As you can see, looking at the poster for the fifth edition of Mantova Comics and Games, the now legendary Mantova-Man was designed Camuncoli so extraordinary that Joseph, who with his class has given us a hero by the aggressiveness disruptive in a real context and at the same time dynamic, characterized by an overwhelming centripetal force. Camm, besides being a leading exponent of the Italian and international comics scene, is among the forerunners of the 'italian invasion "of American comics, and embodying the dreams of all those to whom Mantova Comics & Games is planning to voice this year more than ever: the young Italian who, thanks to the event, had the good fortune to land in the thriving U.S. market. For this reason we decided to interview him to find out more about his experience of the author and the achievement of our poster.
As you know the main theme of the fifth edition of the convention is the American Dream, then it seems only right to ask what is the American dream for you? I think for people like me who has devoured since childhood tons of American comics, to get to publish publishing houses like Marvel and DC comics scene are the pillars of the world really is a priceless feeling. The same of course happens to those who began to work with any publishing house, so to speak also Italian, which has been a player in his time, but with Americans this occurred very rarely. Until a few years ago our own fact that the authors were able to activate a partnership across the Atlantic could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Then the technology and the evolution of a native scene, which has proven over the years and professional success, have definitely changed for the better situation, and now the prospects Working Americans "are much higher than they were ten years ago when, for example, I've started my first experience with Vertigo. Despite everything, I think the fascination remains intact to work, by authors, and on characters with other authors, famous or not, who continue to inspire its readers around the world.
're one of the top Italian designers to overcome the ocean and break through the united states, what can you tell me your location?
As I said, now able to interface with the American editor has become much easier than before. To name but a few, the birth of the comics forum, the community of designers and personal blogs have facilitated not just how an author can propose and make their work known to the proper authorities. Besides the editors Americans now travel abroad with continuity, not only in Italy, in search of new talent, and assess for themselves what are the most promising authors of each country. And Mantua, to stay at home, was one of the first exhibitions in Italy to give a great importance to these professional events, hosting first-rate talent scout in the years of Marvel and DC, and helping to launch the careers of many designers Italian. I, who have started with the self in the distant 1997, I had to hand, together with my buddy Matt Casali, bringing it to promote my work in their homes, and more specifically in New York first and then the San Diego Comicon, in which event after event and year after year, I finally managed to get myself noticed and got me assign the first, agognatissimo work. They were really different times, remember that the first appointments were made by telephone and even fax, and I opened my first email account at the end of the 90s, just to begin match more easily with overseas editors. Well, sometimes when riparlo of those years I realize what our experience has been pioneering, and in any case for this perhaps even more beautiful, because more daring, more painful. That said, however, I would be very happy anyway if there had been time to review the portfolio Mantova Comics, I would have made life much easier!
What advice would you give to young writers who want to enter the market of comics and intend to present their work to an international editor?
to behave in an impeccable manner, ensuring the most of every single detail of the portfolio that will put the editor on duty. The portfolio review opportunities are important, and editors are professionals which can not be ignored, and must be persuaded to give a chance to those undergoing their scrutiny. And to convince them, must obviously be very good at their job (in the sign, in storytelling, in the care of the details and backgrounds, etc to personalize your style. Etc.), But also a human level. So, as someone said, "power is nothing without control" ... If an author is very good but not convincing on a human level, is unlikely to be taken, because will be unreliable. Experience also teaches that it always pays to be honest and to be honest with themselves and with the editor: useless to lie about how many pages you can draw per month, for example. So, to summarize, you must be professional and confident of his talent, without essere né troppo entusiasti né troppo disfattisti, e cercare di affrontare questi colloqui con molta serenità d’animo, senza darsi per vinti nel caso vadano male (tanto non si tratta mai di “o la va o la spacca”, ci si può e si deve sempre riprovare, mostrando i miglioramenti ottenuti da un incontro al successivo) e senza fare al tempo stesso gli smargiassi se vanno a buon fine. Last but not least, orecchie sempre aperte! Se c'è qualcosa che non funziona nel proprio lavoro, è davvero importante che le critiche che l’editor muove vengano recepite (o anche scritte, meglio ancora) alla perfezione, in modo da poter correggere quello che non va. Non c’è niente di peggio di chi se la prende per a "no" momentary, and then starts to not listen to the valuable advice of the editor, who always does it anyway and in any event for the benefit of the author.
How changes in technical terms, to work for America rather than Italy?
Not that I'm an expert on Italian works, having worked mainly for American publishers, but in purely technical terms I would say that there are vast differences, except of course the language and time zone. The editor with whom you interface, be it Italian, American or French, it has a professional and highly recognized, and it can do its job well. And the job remains the same in any Country: check that the quality of the head is high, there are no errors, that deadlines are respected, obviously aiming to make the most of all, and even looking to enhance and bring out the best talent of the individual author. In all these years I must say that I have always been happy with any editor or publisher of any country, with whom I worked, and that each has contributed his advice, his criticism or his insights to improve the my work.
When we asked you to realize the obvious, what was your first idea, what did you think to accomplish?
