Post by boomvavavoom on Sept 25, 2008 12:13:17 GMT 1
Stjepan Sejic crossed a ravine of his own when he journeyed from a young hopeful in Croatia to one of comic's biggest artistic talents. Now he plans on bringing another Ravine to the fans and hopes they'll take the journey with him.
As Sejic's first creator-owned work, Ravine serves as a very personal project for Sejic. As such, the star creator jumped at the chance to give readers a look inside the sprawling saga and a sneak peak at enough PREVIEW ART to fill a canyon of its own in this EXCLUSIVE FIRST INTERVIEW!
SOURCE: www.wizarduniverse.com/092408topcowspotlight.html
More pictures here:
nebezial.deviantart.com
As Sejic's first creator-owned work, Ravine serves as a very personal project for Sejic. As such, the star creator jumped at the chance to give readers a look inside the sprawling saga and a sneak peak at enough PREVIEW ART to fill a canyon of its own in this EXCLUSIVE FIRST INTERVIEW!
What can you tell us about your series Ravine?
SEJIC: Basically, it's an epic fantasy with a rather strong romantic under-story. It's extremely character driven. When I announced it, I said it was about a father who lost his family and he's doing whatever he can to bring them back, but there's this group of heroes that are on a quest to stop him because he's willing to start a war of epic proportions to bring his family back. The whole thing, when it's finished, is going to be like a thousand fully painted pages. It's not really so much a comic book as it is a fantasy story. Initially, it was going to be a book, but I think it's faster for me to draw a legion of dragons than describe them one by one.
How'd you come up with the idea?
SEJIC: It's got a funny backstory. Eight years ago, when I met my wife for the first time, I decided to draw her in armor, just for the fun of it. After that, stuff started link up. I was always great at thinking about stories, but I lacked the initiative to start up something. But with this, I just latched on and just couldn't drop it. Over the course of seven to eight years, I've been developing this saga. I'm trying to surpass anything that anyone has ever done. I have high hopes for it.
So, does this mean your wife is a character in the book?
SEJIC: Yes and no. It started off that way, but later the character of Lynn grew on its own and her personality separated. Initially, the book had a lot of comedy elements back then. I was really into manga, and the style of it was completely different. But as I matured, my approach to the story matured also. Through the years, the story grew from this funny read to the epic fantasy with heavy drama and character evolution. And it'll have the best art I've ever did in it.
You said it's a character piece. Can you talk about a few of the characters?
SEJIC: It's sort of a bipolar book. On one side, you've got this group of heroes that are doing their thing. There's a paladin in exile, Lynn, and a wizard, Stein, who is trying to avoid being registered as one. In this world, wizards are supposed to be registered by the kingdom in which they serve. He just wants to travel and gain some wealth. Those are the two main characters on the hero side. On the other side, you've got this character Mebezial, who was once a man but now deformed like a monster. After losing his family, in a way that's partially his fault and partially is his fault, he found a way to bring them back but many have to be sacrificed. The events he put into motion are bringing about massive war. It's going to be a tough journey for both sides. There's a lot of characters in the book, but those three are the biggest.
We've seen a lot of your work from Witchblade and the Secret Invasion: Inhumans cover. You say this will be your best work, which in an of itself is exciting.
SEJIC: It's really a new level. This is a fantasy book, and from day one, I was a fantasy artist. So drawing landscapes with castles and dragons, that's who I am. Witchblade is something that I love and have adapted my style to and learned how to draw buildings and cars and the general urban contemporary surroundings.
What are you most looking forward to drawing in this?
SEJIC: The final battle. The plan is to have 12 books at 86 pages of comic and extra pages with world information and such. The final book is going to be a 120 pager. We're talking a huge war with 600 wyverns and 400 dragons, and that's just the aerial part of the battle. On the ground you have huge forces clashing.
How'd you first get into comics?
