It comes as no surprise that the folks at Mad Cave Studios have expanded their reach and visibility through the start of their YA imprint Maverick and their acquisition of PaperCutz. Another part of their greater outreach has been to open their publishing door to creator owned projects. The first of these titles is the Stefano Cardoselli creation Don’t Spit in the Wind. A story in the future that deals with environmental pollution and the effects that it has on the planet as a whole.
We recently sat down with Stefano to discuss his artistic beginnings, his work with Heavy Metal Magazine and his new book for Mad Cave, Don’t Spit in the Wind along with colorist and letterer Dan Lee. So, let’s welcome Stefano Cardoselli to GVN’s Talking Comics.
Introduction to Art
GVN: Thank you so much for sharing a bit of your time and thoughts, Stefano.
SC: Thank you for everything.
GVN: Since we are just getting acquainted, let’s start with your artistic beginnings. When did you first take an interest in art and comics specifically, and whose work inspired you to pursue that field?
SC: As a child, I drew everywhere and on any surface, especially when I went to a pizzeria. I would make illustrations on the paper tablecloth of the pizzeria and I must say that sometimes I still do this. I started writing and drawing my own stories as a child, gigantic sci-fi graphic novels. Definitely the turning point after seeing the movie “Heavy Metal.”
Reflecting Frank Miller
GVN: Your work has been compared to the legendary Frank Miller due to your strong imagery and the gritty feel to your art. Was this look something you aspired to, or has it evolved during the 20+ years you have been working in the field?
SC: It’s a fantastic compliment, and I feel honored to have someone say my name along with Miller’s. I’m always blown away when I hear this. I don’t know. I don’t think there is awareness, that is, you don’t wake up in the morning and after coffee you go to the drawing table and say now “I will draw like Frank Miller!” I think it is a combination of things: books, comics, lots of cinema, music and in this pot, I believe that the style that is always in motion is formed a bit. This is the reason that I never look at my less recent works, because the thing I always say is “was it I who made this?”
Heavy Metal Magazine
GVN: You had mentioned the film Heavy Metal. You have done a lot of work for Heavy Metal Magazine. How did this partnership come about and did your work with them open doors for other projects?
SC: A huge thank you to Kevin Eastman, he has always believed in me even though I was facing American comics for the first time. Kevin has published my stories on the mag for over 15 years. I believe that USA is still the land of opportunities, I owe a lot to this country.
Traditional vs Digital
GVN: I see from your website (at least judging by the pictures) that you tend to work traditionally. Do you ever dabble in the digital world (perhaps for coloring purposes) and what are the benefits in your mind in working traditionally with pencil, ink and paper?
SC: Yes, I’m an old dinosaur, I work in the traditional way. Obviously, I really like the scent of the paper, the colors and the whole festival. It’s a direct and sincere relationship with what you draw. If you make a mistake with a difficult color, you can correct it. Thanks to the Xp-Pen I’m trying to take my first steps with digital. I’m still a caveman who’s discovered fire, but it is certainly fun and different. I’m still at the beginning but I will never abandon paper and color.
Don’t Spit in the Wind
GVN: Your new book for Mad Cave “Don’t Spit in the Wind” has the distinction of being their first creator-owned title. How did your collaboration with Mad Cave come about?
SC: In a very simple way, I had already done a variant cover for a Mad Cave title, “A Legacy of Violence,” and I thought I could propose this story of mine that I was writing. The Mad Cave staff immediately liked it and here we are!
GVN: Please tell our fans a bit about the premise for “Don’t Spit in the Wind” and how did this idea come to fruition? Was there any type of message (perhaps environmental related) you wanted to express or explore? Or was it simply a narrative device to get you where you wanted to go story wise?
SC: “Write what you see” is a rule for writing a credible story. I am very worried about the world situation and the health of our planet. Which is so close to a catastrophic film, it is difficult to ignore. However, there are a lot of things in this story of mine, but I don’t want to reveal too much.
Working with a Colorist
GVN: I had mentioned the prospect of digital coloring and I notice that Dan Lee is handling coloring and lettering for you. Does it require any special preparation on your part for the colorist to bring what you envisioned to the page, or do you try to give your colorist a free hand in their job?
SC: I always like to leave the colorist free without being too pressing or fussy.
Upcoming Projects
GVN: I want to thank you again Stefano for your time. I know the promotion of a new book does take some time. Before I let you go, I want to give you an opportunity to promote any other projects you have coming up.
SC: Thank you so much for this interview. Yes, I’m working on several things. Some should finish in a few weeks like the graphic novel “I AM LEGEND” taken from the book written by Richard Matheson. The Graphic Novel is written by Alessandro Manzetti for Independent Legion Publishing. I’m also writing a new series together with Francesca.
Mad Cave Studio’s Don’t Spit in the Wind by Stefano Cardoselli and colorist/letterer Dan Lee is available on the 29th from the Mad Cave Subscription site. You can check out our preview here.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
