5 Quick Questions with Sergio Cariello

Sergio Cariello was born in Brazil. At the age of 5 he already knew he wanted to draw comics. At 11 he had his first comic strip published in Local newspapers-Frederico, the Detective. He wrote, drew and lettered the strip for 4 years and earned him a first prize for best kid comic strip artist of the paper. At Caliber Press he penciled, inked, and lettered the HP Lovecraft's Dagon, with writer Steven Jones, while still attending the Kubert School. He was excused from many assignments from the school due to his caliber job.

He got into the Marvel bullpen after learning they were offering a "ghost lettering" position to any 3rd year student of the Kubert school. No one seemed interested so he went to Marvel the very next day, as a second year student, and took his Hy Eisman lettering assignments and Virginia Romita hired him on the spot. During his free time he continued to draw Dagon for Caliber and marvel editors saw he could also draw and started giving him penciling assignments. At Marvel he drew Daredevil, Conan, Thor, Captain America, Disney's Quasimodo, Spider-man, the Avengers and others. He drew Batman, Superman, New Gods, Young Heroes in Love, Superboy, Steel, Guy Gardner, Hawkman, Man called X, The Flash, Deathstroke,Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Azrael and others for DC.

Sergio taught several classes during 7 consecutive yrs at the Joe Kubert School. He also helped Joe Kubert in his correspondence courses, critiquing the assignments of corresponding students in all courses. He is a member of the National Cartoonists Society since 1995. He worked with Chuck Dixon and Beau Smith on the Wildcat mini-series for DC. At Dark Horse he drew and lettered Badlander. A western he co-created with Beau Smith.

Other gigs include: Spawn for Image, Sojourn, Lady Death, Scion, Crux, and other Crossgen titles, Iron Ghost with Chuck Dixon for Image and ATP and many others.

Sergio is currently working on the Lone Ranger(Dynamic Forces), which earned him an Eisner nomination in 2007 and an Award from True West Magazine as best Western Comic Book of the Year in their 2009 Best of The West Source Book. Son of Samson with writer Gary Martin (The Moth,Nexus) for Zondervan, and the Brand new version classic best-seller The Picture Bible for David C Cook and other gigs here and there.



He agreed to answer 5 Quick Questions

1) What would you say is your greatest achievement in comics?

The Picture Bible is definitely among them! The New Testament has been released by Cook Publications. I'm still working on the Old Testament. It carries true, historical events that have eternal value and relevance to our lives. The opportunity to draw Jesus of Nazareth, the only way by which we can be reconnected with our Creator is a life time achievement offered to me in comics and I feel I fulfill my call by drawing it.

2) Who was your favorite writer or artist that you worked with & why?

I've had the privilege of working with many favorite writers : Chuck Dixon, Beau Smith, Dennis O'Neal, Marv Wolfman, Christopher Mills, Brett Matthews, just to name a few. Gary Martin is among them because we share the same values and convictions.

We do our creator owned project called: The Son of Samson. It's a fiction story but has its foundation on historical Samson from the Bible. I just love working from his plots because it gives total freedom to do what I want in the pages. Drawing Son of Samson is relaxing to me because is very cartoony, (not necessarily easier than realistic)very dynamic, and full of good balance of action, long shots and clear storytelling( not many panels in a page). the style and genre is very natural to me. Don't assume I have no challenges in it. Sometimes I have to draw battle scenes with tons of people in double pages spreads and even triple pages spreads but it is still fun . Son of Samson is published by Zondervan.

3) What character you have never worked .., would you like to do & why?

In France I'd like to do Asterix. I grew up reading Asterix and it has the same flavor of Son of Samson. It's funny, entertaining and copies historical events to tell fun stories. In North America I think Tarzan. I love to draw God's creatures and the nature He so wisely designed. I love the character and what he stands for.

4) Who are your influences?

Albert Uderzo (Asterix), Alex Toth(Herculoids, Zorro), John Romita Sr(Daredevil, Spider-Man), Mort Drucker(Mad magazine), John Buscema(Conan), Will Eisner(The Spirit), and Joe Kubert (Tarzan), Milt Caniff,Alex Raymond, Hal Foster, and many more.

5) What hero or villain would you like to change if you could and why?

I have no desire to change someone else's creation but I'd love to create more of my own.

Sergio will be attending Free Comic Book Day at the Heroes Haven - Tampa area comic shop.

He'll also be attending Tim Gordon's convention in Tampa on July 12th, San Diego Comic-Con 2009, July 22-26 and Mini Megacon in Orlando in August 22,23

Check out Sergio's blog at http://sergiocariello.blogspot.com/

On ComicSpace at http://www.comicspace.com/sergiocariello/

And check out his website at www.sergiocariello.com