First Comics News: What made you want to be a writer?
Dolan Waddick: Well, I’ve wanted to write comics since I was in 1st grade. I loved reading them and knew that was what I wanted to do when I grew up.
1st: What was your first ever published work?
Dolan: My first published work was with Nickel Plates Art Studio in Indiana. It was a 24-hour “comic book in a day competition” and I believe it can still be bought through their studio.
1st: Who is Giaris and what will make people want to know more about her?
Dolan: Giaris is based on the real-life daughter of King Cleomenes and wife of Leonidas. Her real name was Gorgo, and when I told that my publisher, he said, “that sucks, change it.” So I found an island in the mediterranean sea called Giara, and asked, “how about Giaris?” He said, “perfect.”
1st: Why use Sparta as the setting for this story?
Dolan: Well, in the Merc Publishing line, the modern-day Spartan group is a continuation of the original Spartan nation. My publisher wanted to tell a story going back to ancient Sparta and introduce a strong female character from that period.
1st: What part does Leonidas play in this comic book?
Dolan: Leonidas is the King of Sparta. We see him and Giaris start off as antagonistic toward one another but eventually, maybe, grow to trust one another. Leonidas was THE alpha male of his time, and we wanted to present him with as much respect as we could.
1st: Which lesser-used character in “Born of Blood” will draw people to them?
Dolan: You know that’s a good question. I believe all my characters have aspects within them that everyone can relate to. But when it comes to a lesser-used character…I’d say, Aurelia? She’s the puppetmaster whose end goal we still don’t know yet.
1st: Does Carlos Beccaria’s artwork fit well with your story?
Dolan: It fits PERFECTLY. We sent artists a test page to do, and he was the FIRST AND LAST artist. As soon as I saw his page, I knew this was the guy and we didn’t need to see anyone else. A LOT of writers wish they were as lucky as I was on Born of Blood.
1st: What do King Cleomenes and his daughter think of each other?
Dolan: You know, we see that evolve over the first two issues. At first, Cleomenes can’t stand his daughter, BUT, by the end of issue 1, he’s come to accept her as his daughter AND a Spartan. Giaris initially probably didn’t think anything of it, but as she was tested, she probably grew to hate him. But in the end, she still loved her father.
1st: When you write and you know you did an excellent job how does it make you feel?
Dolan: It’s THE BEST feeling in the world when you have a critically well-received comic AND it sells well on Kickstarter and in stores. It’s surreal at the same time because it was my dream to write comics as a kid, and when it turns out great I’m speechless. What helped is that I have a great team in Joe Corallo as editor and Stone Tower Studios for the art. Without them, who knows where it’d be!
1st: How is writing the character Vampirella different than Red Sonja?
Dolan: Well, there are a few things. Vampirella is an alien vampire so I get to be creative with her powers and such. Also, I present Vampirella with a softer side as compared to Red Sonja so we see that softer side briefly with Vampirella. But the one thing they have in common is their blood lust.
1st: Does your writing show a difference in Notti & Nyce, what characteristics of each does it bring out?
Dolan: We will see how they’re different in their life experiences, how they go about hunting people down, and how they fight. Hopefully, sometime later this year, we will get to see the BIG differences between them. Marat and I have big plans and ideas for Notti & Nyce and I can’t wait for everyone to see them!
1st: What does Purplemonkeydishwasher mean?
Dolan: HA! I heard it on an episode of the Simpsons when I was a kid, and it just stuck with me. It’s so random that I could never forget it and decided to use it for my name on League of Comic Geeks.
1st: Who has been the most helpful to you with your writing career?
Dolan: There were quite a few people actually. First with my High School Sophomore English Teacher Mrs. Johnson. Second would be Shawn Hudachko who is the co-publisher of Merc Publishing and who gave me my first professional writing opportunity. Joe Corallo as my editor and Aaron Sparrow as my creative director. They’ve all in one way or another helped me become a better storyteller.
1st: What would you like to say to all the fans of your work?
Dolan: Thank you! Thank you for your support and for enjoying the story we’re telling. I will never let you down and will make every comic I work on something very special. Stay tuned, the stories will only get wilder and crazier!
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