Broken Frontier

Here are the artists who milk blood from whetstones. The ones who don't whine over their exclusive contract, or shill their latest movie deal--here then are the silent ones who care about comics--the ones who have ink in their brains, and enough talent to peel the skin off a rhino. Those are the very same insane artstis who deserve their comeuppance. Here then are the artists you need to meet.

Broken Frontier: Tell me a little bit about yourselves. What projects have y'all worked on in the past, and what's looming on the horizon?

Jorge F. Muñoz: I'm a self-taught artist from Mexico City, and I'm the artist and co-creator of Bear Beater Bunyan (formerly Yon Kuma) along with Josh Hechinger, available through Itunes and Android Market. On the horizon I have R+M, again with Josh Hechinger, a play on the simple concept of "What If Devil Man fought Astroboy?" but with our very own twist. I'm also working on personal projects and sample work to see if I can't get work with some comic publishers.

Anthony Peruzzo: I'm an artist living in Minnesota by way of Oregon, with a stop in Texas for my MFA (in fine art drawing and printmaking). I started out in comics by self publishing two (terrible) graphic novels. Since then I've had a story in Desperado's Negative Burn anthology (another one is on the way), two stories at Zuda (Unconscious Life and The Assignment - written by Justin Jordan), two semi-ongoing webcomics at R& R Publications (continuing The Assignment and the other Bob Sly, P.I.), two stories with Dirk Manning on Nightmare World, a couple stories with Sam Costello's Split Lip, two stories with Derek McCulloch--one featured in Popgun volume 4, the other featured in the upcoming anthology Fractured Fables. Looks like I work in "two's".

Things on the horizon are more anthology work that I can't really go into details with, but one will be with Derek again. I'm still making my web comics, and I have a pitch for a longer story I've been meaning to get to written by my frequent collaborator, Jamie Cottle.

John Bivens: Okay, I graduated from NIU 2 - 3 years ago. Since then I've worked on a couple of short stories for Sam Costello's Split Lip, during which I got asked by Rantz to work on Comic Book Tattoo. Since then I have competed in a handful of Zuda competitions, and have recently had a story come out in Popgun volume 4 written by Elizabeth Genco and illustrated by me.
 
I'm working with writer Russell Lissau on a short and mini-series that tie together into their own little crime-filled world. Josh Hechinger and I would like to continue our Zuda entry, The House Always Wins, in one form or another.  I'm slated to do a digital graphic novel with writer Elizabeth Genco for the online site TOR.com. Also, some different publishers have approached me recently about a variety of work they're interested in, though it's too early to say anything definite on that.

BF: There's a lot on your plate, guys. But I guess when you're relatively new to the industry, you have to stay prolific. So do y'all have a mentality of "Take every job I can get just to get my name out there," or are you pretty selective? And how would you describe your art style? What artistic influences do you draw from?

Peruzzo: I take on a lot of projects due to my interest in them, but also because the world of comics is very unpredictable. I always like to have a project on the horizon if a project falls apart or gets delayed. I don't take a project just for visibility alone. I have to be invested in the story to give my best for the art. I like to describe my style as a retro-modern-mash-up. I look to the "old" masters of comics for the drawing and inking. Like Will Eisner, Ditko, a little bit of Kirby...but I also look at active pro's like Cameron Stewart, Mike Huddleston, and Phil Hester. The quality that most brings in 'modern' technique is probably the coloring, where I change up my approach more frequently. I'm probably influenced by modern colorists just as much as the previous draftsman I mentioned. My favorites tend to be Dave McCaig and John Rauch.

Bivens: When it comes to work-for-hire stuff, I have a very mercenary approach. If I'm being paid a reasonable amount then I'll get it done. When it comes to projects that I have no financial guarantee on, and only get a percentage of the back-end, I'm selective. It has to be fun, the writer needs to be easy to work with, and I need it to challenge me and help to grow my storytelling skills. That being said, I'm fortunate to have had offers from many talented writers, asking me to work with them, and many of those projects meet all those requirements.

Muñoz: I used to accept almost any project offered to me, but after MANY failed 5 page pitches, I only do what I really want to do, the project has to be exciting and fun to draw. On paying jobs, I’ll take whatever, as long as it pays, but I’m the worst salesman in the industry, I can't seem to find those precious comic jobs that pay. One of the things that happened with Bear Beater Bunyan /Yon Kuma, that I did in 2009 is that people starts to think about you as "the artist with round faces" or something like that, and they think you can't do genre work like horror, action, spies, etc.

My art style is a weird amalgamation of people like Moebius, Jack Kirby, some manga artists, Enki Bilal (especially Exterminator 17) with a lot of stuff in the middle.

Peruzzo: You mean you DON"T exclusively draw Bear Wrestlers?!

Bivens: Ironically, right now I'm on a WFH project involving bears... that's all I can say on that though.

Peruzzo: Damn, now I need a bear project!

