 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Follow me to the 2009 Vampire Ball |
| Check out our Romanian Animal Charity www.Rolda.org Donate today! |
Interview with: Adriano
Job: Writer, artist and cover artist
Comic book: Vincent Price Presents # 13
Company: Bluewater Production
Interviewed by: Allen Klingelhoets
www.jazmaonline.com
Field Marshal
Allen: I want to know about you Adriano.
Where are you from? How old are you?
What’s your family life like?
Adriano: From Brazil, moved to NY in 98.
Currently I am 34 after 10 years doing a
lot of freelancer work on every possible
area: movies, magazine, theater,
advertising, animation, some comic books
here and there.
My family is back in Brazil.
There wasn’t any artistic influence from
my family. My father was a journalist, my
mother a math teacher. Myself getting so
much into comics and arts was very
unexplainable because there wasn’t anyone
around. My parents at that were awesome
on the never getting in the way. The type
of approach more the “that is what he likes.”
I actually was raised in a small town of Brazil
and just got to meet more people into comics
when I moved to a more cosmopolitan area
at 14/15 years old.
Allen: Where did you get your formal training to work in comic book industry?
Adriano: A bit of everywhere I would think. I am between self taught, buying books to study all the time and taken
classes whenever I can, went to panels of every possible artist I could and even befriend some of them.
It is always an ongoing thing, always something new to learn on so many different areas of the trade. I’ve been
working as volunteer for the Museum of Comic And Cartoon Art in NY. Which gave me a lot of insight over the
industry, what is expected and the nature of the comic book language.
Allen: What sort of comics you read as a kid and the sort you like to read at present time?
Adriano: I read Disney as a kid, that Carl Barks, Don Rosa classic stuff and some of the Italian artists. Moved into
Marvel, DC. When I was around 11 years old I loved the Bill Mantlo/ Sal Buscema Incredible Hulk.
To this day I still like those stories for their simplicity and naiveté. It is a bit of that feeling of childish fantasy. Oh,
such things can happen. Without any mature questioning over it. I feel superhero genre lost that innocence and
got much less back than it realizes. I think superhero comics will never be realistic, as hard as some try, and works
way better when accepts it. The closest it gets too real is Watchmen and what are Watchmen? A deconstruction of
the genre so it is more of a basis to support this argument than otherwise.
Currently I like a lot of Chris Ware, Alison Bechdel, Blacksad by Canales and Guarnido, Mignola, Will Eisner, Eric
Powell, Dan Clowes, Jessica Abel, Jason Little, Liberatore, Moebius, Peter Kuper, Max, Daniel Torres, David
Mazzuchelli, some Brazilian cartoonists like Laerte and Mutarelli. It is a very wide range that keeps increasing.
Allen: What is it that got you interested in reading comic books?
Adriano: Sometimes I think it is the other way around. Comic books got interested on me and never left me stay
away of them. It is just a part of my life, I got exposed to comics very early and learned how to read so I could read
them.
To this day I still have very early memories of comics I had around when I was 3,4 years old.
Allen: That was a very interesting memory. How did you get your break in comic book industry?
Adriano: Guess that is my break.
I’ve been doing stuff for some independent comics, friends of mine like House of Twelve and Mauled, World War 3,
a few comic strips for WB online a few years ago, etc and etc. I’ve been around but I was also doing a lot of
different stuff on other areas.
Allen: Who do you feel influenced you most in comic book industry? If feel are more than one influence feel free to
talk about them.
Adriano: hmm? I am not into trying to pin down to a single influence. I have a lot of different influences and wouldn’t
like to diminish one over other other. I try to learn as much as I can from every work that interests me.
I guess maybe something like storytelling from Eisner, Moore, Alex Toth, Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, Frank Quitely
Art from Sienkiewicz, Steve Rude, John Buscema, Dave Mackean, Mark Hempel, Jill Thompson, Guarnido, Eduardo
Risso, John Buscema, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, well the list goes on and on.
The more influence from different areas the less derivative your work will be. Everyone is an important influence,
as important insight into things that could be done with the language. The more influences the merrier.
Allen: Tell me about some of your history with Bluewater Productions. How did you become associated with this
company?
