Beasts of several natures

First beast

I don’t usually share penciled drawings. I try not to put too much effort on the pencils, leaving my energy for the inks. Maybe I would act differently if somebody else were to ink my work, but for me inking has always been the most fun part, so I’m not really thinking about giving that part up.

Second beast, a beast of a writer.

Here I was, working while hearing this interview with Brian Azzarello. I’ve known Brian for a long time now, but it’s interesting listening to him talk about how he got into comics. I knew a little bit about it, but it’s fascinating to hear all the different paths he crossed, a lot completely unrelated to making comics or writing, to eventually arrive at where he is today. Every time I learn about somebody’s life and how long it took them to finally discover what they wanted to do or what they felt passionate about to only then start going after it, that’s when I realize my journey, with all the difficulties it presented me, was quite clear by the time I was fourteen, and how lucky I was to know that early what I wanted to do.

• •

The golden beast.

In Festival de Bande Dessinée de Angoulême news, I was trying to follow up online whatever I could, trying to sense what festivals look like or feel like in the new “post” pandemic world, and I guess the outcome was positive. People want festivals and conventions back, everybody miss the interactions with one another, and I hope people are respectful with one another to embrace whatever the other needs to feel safe and comfortable in a shared space to enjoy a shared experience.

It’s impossible for me not to make a big deal of the fact that the Fauve d’or of best album of the year went to a Brazilian, Marcello Quintanilha, for his latest book Écoute, Jolie Márcia. Awards don’t solve the struggles of the daily cartoonist, but they open a window for a whole bunch of people to discover somebody’s work, somebody’s culture, and every time a Brazilian author receives an international award, it helps the Brazilian comics’ community. Every time an outsider wins an award, we stop only looking in and we look outside what we’re used to and we have the opportunity to broaden our horizons.

the beastly email exchange

A had an unexpected yet super cool email exchange this weekend. What may come out of this conversation will help feed one of my letters once I can talk about it. For now, it’s feeding the drawing board, and my imagination, and my brush.

Be safe. Be kind. Be curious.
Pa-ZOW!

Fábio Moon
Moon Base, São Paulo
March 21st, 2022