INTERVIEW

Where were you born?  Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised here in Quezon City in the Philippines .

Schooling?  Art training?
I was never really that sure of what I wanted to be after high school. I could draw well but didn't know how I can put it to good use. I studied architecture at the University of Sto . Tomas. After a couple of years monotonous nonsense , I decided it wasn't for me. So, I took up fine arts at the best school in the country, the University of the Philippines . I really enjoyed studying there.

How long have you been working professionally in comics?
What things -- both in art and otherwise -- have you worked on, besides comics?  Are comics a full-time gig for you or part-time? Now it is. I was included in glasshouse talent roster just a couple of months back. Before, though I was a “pencil-for-hire.” Give me a paper and pencil and I'd draw anything and everything for the right price.

 

IMAGES
Below are penciling works done by the artist. Click thumbnails to view full image
PENCILS
For the artist's page rate and availability, email david@glasshousegraphics.com

Talk about how you broke into the business --was it easy? Hard? Ups? Downs ? Any interesting anecdotes? When you held your first published work in your hands, how did you feel?
I started taking comics seriously in 98. That was the time when the great Whilce Portacio was actively looking for talents here in the country. It was easy in the sense that I had background in art. So the transition from just doing simple illustrations to panel work was smooth. On the other end of the stick, I didn't know how to market the skill because all of a sudden Mr. Portacio left. Aside from that, another down side of the biz is making people understand your profession. Coming from a family of conservative and successful professionals, how can you even begin to attempt to explain the path you've chosen. A career where luck plays a vital role in making it.

Did you work as an assistant to any other artists? If so, please talk a bit about those experiences.
Yes. Professionally, it was a give and take type of partnership. I learned a lot from them and hopefully, they learned something from me. (and I got to know the advantage of using the “Sicilian Defense” over the “Queen's Gambit,” eh…Tonyito Hornito?)

How did your parents take to the idea of working in comics?
Well, understandably, any good parent who looks-out for the welfare of one's child wouldn't want them to get into something that isn't “tried and tested” so to speak. But, fortunately, little by little my family is starting to understand.

How would you describe your workspace?
Is it part of your home, or do you go "to the studio"? I have my own, very messy studio at home. But I do go to the GHG studio once in a while.

What job are you the proudest of?  What's your most embarrassing?
Can't think of any cause there isn't that much to choose from anyway. Hey, I'm just starting out remember.

What are you currently drawing?  Comments on that project?
Aside from doing pin-ups and samples, I'm soooo very free at the moment. So you good people out there looking for a good penciler,…

Talk about your Family: Parents, siblings, home situation. Are you Married? Have kids? Anecdotes about married life, how it relates to your busy schedule, etc. If you have kids do they understand your job? What do they say about it? Do they read comics?
Fortunately, I'm still single at the moment…(whew!)... I have five brothers and a sister. My father, who passed away a couple of years back, served in the US navy while my mother is the disciplinarian housewife. I'm second to the youngest. Everybody in our family is good in art. They all can draw, paint and even sculpt very well. I'm quite sure they got interested in the genre once upon a time. Most of them are strutting their stuff in the medical field. One followed my father's footstep. And the youngest has a big plan to take over the country before he turns fifty. I always wondered what it would be like if they took up art as a career…hmmm…,anyway including our mother, there are only four of us left here in the country.

What projects do you hope to work on in the future?
do projects for the major studios like DC and Marvel. Yeah,…that would be awesome. Likewise, In the near future, I plan to go to Japan to have formal mangga style training. Put some diversity on my repertoire.

Where do you see yourself in five years?  ten?
Married, working for Marvel or DC…ten years?.... working for Marvel and DC and having my own real estate business while doing fine art on the side.

What is the interest in comics where you live?
Do friends and neighbors know you draw comics for a living?  How do they react? I come from a non- comic reading community. The people in our place know what I do for a living. I can tell that they're happy for me.

What's 1 thing you'll always find in your refrigerator?
Ze egg.

What's your favorite food?
I'm not that picky when it comes to food. As far as favorite is concerned though , filipino dishes will always be on top of the list.

What are your favorite interests --Movies?  Music?  TV?  Any hobbies?  Sports?
i'm your regular health buff. I go to the gym and play basketball regularly. I just upgraded my bike so it is now my number one mode of transportation. I also am fascinated with military stuff. Military books, uniforms, paraphernalia, guns (1:1 replicas or EG's),…etc, you name it I collect it. I likewise collect DVD movies and use them as reference for my art. I play the guitar and a little piano. My favorite movie would probably be Lord of the Ring: Two Towers . I like listening to rock, and jazz. I think the Black Crows' cool. Chuck Mangione and Tuck Andres music is pleasing to my ears . I stay glued to the tube if Discovery Channel or the NBA is on.

Have you ever thought of writing your own stories?
Nah. I'm content being a comic artist

Ever been in a gang?
nope  

What's an average day in your life like?  Walk us through a typical day.
I wake up at around 7 or 8 in the morning. After doing my morning rituals and chowing down a healthy breakfast, I get on my trusty bike and make my way to the gym. I always finish my work-outs exactly at noontime so I eat my lunch on a nearby eatery. When I get home, I clean up and rest for about 30 minutes. After that, I sit down in front of my drawing table and start working on projects ‘til it gets dark. My labyrinthian gut starts grumbling at around 7pm so I have a light dinner. After that, I rest for about an hour, then I start working again ‘til I get sleepy. Sleepy time is usually around three in the morning. Then I wake up again and the cycle starts anew.

Any humorous or interesting anecdotes to tell about the comics business?
None at the moment. But I'll have one soon and it's going to be real funny. If it's not that funny, I'll just hope there's at least an ounce of genuine comedy in it or it will look like I'm shallow.

Do you have any great, unsold projects in your files that nobody's gotten to see published?
I have tons of work at home which I kept since I started drawing comics. I use them as reference once and a while.  

If you weren't a comic-book artist today, what would you be?
I'd probably be two things. First, a barber/navy seal team6 sniper and/or a fine art painter or sculptor/pineapple planter.

Have you taught comic-book art or had any assistants? 
If so, talk about that. Yes, as I mentioned earlier I have an assistant. There are a couple of young comic artist who ask me to take a look at their work once in a while.

The single thing you'd most like to be remembered for in your life is...?
Whether I make it big or not in this biz, I'll always be proud to say that I did things my way.

Any closing words for your fans?
to my fans back home namely Tigger the primitive one, Greyi the loyal dog, Brisbane the wolf, Princess the crazy one, Thunder the bully cat and Orange the charity cat, I'm feeling generous today, I think I'll double your rations when I get home later…. And to my human fans, (if any) I have better and more exquisite stuff coming out soon. So watch out world,….HERE I COME.