Adriano: Told Darren that Dr Phibes had kidnapped my cat and would just return it if I presented a comic book
proposal to them...
Seriously.
I was working on this Baron Münchausen project (more on it later) and saw Bluewater made a short Münchausen
story. I e-mailed Darren telling I was also doing it. He loved my artwork.
So I offered to do some work for them and sent a Dr Phibes illustration.
I sent the illo with the note that while I was working on it attracted the Abominable Dr attention and he had
kidnapped my cat and would only return it if I presented a comic book proposal before Halloween (4 days later).
I did, send to Darren and got a note back from Phibes:
”Adriano
Here is your black cat Lenore. Not only I was unable to take any of her lives the damn cat also took out some of
mine. Have this cursed cat back.
You deserve each other.
Sincerely
Dr Phibes”
Darren liked the story concept and here we are.
Allen: I noticed that you are doing writing, art and cover art for Vincent Price Presents # 13. Tell me about story,
setting and time issue will be told. How many pages will story contain?
Adriano: 22 pages per issue, I am planning for 3 issues, 4 if Bluewater green light 4.
I set the story on 29, a bit before the crash according to the timing of the Phibes movies being something like 2 or
3 years after Dr Phibes Rises again.
I like the twenties set a lot; I see a lot of visual stylish solutions coming naturally to it because of the art deco/
noveau.
Allen: I want to know the origins that brought about this story. I also want to know title of story.
Adriano: “The Deadly Comedy”.
Well, from my approach the main thing of Dr Phibes through the movies was the love for his wife who died in a
surgery and his desire to bring her back. As the Abominable Dr Phibes go: they were completely devoted to each
other and when she died Phibes went insane, so he decided to kill everybody involved on the surgery.
So I am taking a bit from there like: “why were they so devoted to each other” and my understanding is: people are
very attached to each other when they feel menaced to lose the loved one in some way.
So I set their main enemy as Phibes Father in law who was always against their relationship from the start. There is
so much I tell about Thanatos but the way he comes across as knowing so much about Phibes, the way he does
things and kill people is because Thanatos taught Phibes a lot of it before they had a huge argument over Victoria.
This slight soap opera approach sets their basic conflict between them as equals and gives a bit of an unknown
background to Phibes.
On this point Thanatos rather avoid Victoria to be brought back to life than have her married with a guy like
Phibes. Speak of having issues with your in-laws!
But those are the character conflicts the basic premise of the story come on the next answer.
Allen: How did you research “The Deadly Comedy” story?
Adriano: I am an atheist and did study a lot of compared mythology study through the years by myself, like
Babylon, Egyptian, Greek, mystery religions.
And I wanted to expand the Phibes concept into all these different religions that bring so many similarities between
each other. So Phibes is seeking the original source where they all came from and that is obviously bad news.
The Greek references I read a lot of plays, Euripides, Sophocles, Homer when I was in college for literature, I love
that stuff.
There is a part of Dante Allighieri, some Harryhausen and I based the script on the Campbell concept of ”Journey
to the Underworld.”
Allen: What is it about Doctor Phibes that really shocked you?
Adriano: Spending so much time to make such an elaborate murder in order to prove how superior and cool he
was.
The guy really has style!
AND A LOT OF TIME TO SPEND BY THE WAY!
Allen: How long did it take for you to create story? Did Darren Davis (Publisher at Bluewater Productions) have
much creative input?
Adriano: Darren was awesome. According to him he didn’t see any need for input and if he says so I am ok with
that.
The first issue took something like a week or two. The second took me more time because there are more
references and I was trying to tie the end of the story together for the third.
Allen: Do you often create writing, art and cover art for entire comic book issues?
Adriano: I rather do so because I take myself as a writer first, people see your artwork and by the way want you to
draw this story, the other and before you see you don?t have time to work on your own.
Once I get involved in a story I see the whole thing in my mind from beginning to the end.
Don’t get me wrong I had good experiences working with writers but my first option is my own stories.
Allen: What is it about Vincent Price you appreciate?
Adriano: His awesome moustache.
I can never get my moustache anywhere close to that level of perfection.
Allen: What are some of your favorite Vincent Price movies?
Adriano: Comedy of Terrors, Theatre of Blood, Dr Phibes.
