RULE OF THREE 060825 (interview with comic creator & XanCon chief DC Horn)
- XanCon
- Jun 8
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 8
RULE OF THREE. The rules are simple. Three questions. Three answers. Here we go!
QUESTION 1: Can you describe your creative process when developing a new comic? What sources of inspiration do you draw from?
DC HORN: For me, the creative process is all about layering. I always start with a small idea or inspiration and build on it slowly in the back of my mind. I rarely write anything down other than the basic idea until I’ve worked it over and over for days, weeks, or months, slowly building these layers. Eventually, when I feel like I have something tangible, I begin writing something that’s between an outline and a first draft. The goal is to just get it down on paper. Lately, I prefer using actual pen and paper. Then we continue the process, one draft or edit at a time.
QUESTION 2: Building on the theme of creativity, let’s dive deeper into character development. How do you approach character development in your stories, and what makes a character resonate with your audience?
DC HORN: At the most basic level, I break down character development into two questions: What does the character want? And why does the character want it? You can build or “layer” from there. If their goals are relatable, then their motivations can be, or vice versa. Alternatively, it can be fun to play with unrelatable goals or motivation. I enjoy using CAT GOAT DOG as an example. What does the cat want? A fish. Why does the cat want the fish? She’s hungry. What is the cat willing to do to achieve this goal? But then if we use Xanatopia as an example, the reader doesn’t really know what Nora wants, and we learn about her more from her reactions to the events.
I find character building to be a fun exercise in role-playing. You get this wonderful opportunity to dig in and act or improvise your way through scenes. Create a scenario and start playing.
QUESTION 3: How do you navigate trends in the comic book industry while staying true to your unique voice and vision?
DC HORN: It’s a difficult line to walk. I feel like a professional writer should (or at least could) find a way to stay true to their unique voice while also writing for specific audiences or trends. I’ve seen creators who seem to follow trends, and some of them have done well. An important question to ask early in the creation process is whether you’re creating something for a particular audience and marketing directly to them, or if you’re creating something unique to yourself and intend to find or build an audience. I believe I have leaned toward the latter. I don’t think there is a wrong answer necessarily. But I think there can be a wrong answer depending on your goals. A counter point to that would be that I have seen comic book writer inject too much of themselves into stories and it just came across weird or forced.
I sometimes think of movies, shows, comics as restaurants. Some pieces of media are the high-end steak houses. They are great and celebrated and have well deserved fanfare. But there’s nothing wrong with some fast food every now and again too. I’ve see people complain about indie comics that are trend chasing, or “light” for lack of a better term. My thought is to ask the basic question, “did you have fun?” If yes then good, if not then bad. So… I don’t know… I worry that sometimes we put too much focus on individuality and uniqueness of voice. Not to suggest that it isn’t important. Be true to yourself while learning to remain open.
RULE OF THREE 060825 - this has been an interview with comic creator and XanCon chief DC Horn.
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