Making Comics: Interview with John Avina

Written by Jens Schommer 1/29/2025

The longer you stick with a medium the more meaning it tends to take on. My perception of comic books changed a lot throughout my life. When I was young comics meant Garfield and Superman. When I was a teen, it expanded outside of newspaper funnies and superheroes, and I started to see how comics like Maus and Anya’s Ghost could tell deep and meaningful stories. As an adult, comics have only continued to grow more interesting as a medium, not only in terms of reading, but also creating them.

We’re also living in a time where getting into comics is easier than it’s ever been. Art programs like Clip Studio and Krita have become relatively affordable and offer a whole studio’s worth of tools for aspiring artists. Comics also benefit from not having an industry standard script format like screenplays so even a simple word processor like Google Docs can get new writers on their way. Even publishing has become easier with social media and platforms like Webtoons helping creators connect with their audiences.

If you’ve ever thought about making comics (or maybe already are!) you might have some questions though about the process or may be curious about how other creators do things. To help answer those questions we reached out to comic creator John Avina of Avina Comics for an interview which he was kind enough to accept.

Over the last three years John has written over 38 issues of comics, both as an indie as well as for publishers. This has included creating and working on series such as Americana, Cinema Muerte, Lockjaw and Pistolero, and Lucha Forever to name just a few. He’s also managed to do all that while working a full-time job, running his own small business, and raising a family. If you’ve ever struggled with procrastination, are afraid it’s too late to start chasing your dream, or feel like there just isn’t enough time in your day to pursue your passions, John’s proof that it can be done.

In the interview we got to discuss topics including John’s story of getting into comics, resources that helped him, how to deal with burnout, connecting with artists, working indie vs with publishers, and more! Be sure to check out the full interview on YouTube!