And The Black Cat has my favorite Vincent Price moment
with Peter Lorre. Peter Lorre is burying him behind a wall
and they have this conversation:
PL- What kind of man are you that sleeps with my wife but
doesn’t say hello to me?
VP (laughing)- oh, what an awesome jest you just made.
I am sure we will be laughing at it together later on.
PL- I sure will.
Allen: Have you ever read any of books Vincent Price wrote?
Adriano: No
Allen: Time travel question. If you could travel back in time to meet Vincent Price what would you like to ask him?
You would be returned to your own time with no damage to time line.
Adriano: How do you keep your moustache? I NEED TO KNOW!
Allen: When will issue # 13 be in stores? What is best way to get a copy?
Adriano: November, I think the distribution is Diamond so any comic book store. Ask Darren about it.
Allen: What inspires your creativity?
Adriano: The constant misery of life is an important source to seek things as different of reality as you can.
Allen: Do you read many novels? What sort do you like to read?
Adriano: I love the Arabian Nights it is my favorite book ever and as a cartoonist my goal was always to bring some
of the fantastic realism of Borges into comic books. Italo Calvino, Umberto Eco, Cortazar, I like these guys it relates
to the direction I am taking.
But I also loved Nabokov, Dostoyevsky, Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Dickens, Hunter Thompson, Kerouac, Melville, and
some Neil Gaiman.
I’ve been reading mostly stuff made or about the 18h century for my Munchausen book like Dangerous Liaisons,
Tales of Two Cities, Gulliver Travels,
Allen: What are some of the things you do to relax? What kinds of movies do you like to watch?
Adriano: I read comics, books, newspapers, and go to see shows of friends. Bands, guess normal stuff that
everybody does mostly. Nothing out of normal
Movies depend on the mood, could be Kurosawa or Ninja Turtles.
Allen: What is an average workday like for you? What are the tools of your trade?
Adriano: It kinda depends if I am writing or drawing. Writing there is that process of closing the concept,
establishing characters, plot, research over the references if it is a timepiece. I actually take writing as far more
work than drawing (for me at least). I am not the kind of ”write as you go” Artist. I have to plan the whole story,
close thumbnails; sketch the basic acting of the characters before drawing the pages.
The pages themselves are ok, pencil, inking coloring. My pencil is not very tight so each one of these 3 adds a
new element to the final product.
Drawing wise I have been using a lot of mixed technique. The Dr Phibes was a mix of ink, watercolor, and color
pencils, toothbrush, a bit of Photoshop. It kind of comes naturally. “What if I use this over here?”
Allen: Tell me about your website.
Adriano: I began working last year with Dance of Vice, which is this 1920’s/ Steampunk party in New York and
Shien Lee the creator asked me to do some material based on Baron Münchausen for their festival. I begin
studying and I loved the character. And well... when I begin studying something I really begin studying it.
So I traced scripts, stories a basic plot maybe because I related a lot to the scenario.
I think it is one of those things about being an artist: the way your life and the things you go through always
translate into your artwork. And I rather do that through fantasy than literal translations of it. To me the fact that
fantasy adds a level of abstraction makes it deeper and more universal.
So living here for 10 years you think a lot about distance, the reasons that keep you going, what is important or
not, the way you keep fighting for things while others would give up and never understand why you don’t.
So basically the story as the first issue presents is about the Baron being captured by the Turks and the only way
of getting back to his land is through an impossible challenge:
making a bird sing opera
or kill himself
He needs to go, find the mysterious owner of the bird who was actually teaching the bird to sing, etc.
People try to convince the Baron otherwise, and the dialogue follows:
-Baron, it is impossible! Don’t you understand? It is a trap. Just say you accept the challenge and go back to
Europe. Forget about it.
-Impossible... and what isn’t impossible these days?
They told me it was impossible an island of cheese and there it was.
The moon doesn’t watch and judges us by the challenges we refused
but by the impossible things we made happen.
Tell them the Baron accepts the challenge.
And there you go a long story about stubbornness and daring. About not giving up even against all the odds and,
hopefully, winning.
Allen: That is so intriguing. Do you twitter?
Adriano: nope, I should.
Allen: What is best way to contact you? Are you also on My Space or Face Book?
