Exclusive Interview : Dawn Best

Dawn Best:Glad to be here :-)

sthnews: Now why are you important in the Sonic community?

Dawn Best:I've never really thought of myself as being important. I always imagined myself to be just another fan. I've been around the net community for a good long while, like 96 or 97 is when I first came into the fandom online, so I got to know alot of the people in it since then. Now that I work for the comics, I don't think of myself as any more important. I'd rather be looked at as a fan than a professional.

sthnews: What issue did you start working on Archie Sonic comics and how did you get picked as an artist to work on them?

Dawn Best:First issue I did was Sonic 101's Knuckles story. There are many variations as to how I got the job at Archie flying around, so I'd like to set the record straight now.. Ken first asked for help in a chat online, so I inquired, and recieved an invitation to submit a sample which, if good enough, would give me the chance to work for Archie. Ken later opened up the contest to everyone with a post on his message board. When I submitted my page, he liked what he saw (continued)

Dawn Best:so he told me that the contest was then between myself and one other person, and to submit another page for a "face off". I sent my next submission in that day, and the next day after driving 2 hours in bad weather, was floored to find Ken had called and I had got the job. :-)

sthnews: Well,glad he picked you.What's it like working on the Sonic comics?Is there deadlines on when to get the work done and tell us how you help to create the comics.

Dawn Best:Yeah there are deadlines, but alot of time, Ken trusts me with setting my own. I get about a page done a day, so I can plan out when I can submit them by that. I just do the pencilling now, but later Ken wants me to start inking, and maybe a little more after that.

sthnews: How do you get the work to Ken?Send it through mail or are you located near him?

Dawn Best:I send things to him through the mail. Usually, I send it directly to the letterer, which is almost always Vickie Williams, and she sends it to Ken or whoever is on the roster to ink.

sthnews: When did you first learn you were great at art and drawing?

Dawn Best:LOL, I'm still wondering if I am, really. All I know is, I've been drawing since I was really little, and never once got negative criticism from anyone I knew. It's been that way ever since, and only since I've been in college have I really recieved a negative critique with a solid base.

sthnews: Have you always wanted to be an artist and get a job in that kind of field?

Dawn Best:Ever since grade school I knew I wanted to draw for a living. I find alot of enjoyment in illustration and the like. That way it isn't much like work anyway.

sthnews: How long have you been a Sonic The Hedgehog fan and how did you start out liking him or other characters of that universe?

Dawn Best:I became a Sonic fan after playing the first game on the Genesis back in the day. Although I admit that before I had taken the Archie gig, I hadn't picked up an issue of the Sonic comic for about two or three years.

sthnews: Were you a fan of the comics two to three years ago?:D

Dawn Best:I was, actually. I got into it mostly because I fell in love with Spaz's artwork, and I was surprised because I kept with it for a good long while after that. Must've been my Sophomore year of high school before I stopped buying them regularly. Even then I picked up a few issues from time to time.

sthnews: Why did you stop collecting on a monthly bases?

Dawn Best:I really don't know. Maybe because I was on the verge of developing my own style, and I didn't think to pick up the books because I didn't need Patrick's guidance any longer. Or maybe because I was just busy in general. Not that it interfered with my social life or anything: alot of folks at school knew I collected the books and they found it cute. They'd come over and ask if they could see the latest Sonic issue. Hehe

sthnews: Tell us why you think Sonic The Hedgehog has become so popular over the last 10 years,why people fall for the blue blur?

Dawn Best:I think it's because Sonic appeals to people for the same reason Mickey Mouse does. Only Sonic has this whole attitude thing, and this super power, which immediately makes him that much cooler.

sthnews: Tell us about your happiest moment,what I mean is about Sonic,like when you finally got that one Sonic game you've been wanting.

Dawn Best:My happiest moment involving Sonic, besides landing the pencilling job of course, was when I got my Knuckles plushie. I take him everywhere with me, and he's been abducted several times by my friends who like to hide him and do horrible things to him. But he doesn't seem to mind too much. ;-)

sthnews: Poor Knuckles...*Sniff*Now that Sonic is going onto other game systems like the Gamecube,what would you like to see in the near future of Sonic gaming,or any other involvment?

Dawn Best:My college roomie has a Gamecube here at the apartment. I really like the graphics, sound, and all that, but I would like to see them put into a side-scrolling game again. Like, we were playing the Mario level of Smash Brothers Melee, which is set up like an old school Mario game. I was thinking, "Hey, they should just stick with the good old side scroll games. Maybe make a Sonic game like that.." I really miss the classic look and feel of the Genesis games.

