My Interview With The Webtoon Artist, Maripaz Villar!

I am proud to announce that I was able to have an interview with the artist Maripaz Villar, the creator of Miss Abbott and the Doctor, an adorable Victorian rom-com Webtoon that I highly recommend. It’s cute, fluffy, humorous, and if you’re tired of angsty romance, this is for you; the two leads are absolutely adorable together! My questions will be in red, and her answers in black!

What made you decide to create a romantic comedy in a Victorian era in the first place?

Everything started because I don’t like drawing people in modern clothes. XD

How did you come up with Miss Abbott and the Doctor’s storyline?

I had a basic idea of an extravagant girl arriving to a quiet town and then added things through the years.

Have any places you’ve visited inspired the setting?

Not really.

How were you inspired to create Miss Abbott and the Doctor? Have any books, movies, TV shows, basically fiction, helped inspire Miss Abbott and the Doctor?

Yes, so many, for example, Northern Exposure and Anne of Green Gables (the 80’s miniseries).

What is your process for writing each episode?

First I come up with a short synopsis and then I let the characters talk by themselves.

What is your process for creating each episode art-wise?

I make a first draft version with a colouring pencil and then I ink it with a graphite. After that I scan every paper sheet and prepare the panels on Photoshop.

Who is your favorite character to draw?

Andreas.

Who is your favorite character to write?

Cati.

Do you have the basic idea for where you want the story to go, or is it more improvised?

50/50. I know where I want to go, but not how the road is going to be, so to speak.

The Victorian society everyone lives in seems ideal in some ways, but it still has a way to go in others. How do you decide which issues are more acceptable there, and which ones aren’t?

Well, I’m not trying to recreate an accurate era, so I feel free to talk about almost anything.

The lessons you teach about relationships never feel preachy or contrived. Same with topics such as feminism. How do you go about including these ideas in your stories?

I’m really not trying to teach anything, but I think it’s important to send the right message. I try to avoid harmful messages that we see everyday in fictional stories and ads. I’m writing a love story, but I don’t want to send the idea that romantic love is the only thing that matters, or that you have to sacrifice yourself for your partner. I don’t want to make a dramatic story and make a young kid believe that love is hard and it’s only true love if there’s crying, jealousy and sacrifice. Or that you have to be what society expects you to be according to your gender.

Have there been any Easter eggs of some sort in an episode? (Blogger’s note: Better reread and try to find them!)

There are in almost every chapter!

In the episode after talking about Rebecca’s sexuality, there were photos from the Victorian era of gay and lesbian couples. How did you find those?

I googled “victorian gay couples”. XD

How many “arcs” are you planning on writing?

Just a few, we’ll see.

 

On your DeviantArt page, I saw that anything related to Miss Abbott and the Doctor was filed under something called, “Superstition”. Could you explain?

That was a provisional title. At the time I was considering the idea of a wilder Cati: she had these “native beliefs” that bothered our rational doctor. But somehow the story changed and I thought the title didn’t fit anymore.

I had so much fun interviewing Maripaz! It definitely gave some more insight into one of the most popular Webtoons as of late. Thanks, Maripaz! And if you’re curious, you can find Miss Abbott and the Doctor here: Miss Abbott and the Doctor