teenager that I started to experience Pow Wows and ceremonies. I'm pretty much a City Indian.

MS: When did you first get into comics?
JP: I was about five years old.

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?

JP: Batman was my first real hero that I was into. Then came Spider-Man! Now, I mainly buy for art! I'm a huge fan of Cave Woman.

MS: Tell us more about the comics you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

JP: My book is Tribal Force! It's the first all-Indian super hero comic in the history of the United States! I had always wanted to do an Indian comic book since I was a kid. I grew up in a heavily ethnic neighborhood. It wasn't till I was older that I realized all the heroes in comics where white. I began to contemplate what would happen if the heroes where Indian, Latino, or Black.

The actual story for Tribal Force came about when I was in my early thirties. My book first saw print in 96! (Wow, that was a long time ago.)

Since then, I have been trying to find an Artist with no luck. I have decided to draw the book myself. Sooooo, who knows if my new incarnation of Tribal Force will see the light of day. I'm such a slow Artist! I really don't consider myself an Artist. I'm a writer.

MS: When can we expect to see it?
JP: I hope sometime this year you will see the new book.

MS: Keeping in mind any of your other talents, what is your specialty?

JP: I am an Independent Film Director. My first film DUDE VISION won three awards. I am currently editing my first feature length film THE CHAOS EFFECT, a comedy about dating. Also have another project titled BARKING WATER which will open up at the Sundance Film Festival. This project was Directed by Sterlin Harjo and Chad Burris. Both Natives, yay!

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?
JP: No. But, I had collected and read since the age of five. I had also done mountains of research on Violent Youth Offenders and Survivors Of Child Molestation. That was a huge reason I wanted to put the book out. I always knew our people needed heroes which confronted issues that are important to us.

I can definitely say my screen writing helped me out a lot! The story is the strongest part of any book or movie. With out a good story, it's just a visual thing. Those [type of] projects tend to have short lives.

MS: Have you worked on any other comics?

JP: That's a negative, Ghost Rider.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

JP: Obviously the X-Men! When I first saw Thunderbird I thought, "It's about damn time!" [Also,] Scout!


MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?
JP: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I have always felt that Tim Truman's Scout has been one of the best portrayals of a Native [character]. Apache, to be more specific. The thing about portraying Native Americans when your not Native is: it's an Indian thing. Most people in America have never met a Native, much less know one. It's like the Golden Rule of writing: "Write What You Know!" Duuuuhhh!

I feel most people who attempt to write about us are confined to what Hollywood has doled out about us. Hollywood tends to keep us in a historical, romanticized view. There are very few films that portray moderns Natives in a realistic light. And even those portrayals are confined to a region. Most people think that all Indians are the same.

Guess what? We're not. We differ from Rez to Rez and Tribe to Tribe. There are 753 Independent Tribes in America...holy cow! I think most comic book creators are just to lazy to do the proper homework on us.

So what's the answer? From me, my opinion. Don't write about us. Let us handle the job. I am tired of being portrayed incorrectly by non-Natives. I am tired of seeing my peoples' ways and beliefs prostituted for the benefit of dramatic license.

What's the difference between Natives creating Native heroes and non-Natives [doing so]? It belongs to us. We finally have a voice, after 500 hundred-plus-years of being suppressed and almost killed off. So let me be the first to say "BACK OFF! !" We are here and we will tell our own stories!

This doesn't mean we are beyond help. Of course we need help and guidance in navigating publishing, business and money. But the stories and images must remain ours.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

JP: You.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

JP: Wow! Hmmmmmmmm. Have faith in your ability, learn to accept criticism, be open to new ideas. And if your doing this for the money or fame, good luck! Can't pay the bills with either of those. Be a hard worker. Say what you do and do what you say. The biggest thing in the publishing world is reliability. I know tons of talented Artists and Writers who are not working because they are not reliable.

Oh, and don't talk crap about other comic book people. This business is hard enough!

MS: Thanks, Jon. Always a pleasure...let us know when we can buy the new Tribal Force!

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 04

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 04

native americans in comic books  

In this deployment of IPI, we spotlight Beth Aileen Dillon, a Ph.D., Student at Simon Fraser University in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology and Research Assistant for the Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace ("AbTeC"), "a series of projects investigating innovative methods for First Nations to participate in networked culture to tell our stories while populating and shaping cyberspace itself." Beth "is an Irish, Anishinaabe, and Metis writer specializing in video game industry" and her creativity has now spilled over into the comic industry. Beth has recently ventured into the world of comic books with her work with the Zeros2Heroes people, "a thriving network that connects thousands of creators, producers, and fans of comics in a collaborative and creative environment." In addition to these enormous milestones, Beth proves her continued status of 'Mega Cool' with her JTHM reference (Squee !, indeed). Beth takes time to explain things (slowly!) to Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) about her recent work in comics and Indigenous representation.