Well, in the meantime before you even set the Mantua Man I tried to figure out which end of Mantua, I wanted to use my manifesto. He must of course be an element not used it yet, and yet be representative of the city suitable for cutting and then I would have given illustration. I remember that I was talking to Christian villages [ed Artistic Director and be inspired mind of Mantova Comics and Games], and I think it was he who suggested the Ponte di San Giorgio. In any case, it was an idea fits perfectly, because I think the skyline of Mantua, which overlooks the lake on that side when you cross the bridge to get to town, is very suggestive, yet recognizable. Then I started thinking how I could put in that context, the mascot of the convention. Immediately I thought of a classic pose, much more static, iconic, almost film noir, the "Sin City" for instance, but I wanted to move in a more dynamic superhero, not to go too just by leitmotif of the 'American dream "of which I knew from the beginning.
Which approach you choose to differentiate your character from one of the posters gone?
First I had a unique fixed point: it would fly. The last three posters had a Mantova Man steering wheel, I would be metropolitan, urban, in contact with the earth. As I said before, I wanted to wear a trench coat, like Marv from Frank Miller, or how well I know that John Constantine. Once you've decided that I would quote in a less hard-boiled, I am moving to the less solar superhero possible, like Batman or Midnighter, which went perfectly to combine all these elements that I absolutely wanted to include in my interpretation. Then, to give an extra touch to the whole U.S., I wanted to add the lightning, electricity, however, to explicitly invoke the idea of \u200b\u200bsuperpower At that point, my pencil sketch, I was in the meantime by progressively defining My suggestions to those in succession, had arrived at the final stage and now final, and fortunately, at least for me already good.
Lightning and aviator goggles, dust coat and American flag, which is the hero of the American dream "Italian"?
As I said before, is a hero - or antihero rather than a view of the characters that inspired him - metropolitan, night and rough. At the same time is dynamic, decisive, and I would even say elegant, with a focus on retail, ready for anything, but with an eye to tradition, the roots, which in our case (besides the good which is the source of Nuvolari ' the first inspiration of the character) I would go back to the Italian comic, but also Italian art, as always remember, give us "artists" an educational contribution, stylistic and aesthetic of inestimable value. How would you define
Mantova Man in an adjective?
snappy.
What has been fun to create "your" Mantua Man?
Very much. It was not at all easy to deal with this delicate task, given the four authors who have preceded me, and at the same time do something original, different and particular personnel. Eventually, though, I can say with complete honesty to be very satisfied, at least as regards the setting of the image and design of the character, I feel very much "my" in style. I really hope I understand that this will please the many visitors to Mantova Comics & Games, but also to see that the Mantovani affixed to the walls of their beautiful city.
Step 1: the idea. The image you see is both a point of arrival and departure. Arrival because it was largely unchanged at least ten times before it reached the desired effect, and (unfortunately I have saved all the steps because the design phase is always of the project, almost furious at the level of creativity). And starting from here because, once we receive approval from the staff of Mantova Comics & Games, I started to set all the finishing work later. Compared to the above, I wanted to point out three details: the addition of loose sheets, underlining once again the idea of \u200b\u200bcomics and "American Dream" for aspiring designers, the electrical effect of lightning in the draft is disseminate asphalt (and then I decided to raise, to avoid thinking of the destruction of the bridge), and the empty space left behind the skyline of Mantua, who had already planned to fill with the American flag, which is reflected in the sky in the two patches of lake side of the bridge.
Step 2: pencils. As you can see here, "simply" I went to define a clear and compact the raw power of the model.
Step 3: halftoning. At this point, having already more or less decided that I would not have inked the piece, I went to add a brush of gray tones. I wanted to prove that many subjects, so then blend well with the next color, I would have done in Photoshop. With the mouse, I emphasize, because I still do not know wand handle. In fact it took me a lifetime ...
Step 4: base color. I had already decided that I would have given a blue hue to the piece, so it mixes with the lightning, and at the same time as this could pull in white. By practicing your tone, I then went to turn the pencil to a brown hue, which seemed more suited to hot and the next simple graphite gray color.
Step 5: spot. On a separate layer, I went to fill the individual masses, choosing the base colors of each element, from the glove scarf, the asphalt of the city wall.
Step 6: lights and shadows. Necessary to give greater strength and three-dimensionality to the character. In addition to this, you will see that we have filled in the loose sheets (I used to tell the truth, my sketches for true comic page I had to part), and which has been blurred the background to accentuate the sense of depth and distance of the city.
Step 7: final settings. Here you can see how you have added the lightning, and always with the white to "pierce" the background, the effects of light on the Man a little slower Mantova 'reflection, a little' direct emanation of energy, I also strongly eyes of our hero stand out powerfully. Furthermore, I again worked on levels, saturation and "Ciappini" Photoshop for the color and contrast that I wanted as the final impact.
Step 8: the "American Dream". Here is the final touch: the addition of vertical American flag, to fill the sky at Mantua, and reflected on the water. Decided from the outset, only in the closing has been included to complete the whole. And then my signature, digitally added in the most appropriate. I would like here to thank Fabio D'Auria and Mauro Corradini, who are the "resident" of the Studio play hard with regard to the color and graphics, in which more than one occasion I have helped and guided through the process. Without them, I would have never "jumped out" (as they say here in Reggio Emilia).
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