Every Hero Starts as a Sketch
Before Alec Gutierrez ever rolled into action as Whirl Wheel, he was a rough idea in the mind of his creator. A question mark. A possibility. The journey from that first new idea to a finished comic panel is where the real magic happens — and we want to take you inside it.
Step 1: The Idea
Every Whirl Wheel story starts with a question: What does Alec care about right now? Not "what villain does he need to fight" — but what is going on in his life, his community, his world? The action follows the character, not the other way around.
This approach keeps Alec grounded as a full human being first and a superhero second. His motivations, relationships, and daily experiences as a young man with Spina Bifida shape every story we tell.
Step 2: The Script
Once the story idea is locked, it gets written out as a full script — panel by panel, page by page. Comics scripts are surprisingly detailed: they describe not just the dialogue but the visual composition of each panel, the expressions on characters' faces, the mood of the scene.
For Whirl Wheel, we pay special attention to how Alec's wheelchair is depicted. It's never an afterthought. The chair is part of his body language, his movement, his power. Getting that right on the page takes intentional, careful writing.
Step 3: Pencils & Inks
With the script in hand, the artist begins laying out the pages in pencil — rough at first, then refined. This is where the story becomes visual. Panels are composed, characters are placed, action flows across the page.
Inking comes next, giving the pencil lines weight and definition. This is the stage where Alec really comes alive — where you can see the determination in his eyes and the momentum in his wheels.
Step 4: Color & Letters
Color transforms the inked pages from black-and-white line art into a living world. The color palette for Whirl Wheel is deliberate — warm and vibrant in moments of community and connection, cooler and more intense during action sequences.
Lettering — the dialogue bubbles, captions, and sound effects — is the final layer that ties everything together. Good lettering is invisible; it guides your eye through the page without you even noticing.
Step 5: The Finished Page
When all the pieces come together, a finished Whirl Wheel page is something we're genuinely proud of. Not just because of the craft involved, but because of what it represents: a disabled superhero, rendered with care and intention, ready to inspire the next generation of readers.
Stay Behind the Panels
We'll be sharing more behind-the-scenes content here on the blog — process sketches, story development notes, and more. Follow along and watch Whirl Wheel grow, one panel at a time.