1. What initially drew you to comics?
As a creator and choice of profession, it was definitely the launch of Image Comics in 1992 that did it for me. I was about 11 years old and had been exclusively reading/collecting Marvel and DC books. When Image came out I experienced my first real exposure to creator-owned work. Independent and creator-owned books had obviously existed prior to Image but at 11 years old I hadn't been exposed to any of it. My local shop didn't carry much of it and I honestly believed that the "Big Two" were all there was in comics. Silly, I know, but it was Image Comics that showed this young boy that you can create your own characters and stories and publish them to the masses. You didn't just have to tell stories about existing properties. That hit me right in my creative core and I've made it a goal of mine ever since; to create original stories that I own the rights to.
2. Please tell us about your creative process.
I recently made the leap from traditional pencils and inks on Bristol board to fully digital. Aside from that difference, my process itself hasn't changed much. I receive a script from the writer and begin with rough thumbnail layouts. I tend to, if possible, layout the entire issue first. That allows me to see the whole book in a rough form and from there I can see what's working and what isn't and make the appropriate changes before the art is finalized. From there I work page by page; rough pencils, then final inks. My current tools are an IPad Pro and Apple pencil. I use Procreate and Clip Studio to draw with. I also use a ton of reference when drawing. Any artist worth their salt uses reference for just about anything, from backgrounds to characters. Google Image is definitely a cartoonists' best friend.
3. What inspires your humorous and fanciful creating?
I'm a huge fan of multiple genres in film, novels, and comics. My love for reading came from my mother. She got me into reading novels and introduced me to comics at a very young age. My passion for film came from my father. He was a movie and TV buff and our "thing" was watching TV just about every night when I was a kid. From classics to modern films we covered a broad spectrum of cinema. So depending on the topic of the project I'm currently working on I'll go out and consume as much research on the subject as I can. I make a "to-read" pile of material and compile a list of films to watch based on the genre. It helps in a tremendous way when I'm designing the look and feel of the book.
4. Please tell us about Savor (and/or any other titles you'd like to share about).
SAVOR was one of my more recent projects. It was released by Dark Horse Comics and created by myself and writer Neil Kleid. It's a truly fun adventure about a fictional island in the Pacific that is a tourist destination because of its incredible fusion restaurants. The inhabitants of the islands are considered some of world's greatest chefs as well as toughest warriors. When our hero, Savor, leaves the island to travel the globe and sharpen her skills as a warrior/chef, pirates invade and conquer the island. They capture everyone she loves, forcing her to begin a quest to free her home from their evil clutches. The graphic novel is still available through Amazon and Comixology. Another project near and dear to me has been Zombie-Sama. Co-created by myself and Billy Tucci, it tells the epic tale of Jim Okami, a sushi delivery boy from Long Island, New York who must face destiny head-on when a zombie outbreak claims his hometown. Jim grabs the lone katana sword from above the sushi shop register and heads out to rescue his ex from the undead. The first book was a huge success on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform and book 2: Dorm of the Dead is set to launch later this year. The second installment will mark my first writing credit so I'm very excited about this one! Currently, I'm plugging away at Zombie-Sama 3 and Neil Kleid and I have teamed up once again for a brand new secret project so stay tuned!
5. Where can we find more information about your work?
I'm pretty easy to find on Instagram @brogliajohn and Facebook. I promote any and all upcoming projects and appearances on those two platforms.
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