SEJIC: I've been trying to get into comics for a long, long time. But from Croatia, getting into American comics—which is what I always wanted to get into—was borderline impossible. At a certain point, I even sent a portfolio with a pitch to Top Cow. But those who know me know I’m notoriously impossible with sending stuff. I don't know how, but my sh-- just gets lost every time. After that, I tried to completely change my approach and got myself a computer. I started working with digital art and invented techniques to obtain the optimal balance of speed and quality. I just kept working and working and displaying my stuff on Web sites. Eventually, I was contacted by Tyler Kirkham, who was working at Top Cow, and asked if I could color some of his stuff just to see how it would look. All of a sudden I nailed a job at Top Cow on Darkness/Wolverine. After that, it just started avalanching. It's really a dream come true.
How's the feel? You talked about the struggle and now you're getting to do the book you've been planning forever.
SEJIC: I could try to describe to people what it feels like, but everything I say would be an understatement. It's like an explosion of joy inside of me. I'm sweating in pure happiness. I can't describe the amount of joy I'm experiencing now and have ever since I got into Top Cow. An outlet to all of my creativity has been opened.
Ron Marz is going to be scripting, right? You're plotting and drawing, but he's doing the dialogue?
SEJIC: I still have to arrange that with Ron. Even though I'm pretty eloquent will the English language, but I'm still not native in American. I'm going to be writing it and he's going to editing my stuff. And if he has a cool idea, I'm more than happy to have him chip in. But I'm going to try and do most of the stuff on my own. I know what I want the characters to be saying in each panel, but I will still need his assistance. I find him to be a genius in putting stuff in for the artist and making dialogue that really brings characters to life.
With you various cover work and ongoing status on Witchblade will you have time for this? It seems like a lot on your plate.
SEJIC: My usual schedule is two comics a month and about 15-20 covers a month. So, this doesn't present any difference for me. I work 10 hours a day, every day. When the deadlines start coming in, it's more 15 hours a day. But I find time to spend time with my wife, play video games, sleep. It can all be done. It's just sitting down, getting the job done, and moving on.
Do you play a lot of video games?
SEJIC: Oh yeah. I'm a massive role playing gamer—both Japanese and American ones. And here and there I like to play some Tony Hawk and stuff like that. And if there's someone to play with I love fighting games like Soul Caliber. I've been following that ever since it was Soul Blade on Playstation 1.
I've been playing Soul Caliber IV lately.
SEJIC: Oh man. I would so whoop your ass. I rule that game. [Laughs]
Well, is there a comic series you'd love to do but haven't gotten a chance?
SEJIC: I would love to do a Masters of the Universe series. You have no idea how much of a dork I was for that.
Same here. [Laughs]
SEJIC: I just recently re-watched all of the old ones. I love that stuff. Also Conan. Let's face it, it's one of those initial fantasy, carnage things that just beats in the heart of every man. [Laughs]
SEJIC: Basically, it's an epic fantasy with a rather strong romantic under-story. It's extremely character driven. When I announced it, I said it was about a father who lost his family and he's doing whatever he can to bring them back, but there's this group of heroes that are on a quest to stop him because he's willing to start a war of epic proportions to bring his family back. The whole thing, when it's finished, is going to be like a thousand fully painted pages. It's not really so much a comic book as it is a fantasy story. Initially, it was going to be a book, but I think it's faster for me to draw a legion of dragons than describe them one by one.
How'd you come up with the idea?
SEJIC: It's got a funny backstory. Eight years ago, when I met my wife for the first time, I decided to draw her in armor, just for the fun of it. After that, stuff started link up. I was always great at thinking about stories, but I lacked the initiative to start up something. But with this, I just latched on and just couldn't drop it. Over the course of seven to eight years, I've been developing this saga. I'm trying to surpass anything that anyone has ever done. I have high hopes for it.
So, does this mean your wife is a character in the book?
SEJIC: Yes and no. It started off that way, but later the character of Lynn grew on its own and her personality separated. Initially, the book had a lot of comedy elements back then. I was really into manga, and the style of it was completely different. But as I matured, my approach to the story matured also. Through the years, the story grew from this funny read to the epic fantasy with heavy drama and character evolution. And it'll have the best art I've ever did in it.
You said it's a character piece. Can you talk about a few of the characters?