Bivens: Bears are the new vampires... which were the new zombies... which were the new robots... which were the new ninjas. Where will it go when bears jump the shark? That's the question we should be asking.

Muñoz: Viking Sharkbears, that's where is at!

BF: When you guys work with writers, how involved do you get with the process? How much art monkey-ing around do you do with the script? Do you appreciate hefty art direction, or minimalism when working with a writer?

Bivens: I add panels...I'll add panels like the dickens. Not really, but that is the most common suggestion I make. I like a little art direction, along with reference photos if the writer had a really specific image in mind. Otherwise the heart of the collaboration is both creators coming up with something together that was stronger than either could have originally come up with alone...so if a writer is overbearing or the artist is close-minded, the end result will be stagnant.

Peruzzo: I see it as collaboration, so if there is something that I feel doesn't fit, or needs fixing, I'll bring it up and offer suggestions. Most of the projects I work on do not have an editor, so I feel it's our duty as collaborators to edit each other. As far art direction, I'm fine with it, if it makes sense. Some writers are gifted with visual descriptions, others aren't. I've only run into a few problems with writers and those times, I think the writer was too close to their vision and not really open for collaboration.

Muñoz: Same as Anthony, this is a collaboration but I try to point out things that jump at me while reading a script, like inconsistencies or the good ol' two actions in the same panel like "he opens the door and answers the phone". But I try to be as faithful to the script as possible. Art direction is okay, as long as it's not heavily intrusive.

BF: What's a normal day's workload? And don't give me that horse manure about there being no such thing as a "normal day" for an artist, everyone knows you guys have it easy. So what is it? Do you guys blast the earphones and drink coffee grinds to make some of those redonkulous schedules? What're you listening to now?

Bivens: Funny you ask. Normally, (when I have a day off from my job in the butcher shop) I can do a page to a page and a half a day depending on what's needed (i.e. pencil, inks, full color…) and the type of scene. Right now I got hit with a rush job I'm working on where I'm knocking out 4 pages a day of line work...I would prefer more time to work on the pages, but I'm working with what I'm given. The coffee is necessary...and loud music or art podcasts. A lot of punk and industrial to get me moving in the morning.

Peruzzo: I have a day job, so on average I'll be drawing/inking on my lunch break. I get a bunch of work done on weekends and days off. My job allows for plenty of vacation time, so I usually cram in long sessions of art making on those days. I don't drink coffee or any caffeine and I don't listen to anything when I work...well, sometimes I have the radio on for background noise. I really don't listen though. I'm usually so tuned into the art that I don't really notice anything else.

Muñoz: I do comics and illustration full time; this means that every other week I’m unemployed. I wake up at 8 or 9, do some chores, web surfing, email, etc., until 1 or 2 in the afternoon, then I start working until 11 or so. This of course changes if I have a pressing deadline, then it's working at 8 or 9 a.m. until past midnight, if the pressing deadline is still pressing, repeat the next day until done.

I drink coffee--one or two cups a day--of COFFEE, black with sugar, no fancy "mokalatte-with-cream-foam-with-chocolate-sprinkles-and-a-heartattack-on-a-cup-that-says-coffee". I have a nice pair of earphones, courtesy of my lovely wife, I listen to podcasts, audiobooks and all kinds of music.

BF: What's been the most beneficial way you've found to promote your work? Are there some routes one should avoid? Or perhaps focus on?

Muñoz: I’m the wrong guy to ask, I suck at promoting myself, I think it's because of my shy nature. So if I have any piece of advice is: don't be shy and socialize, no one is going to "discover" you, you have to put your work in front of people and made them look.

Bivens: I don't know if what I do is the best or worst way...but it's simple. I cross-post my stuff as-much-as-possible on the internet, then I chat it up on twitter and Facebook to get people who wouldn't see it otherwise to look at it. 

The inter-webs is a wonderful marketing tool, but there is nothing like having a face attached to your work. So at the few conventions I go to each year I create a brand new portfolio packet (no one wants to see the same thing every year), I dress not like a slob, I go around and talk to whomever will listen. If I respect another artist's work, and they seem open to talking, I'll try to build a conversation. Also, when posting on the internet, I use my real name.  I'm trying to sell myself and not a handle that I thought was clever.

Peruzzo: John basically hit on all of the things I do as well. In addition I've created a Facebook page where I can notify people of my upcoming projects. It's a place where I can “develop” fans and such. I have people all over the world looking at my work through Facebook, and that is something I just couldn't do otherwise. Like John said, ALWAYS use your real name on the internet. But, don't pester people about your work either. Sending out constant emails and pushing your work in faces can also put people off and have a negative effect. You need a good balance. Let people know about a project, then move on. Some projects will create a lot of attention, some won't. Just keep that in mind.

Bivens: I had a discussion with one of my professors from NIU a while ago about promotion. The most talented in person in the world can go nowhere if they're too introverted, at the same time a person with mediocre talents can go a long way if they can talk a good game. I don't expect the work to just come to me, and that's the main thing.