Adriano: Through my website, my e-mail is adriano@baronmunchausen.net
I am on
myspace.com/thepitiless
where I was writing a story a day now it has 180 of these on my blog over there. I am also on facebook but don’t
remember the address just google my e-mail over there and you find me.
I kind accept any friendship request except those spams of girls looking ”company for the night.” That are mostly
made by guys anyway.
Allen: Do you plan on working on any more Bluewater Production projects? What other projects are you working on
for other companies?
Adriano: I am open, if people like what I do have offers show me. I need work just like anybody else.
Working with Bluewater had been a good experience so the more I can work with them the better.
Right now I am working on the Phibes and my Baron Münchausen book and both are by themselves a lot of work.
The Münchausen I will be sending to some publishers but the first issue will be online and I want people reading
the story as soon as I finish. Took me a year to close the overall project for the whole series, now I know how the
story goes I can sit and draw it.
Allen: Do you work in any other field outside of comic book industry?
Adriano: I love doing stuff with theater, I am doing 2 sets, one about the History of Coney Island, made an
storyboard for a photo shooting for the V Magazine, production design for a gore movie, a short animation with a
crack smoking Santa Claus, some graphic design and web design. A bit of everything.
Allen: I have been thinking of this all interview long. I hate to leave with out asking about your name. Is Adriano first
or last name. When did you begin going by name Adriano?
Adriano: It is the first. My actual full name is ridiculous long “Adriano Eduardo Santos de Moraes.” I would never
sign as just Adriano in Brazil because over there is such a generic name. Over here I am ok with.
Allen: Thank you for insightful interview. Would you like to leave with any closing thoughts about upcoming 2009
publication of Vincent Price Presents # 13?
Adriano: If people like my work half the amount I love doing it sounds like the secret of happiness to me right there.
Adriano asked to add this info:
Donations or cards of encouragement for Bill can be sent to
Bill Mantlo
c/o Michael Mantlo
425 Riverside Drive
Apt. 12-E
New York, NY 10025
This is link for Mantlo a life in comics book. It is a benefit project for writer Bill Mantlo.
http://www.wowio.com/users/product.asp?BookId=3387
Job: Writer, artist and cover artist
Comic book: Vincent Price Presents # 13
Company: Bluewater Production
Interviewed by: Allen Klingelhoets
www.jazmaonline.com
Field Marshal
Allen: I want to know about you Adriano.
Where are you from? How old are you?
What’s your family life like?
Adriano: From Brazil, moved to NY in 98.
Currently I am 34 after 10 years doing a
lot of freelancer work on every possible
area: movies, magazine, theater,
advertising, animation, some comic books
here and there.
My family is back in Brazil.
There wasn’t any artistic influence from
my family. My father was a journalist, my
mother a math teacher. Myself getting so
much into comics and arts was very
unexplainable because there wasn’t anyone
around. My parents at that were awesome
on the never getting in the way. The type
of approach more the “that is what he likes.”
I actually was raised in a small town of Brazil
and just got to meet more people into comics
when I moved to a more cosmopolitan area
at 14/15 years old.
Allen: Where did you get your formal training to work in comic book industry?
Adriano: A bit of everywhere I would think. I am between self taught, buying books to study all the time and taken
classes whenever I can, went to panels of every possible artist I could and even befriend some of them.
It is always an ongoing thing, always something new to learn on so many different areas of the trade. I’ve been
working as volunteer for the Museum of Comic And Cartoon Art in NY. Which gave me a lot of insight over the
industry, what is expected and the nature of the comic book language.
Allen: What sort of comics you read as a kid and the sort you like to read at present time?
Adriano: I read Disney as a kid, that Carl Barks, Don Rosa classic stuff and some of the Italian artists. Moved into
Marvel, DC. When I was around 11 years old I loved the Bill Mantlo/ Sal Buscema Incredible Hulk.
To this day I still like those stories for their simplicity and naiveté. It is a bit of that feeling of childish fantasy. Oh,
such things can happen. Without any mature questioning over it. I feel superhero genre lost that innocence and
got much less back than it realizes. I think superhero comics will never be realistic, as hard as some try, and works
way better when accepts it. The closest it gets too real is Watchmen and what are Watchmen? A deconstruction of
the genre so it is more of a basis to support this argument than otherwise.