SEJIC: It's sort of a bipolar book. On one side, you've got this group of heroes that are doing their thing. There's a paladin in exile, Lynn, and a wizard, Stein, who is trying to avoid being registered as one. In this world, wizards are supposed to be registered by the kingdom in which they serve. He just wants to travel and gain some wealth. Those are the two main characters on the hero side. On the other side, you've got this character Mebezial, who was once a man but now deformed like a monster. After losing his family, in a way that's partially his fault and partially is his fault, he found a way to bring them back but many have to be sacrificed. The events he put into motion are bringing about massive war. It's going to be a tough journey for both sides. There's a lot of characters in the book, but those three are the biggest.
We've seen a lot of your work from Witchblade and the Secret Invasion: Inhumans cover. You say this will be your best work, which in an of itself is exciting.
SEJIC: It's really a new level. This is a fantasy book, and from day one, I was a fantasy artist. So drawing landscapes with castles and dragons, that's who I am. Witchblade is something that I love and have adapted my style to and learned how to draw buildings and cars and the general urban contemporary surroundings.
What are you most looking forward to drawing in this?
SEJIC: The final battle. The plan is to have 12 books at 86 pages of comic and extra pages with world information and such. The final book is going to be a 120 pager. We're talking a huge war with 600 wyverns and 400 dragons, and that's just the aerial part of the battle. On the ground you have huge forces clashing.
How'd you first get into comics?
SEJIC: I've been trying to get into comics for a long, long time. But from Croatia, getting into American comics—which is what I always wanted to get into—was borderline impossible. At a certain point, I even sent a portfolio with a pitch to Top Cow. But those who know me know I’m notoriously impossible with sending stuff. I don't know how, but my sh-- just gets lost every time. After that, I tried to completely change my approach and got myself a computer. I started working with digital art and invented techniques to obtain the optimal balance of speed and quality. I just kept working and working and displaying my stuff on Web sites. Eventually, I was contacted by Tyler Kirkham, who was working at Top Cow, and asked if I could color some of his stuff just to see how it would look. All of a sudden I nailed a job at Top Cow on Darkness/Wolverine. After that, it just started avalanching. It's really a dream come true.
How's the feel? You talked about the struggle and now you're getting to do the book you've been planning forever.
SEJIC: I could try to describe to people what it feels like, but everything I say would be an understatement. It's like an explosion of joy inside of me. I'm sweating in pure happiness. I can't describe the amount of joy I'm experiencing now and have ever since I got into Top Cow. An outlet to all of my creativity has been opened.
Ron Marz is going to be scripting, right? You're plotting and drawing, but he's doing the dialogue?
SEJIC: I still have to arrange that with Ron. Even though I'm pretty eloquent will the English language, but I'm still not native in American. I'm going to be writing it and he's going to editing my stuff. And if he has a cool idea, I'm more than happy to have him chip in. But I'm going to try and do most of the stuff on my own. I know what I want the characters to be saying in each panel, but I will still need his assistance. I find him to be a genius in putting stuff in for the artist and making dialogue that really brings characters to life.
With you various cover work and ongoing status on Witchblade will you have time for this? It seems like a lot on your plate.
SEJIC: My usual schedule is two comics a month and about 15-20 covers a month. So, this doesn't present any difference for me. I work 10 hours a day, every day. When the deadlines start coming in, it's more 15 hours a day. But I find time to spend time with my wife, play video games, sleep. It can all be done. It's just sitting down, getting the job done, and moving on.
Do you play a lot of video games?
SEJIC: Oh yeah. I'm a massive role playing gamer—both Japanese and American ones. And here and there I like to play some Tony Hawk and stuff like that. And if there's someone to play with I love fighting games like Soul Caliber. I've been following that ever since it was Soul Blade on Playstation 1.
I've been playing Soul Caliber IV lately.
SEJIC: Oh man. I would so whoop your ass. I rule that game. [Laughs]
Well, is there a comic series you'd love to do but haven't gotten a chance?
SEJIC: I would love to do a Masters of the Universe series. You have no idea how much of a dork I was for that.
Same here. [Laughs]
SEJIC: I just recently re-watched all of the old ones. I love that stuff. Also Conan. Let's face it, it's one of those initial fantasy, carnage things that just beats in the heart of every man. [Laughs]
SOURCE: www.wizarduniverse.com/092408topcowspotlight.html
More pictures here:
nebezial.deviantart.com