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

BAD: I'm a half-breed border crosser. My mother is Anishinaabe and Metis from the LaPonsies with family out in Bay Mills and Sault Ste. Marie stateside. My father's Irish through and through. I was born in Anaheim, California, the city of Disneyland, and grew up in Oregon. I've since been in Vancouver, British Columbia and will be making my way out to Edmonton, Alberta soon with my husband Myron Lameman from the Beaver Lake Cree Nation. Anywhere with birch trees feels like home to me!

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

BAD: My mother is a big source of cultural and spiritual inspiration for me. Okay, my brother and I usually snickered at her for all of her weird quirks (like collecting pine cones wherever she goes), but I truly feel her giveaway spirit really gave a good context to all of our community interaction. As an urban Native, the Native Student and Community Center at Portland State University in Oregon was the main source of my friends and the gatherings we shared there. My mother also runs Native Film Festivals for free with big feasts, so I've always helped out with community events. Powwows, storytelling events, donated elder lunches, visiting speakers like Gary Farmer, youth conferences where I've held video game design workshops, you name it.
That place was truly the center of my social life where I took part in helping with many gatherings. I miss it very much but return when I can.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

BAD: Johnny the Homicidal Maniac! Squee! There was this Pegasus Books place in Oregon I'd go to when I was younger. I was into more avant garde edgy comics--not the classic superhero stories.

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?

BAD: The Watchmen, of course, not to be boring or anything. I also fell in love with V for Vendetta, which I only read after the movie came out and so many people said I just had to read the comic, and of course, much like book adaptations, they were right. But my favorite of all
time has to be Transmetropolitan, for its quirky characters, themes, and journalism quips (I double as a game journalist).

MS: Tell us more about the comics you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

BAD: Nis, a dear friend of mine, pointed me to the Zeros2Heroes and Aboriginal Peoples Television Network collaborative contest for Aboriginal Canadians to enter the contest. My husband and I went away to working on some concepts and responded to feedback from the community which gave us the opportunity to see these ideas come to life.

Fala, a Native urban fantasy rendition of Alice in Wonderland, is inspired by our friends from a short film script I was writing with them in mind before we heard about the contest. With the help of editor Julian Lawrence and artist Patricio Plaza, we get to see Cowboy Smithx as Trickster, Duane Howard as Badger, Senaqwila Wyss as Fala, and Justin Rain and Shane Zwack as Ace and Spade in comic book form.

Fala's one of those girls who plays video games, but she's still cool, and of course, often too cool to bother to finish her homework or help out her single mom. Sent out to the woods for a homework assignment on edible plants, Fala gets lost (or rather tricked) and finds herself led down a path of life lessons in a dark, strange rez town.

The West Was Lost is a manifestation of Myron and I in Native steampunk--a subgenre I believe we're creating originally here with the help of the editor Andrew Foley and artist Frank Grau, Jr. We hope this one can turn into a series. In the full arc of stories, Nezette is chosen as a leader of a group sent from the Sovereign to help the people of the west rid the land of the Zhaagnaash and the Windigo spirits within them. She takes up arms with her trusted friends and family at the coaxing of the well-meaning trickster Nanaboozhoo and starts on a path without end with love and loss met along the way.

MS: When can we expect to see them and will they be available to buy?

BAD: Probably no later than October 2008, although you never know. You can watch Zeros2Heroes for updates!

MS: Keeping in mind any of your other talents, what is your specialty?

BAD: I'm great at keeping descriptions short because of my experience as a video game writer. (Programmers and artists don't need pages upon pages to wade through.) I'm a writer to the core and this contest has really brought my creativity back. I took a stint away from creative
writing following my Masters in Writing at Portland State University to be a game journalist and take up the challenge of a Doctorate at Simon Fraser University. But in the end, academic and journalistic writing styles aren't my passion. I've really rediscovered the direction I originally wanted to head in life since childhood by having this chance.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

BAD: Editors Andrew Foley and Julian Lawrence are walking me through edits. Experiential learning is the best kind, because I'll actually remember it. For example, I've learned that I need to write the script for the artist, not for the community readers! Meaning if there's a secret mysterious surprise, I need to be open about spelling it out on the panel description, otherwise the artist won't know where the story is headed and what to draw. Writing for comic books is great but definitely requires its own style separate from game writing and

MS: Have you worked on any other comics?

