Women In Comics Month: Interview with Erica J Heflin

In honor of Women in Comics this March, PREVIEWSworld talks with writer Erica J Heflin!

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PREVIEWSworld: Tell us a little bit about yourself! What are you currently working on?

Erica J Heflin: I’m the monthly writer of Zenescope’s Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Wonderland. I serve as the EIC for Grayhaven Comics, which over the past several years has focused on getting creative teams together to produce indie anthologies. I’m finishing work as a writer and letterer on Inverse Press’s Flesh of White, and will be releasing the graphic novel Antithesis through Inverse later this year. With Pilot Studies I am the co-creator and a writer for the Carriers series, and at Alterna digital The Black Hand mini-series will see completion this year.

PREVIEWSworld: How long have you been working with sequential art? What titles, companies, and creators have you worked with over your time in comics?

Erica J Heflin: I’ve been working on anthologies and in small release for nearly four years now. The independent process isn’t always a fast one, so some books that I began years ago are just now seeing final publication. My completed series are Mother and Son, which is available through Grayhaven Comics and comixology, and Dark Shaman, which is available through Zenescope and Comixology.

PREVIEWSworld: Did you have a mentor or hero in the industry that inspired you to pursue a career in comics?

Erica J Heflin: I doubt it would surprise anyone to say that I’ve been very inspired by Gail Simone. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with her and discussing comics, the comics industry, and writing in general. Both she and Jason Ciaramella gave me positive feedback and encouragement. Whenever I’ve struggled I’ve had their words to turn to for a little boost. It truly helps to keep you on the path.

PREVIEWSworld: In your opinion, how has the comic book industry evolved in terms of gender?

Erica J Heflin: It’s changed dramatically in very overt ways. I remember in the 90s and attending conventions, and seeing very few other women in attendance. Now, you go to conventions or swing by comic shops, and female fans are neither rare nor a surprising presence. These fans have grown in number and our voice has grown louder and more independent comic creative avenues have opened to everyone. There’s still a disparity in representation, but the industry is constantly moving and changing in response to the consumer, and I can only imagine that as more women put their material out there, the fans will find new creators to love and support. 

PREVIEWSworld: What stereotypes do you see surrounding women in comics? How could people of all genders go about breaking those stereotypes?

Erica J Heflin: There are many, but I’m going to focus in on the body type stereotype, and it’s one where I think overall there’s been improvement. While the Big Two still put forth pretty similar images in both their male and female characters, the surge in indie books allows creators to break away from that mental mold and focus on creating characters where their lifestyle and personality can primarily inform character design. I think while we’ll always have the majority of our superheroes shown in those idyllic forms, the variety of non-superhero comics available opens new doors for character design.

PREVIEWSworld: How do you want to see women represented in comic books 10 years from now?

Erica J Heflin:  I just want comics to be dynamic, and the women in them to be equally so. I want to read about women who are strong and women who don’t have that inner strength. I want to read about women who are charming, sexy, nerdy, angry, sickly, plain, sad and any combination of adjectives without feeling that a single trait defines them. Women are dynamic and layered and I want to see that.

PREVIEWSworld: If you could give advice to any aspiring editors, executives, writers, or artists, what would you tell them?

Erica J Heflin:  Buy the books that focus on how to craft a comic from beginning to end. Read your favorite author’s scripts. Make use of crowdfunding resources like kickstarter and indiegogo and put together original concepts. Brace yourself for a few failures and some heartbreak, and never expect anyone to slave away on a project for days for free.

PREVIEWSworld: And lastly, are there any up-and-coming women creators who you would recommend readers check out?

Erica J Heflin:  I’ll have to give a big vote to my Flesh of White co-creator Amanda Rachels. She continues to impress me with her amazing skill, and the emotion that she conveys with each scene escalates the work well beyond what I wrote. Finally, my colorist for Antithesis, Zoar Huerta, does work that melts my heart. In addition to being a ridiculously talented colorist, she is also a writer and an artist. She needs to do more in every capacity.

Check out more Women In Comics Month interviews in our special section on PREVIEWSworld!