EXCLUSIVE: Adrian Wassel talks WRITING and CREATIVE MIND ENERGY


While at last year’s COMIKAZE Expo, I got to sit down with the awesome creators from CREATIVE MIND ENERGY.

The next one up is author: Adrian Wassell.

UTF: What are your responsibilities for CME?

Creative Mind Energy logoAdrian Wassel: So basically, I am the finish writer for all projects. After we go through our process of talking around the circle between my dad, my brother, cousin and I, we develop a story. I then take that, fine-tune a script, return it to them, ask for any comments or suggestions. We talk through story again and then I turn that into the final dialogue.

Any story that my dad or my brother are working on independently, they’ll bring me the scripts and ask me to edit because that’s where I received my education.

UTF: You guys have some varied titles at your company. Let’s start off with DeadEye. What was the process on that?

Adrian Wassel: Absolutely. So my father and my cousin, Nathan, came up with this really incredible world where basically there are these other worldly voices that are compelling and propelling these DeadEye Preview Pagedifferent characters around, while fitting the standard of a classic western.

And so for me, I came into the project to just clean up and get it ready for volume one, and help with the origin story of our hero, DeadEye, and then after that , my dad and my cousin are like, “Man, you’re on fire with the series. We love the way you’re going. Why don’t you come up with an arc for volume two and three?”

So I did and I came back to them, and they’re like, “Man, we love that. So turn out a finished script.” Which I did and right now, Nathan is illustrating them.

UTF: Let’s talk The Gifted, what kind of influences did you have on that title?

The Gifted Preview PageAdrian Wassel: That one’s primarily my father, brother, and my cousin’s story. They come to me for how to keep the tension going. There are moments where it’s really hard to communicate different narrative elements when you’re just through the lens of animals.

So my role in The Gifted has primarily been to help maintain tension, and keep the moments on the page interesting.

UTF: I also want to take the time to talk about some of your upcoming works, Dixie Vixens, what’s that series about?

Adrian Wassel: Yeah, absolutely. Dixie Vixens is one of my favorites, and not just because I’m doing a lot of the writing but because it’s fun, and it’s sexy, and it’s cool. It’s about three hot graduate students Dixie Vixens Preview Panelfrom New York City, who take a road trip down south back to their stomping grounds. And on the way, they have this simple car accident but things snowball. They end up caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

They witness a KKK rally, now noticing this horrible events going on, they decide that they’re going do something. And that starts off as sort of a normal, realistic presentation of the world delves into an awesome, newer style crime thriller. And the three main characters are fun, and they each have unique personalities.

UTF: Well, that sounds like a fun book. We’ll definitely keep an eye out for that one, and we do also have one more that we would very much like to talk about. It’s Tara. Right? What kind of comic is it going to be?

Adrian Wassel: It’s a trilogy that will actually be an illustrated series of novels. So with that we’re doing standard chapter text, and then Nathan will highlight those with world building art.

Tara Preview PanelThey’ll each be about 800 to 1000 pages in length, and it’s a massive, epic fantasy that’s fantastically written. It’s a really fun series, it’s basically about three kingdoms, the political mechanisms going on, and these amazing creatures called that these people ride. It’s awesome; and a lot of fun.

I’m actually in the middle of writing a second book.

UTF: As we wrap up this interview, I just want to ask one final question. Did you have a message or anything like that you want to get out there?

Adrian Wassel: Sure. What we have is a family business. It’s my dad, my brother, my cousin and I. And we started because we just love comics and telling stories. We’d sit around in the basement and Story Worth Tellingcome up with ideas and scribble stuff down. We were just fans, and that’s where it all started. We loved this, wanted to make it real and realized that was our calling and that’s what we loved.

So, if there’s anybody out there who’s ever thought, “Oh man, I have this great idea for a comic,” just do it. Take your time, write it. It might take a decade but you’ll feel great in the process. And that’s my message to all of you.

I want to take the time to thank Mr. Adrian Wassel for the excellent conversation, it was refreshing and I’m very excited to see what he accomplishes this year.

But what did you guys think of the interview? Sound off with your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below!