BAD: Not yet! Believe me, I have an epic book series I've been detailing out since I was about twelve that I've realized needs to be told in comic book form. When I first started writing it, I kept thinking that words just didn't cut it. Finally that thing can see the light of day if I can find an artist and editor willing to work on a first issue for pursuing a publisher.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

BAD: Although controversial, I have to admit that Myron and I enjoy Scalped. Sure, it's not made by indigenous people, but I feel the people involved are making a shot at proper representation. That, and, where else can you find a comic entirely about modern Natives put out by a big publisher?

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

BAD: Rarely. I won't even open The Red Prophet to give it a try because all I see on the cover is a stereotypically aged Native man with a little white boy named Alvin and think--yeah, another outlet where the focus is on the non-Native character. Of course I could be completely wrong about the series, but I do judge books by their covers. Much like video games, we're often shaped into stereotypes. Halfbreed heroes who slay Indians until they too discover their Indian roots and all is forgiven, the busty hot Native chick who means business in tight skinned leather, you name it. As more of us grow up playing games and reading comics, the more we'll get involved in making our own representations, and I'm looking forward to it.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

BAD: Steve Sanderson is a great artist who has merged the Japanese manga style with his own to tell unique indigenous stories through comic books. His work has been put out by the Healthy Aboriginal Network.

And of course Chad Solomon, co-creator of the Rabbit and Bear Paws.

Sadly there are few of us in the video game industry. In fact, as of the 2005 International Game Developers Association diversity survey, there were maybe 44 people total who identified as Native. Efforts like the Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace 'Skins' project from new media artists Skawennati Fragnito and Jason Lewis at Concordia University in Montreal offer game development related education to youth, which I hope will bring more of us into the industry so we can explore video games as a medium for telling our stories.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

BAD: Get started! Find a team, get your friends together, do whatever you can do to get a strong portfolio going for game development. You don't even need money for higher education--you just need the portfolio and skills if you can learn them on your own, so don't doubt yourself if
you can't get into the expensive schools. The more you create, the more examples and experience you'll have, even if things don't go perfectly every time (and they won't). You'll learn from errors if you try! Really, I feel the same can be said of comic books and many other creative industries.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you'd like to 'plug' (upcoming shows, debuts, etc.)?

BAD: Thank you to everyone in the Zeros2Heroes community who voted for Fala and The West Was Lost! And a special shout out to Tenzil, who gave us advice along the way and answered even our tech related questions.

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 03

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 03

native americans in comic books  

In this installment of IPI, we get up close and personal with the "Pin-up Poet," herself, Andrea Grant. Andrea is the creator of MINX comic book series, "which merges Native American mythology" with fantasy, dreams, and reality. Andrea is a Coast Salish Canadian with a long list of creative talents, including: poetry, modeling, photography, 3D paintings, spoken word, live performance, author...and many more. (Don't be lazy - go see her website for more info!) div>After a long simmer on the back burner, and after a long summer on the back roads, Andrea was finally able to answer a few questions about being a Native person in the 'biz' with Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo).

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

AG: I live in New York City in the East Village...I fought very hard to be here. I am originally from Vancouver Island, in Canada, and I am descended from the Coast Salish tribe, through my father.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

AG: Unfortunately my Native grandfather suffered at the hands of residential schools...all kinds of horrors. I always felt my Native origins as a child, and as my brother and I grew older, our father connected more to his roots and we learned more and started going to pow-wows. I have always craved a deeper connection to my tribe, especially now that I live in such a metropolis. It’s interesting to note that several of my best friends in the States are part Native. But really, I feel very much the lone wolf out here.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

AG: I was always a writer working in several mediums and I had to think about longevity. I started out as a poet, and realized that hardly anyone cares about poetry these days. So I chose to twist around the Native tradition of storytelling and enter the field of comics. People thought I was crazy but I always felt I had a strong story to tell. I hoped that I could preserve some tribal mythology therein.

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?

AG: Neil Gaiman’s Sandman...and if you forced me to read it over and over for a thousand lifetimes, I would never get bored.