Dawn Best:I do have a Gameboy Advance -- pretty much for the sole purpose of getting Sonic Advance.

sthnews: Sonic Advance will have the classic feel of the good o' Genesis days.My name spells 3/4 of dumb as well...maybe not...Anways,When did you start submitting your fan art on the internet and tell us about your characters you created and draw.

Dawn Best:I did my first piece of fan art for a Save Sally page, when everyone was all worried about a piece of news we got about Sonic 47. My first pics weren't scanned, because I didn't have that capability at the time, so I just drew them with a mouse. First character of mine to get into the fandom was, of course, Ruby Echidna. She's had about three hundred style changes since then, but I still like the character. You never know, someday she might make it into the books -- at least for a cameo, anyway.

sthnews: Maybe Ruby will make it into a future Sotsu someday,or atleast a cameo on a future Law and Order.When did you start your website,though it's like any other artists page,it has art and we all love art.How did you get into that and what plans do you have in the future for your site?

Dawn Best:I first came up with Ruby's Sanctuary about the same time I did my first pics on the web. Seemed to be a good idea, as at that time, there was a definite need for Sonic pages. I tried putting news on there from the Sonic newsgroups and mailing lists, along with my art, character info, lots of things. I kept my identity as Ruby for privacy reasons, but as I got older, and got to know people better, I started to use my real name online. (continued)

Dawn Best:As for the future of my site, it'll hopefully stay the same as it is now: built more like a fan site than a corporate site. However, as I'll be entering the real world as a graphic designer in the next 3 months, I might end up changing it to better market myself online, and it would need to be more professional for that reason.

sthnews: At first did you also have things on Sonic The Hedgehog or has it always been about your art and a few news tidbits here and there?

Dawn Best:When I started out, I really only had Sonic things. I didn't know whether I could post the other things I did and have people go for it like I knew they would the Sonic stuff. Eventually, I ended up getting on a couple of other archives and threw artwork of things non-Sonic related on them.

sthnews: What will your future be as an artist for Sonic comics and has this opened more opitinities for your future as an artist?

Dawn Best:As far as Sonic goes, I thoroughly enjoy it. The work is fun, the staff is great. It's definitely opened doors. The way Ken talks, he wants to get me more work after I finish college, so I'll probably get more Knuckles pages done in that time. Of course, he could always put something off the wall in there too, like maybe an illustration for something other than Sonic. Additionally, I might be heading to the SFCC this year with Ken, so if I get offers out there or whatever, it'd be cool.

sthnews: Have you looked up to any artists that have helped you and you've always thought they were a god?Who has influenced you the most?

Dawn Best:Like I said, I always looked up to Spaz. Alot of the folks at Archie use his stuff for model sheets, so it's not just me. :-) I like the works of J. Scott Campbell too, Joe Madureira, and lots of others.

sthnews: What do you think of the Knuckles green look compared to his regular red look.I think he looks way past funny as the rad green echidna.

Dawn Best:Hehe, yeah, I'll agree with you. But I should talk.. I've dyed my hair about a million times over, so I won't harass him. ;-)

sthnews: Leave the harassing to me sister,though my hair is a certian aqua color O_o Can you give us any spoilers,or are you not permitted to do so?

Dawn Best:Don't know what I can reveal that hasn't been revealed already.. Um, you're going to get a big heaping dose of Knuckles 20 Years Later sometime down the road. I'm not just talking about what starts in 106, either.

sthnews: Any word on Knuckles deciding to buy a thing of red dye any time soon?

Dawn Best:He'll be losing the green fur tones a little before Sonic 112, I think.

sthnews: I better not make you spill all the beans,don't wan't Mr. Penders running at you with a bat or a bag of cats.Have you been a fan of SatAM,AoSTH,Sonic Anime or even Sonic Underground(Once again,blah...)

Dawn Best:I loved watching Sonic on Saturday mornings, I even have some AoStH tapes lying around from a couple summers when I'd wake up early just to catch them. I got the Sonic Anime through a friend when it first came out in Japan, and I really enjoyed it despite the slightly poor quality of the video.

sthnews: What do you think of the way the storylines going in recent issues of Archie Sonic comics and how would you make the story improve if you could?

Dawn Best:Well, can't say much about that.. I would like to see more single issue stories. Especially with Knuckles. Just start and finish them in one issue. It's kinda hard to do in 6 pages, but I'd like to see it.

sthnews: It's late so I better finish this interview.Thanks alot for your time Dawn Best.Be sure to pick up a copy of future issues of Sonic comics to veiw some of Dawn's work,and head to dawnbest.com to learn more about her and veiw some of her art.Take care of yourself Dawn!

Dawn Best:Thanks for having me. Cheers :-)

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