MoA&A Interview #26: Jeremy Whitley

Hello, everyone! Welcome to July, and the Month of Artist and Author Interviews here on the website.

Today’s interview features fabulous comic book writer Jeremy Whitley.

Once upon a time, my Amazing Webmaster Phillip sent me an email telling me I would *love* this comic called Princeless. Now, Phillip has known me for years, and as he’s designed my website he knows a bit about my tastes, so I trust his recommendations. But I don’t always have time to follow up on those…so the email sat in my inbox and gathered dust.

When I got to HeroesCon, I decided to hunt down all of Phillip’s recommendations (by then there were a few) and just buy them straight from the creators, sight unseen. And so I met Jeremy Whitley. And you know what? Phillip was right. Princeless is awesome.  Jeremy just so happens to write Order of the Dagonet as well, which is illustrated by our beloved Jason Strutz (Interview #21). Such a small world!

Know what else? Jeremy’s a pretty darn cool guy, too.  See below.

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Author or Artist?
Author

Who are your professional role models?
Joss Whedon, Brian K. Vaughan, Stephen King

What’s your favorite writing/sketching weather?
Rainy and cool

Set your current playlist/musical device to “shuffle all” and hit PLAY. What’s the first song that comes up?
Leslie Anne Levine – The Decemberists

If you could win any award, which would it be?
The Teen Choice Award.  Because they don’t give those out for comics and that’s a tragedy.

Would you rather have magical powers, or a spaceship?
Magical Powers, without doubt.  I’ve been pretending I had them since I was five.

What was your favorite book as a child?
The Hobbit

What thing do you wish you could go back in time and tell your 10-year-old self?
Listen kid, middle school is gonna suck, but it gets better.  Keep writing and keep thinking.

What’s your favorite constellation?
The North Star is my favorite.  Strange answer, right?  But it reminds me that even in the most complex and unknowable systems, there is constancy.  When it feels like you’ve lost your way, you can always look north.

What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Red Riding Hood.

What thing are you most proud of?
Being a good father and husband.

The Colin Harvey Memorial Question: Name 3 things on your List of Things to Do Before You Die.
1.) Visit London
2.) Write somebody’s favorite story
3.) See my daughter do something she’s really passionate about (you know, in an adult way, not in a “I’m one year old and I finally figured out how to climb onto the fireplace mantle” kind of way)

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Jeremy is the Glyph winning and Eisner nominated writer of comic books such as Princeless and The Order of Dagonet.  He is a partner and Director of Marketing for Action Lab Entertainment and co-founder of Firetower Studios.  He is also a lucky husband and enthusiastic father.  You can find his work on www.firetowerstudios.com and www.actionlabcomics.com.  You can also follow him on twitter @jrome58 and tumblr at princelesscomic.tumblr.com.