MS: Tell us more about the MINX you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

AG: One day I woke up and decided I wanted to write a comic book because I felt the audience was intelligent and would accept my mixing mediums together.

MS: When can we expect it and where can we buy it?

AG: I am three issues deep into the series. The best bet is to get it directly from my website at www.copiousamounts.com/minx. I also have a spin-off called V-Train that runs quarterly in ‘Bombin’ Magazine...sort of Minx meets the Warriors. And I am revising my acumen right now to create a more mainstream version of the story… so stay tuned.

MS: Keeping in mind any of your other talents, what is your specialty?

AG: Being a couple of years ahead of what's popular...which is discouraging and painful when I first create something, and extremely gratifying when people understand it later on.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

AG: My training is in Creative Writing and English Literature. Otherwise, it's all just intuition.

MS: Have you worked on any other comics?

AG: Not yet.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

AG: David Mack did a good job with the Daredevil spin-off a few years ago that featured the deaf character 'Echo' who was Native. Otherwise, none have fallen into my hands. I think there should be more. What an amazing way to preserve our beautiful, rich culture.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we are portrayed properly?

AG: Probably not. It's tough to convey the tonality of our culture. And let's face it, we're stoic...we don’t tell our secrets!

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

AG: I wish I did. I only know Native rappers from Canada. I live far away from my family so I haven’t gone to a pow-wow with my father for a few years...he's really outgoing and meets a lot of people. I’m quiet.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

AG: Never give up, and don't look back. If people tell you that you can’t do something, fight harder and stay away from that kind of negativity – it's only jealousy. And stay disciplined because there are a thousand distractions every day that will take you further from your goals.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you'd like to 'plug' (upcoming shows, debuts, etc.)?

AG: My projects are as follows:

www.copiousamounts.com/minx The Minx comic
http://www.andreagrant.com/ The Pin-Up Poet brand
http://www.copiousmagazine.com/ Which features other artists

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 02

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 02

native american video game  

In this piece, we support and showcase Native American professionals working in creative aspects inside the video game industry. Winnie (Oglala Lakota/Eastern Shawnee), a.k.a., "ix", is a former Associate Producer with some big name games, such as the Call of Duty franchise. As a Indigenous person working in the game industry, ix was nice enough to share some insight with Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo).

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

ix: I'm an Oglala Lakota/Eastern Shawnee; I grew up in Wanblee, SD on the Pine Ridge Rez.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

ix: Yeah, all of my mom's family were in a fancydance troupe based out of New York, so they were constantly traveling around dancing. My mom's family all speak Lakota, which is kind of not common for younger people these days. They still follow many of the old ways. I also went to an Indian-only boarding high school. If any young Indians have a chance to go to one (think there are only 3 left in the US), do it! I made many friends from other tribes that I still talk to today.

MS: When did you first get into games?

ix: I liked those text games from the 80s (hitchhiker's guide, etc) and the Nintendo dragon-and-swordsy kind of RPG games. Also in high school we had a couple of old computers, so I played a lot of Doom and Quake.

MS: What is your favorite game of all time…something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

ix: I was hopelessly addicted to Baldur's Gate 2, Deus Ex, Planescape, and Counterstrike. These days I play a lot of Team Fortress 2. MS: You just finished work on COD4: MW, right? What was your role there?

ix: I was an Associate Producer.

MS: What is your specialty?

ix: Getting things done! Haha. I got stuck on accounting/finances and mostly working PR events last round. It changes from project to project. The one before that mostly what I did was travel, travel, travel, and give press demos/fix scripting. I do 3d modeling as a hobby also.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

ix: No, most producers started as QA testers. I started at a game developer, and moved up from QA. I think I've only met two producers that have any sort of degree in my time in the industry. That's starting to change, though. A lot more straight business degree people now. You do a ton of random things, so you really need to be awesome at something to stand out at all in Production and also be a jack of all trades at the same time.

MS: What other games have you worked on?

ix: Oh, all of the Call of Duty games except for COD1. I also worked on DS, cell phone and PSP games in the past, and wasn't really that fond of working on mobile platforms so much; mostly for the limitations of the hardware.

MS: Have you played video games with Native American characters in them?

ix: There aren't many; Prey and Gun are the ones that come to mind. Prey was interesting in that you could go upside down in multiplayer which is a neat idea, but they do the magical Indian stereotype heavily. Gun I felt kind of bothered by how they portray the Apaches. Eventually, I think AIM protested it.

