Ever wonder what goes into creating a comic book from scratch? Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at our very own up-and-coming comic artist, junior Daria Wimmer, and her book, Dragonbourne.

It all started with her love of comics. Wimmer had been reading a lot, and she soon wondered what it’d be like to try it out herself.

“A couple of times when I was walking home from school, I saw this picture in my head of a little girl with very long, black hair and a tall, gangly man behind her,” she said. “So, the next day, I tried to draw it out and I loved it, so I jumped right into it before I had time to think about it too hard.”

Wimmer said her inspiration came from reading a lot of fantasy stories and ancient myths, as well as the works of Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and other stories set in that time period.

“From the very start of making Dragonbourne, I wanted a major theme to be change and ‘worlds colliding,’ in a sense,” she said. “I wanted the main character, Ross, to be someone I could relate to myself. So, rather than the dark and mysterious male lead you usually see in Victorian era stories, I made him this sort of sickly, socially awkward, incredibly introverted person.”

Wimmer said her other lead, Vee, is the complete opposite of Ross. As well as becoming a dragon at times, Vee is a young girl that was displaced from her home country. She is loud, social, and more or less clueless about the world around her.

“I liked the idea that they can help each other,” she said. “Ross teaches her the way the world works and, in turn, Vee helps him break out of his shell.”

As with anything, Wimmer encountered some struggles.

“I jumped into Dragonbourne without really caring if I had the right skill set, so sometimes knowing how to draw or shade things can be a challenge, but it’s a great learning experience,” she said, “even if I do run through my art supplies a lot faster.”

However, despite a few setbacks, Wimmer said she has pushed through this journey with the help of friends and family.

“My oldest sister, Jenika, is an art major, so she helps me a lot with color and layout,” she said. “My younger sister Alia helps me with a bunch of odd jobs as well. We call her my editor! I also have to give credit to my friends, who I often draw inspiration from, especially my friend Vy. She actually (very creatively) named Vee, and I use some of her mannerisms and attitudes in Vee’s character.”

Upon finishing the third chapter, Wimmer started posting her book on Wattpad, an online community where people can read and publish user-generated stories of any genre.

“So far, people’s reactions were mostly positive,” she said. “The comic is still in its early stages, so it’s hard to say for sure at this point.”

The web comic currently has around 150 views, where Wimmer was able to get instant feedback from other artists and learn how to improve her work.

“Once the edited version gets underway, though, I’d like to post it on an actual web comic platform like Line Webtoon,” she said. “I hope that maybe people are interested in reading it!”t