An Interview With ‘Hex Vets’ Creator Sam Davies

Nan and Clarian have come a long way since Hex Vets: Witches in Training. That’s why, when a vaccine drive to prevent the spread of phoenix flu promises to keep them busy, Dr. Talon and Nurse Ariel decide to leave Nan and Clarion to see patients on their own in Hex Vets: The River Guardian. Are they ready to take the next step in their witch training? With inks and colors by Lisa Moore and letters by AndWorld Design, here’s what creator Sam Davies had to say about the third book in her Hex Vet series:

Rachel Bellwoar: The joy of Hex Vets being an ongoing series is we really get to see Nan and Clarion’s hard work pay off as they’re asked to take on more responsibilities. Have you enjoyed getting to play the long game with these characters?

Sam Davies: I am, I think I get to know them more with each book … and sometimes they surprise me! Hopefully readers also feel they are learning more about them, like new friends, as they see them both struggle with balancing their training and personal lives. I do sometimes feel bad for throwing more magical misadventures in their way when they already have a lot to get on with without a new plotline making things worse!

Bellwoar: One of the milestones Nan and Clarion hit in this book is seeing patients on their own for the first time. It’s not all smooth sailing, though. How important was it to you to show that learning curve and that it’s OK to not get everything right right away?

Davies: Well, I can only draw from my own life, and I tend to get things completely muddled the first time then hopefully learn and things go a little smoother the next time (not always though!). The process of making comics still feels like that, I try something and see if it works! Nan and Clarion at least get to learn from my mistakes.

Bellwoar: One of their cases calls for them to leave the clinic and see what’s causing the animals by the river to get upset. Why did you choose that ecosystem to explore?

Davies: I am a big fan of rivers! And love swimming, so I’ve been hoping to work a watery location into Hexvet from the start, and since they took to the skies last time it felt right to head underwater next. River pollution is also a local issue for me here in Oxford, the sewage levels in the Thames are often too high for safe swimming when the water company dumps overspill, so I suppose my feelings about that surfaced when I started planning for this story.

Bellwoar: As a result, there are a lot of aquatic magical creatures in this volume. Do you have a personal favorite?

Davies: Otters of course! Chaotic, lawless, affectionate and ruthless – what’s not to love about an otter?

Bellwoar: Speaking of the river, why did you choose to have the river guardian take on the form of an otter?

Davies: See above! But also I have read that seeing an Otter in a river is a sign that the ecosystem is healthy, since there are enough fish to support a large predator, so I think that was also in my mind when choosing a guardian (their long wiggly bodies are also great fun to draw in ghostly form!).

Bellwoar: Clarion is also nervous about a presentation she has coming up. Where do you stand on public speaking?

Davies: The first time I had to speak in public as an adult I cried at the end … but it was a lovely experience, I said what I wanted to and everyone was very supportive afterwards. So it’s a difficult but worthwhile thing to try? A healthy amount of social terror keeps life interesting? Ask me right before having to speak in public again and I’ll probably say never agree to it, run away and hide in a cupboard.

Bellwoar: Rather than look for a magical cure, Clarion decides to tell Nan about her concerns. How important is it, when telling a story involving magic, to make sure magic isn’t always the answer?

Davies: It seems to me that in a world with magic its likely that magic, like anything, would lead to as many problems as it solves … and sometimes we get too focused on solving problems instead of really listening to hear what’s wrong, so I tend to want to encourage more listening and accepting when things aren’t going well as an inevitable part of life.

Bellwoar: Two years ago Boom! Studios announced that an animated series based on Hex Vets was in the works at Nickelodeon. Are you involved with that series at all and do you know whether it’s any closer to airing?

Davies: I have been lucky enough to get a peek behind the scenes and am very excited about what the team at Nickelodeon have done with Hexvet. I don’t have any specific dates to share, but I can say the people involved in the show are all huge animal lovers and have really brought that passion to bare (bear?), which is all I could want for the series.

Bellwoar: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Sam!

Hex Vets: The River Guardian is on sale now from Boom! Studios.