Seven Questions: DeWayne Feenstra, creator of The Adventures of Aero-Girl

Several months ago, I threw down some money on a self published comic book called The Adventures of Aero-Girl. Said book arrived in the mail recently and I was very pleased with the results. I wrote the book a big, wet kiss, which can be read here:
http://the-hammond-comics-blog.blogspot.com/2013/08/review-adventures-of-aero-girl-1-of-4_26.html?m=0

Now, I've got the pleasure of interviewing creator DeWayne Feenstra in a little thing we like to call Seven Questions.

  


Will:  What inspired Aero-Girl's creation? Cliche opening question, but I gotta know where this came from.

Feenstra: Aero-Girl came about because of a random conversation my brother and I had while waiting in line for Hall H at San Diego comic-con a few years ago. We started discussing how you didn't see any more monkey sidekicks and decided to create a superhero with one.  The superhero was just a generic superman clone, but we decided it would be funny if his sidekick was called the monkey missile but was really a chimpanzee with a jetpack. The book was going to be from the chimpanzees perspective and be practically text-less because neither us knew how to letter lol. Jump ahead a few years and Shadowline is holding a "create a superheroine" contest and I flipped the idea of the superhero with a primate sidekick and went with a super gorilla with a jetpack wearing human sidekick. The idea of a teenager trying to control the super gorilla throws the typical hero/sidekick dynamic on it's head.

Will:  The cover of Aero-Girl says 1 of 4, which means I've got three more issues coming my way. Are you planning further Kickstarters, shopping the book around to publishers, or another avenue for the 3 remaining issues?

Feenstra:  Axur is working on issue 2 as we speak. The production is going to be a little slower because Axur's day job as a video game designer is taking more of his time. We've been talking with a publisher but also considering doing another Kickstarter. This Kickstarter, if we go that route, would be for the remaining 3 issues.

Will:  What is your personal favorite comic, past or present?

Feenstra:  My favorite comic series of all time is Kurt Busiek's and Brett Anderson's Astro City. The universe and characters they have built are amazing! If you haven't read any issues, stop right now and go find them!!

Will:  You offered a Spanish language version of the comic for backers of the Kickstarter. What prompted the inclusion of the Spanish version?

Feenstra:  The main reasons for the Spanish translation was that Axur has a fan base that enjoys his Spanish language webcomic (www.mapachecomic.com) and that I have in-laws that are Spanish speakers. A pleasant bonus is that we have had a few Spanish teachers reach out and ask about using our book to help their students work on their translating skills.

Will:  What are your biggest creative influences/inspirations?

Feenstra:  My two biggest influences on my writing are Kurt Busiek and Joss Whedon. The amazing way Mr. Busiek crafts the characters and the world of Astro City is something I'm trying to emulate in The Adventures of Aero-Girl. What I try draw from Mr. Whedon is his ability to blend light-hearted dialogue and dramatic scenes. Aero-Girl is a fun book that starts off on a pretty heavy topic.

Will:  I interpreted some if the prevalent themes in Aero-Girl as parent/child relationships, growing into adolescence, and hints of alienation. What prompted the inclusion of these themes?

Feenstra:  I want this book to be as much about Jacqueline Mackenzie as it is about Aero-Girl. I've always been a fan of books that show the "real lives" of the heroes. Seeing how Jacqueline deals with sorrow, failure and success can possibly help a reader connect with her and make her more real. If this book can help one person get through a difficult time, it will be worth all the effort we put into it.

Will: What are three things you wouldn't want to live without?

Feenstra:  Foregoing the obvious answer of my wife and son :-), I'll say I need a working tablet, a strong Wi-Fi connection so I can stream Netflix and download my comics (legally, of course)  and a Little Caesar's pizza nearby. You can't go wrong with 5 dollar pizza!!

 I'd like to thank DeWayne on behalf of the Hammond Comics Blog for his time and consideration, and we'll be sure to keep you updated on Aero-Girl and her future plans.
Copies of The Adventures of Aero-Girl can be purchased in English and Spanish, here: http://indyplanet.com/store/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Aero-Girl&osCsid=ui364ektb5k3nmrgtefpermp93&search.x=17&search.y=15