An interview with Marcio Takara: «My old career was too boring for me, so I changed to something I liked since I was a kid»

Continuing with the material we collect in FIC Santiago 2016, it is that we bring you a new interview. This time, a renowned brazilian cartoonist, charismatic and pleasant inker. He has worked in many publications like Incorruptible, The Incredibles: Family Matters, Irredeemable for Boom! Studios. He has also worked on Captain Marvel and the current series of All New Wolverine among other collaborations for Marvel. In addition, he participated in DC Comics in the digital series Smallville and The Flash: Season 0. I invite you to read this entertaining interview with the great Marcio Takara.

¡Let's go!

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El Multiverso 52: How did you started in the comic book industry?

Marcio Takara:
I used to be a graphic designer before, but it was too boring for me so I decided to quit. Told my family, my wife at the time that it would get a little hard to make money in the beginning but with years it was a snowball in fact, this would get better and better and I'm here. It was just a matter to post my work everywhere, online and going to cons in the US cause I was living in Canada so it was easier for me. Sending emails everywhere, just promoting myself as much as I could.

MV52: Were you always a comic book fan?

MT: Oh yeah. Since I was a child. And that's why I got bored with the graphic designer life.

MV52: Which one was your favorite comic book?

MT: My first one was Justice League International. The funny one.

MV52: The one with everybody looking up in the cover?

MT: Oh yeah, that's the one. With Keith Giffens, Kevin Maguire and then Adam Hughes came to draw that and since then he's my favorite. He's amazing. So that was it, basically. And the X-Men as well.

MV52: What was your first official comicbook work?

MT: The first one was for Marvel, it was a terrible one [laughs]. It was one of those Free Comic Books that they give to kids in schools in the US, it was a Spider-Man and Fantastic Four telling kids to not drink alcohol, so that was it. It looks really bad, don't google it. [laughs]

MV52: And after that, how did you get in to the big leagues in comics? Like DC and other publishers?.

MT: My first one was for Marvel and then I had work from Boom! [Studios]. The Incredibles, Incorruptible  and then when I was doing The Incredibles that was just for kids so I asked them to give me more mature [content] just to show I could do something else and that what caught the attention of DC and they asked me to do Blue Beetle and then something else I can remember...

MV52: Smallville, The Flash ...

MT: Smallville, The Flash. Hey you know more than I do [laughs]. So I've been in between DC and Marvel since then.

MV52: Which one do you like more?

MT: I always preferred DC but I'm not a huge fan of what they are doing now, with the New 52 and I know I'm not alone there, I've talked to a lot of artist and people don't seem to like it and that's why they tried to change it now again, 'cause there's something wrong, everyone is noticing that.

MV52: What do you think about that? Like, they are trying to change what they had changed already...

MT: It's just a matter of money, I guess. If it's start to hurt their sales they need to change again. It's just money.

MV52: What do you thing about doing indie comics?

MT: I don't have the desire to have my own book.  Cause I always liked to play with their toys on Marvel and DC, I've always been a huge fan of superheroes, so if I can stay drawing on Marvel and DC forever, I'm good. [laughs]

MV52: If somebody would offer you a series of your own. Which character would you pick?

MT: X-Men

MV52: But, which one?

MT: Rogue is my favorite. But I like the Rogue from the '90s. The Jim Lee one, with green and yellow. I don't like the new one.

MV52: Who's your biggest influence in your art?

MT: Adam Hughes. Nowadays Stuart Immonen, Jim Lee, there's so many to name... Chris Bachalo. There are probably more but those four are the ones I like the most.

MV52: Have you read some chilean comics?

MT: No, never. That's why it's so good to be here, because I'm trying to met new people, and trying to meet new artist. That's amazing. An amazing experience.

MV52: You worked with Mark Waid in The Incredibles. How was it?

MT: It was amazing, it was the best writer I ever worked with. He's a big deal. That was back then when I was recently starting, I received an email out of nowhere. It was Mark Waid  and it was like this: .-"Hi, I don't know if you know who I am, my name is Mark Waid, uhhh... do you wanna work with me?"
- "uhh...God yeah, yes, of course yeah"
- "So, let's do The Incredibles"
- "Alright! let's do whatever man."
It was amazing and until now he's the best writer I ever had, him and James Robinson as well. Really good, really simple to the point, no bullshit.

MV52: Do you have any projects in the future? Something you are working now?

MT: I'm just working on All-New Wolverine and that's going to be for a while, they asked me to be the regular guy [artist].

MV52: Congratulations!!

MT: Oh wow, thanks. My first issue is out in two weeks so... #7, I did #8 and I'm doing #9 right now, actually at the hotel room, when I go back to the hotel I have to draw as well. I'm super happy.

MV52: Do you have any advice for new artist?

MT: It just a matter to keep practicing. Because I draw from 8 to 10 hours everyday so, your not gonna get worse, you only get better if you draw everyday, same thing with everything else, if you practice everyday, you're gonna get better.

MV52: Finally, what is your own favorite work?

MT: It's always the one I'm doing now, All-New Wolverine, it's been fun and I'm enjoying myself, like always.