Random Friday

Sort of Art Friday, except it’s not my art but for these two vignettes that sum up Torino Comics.

I was very happy to be able to talk to Cinzia Di Felice, Silvano Beltramo and Maurizio Manzieri for future commissions. They are all quite different artists, but that’s what I like about them! :)

I met Cinzia in Angoulème way back in 2004 and bought her BDs in French… then for a few years she’d stopped drawing, so I had given up on her. Suddenly last year she was guest at the French BD bookshop in Rome, L’Aventure, and it was great to see she’d gone back to drawing! :D I was very happy to hire her for a Silvery Earth cover of future publication…

Silvano was among the organizers of Torino Comics – until this year. So I’ve known him for 3 or 4 years, and started hiring him for Star Minds. The only English cover is SMS – Women, but he did the Italian covers of Shooting Star and Mind Link. I  will let him redo the CVE covers and will proably do a new CreateSpace POD edition, just in case I start selling paper books. His historical comic Nidus Haereticorum will soon come out in English, and I’ll make sure to share the link – I got meself the Italian copy, signed by the artist at the comicon! :)

As for Maurizio, I also met him at Torino Comics, probably about the same time as Silvano. I’m honored to hire a Spectrum illustrator to do my humble covers, but I’m sure he’ll do a great job for Star Minds Next Generation. And we’ll be together at Loncon, so watch out in case we do a panel together – or just say hello if you see us wandering through the world con! ;)

And I celebrated 20 years of knowing Manf, a former ziner like me that I met at Umbria Fumetto way back in 1994 who is now a teacher at the Torino Comics School and a publisher as well! :) We couldn’t believe 20 years have gone by as we reminesced and talked about old friends and where they are now… I might not be very far in my comic career, but then – I’m a writer, and hobbyist artist! :)

So, it was tyring, but I was happy. I also discussed other ideas and projects that I have with my Jedi Twin Fulvio, who might eventually help me produce what I have in mind. Although I might do a first attempt on my own. Now I need to get back to that priority list – or give up DayJob to have more time to follow all my projects! :D Except I don’t sell enough yet, so the only thing I can do is write and publish more, and then we’ll see…

Have a great weekend! :)