Occupation: Children's book art director, freelance illustrator, cartoonist.

Website: krisdresen.com

First professional project: MANYA

Dream project: Illustrating a really good science fiction graphic novel.

Favorite personal project to date: MANYA: FALLING, and my as yet to be published graphic novel: GRACE.

Work outside of comics: Countless greeting cards (300 plus) and illustrations for kid's textbooks.

First introduction to comics: Newspaper comic strips when I was a wee lass.

Most influential comics/creators on your life or career: Gary Trudeau (DOONESBURY), Lynn Johnston (FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE), Bill Watterson (CALVIN & HOBBES ), Alison Bechdel (DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR)

Current favorite comic: FRED THE CLOWN by Roger Landridge.

All time favorite comics: DOONESBURY.

How do you spend time when not working on comics: Watching animation. I'm particularly fond of Pixar and Miyazaki.

Favorite LGBT character in any media: Lois from DTWOF.

One person you'd like to meet: Dead - Van Gogh; Living - Bill Watterson.

What comic book character would you like to be, and why? Calvin from CALVIN & HOBBES. I'd love to have his energy and imagination.

Last good movie you saw: Amelie.

Last good book you read: The Harry Potter books.

CDs you're listening to now: B52's ANTHOLOGY, Peter Gabriel - PASSION, Mamas & Papas GREATEST HITS, Throwing Muses - LIMBO.

What aspect of the comics medium draws you to work in it? The combination of drawing and writing. I'm a good illustrator and a decent writer, but meshing them together is incredibly satisfying.

What does the phrase "gay sensibility" mean to you? To me, gay sensibility means presenting my work in terms of how I, as a gay woman, percieve and interact with others in the world. It might be blatant or subtle, but it is in every comic I do.

Does your queerness impact your work? Yes. I quite conciously do queer-oriented comics and comics that are from a queer perspective.

What advice do you have for aspiring comics creators? If you're serious about your work, then you must create, create, create. Practice your craft and don't settle for being average or adequate.

Comics career highlights: Getting a Xeric grant for our first MANYA book, then Jen Benka and I getting an Eisner nomination for our work on MANYA.

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