MS: Do you have any opinion about Indigenous characters in video games?

ix: I think there needs to be more of them. I also think that I'm getting really sick of the 'magical Cherokee' stereotype that Hollywood and most media likes to hammer onto us. It's really still racism but in a different way. I wish that there was an Indian character in Gears of War, COD, etc. that's a contributing part of the squad/one of the main characters and not some mystical BS schtick!

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (gaming industry)?

ix: I know one female animator, but she doesn't know much about her tribe or is really all that involved with it. It's kind of hard finding other Indians in the industry. Most of us stay back on the home reservations, maybe. I wish we had better computer programs and equipment on reservations. That would open up more tech jobs for us. I can't imagine what advantages I would have had if the schools where I grew up had computers, the internet, or access to some of the software other public schools do.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

ix: I wouldn't recommend going the QA route if you want to be a producer. Some people really do tend to treat testers like scum, until they've moved up enough to be not be in QA anymore. Go to business school, you'll make more money right off the bat and skip all the crappy things QA has to do. Also, be aware that Producers tend to crunch year round and most that I worked with over the years don't date or have any time to do much else than work!

If you want to be a modeler or artist, there are a lot of online resources to help. Online tutorials, Maya Personal Learning Edition has movies, and cg forums. Don't be afraid to ask other artists for opinions in forums, they're a great resource.Anything I've missed here? Modding is also another way for aspiring level designers to get into the industry. Devs do watch modding forums, and many that are talented get job offers from studios.

Don't go to Video Game schools/degree farms. They have no respect in the industry, cost way too much, and do not teach you anything that you will actually use in most cases. I never cared what someone's degree was in or even if they had a degree to be honest. What matters is your portfolio/reel! If it's awesome, you're set. (Except programmers: go to a real university and get a programming degree if you want to be a game coder.) Above all, don't give up if you really want to make games.

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 01

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 01

native americans in comic books  

To celebrate Native American professionals working within the industry, Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) sits down with comic book artist / illustrator, Weshoyot Alvitre (Tongva / Gaelic / Scotish), who is gracious enough to share her story and experiences working in comics. To combat (at worst) stereotypes and (at best) poorly-created Indigenous characters, we Native Americans must tell our stories. Thus we showcase Indigenous people in the creative seat.

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

WA: My dad is Tongva (the pre-missionized tribe of Gabrielino's from southern California), and my mom is Gaelic and Scotish, so I'm half and half. I was born right here in California too.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

WA: We used to live on a piece of land where my dad ran a cultural center and gave lectures on the weekends. I remember we had a few large get-togethers when I was a kid, with a lot of Native people. My dad was very active in Native American affairs up until I was about 5 years old. I remember him telling me and my brother a lot of stories and teaching us a lot about the land we lived on, which was pretty much out in the boonies.

It was a little different than the way other native kids grow up, I assume, because we never lived on a reservation and were rarely around other Native kids. I think my parents tried their best to keep my life fairly integrated into the 'normal' school system and whatnot. I went to a public school and growing up; I was usually the only Native American kid in the class. I wouldn't say I had a ton of cultural interaction, because our tribe is really a lot smaller than most peoples tribes, but I was definitely aware of who I was and things pertaining to my culture.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

WA: I think the very first comic I ever got was a two pack of The Little Mermaid and Beauty & The Beast graphic novels that I ordered from one of those book-order things kids get from school. They were adaptations of the films, which I was a huge fan of, but in comic book form, which I had never seen before. Growing up, because we lived out on a large piece of land and because I was somewhat secluded from other kids my own age, I watched A LOT of cartoons. I became a fan of animation early on and really wanted to be an animator. I wanted to make ARIEL come to life....it just amazed me so much to see a moving drawing on a screen. After I got those book orders, I was introduced to a whole new medium.

My mom used to read a lot of children’s books to me. She worked as a librarian for a time when I was a young kid, and I remember going with her to the library and just devouring books and playing with the puppets and things they had in the kids section. So I was used to the standard medium of a children’s book, where you read some sentences, and they'd choose one idea to illustrate per page. I always had this desire to turn to the next page, because there was more art...and then another book, because I just wanted more. The thing that really struck me with the Disney comic book things were that they had multiple shots from the film all on one page and that it still told a story but had a ton more art. It had more movement than a standard illustrated book and that fascinated me. But my one criticism and confusion as a child was that ARIEL didn't always look like she did in the movie...you know, the same syndrome in those coloring books...because I didn't realize they had tons of different people doing the drawings. I was a very critical lil kid, I’m afraid.

