How does a comic artist work today?

Although there were many guests at the recent Comicon 25 Napoli event, from many different artistic fields, the usual and main ones are still and will continue to be comic book artists. In this case, Simone di Meo, a cartoonist known for his collaborations with different publishers such as Marvel, Disney, or Titan Comics, as well as being the main author of the regular series of 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers'. In 2022 he was recognised as the Best Cover Artist at the Ringo Awards and now we have talked to him to review details about his style of work.

We asked the Turin-born artist in Naples about his most personal work, Li Troviamo Solo Quando Sono Morti, which in English version is known as We Only Find Them When They're Dead. "This is the project I started about five years ago and it's my first creative series for the American market," explained the young author. "It's like a crazy sci-fi thing, with gods and ships and a lot of different things. I've created a new universe, which is really important for an artist.

He also told us about his preferences regarding his drawing style. "I started my career as a traditional inker, with brush and other nibs, but right now I work in digital for layouts and colour. Sometimes I try something physically and create a fusion between traditional and digital work".

It's worth noting that it's not just for film or video games, as turnaround times are also key in this industry. "I work seven days a week normally, but sometimes I try to take half a day or a day off for life's chores. After ten years of work, my back is completely knackered, and I try to go to the gym every other day. I don't think that's a good example."

Finally, we wanted to know if he had discovered any aspects to increase his productivity, and his answer was clear and concise. "No. You get faster naturally."

Check out the whole interview below with subtitles.