Currently I like a lot of Chris Ware, Alison Bechdel, Blacksad by Canales and Guarnido, Mignola, Will Eisner, Eric
Powell, Dan Clowes, Jessica Abel, Jason Little, Liberatore, Moebius, Peter Kuper, Max, Daniel Torres, David
Mazzuchelli, some Brazilian cartoonists like Laerte and Mutarelli. It is a very wide range that keeps increasing.
Allen: What is it that got you interested in reading comic books?
Adriano: Sometimes I think it is the other way around. Comic books got interested on me and never left me stay
away of them. It is just a part of my life, I got exposed to comics very early and learned how to read so I could read
them.
To this day I still have very early memories of comics I had around when I was 3,4 years old.
Allen: That was a very interesting memory. How did you get your break in comic book industry?
Adriano: Guess that is my break.
I’ve been doing stuff for some independent comics, friends of mine like House of Twelve and Mauled, World War 3,
a few comic strips for WB online a few years ago, etc and etc. I’ve been around but I was also doing a lot of
different stuff on other areas.
Allen: Who do you feel influenced you most in comic book industry? If feel are more than one influence feel free to
talk about them.
Adriano: hmm? I am not into trying to pin down to a single influence. I have a lot of different influences and wouldn’t
like to diminish one over other other. I try to learn as much as I can from every work that interests me.
I guess maybe something like storytelling from Eisner, Moore, Alex Toth, Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, Frank Quitely
Art from Sienkiewicz, Steve Rude, John Buscema, Dave Mackean, Mark Hempel, Jill Thompson, Guarnido, Eduardo
Risso, John Buscema, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, well the list goes on and on.
The more influence from different areas the less derivative your work will be. Everyone is an important influence,
as important insight into things that could be done with the language. The more influences the merrier.
Allen: Tell me about some of your history with Bluewater Productions. How did you become associated with this
company?
Adriano: Told Darren that Dr Phibes had kidnapped my cat and would just return it if I presented a comic book
proposal to them...
Seriously.
I was working on this Baron Münchausen project (more on it later) and saw Bluewater made a short Münchausen
story. I e-mailed Darren telling I was also doing it. He loved my artwork.
So I offered to do some work for them and sent a Dr Phibes illustration.
I sent the illo with the note that while I was working on it attracted the Abominable Dr attention and he had
kidnapped my cat and would only return it if I presented a comic book proposal before Halloween (4 days later).
I did, send to Darren and got a note back from Phibes:
”Adriano
Here is your black cat Lenore. Not only I was unable to take any of her lives the damn cat also took out some of
mine. Have this cursed cat back.
You deserve each other.
Sincerely
Dr Phibes”
Darren liked the story concept and here we are.
Allen: I noticed that you are doing writing, art and cover art for Vincent Price Presents # 13. Tell me about story,
setting and time issue will be told. How many pages will story contain?
Adriano: 22 pages per issue, I am planning for 3 issues, 4 if Bluewater green light 4.
I set the story on 29, a bit before the crash according to the timing of the Phibes movies being something like 2 or
3 years after Dr Phibes Rises again.
I like the twenties set a lot; I see a lot of visual stylish solutions coming naturally to it because of the art deco/
noveau.
Allen: I want to know the origins that brought about this story. I also want to know title of story.
Adriano: “The Deadly Comedy”.
Well, from my approach the main thing of Dr Phibes through the movies was the love for his wife who died in a
surgery and his desire to bring her back. As the Abominable Dr Phibes go: they were completely devoted to each
other and when she died Phibes went insane, so he decided to kill everybody involved on the surgery.
So I am taking a bit from there like: “why were they so devoted to each other” and my understanding is: people are
very attached to each other when they feel menaced to lose the loved one in some way.
So I set their main enemy as Phibes Father in law who was always against their relationship from the start. There is
so much I tell about Thanatos but the way he comes across as knowing so much about Phibes, the way he does
things and kill people is because Thanatos taught Phibes a lot of it before they had a huge argument over Victoria.
This slight soap opera approach sets their basic conflict between them as equals and gives a bit of an unknown
background to Phibes.
