Martin Montiel: So Drawing Some Superheroes Seemed Like the Way to Go
By Alex Rodrik
So far we’ve had the chance to sit down with and pick the brain’s of Shon C. Bury, Jason Metcalf, and Roger Bonet. Today we take a glimpse in to the world of Martin Montiel. This is Part 4 of our 8 Part Feature Interview series on Space Goat Productions.
Enjoy!
Alex Rodrik: How’d you get involved with Space Goat?
Martin Montiel: I saw an ad on Digital Webbing... Figured it may help me get good gigs... I’ve been in contact with Shon Bury for the last 3 or 4 years...ever since I moved back to Tijuana to do freelance work from home... Once he formed Space Goat Productions, we decided to work together to see what kind of magic Shon could work for me. ;)
AR: Tell us a bit about yourself, how’d you get involved in the industry? What drew you to comics?
MM: To be honest, I’m not a social person. Even as a kid I would’ve rather been indoors sketching than outside playing ball -- or chasing skirts as a teenager. So…drawing some superheroes seemed like the way to go. Got my break in comics in late 1999 with Penny Farthing Press, on their book The Victorian; after that they gave me a creator owned book "Zendra" of which we made two 6 issue miniseries. After that I moved on to Top Cow where I worked on Darkness and a Magdalena/Vampirella crossover. Well, after a series of assistance work on backgrounds and finishes. It’s been quite a fun ride so far...but I do miss the "studio" ambiance...
AR: Of all the projects you’ve worked on, which one have you found to be the most challenging? Which do you hold dearest to your heart?
MM: Every project has its challenges... It’s always been hard for me to hold my work dear to heart as, with time, I find more and more things about it I dislike…whiiiich I end up slapping myself about in the end. I guess it’s safe to say, the last stuff I worked on and the stuff I’m currently working on would be the most decent looking of my work… But I am proud of the growth I’ve seen in myself over the years.
AR: How has Space Goat affected the way you view and exist within the industry?
MM: Space Goat has proven to be pretty beneficial for me within the industry. It’s definitely helped create more consistent work and better rates. The more time passes the more I get to see how it’s really helping to shape where I stand in the world of comics…we’ll see how much ground I can cover.
AR: What are some of your current projects that our readers should keep their eyes open for?
MM: Legendary the Box by Spark Unlimited, it game out late last year. At the present moment I’m working on Soldiers. Soldiers is a webcomic produced by Under Water Samurai. It’s a combination of superheroes meet current military scenarios in the Afghan War. It’s currently in the process of being formatted for download onto iPods and smartphones…there’s also talk of it seeing print.
Discuss this interview on the Feature Fiends Forum!