Floating in the ocean can be magical

drawing, traveling and thinking about where comics can take you

I went to the beach for three days. I was invited by a friend to stay at her house at a different beach I usually go, but I felt I could use the break and, perhaps, could use the unexpected joy of discovering a new place, with new people and, unlike what I usually do (which is keep it to myself and just go to my safe places), I accepted the invitation and went.

I made sure I didn’t take my very portable laptop, or my even more portable iPad, to guarantee that the trip wouldn’t involve work. I didn’t send a letter last week because I was there.

I read an entire book. I went to a waterfall in the morning for the three days, and then continued to the beach. I learned a little about the small town, about my friends, and I was able to relax and make plans. One night, looking at the sky, I saw a shooting star and made a wish.

Commissions of the week

I had already been invited to the beach and I needed to start with a piece that I was more familiar with, so I went with a Daytripper-related request to draw Olinda, Brás’ love interest in chapters two and three of the story.

Sometimes the sketches are just warm ups on the character, not really thinking about the composition. I was looking over the part of the story where she appears, and the visual elements which could easily connect the drawing with the story: the boat, the candles, the ocean and Olinda in the middle of all of that.

I came back from the beach and, over the weekend, worked on my second commission. I could choose between two X-Men (X-women, actually), and I chose Magik, because the request suggested Chris Bachalo’s design of the character. I love Bachalo’s work from his early days on Generation X. His early work at that book made me think more non-mainstream looking styles, such as mine (even if at that time my style wasn’t even a style yet) could work on any book as long as it hold the readers’ attention and told a compelling story. I only found out he had done the first Death mini-series after I discovered Generation X.

Silent news.

Bá and I are doing a variant cover for our friend Gustavo Duarte’s DC Speechless #1. He’s been publishing these silent short stories with several DC heroes (and villains) online at the DC Universe Infinite, and on Abril 18th, a one-shot collecting all the stories will come out with a cover by him, a collaborative variant cover by your favorite Brazilian twins and a super rare variant where Gustavo collaborates with Rafael Albuquerque.

When we can, we’ll show the cover we made. I’m coloring it this week, and in it we got to draw characters we grew up reading and characters we know but never read, but that are fan favorites regardless.

Angoulême is upon us. C’est parti.

I spent some time looking over the online program of the 50th edition of the Festival de Bande Dessinée de Angoulême, partly because I’m not going this year and educating myself on what I’ll be missing is sometimes an important part of maintaining my interest and passion for the industry, and also partly because there’s a growing interest in Brazilian comics everywhere in the World, and a reflection of that can be seen in the presence of Brazilians in this year’s edition. Artists, curators, editors and translators from Brazil will be there and be part of a panel at the Forum du Nouveau Monde on Friday.

Marcelo Lelis is just one example of the originality of the Brazilian comic book art scene. He will be signing and painting his beautiful watercolors at his publisher’s booth in the following scheduled times:

Jeudi - 16h à 18h

Vendredi 10h-12h / 17h-19h

Samedi 10h30-12h30 15h à 19h

Dimanche 10h à 11h30

Editions Les Rêveurs

Le Nouveau Monde - Stand N34

Here’s an example of Lelis’ work:

Still checking out the program of the festival, I noticed a lot of panels focusing on informing aspiring artists what they need to know when dealing with contracts, publishers, publishing (or self-publishing) and all that part of being an author that you won’t be taught in art school.

A particular masterclass caught my attention, because I would love to attend, and because it’s rare even when Geof goes to American conventions.

(since this is the only information I managed to find about this masterclass, there’s also a chance it’s by Chris and Julien talking about Geof Darrow’s work instead of a masterclass by him).

the week for those who stay

I have to get back to work. I have a cover to draw, some pages to layout, and maybe, if all goes well, write a little more of one of the scripts I’m tweaking (mostly in my mind). It’s a holiday here in São Paulo on Wednesday, and I have two parties to attend on Saturday, and I’ll keep making plans so that my next international trip isn’t only about going to conventions and festivals, but also to catch up with some friends who the pandemic has kept away for far too long. We shouldn’t get used to not seeing each other. Be close to your friends. Make it count.

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

Fábio Moon
Moon Base, São Paulo
January 23rd, 2023