On this point Thanatos rather avoid Victoria to be brought back to life than have her married with a guy like
Phibes. Speak of having issues with your in-laws!
But those are the character conflicts the basic premise of the story come on the next answer.
Allen: How did you research “The Deadly Comedy” story?
Adriano: I am an atheist and did study a lot of compared mythology study through the years by myself, like
Babylon, Egyptian, Greek, mystery religions.
And I wanted to expand the Phibes concept into all these different religions that bring so many similarities between
each other. So Phibes is seeking the original source where they all came from and that is obviously bad news.
The Greek references I read a lot of plays, Euripides, Sophocles, Homer when I was in college for literature, I love
that stuff.
There is a part of Dante Allighieri, some Harryhausen and I based the script on the Campbell concept of ”Journey
to the Underworld.”
Allen: What is it about Doctor Phibes that really shocked you?
Adriano: Spending so much time to make such an elaborate murder in order to prove how superior and cool he
was.
The guy really has style!
AND A LOT OF TIME TO SPEND BY THE WAY!
Allen: How long did it take for you to create story? Did Darren Davis (Publisher at Bluewater Productions) have
much creative input?
Adriano: Darren was awesome. According to him he didn’t see any need for input and if he says so I am ok with
that.
The first issue took something like a week or two. The second took me more time because there are more
references and I was trying to tie the end of the story together for the third.
Allen: Do you often create writing, art and cover art for entire comic book issues?
Adriano: I rather do so because I take myself as a writer first, people see your artwork and by the way want you to
draw this story, the other and before you see you don?t have time to work on your own.
Once I get involved in a story I see the whole thing in my mind from beginning to the end.
Don’t get me wrong I had good experiences working with writers but my first option is my own stories.
Allen: What is it about Vincent Price you appreciate?
Adriano: His awesome moustache.
I can never get my moustache anywhere close to that level of perfection.
Allen: What are some of your favorite Vincent Price movies?
Adriano: Comedy of Terrors, Theatre of Blood, Dr Phibes.
And The Black Cat has my favorite Vincent Price moment
with Peter Lorre. Peter Lorre is burying him behind a wall
and they have this conversation:
PL- What kind of man are you that sleeps with my wife but
doesn’t say hello to me?
VP (laughing)- oh, what an awesome jest you just made.
I am sure we will be laughing at it together later on.
PL- I sure will.
Allen: Have you ever read any of books Vincent Price wrote?
Adriano: No
Allen: Time travel question. If you could travel back in time to meet Vincent Price what would you like to ask him?
You would be returned to your own time with no damage to time line.
Adriano: How do you keep your moustache? I NEED TO KNOW!
Allen: When will issue # 13 be in stores? What is best way to get a copy?
Adriano: November, I think the distribution is Diamond so any comic book store. Ask Darren about it.
Allen: What inspires your creativity?
Adriano: The constant misery of life is an important source to seek things as different of reality as you can.
Allen: Do you read many novels? What sort do you like to read?
Adriano: I love the Arabian Nights it is my favorite book ever and as a cartoonist my goal was always to bring some
of the fantastic realism of Borges into comic books. Italo Calvino, Umberto Eco, Cortazar, I like these guys it relates
to the direction I am taking.
But I also loved Nabokov, Dostoyevsky, Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Dickens, Hunter Thompson, Kerouac, Melville, and
some Neil Gaiman.
I’ve been reading mostly stuff made or about the 18h century for my Munchausen book like Dangerous Liaisons,
Tales of Two Cities, Gulliver Travels,
Allen: What are some of the things you do to relax? What kinds of movies do you like to watch?
Adriano: I read comics, books, newspapers, and go to see shows of friends. Bands, guess normal stuff that
everybody does mostly. Nothing out of normal
Movies depend on the mood, could be Kurosawa or Ninja Turtles.
Allen: What is an average workday like for you? What are the tools of your trade?
Adriano: It kinda depends if I am writing or drawing. Writing there is that process of closing the concept,
establishing characters, plot, research over the references if it is a timepiece. I actually take writing as far more
work than drawing (for me at least). I am not the kind of ”write as you go” Artist. I have to plan the whole story,
close thumbnails; sketch the basic acting of the characters before drawing the pages.
