First Comics News: How did you end up choosing writing as a career?
Nola Pfau: I’ve been a writer since I was a kid; well before it was a career it was just one of my favorite things to do. I used to run a personal blog, and then that led to connecting with the broader online comics community. Pretty soon I was writing for WWAC, and then I was running it.
1st: What personality traits does your writing bring out in Jet Jaguar?
Nola: I mean that’s a good question isn’t it? Jet’s a robot, it doesn’t really have strong personality traits. In writing its voice, I tried to thread a needle, sort of; to craft scenes where the things Jet said were logical and factual, but could be read as heartening or inspirational based on the context in which it was saying them.
1st: How does Jet Jaguar affect Jen?
Nola: Well, Jet gives Jen some perspective, I think. Sometimes when you’re too in your own head it’s easy to think that the version of events you’re experiencing is the only version. I tried both to depict that in the story and to sort of give an antidote to it.
1st: Out of all the monsters from Godzilla do you have a favorite evil one?
Nola: Well, are they evil? That’s kind of the thing with kaiju. Very often they’re driven by baser instincts; to defend, avenge, and establish dominance over one another. I don’t think any of them are evil; like they’re not out here monologuing about sinister goals. They’re almost always being manipulated, by merpeople, aliens, what have you.
That said, Biollante’s pretty great.
Rich: “Godzilla: Rivals: Round Three” What is your story in this comic all about?
Nola: Well, it’s the same story that appears in Godzilla Rivals: Jet Jaguar vs Megalon.
1st: If you could which superhero would you write a story about battling Godzilla and why?
Nola: Good question. I think “Battling Godzilla” isn’t an interesting enough premise to carry a story, personally. I’d really like to write a story about street-level heroes trying to cope with a kaiju-level attack, though.
1st: What do you do as Editor-in-Chief of WWAC?
Nola: Well, I run the site, I curate stories and new writers, I write for it myself. I do a lot of the site design, too.
1st: Why is WWAC important?
Nola: Because people who aren’t cishet white men deserve to have a voice.
1st: Do you ever get writer’s block if so how do you get over it?
Nola: I can’t say I really do. Writing’s like a muscle, you know? You have to exercise it. Sometimes I hit a wall, sure, and then I take a break. But I never sit down to write and then just can’t. Maybe I’ll write badly, but I’ll still write. You can’t edit what’s not written down, after all.
Rich: What comics will you be working on in the near future?
Nola: I’m working on some personal projects, and I have some pitches out, but nothing to announce currently.
1st: How would you react to seeing Godzilla walking towards where you live, while you’re there?
Nola: I mean I’d probably get my family and flee to safety.
Rich: How do pets enrich your life?
Nola: It’s just nice to have companions, you know? Especially as a writer, a lot of the time I’m squirreled away alone, and it’s nice to have a dog or cat to just sort of hang out with me.
Rich: What would you like to say to the fans of your work?
Nola: Tell publishers that you want me to write comics for them. Also, buy a lot of copies.
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