MS: What is your favorite comic?

WA: That's really, really hard for me to say indefinitely, because I draw a lot of inspiration from others’ work, and because my style can be pretty varied as well. I read a lot of Hellboy, B.P.R.D., The Goon, Umbrella Academy, Conan....a lot of Darkhorse stuff, and then I also have a lot of books I just picked up because of the art on them: Steampunks, Darkminds (the original series), stuff by Leinil Yu, David Mack, Bill Sienkiewicz, J. Scott Campbell....and then there's a whole list of fine artists I am utterly obsessed with as well. A lot of Victorian illustrators, art noveau and deco.What is the recent comic that you've been working on and where can we buy it?

I recently did 3 issues of a book called Archaic by Fenickx Productions. I know there some on eBay, and I think you can get them from online dealers backstock. Also, I'm pretty sure you can get more info @ http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm15c3BhY2UuY29tL2Zlbmlja3g=. They have previews on there as well as ordering info as well.

I also had a 8 page short in their Volume 2 Graphic Novel, as well. Besides that, I managed to get a full page illustration published in the last issue (issue 6) of Darkhorse comic's Umbrella Academy.

MS: What is your specialty?

WA: Um...that could be answered in many, many ways. Pertaining to comics, I consider myself a penciler and inker and would like to add colorist to my repertoire before I die.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

WA: I do have a BA in illustration, but I find my own work I did and sort of managed to incorporate despite my instructors’ disapprovals, were more beneficial to my education than drawing boxes and mixing primary colors. I would have liked to have gone to a proper art school, but I just couldn't afford it. I just tried to push myself whenever I could, investigate anyone and everything that inspired me, and just drew all the time. I still do, I keep many sketchbooks. I always try to find new sources of inspiration, and since having work published, I've bee able to meet so many people I revere as comic gods.

WA: I think some of the best things you can do for yourself if you want to be an artist is to have an insatiable desire to always have your hand moving and always have drawing tools by your side.

MS: What other comics have you worked on?

WA: Um, Tenth Muse. I inked a lot of issues and penciled and inked #11, Archaic #10-12, Archaic short story in Volume 2 of their graphic novel, I did a back cover for The Misadventures of Clark and Jefferson, a pin-up in issue 6 of Umbrella Academy...um....I think there's a wiki page or something that has it all listed...

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

WA: I have to say I really enjoyed David Mack's ECHO character that he created. I think it had a great deal to do with how he created a solid character with emotions and reactions to situation and the fact she was Native was secondary. It wasn't forced down your throat in an insincere way. He did research what he did and I feel he made a very genuine effort to do justice to her character. I borrowed Commanche Moon from a friend recently but haven't had time to read it yet...I'd really be interested if someone did a book based on mythos and creation stories and somehow modernized it to make something new, that's not been introduced to the market yet.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

WA: I feel like there are not a lot of Native characters or creators I am familiar with, in dealing with Native people in comics. But with anything that is associated with Native people, I think there's still that stereotype in a lot of the work that does come out, and I think it's partially to blame because history books and the American history curriculum treats Native people as either a mythical creature that is extinct...like unicorns or the Tasmanian tiger...or dives right into the auto response people now seem to have in regards to the casino bands of Native people, and the resentment that seems to accompany that.

It's kinda 'you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don’t,' mentality. I find it a very interesting social response. When there's so much more to the lives and history of Native peoples, and they choose to focus on the misrepresentations of hippie aesthetics or reservations or casinos. I mean, one thing that always amazes me is how the massacres of Native peoples is always sort of ignored and tiptoed around when it happened so recently…yet, the Holocaust is always talked about.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry)?

WA: I have met one, he's an editor. More often than not, the subject doesn't come up, because I don’t look physically Native American straight off the bat. Usually the thing that starts that conversation is my name, and with almost all Native people I have met, it has started that way. I think if I had a common name, no one would suspect. Although I’ve been mistaken for Russian and Japanese before because of my name as well.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

WA: I always tell people who ask me this to do what they are passionate about. Do it stubbornly, and with open ears. In that, I mean fight like hell to get where you want to be, but still be open to new understanding, experiences and knowledge because that's the quickest way to grow and become better at what you do.

MS: Anything I've missed here?

WA: Nothing I can think of, one hell of a thorough interview. It was great to be able to sit down and spend some time thinking about these questions and putting them out there. So thanks!!