The pages themselves are ok, pencil, inking coloring. My pencil is not very tight so each one of these 3 adds a
new element to the final product.
Drawing wise I have been using a lot of mixed technique. The Dr Phibes was a mix of ink, watercolor, and color
pencils, toothbrush, a bit of Photoshop. It kind of comes naturally. “What if I use this over here?”
Allen: Tell me about your website.
Adriano: I began working last year with Dance of Vice, which is this 1920’s/ Steampunk party in New York and
Shien Lee the creator asked me to do some material based on Baron Münchausen for their festival. I begin
studying and I loved the character. And well... when I begin studying something I really begin studying it.
So I traced scripts, stories a basic plot maybe because I related a lot to the scenario.
I think it is one of those things about being an artist: the way your life and the things you go through always
translate into your artwork. And I rather do that through fantasy than literal translations of it. To me the fact that
fantasy adds a level of abstraction makes it deeper and more universal.
So living here for 10 years you think a lot about distance, the reasons that keep you going, what is important or
not, the way you keep fighting for things while others would give up and never understand why you don’t.
So basically the story as the first issue presents is about the Baron being captured by the Turks and the only way
of getting back to his land is through an impossible challenge:
making a bird sing opera
or kill himself
He needs to go, find the mysterious owner of the bird who was actually teaching the bird to sing, etc.
People try to convince the Baron otherwise, and the dialogue follows:
-Baron, it is impossible! Don’t you understand? It is a trap. Just say you accept the challenge and go back to
Europe. Forget about it.
-Impossible... and what isn’t impossible these days?
They told me it was impossible an island of cheese and there it was.
The moon doesn’t watch and judges us by the challenges we refused
but by the impossible things we made happen.
Tell them the Baron accepts the challenge.
And there you go a long story about stubbornness and daring. About not giving up even against all the odds and,
hopefully, winning.
Allen: That is so intriguing. Do you twitter?
Adriano: nope, I should.
Allen: What is best way to contact you? Are you also on My Space or Face Book?
Adriano: Through my website, my e-mail is adriano@baronmunchausen.net
I am on
myspace.com/thepitiless
where I was writing a story a day now it has 180 of these on my blog over there. I am also on facebook but don’t
remember the address just google my e-mail over there and you find me.
I kind accept any friendship request except those spams of girls looking ”company for the night.” That are mostly
made by guys anyway.
Allen: Do you plan on working on any more Bluewater Production projects? What other projects are you working on
for other companies?
Adriano: I am open, if people like what I do have offers show me. I need work just like anybody else.
Working with Bluewater had been a good experience so the more I can work with them the better.
Right now I am working on the Phibes and my Baron Münchausen book and both are by themselves a lot of work.
The Münchausen I will be sending to some publishers but the first issue will be online and I want people reading
the story as soon as I finish. Took me a year to close the overall project for the whole series, now I know how the
story goes I can sit and draw it.
Allen: Do you work in any other field outside of comic book industry?
Adriano: I love doing stuff with theater, I am doing 2 sets, one about the History of Coney Island, made an
storyboard for a photo shooting for the V Magazine, production design for a gore movie, a short animation with a
crack smoking Santa Claus, some graphic design and web design. A bit of everything.
Allen: I have been thinking of this all interview long. I hate to leave with out asking about your name. Is Adriano first
or last name. When did you begin going by name Adriano?
Adriano: It is the first. My actual full name is ridiculous long “Adriano Eduardo Santos de Moraes.” I would never
sign as just Adriano in Brazil because over there is such a generic name. Over here I am ok with.
Allen: Thank you for insightful interview. Would you like to leave with any closing thoughts about upcoming 2009
publication of Vincent Price Presents # 13?
Adriano: If people like my work half the amount I love doing it sounds like the secret of happiness to me right there.
Adriano asked to add this info:
Donations or cards of encouragement for Bill can be sent to
Bill Mantlo
c/o Michael Mantlo
425 Riverside Drive
Apt. 12-E
New York, NY 10025
This is link for Mantlo a life in comics book. It is a benefit project for writer Bill Mantlo.
http://www.wowio.com/users/product.asp?BookId=3387
"Toccata Fugue in D Minor" Bach
