Interview Week: Writer and Artist Dave Wheeler

 
Over time I have come to realize that Dave Wheeler is a kind and fantastic asset to the comic book world.  Talented in writing and creating images, he also carries with him a gregarious spirit and a welcoming one.  I am grateful that he took the time to answer my questions.

What makes an artist? Is a creative person born, or are they created through cultural exposure, training, rewards, or opportunities?  Why does someone burn inside to tell a story?

I think what makes me an artist is my passion for creating. Doesn't matter what format whether it's comics, toys, art, carpentry. I have a drive and lust for making things. Growing up I was definitely exposed to many influential people, places and things by my parents, family and friends. Thankfully they were encouraging though skeptical when I decided my path to my career was to go to school for comics. I think every aspect of it all were puzzle pieces in creating the overall image that is myself as a creative person.

If every musician has the same notes and tools, why did Mozart create different and greater works than anyone else? If the paint and brushes and canvas are the same, why did Leonardo create works no one else could touch regarding quality? What goes into a creative artist, of any medium, that makes him or her rise above the rest?

Personal history and experience. Different folks draw from different emotions and areas of the mind, whether that means pulling from a dark and brooding place or creating from a happy memory it all yields a result. It's the same for my idea of how people read comics. What happens in the gutters between panels is up to the reader. Therefore everyone has a slightly different story from the same page.

What comics and other forms of entertainment inspired you to create? I am not asking, directly at least, what comics and other media do you LIKE, but, what worked in ways that inspired you to also create? When did your creative process begin?

You name it and it is inspiring, everything from music, movies, TV shows, novels, other comics. It really can strike at any moment. It can be the most random of things where suddenly it sparks something in me. My creative process never really stops, constantly things are popping and I always have a notebook, sketchbook or my phone with my notes app on my phone to jot stuff down.

As I met you in Minnesota, and met you at a comic store, or convention I might assume your roots are Minnesotan.  How greatly does region one comes from play in the creative work one creates?  I am a fan of Alan Dean Foster's work Icerigger, it presents a frozen planet quite well, but he lives in Arizona, and has for many decades.  Does one need to live in a region to understand it?  How does region come out in your own work, if it does?

I think the region you're in definitely can impact your process just by your surroundings. I definitely have put the twin cities and the north woods into plenty of my scripts. For instance in the latest series I been working on a good chunk of the fight takes place off of Washington Ave. in Minneapolis.

What works do you have coming out soon?  How can readers of this find and buy your work?  Where can readers find you online or find you and chat with you or buy your work in person?

A few projects coming down the pike that I can't talk about but the last installment of Thunder & Lightning will be hitting in the new year.  Folks can find me online @ davewonder.com, mindwavecomics.com, instagram.com/thedavewheeler, twitter.com/davewheeler, youtube.com/davewonder, twitch.tv/davewonder .

Coming to the new year of shows I'll have a calendar page up on my site for folks to follow the adventures of yours truly! Thanks for the opportunity Alex! Catch ya down the road.