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 Interview: Felipe Smith on MBQ and Manga
Written by Adam Volk
VOLK: You’ve made the transition from a struggling artist to a published author working for a major studio. How have your perceptions about manga changed since you’ve become a professional?
SMITH: I’d have to say nothing has changed about the way I perceive manga since I started doing it professionally. I knew it would be a lot of work before getting a shot at doing it, and now that I’m doing it, it’s a lot of work. [laughs]
I draw every day, all day. Right now there’s nothing I’d rather do.
VOLK: In terms of both illustrating and writing your series, which would you say is more difficult and how do you approach each?
SMITH: Writing stories has been fairly easy so far. I find I probably talk way too much, so writing these down might possibly be the best thing for me to do. With any luck I can share these stories with a lot more people than I could reach with my obnoxious mouth, and save those unwilling listeners much torture.
I write my scripts pretty quickly most of the time. Character dialogues jump out faster than I can type sometimes. Before I know it the story is already laid out.
Drawing is definitely a longer process than writing. But I love drawing just as much as I love telling stories, so I wouldn’t say either of them is difficult.
VOLK: Okay, I’ve gotta’ ask: What current manga titles are you reading these days, and if you were ever stranded on a desert island what 3 manga series would you bring with you?
SMITH: Right now I’m reading Kia Asamiya’s Batman: Child of Dreams. I’ve been flippin’ through my Rokudenashi Blues by Morita Masanori and looking through some Jelly in the Merry-Go-Round by Anno Moyoco.
If I were stranded on that desert island I'd bring the equivalent of 3 manga series in blank paper, and enough pens and markers to kill every single page. If I had 3 series to read and no paper to draw I would die on that island a wretched man.
VOLK: Shameless plug time. What else are you going to be working on in the near future?
SMITH: MBQ ‘til the wheels fall off! I’m also working on some original t-shirt designs; if all goes well you should be able to check out the designs available on my website.
VOLK: If you could work with any manga writer or illustrator on the planet, who would it be?
SMITH: Nobody. There are many artists and writers whom I’d love to have a chance to meet and whose work I very much admire; but I wouldn’t want to work with any of them. I want to do my own work, just as much as I enjoy seeing them do theirs. Working with others requires mutual agreement and often compromise. For me writing stories or creating characters is something very personal. In this, I’d like to avoid compromising or surrendering to someone else’s vision as much as possible. Though working in a group may bring the best out of each member, the end product runs the risk of having no solid personal voice. When it comes to art, expressing yourself, or the way you choose to live your life, compromise should be your last option.
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22 July 2008
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Words of Truth and Wisdom: Manga UniversityManga Bulletin: July 16th, 2008Spotlight: FullMetal Alchemist-- Spotlight Conclusion 8 July 2008
In Defense of Dubbing (Sort of)Spotlight: FullMetal Alchemist, Part One 2 July 2008
Words of Truth and Wisdom: WorkreationManga Bulletin: July 2nd, 2008
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