Antonio Santini

This interview with comic book writer and artist Antonio Santini was conducted by Director Sébastien Dumesnil via email during the making of Adventures Into Digital Comics. This interview is a part of the first set of interviews, which means that Antonio Santini received a part of the shotlist, and was asked to answer the questions as if they were actually shooting the interview together. Antonio Santini was offered the possibility to interact this way with the members of the cast.

By sending the same questions to all interviewees, Dumesnil wanted to get the most necessary element of narrative filmmaking: conflict. Despite the repetitive aspect of the questions, we hope you will be surprised by the large panel of answers and opinions offered by the interviewees.

Can you tell us about your background?

One day as I was coming home from Santa Monica College, I walked into a 7-Eleven and saw a book by Marvel entitled Torment; it was polybagged and I liked the cover so I took it home, read it, loved it and appreciated the fact that comics weren't what they used to be. Mr. McFarlane did an outstanding job. Anyhow that was back in 1993 and I started drawing when I was in the 3rd grade and my older half brother was a freelance oil painter and he started me on a wonderful path that I hope to continue until the day my hands fall off of my body.

What do you find in comics that you wouldn't find in another type of visual exercise?

I think comics give an artist unlimited freedom to create any idea that he/she is able to convey on paper—even more so than film and digital media. Think about it; a person can literally sit down and create the next classic characters in any setting, any lighting, any planet, any weather and any other circumstances with just his mind, a pencil and piece of paper—these are things a kid in elementary school can do (technically.) I'm not saying that comic artists are kids in school, mind you, what I mean to say is that an artist can create virtually any concept on paper and it becomes immortalized in a sense so long as that paper exists, it is a one of a kind piece of art, there are no substitutes for that.

1993 was the last profitable year for the American industry. The market has been shrinking ever since. What do you think are the causes of the industry's collapse in the 90's?

I think comics are just like any other business, if you over saturate the market people don't want to look at another version of the same thing for too long. Comics are on the rise again by the way!

For the past few years, we've seen the big companies trying to improve quality: better paper, big names from other industries, etc. Do you think that it had an impact on sales?

No, I don't think it had an impact at all. Me, personally, if I like the story and art I don't really care what format it's in unless it's a commemorative issue.

In the 90's, publishers began to create alternate covers, and made a lot of—sometimes unnecessary—relaunches. What do you think of those "gimmicks"?

It worked for them. And let the buyer beware. Sometimes, if something is bagged you can't really tell if it is any good or not. Just ask the comic book guy if he has a copy of it that you can skim through—otherwise you probably shouldn't buy it if you don't know what it is. Just like any other market.

To make more money and be able to reach different places such as bookstores, the publishers have created the trade paperback. As an example, many people have read Sandman when it was available on paperback, but not before. Do you feel that the comic book format had its days, and could be replaced by the paperback?

No, the trade paperback will never replace a comic book. One of the main reasons people like comics is because it takes you on a ride into another reality in about 10 to 15 minutes flat—depending on how fast or slow you like to read your comics. It's like you’re getting your fix of fantasy for the day or for the week whichever the case may be. It is a comic book. Don't you just love it?

The early 90's saw the first digital lettering and coloring in American comic books. Do you think that it opened a new world of possibilities as far as storytelling is concerned?

Yes.

Between 1993 and 2001, many readers left comic books in the US. Some people in the industry blamed video games and movies, two media now able to offer visual miracles. Do you agree on this point?

Over saturation.

Also around the same time came the Internet. Did you guess at that time that the Internet could become a distribution system for independent artists?

Not really.

Diversity seems to be a key problem for the industry. Do you think that current comic books are oriented mainly toward an audience in its 20's?

As far as I know the age range for most comics is 8 to 35. And diversity is a problem in any market—not just comic books. Younger consumers love comics more than anyone but the larger share comes from older guys who have more money to spend because they have regular jobs whereas kids just go to school and study. And women make up something like less than 3% of the market. Why? I don't know.

The average price of a comic book in the US is around $3. Do you think, regarding the production and distribution system, that it is too expensive? What are the sales like nowadays in the US?

No, I do not think that is too expensive, it falls right into line with the cost of a movie or video game which are both forms of entertainment as well but are limited to a budget. The amount of time and effort—not to mention the high cost—that goes into producing a comic book would surprise most people and make them appreciate the comic book even more.