I had the pleasure of meeting our next Independent creator a couple of years back while checking out a comic project and found her to not only be a serious comic creator, but also a hard-working and dedicated mother. Dorphise’s success as a creator has garnered her an invitation to the Lagos Comic Convention this year. With a big smile, she states that her mission is to “bridge the gap” between the American Indy comic scene and the Nigerian comic scene. Let’s find out more about Dorphise.
Who were your early influences?
My early influence when it came to reading comics was the DC Comics brand. DC comics, animation basically took from what I was reading and successfully display it making me hungry for more. I grew up to love several characters such as Batman, Static Shock, Superman, Raven from Teen Titans, Spiderman, Iron Man, Hulk, and its. These characters’ backstory motivated me to read more comics. Many writers were influenced to take a chance at writing scripts. My expirations are Stan Lee, Gail Simone, G.W Wilson, Amber Benson, Alan Moore, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Marjorie Liu, Afua Richardson, Babs Tarr, and Roxane Gay. Many of these writers and are artist legends and I always read their books for inspirations
Did you start out collecting comics, and if so what were they?
I started collecting comics young you know such as Batman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, and Hulk. But now I pick an indie comic before any comics from the big 2. I will always read from Marvel, DC, and Image because if it wasn’t for these publishers. I wouldn’t have taken interest in comics today.
Who do you think are the top five black superheroes out there and why?
The top five black superheroes from my perspective are John Stewart (Green Lantern), Black Panther, Storm, Miles Morales (Spiderman), and Cyborg. These characters all have a unique backstory, which separates them from the others. I love all these characters and how they portray the strength of black heroes. You can read about from family to betrayal very intriguing plots.
Given the success of Indy books like Solarman, Black, and Tuskegee Heirs, what other books do you see having mainstream appeal?
Right now I see E.X.O The legend of Wale Williams, Spirit’s Destiny and Mega Woman would make a mainstream appeal. Once you start reading the comics it is like you can envision these storylines being played in the theaters. What separates us from all other indie books we provide the culture with a dash of exquisite themes and plots for our loyal readers.
Which medium do you think holds the most success for Indy creators, Webcomics or the traditional print books?
I would say it depends on the outcome of the fan base and marketing strategy. I prefer to have my book physically, than to read it digitally. But webcomics or traditionally print books work for some and don’t work for others. It all depends on the creators’ goals.
What is the biggest obstacle that Indy creators must overcome to be taken seriously alongside mainstream companies like Marvel and DC Comics?
Marketing, grasping a loyal fan base, and creating a vivid story that has themes and plots. Indie creators cannot expect anything to come to fall on their lap. Being vocal via social media or corns can really help indie creators improve on marketing strategy and gain more fans. Many indie creators fall short on their stories by not having these two important essentials which are theme and plots. The theme is important because it’s what the writers elaborate on the central idea of the story. Many indie creators have to take time to develop an effective plot. The plot determines how successful the story will be.
Name three independent books that you would like to see as movies.
I would love to see E.X.O Legend of Wale Williams, of course, Spirit’s Destiny and Mega Woman. When I first read Roye’s novel on E.X.O I was intrigued by how much he saturated his readers with his culture and language within the book. It’s a very outstanding novel that grabbed the reader’s attention from each chapter. The action and the message behind every chapter make all these unique books.
If there were anything you would say to someone looking to get into the comic industry; especially a person of color; what would it be?
Don’t let any negative feedback deter you from your goals. Use negativity as a motivational mechanism to prove those who doubt you wrong. I was once in that situation and I must say things have been looking good. Negative remarks should only help fuel the hunger for your passion. Take your criticism as a way to help you get better as a writer or creator or artist.