Artist, inker, colorist, painter, teacher. In his 30 years of life, LUKE ROSS has spent 13 of them drawing professionally, many of them working on mainstream American comics for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Chaos, and Image.

Born and reared in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Luke Ross -- a.k.a. Luciano Queiros -- began his career as art director at a small advertising agency, after having worked as a store clerk, a metallurgic, and an electrician. His first comics job was "a four-part Blood is the Harvest mini-series for Eclipse Comics," though he admits, "my pencils are horrible! that�s why I guess the editors didn�t give me any jobs for the next seven months."

Retooling his technique to show a variety of styles, Luke tried out for various line art and painted assignments at Innovation Publishing, eventually landing the pencilling for issues of Lost in Space and Quantum Leap, inked by Mike Deodato. "After that, I started to work for some Brazilian companies doing erotic comics; I never regretted doing that because I had learned a lot about human figures, drawing all the characters 'as they came to this world.'

" His early studying of anatomy helped to establish "a strong base of constructing the human figure, that I can put any style over. I studied a lot of John Romita Sr, Will Eisner, Ross Andru, John Buscema, Neal Adams, Garcia Lopez, John Byrne, and Jim Lee; these guys are my masters. I like studying styles and I think, owing to that, I have a big facility to create any kind of style."

To prove it, he adapted his styles to each company, creating different "looks" for his assignments at Acclaim, DC, Marvel, Chaos, Dark Horse, Image, and Wildstorm.

Yes, Luke is married. "Milene Costa is my wife, my friend, and counselor. Sometimes when I need a model, Mi does that for me -- as Mary Jane, Buffy and others."

Nowadays, Luke owns a school of arts called IMPACTO QUADRINHOS, where he shares his knowledge and techniques to budding comics artists.

But Luke hasn't been content to stop there. "Over the past year, I left comics to learn about computers, coloring, and animation, and I am sure which this things will influence my future work." Today Luke is working on animated web comics for IMPACTO Studio�s clients Ford Motors and Zip.net, as well as his own project "called LUZ -- the light world�s daughter -- about a teenager who possesses an essence of a god. And one day when something relative to her age happens, she realizes something powerful is taken her body."

Luke is currently seeking regular assignments he can pencil, and possibly ink and color as well -- although he has a fondness for IMPACTO mate Fabio Laguna's inks and Hermes T.'s colors. Luke has just completed a run on AMERICAN CENTURY for DC/Vertigo, working with Howard Chaykin.

He has also recently completed an adult web comics vampire story in his newest style, pencilling, inking, and coloring in a lush technique that renders muscle tone, highlights, and shadings much like a painting.

Now able to tackle it all -- pencils, inks, and color, by himself or with IMPACTO's fellow professionals -- Luke says, "I missed the days I had to think about different angles, poses, and expressions do tell a story. So now I am back to do my best work ever, because I really love doing comics."

How did your parents face the idea about you be a comic artist?
I always had support from my parents; at first, my Father wanted me attend an university and get a real employment. After I became a professional, Dad changed his idea and today he is proud to be the father of a comic book artist. Mama always gave me support in everything I did. Both in their own way encouraged me to go on in my career.

Describe your work room.
Today I work in two different places, in my studio at Impacto school and at home when I count on every essential stuff to do my work, all kinds of references, pictures, books, comic books, video tapes, dvds and etc.

Which work are you proud of?
Certainly Spider-Man is the work I am more proud of, although I don�t like the results in some books.That was an opportunity to learn a lot about storytelling, professionalism and, mainly, about swinging over New York City. People ask me to attend conventions due to the fact I worked on Spider-books for almost three years. In Brazil, the conventions and the press give me a big attention; they show big pride to have a Brazilian guy drawing the character that made part of his childhood. Furthermore, everybody in Brazil knows Spider-Man. Last year I was invited to attend at Amadora convention in Portugal; Spider-books have been published there. If today I have respect of many people around the world, I owe this to Spidey.

Tell about your family. Are you married?
Yes! I am married, Milene Costa is my WIFE, my friend and counselor. Some times when I need a model, Mi does that for me. She has modeled some characters as Mary Jane, Buffy and others, it�s funny. Definitively, she help me a lot in my career.

How do you see yourself in next 5 years?
Working on comics, for sure.

How is the interest on comics where you live?
In my neighborhood few people know that I work with comics -- the ones who know always come saying, "You have the gift man, I don�t know how to drawing anything, even a little house." My friends and relatives are my fans, always showing the proud they have of me and my profession, what leave me very gratified.

What do you always have in your refrigerator?
It�s a funny question! But we always have cheese there, I love it! What is your preferred food? Pasta, I adore Italian food. And FEIJOADA, a typical Brazilian food.

What do you like to do?
My wife and I love go to the movies, -- it�s something magic! Listen to music, motion picture soundtracks are my favorite kind of music. In the weekends I use to go with my family to the beach.

Have you ever thought in writing your own stories?
Yes, as I�ve said before I am working on my own project called LuZ.

Were you already a member of a Gang?
Yes, when I was attending high school, I had many friends and we created a gang to go to the parties and dances. We had a lot places to go in that time, schools around our neighborhood invited us to dance there. Very pleasant time.

How is your day generally?
I wake up early in the morning, after my breakfast I go to my studio and start working till 6 p.m. I usually do one page per day. Sometimes when we have a lot of work to do, I go back home later. I use to go to the movies, almost every Wednesday because is cheaper, heh-heh. When I need a little more peace I work home -- it�s a motionless place. I teach storytelling and perspective at Impacto School, every Saturday and Monday. I�ve discovered that I love teaching. It�s not only Teaching, I learn very much with my students as well. It�s an exchange of information, we discuss about many ideas and theories. Besides, we have an opportunity to create many friends.

For which achievement do you want to be remembered?
I want to be remembered as a guy that provided few minutes of entertainment, because comics like cinema and other media, is a way of enjoyment that allows us disconnect from our world. I believe that moment when we can flight into another place by the panels from a comic book page, is magic. Anyway, I want to be remembered as that one who allowed the reader disconnect a little from this world.