MJ Macedo

Penciller

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?
I was born in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, but when I was 12 years old I moved to a small town in São Paulo called Itatiba. About 40 minutes from the capital. By the end of this year I still intend to move to downtown, I think I’m tired of this provincial life. I am a big city guy. Peace and quietness is not for me. I prefer the urban chaos (laughs).

Schooling? Art training?
Yes. I ‘ve been studying arts and painting since I was 16. Then I specialized in Graphic design and animation. I believe that the artist should always be trying to evolve and improve or modify his/her lines. Versatility is the only way to survive today’s market.

How long have you been working professionally in comics?
My memory isn’t very good with these kind of things… (laughs). But let’s say that in 2006 I produced my first “official” job for an American editor. It was a small pin up of the Ninja Turtles, but it still was my first “official debut”.

What things — both in art and otherwise — have you worked on besides comics? Are comics a full-time gig for you or part-time?
I have worked a lot with movies, videos and animation. I was an employee of a publishing house where I used to write, produce and edit. I even co-directed many institutional videos. At that time I also made many storyboards. Besides, I have already worked as a 2D and 3D animator, graphic designer and diagrammer at a newspaper, where I also worked as a redactor. Nowadays, as I am not completely consolidated in the comic book field, I split my time between them, design and concept arts for smaller game companies, and creating some 3D models for them also. But my idea is consolidating myself for good in the comics field, and focus only on it.

How did your parents take to the idea of working in comics?
I cannot complain. I have always had and still have my family’s support. In fact, it was them who started with all this, by handing me tons of comics to read when I was a kid. (laughs)

How would you describe your workspace? Is it part of your home,
or do you go “to the studio”?

I have my own studio at home. I prefer it like this because I can work at anytime I want, without any concerns or interruptions. If necessary, I can work until the dawn to deliver a project, without having to think about getting a car later to go back and sleep or take a nap on an uncomfortable sofa. (laughs)

What projects do you hope to work on in the future?
Hmmm… Anything that has a good script. I don’t care if it is a project for kids, of super heroes or an intelligent graphic novel. As long as it has a quality proposal. It is a pleasure to draw a well written script.

Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?
Consolidated in the market, working for bigger editors and publishing houses; and being able also to publish, in parallel, some of my personal projects. Maybe a business of my own, but nothing that takes up full time, since I definitely do not have patience enough for bureaucracy. I am and always will be an artist, not a businessman. Probably I would let someone trustworthy manage it, I hope that person doesn’t steal from me (laughs).

What are your favorite interests –Movies? Music? TV? Any hobbies? Sports?
I am addicted to movies, specially terror and fiction. I watch from mega productions to the atrocious ones. Old movies, from 1940, 50, 60 and exploitation movies from the 70’s. I often watch Japanese, Chinese and Korean series and movies. From tokusatso to dramas… I study Japanese as a hobby, and I think I will be compelled to start studying Korean.

I do not practice sports, but I practice bodybuilding. Other than that, nothing else, but I plan to start practicing again.

Have you ever thought of writing your own stories?
It’s what I do most, and I do it very well. In all modesty, better than many writers/creators outhere. But let’s talk about that later. We have to start from bottom. Right now my Idea is just being penciler. When I get enough respect so that people would listen to my crazy ideas, I’ll share them (laughs).

What’s an average day in your life like? Walk us through a typical day.
Usually I wake up late, because I rather work ‘til dawn. I work better at night than in the morning. After having my breakfast, I open my e-mail and start working right after. I stay there until it’s practically bedtime (which, as I said, it’s very late).

Do you have any great, unsold projects in your files that nobody’s got to see published?
As I said before, I create a lot of things. I might have about 40 titles, with scripts ready to be published… Someday I’ll start working on them. Besides still having to find willing penciler who are also capable of helping me, right now I’m scared. All I have are ideas with a storytelling and graphic proposal is very different from what is produced currently in the market and I think that most publishers would be reluctant. Although… If it is to produce a material that will look exactly like everything that is being published outhere, with the same style of characters, drawings, narratives and scripts outhere, why do it, then? Just to be another “generic”?

If you weren’t a comic-book artist today, what would you be?
Well… I guess I’d be just a Graphic designer and work with video and movies. I have always wanted to write books also. If I have some time, maybe I will.

Have you ever taught comic-book art or had any assistants? If so, talk about that.
I have been an art teacher for a long time. Honestly, I am good at teaching, but I do not have that much of a patience to do it.

The single thing you’d most like to be remembered for in your life is…?
For everything I still plan to accomplish, in terms of projects.

Any closing words to your fans?
It may sound a little cliché, but it is true. Persist. If you want something, no matter how hard or bad the situation is, don’t give up. One day you’ll probably get there.

Gallery

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