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Delhi Comic Con 2022 was a massive success among Indian pop culture fans. The event was held from December 9 -11, 2022, in NSIC Exhibition grounds, Okhla.
This year's Delhi Comic Con drew 45,000 attendees over the course of three days. SK POP also attended the event and spoke with Marvel and DC Comics artist Rick Leonardi. The artist was a featured artist at the Delhi Comic Con, where he discussed his comic creations and artistic journey.
With over 42 years of experience, Rick Leonardi has notably worked on various series for Marvel Comics and DC Comics such as Cloak and Dagger, The Uncanny X-Men, The New Mutants, Spider-Man 2099, Nightwing, Batgirl, Green Lantern Versus Aliens and Superman.
SK Pop's Kumari Khushboo got an opportunity to interview the artist and learn about his journey and experience at Delhi Comic Con 2022.
" Your best drawing is your next drawing": In conversation with American Comic artist Rick Leonardi
Q) How was your experience at Comic Con India 2022?
Every minute was fascinating at Delhi Comic Con. The questions that people were asking me were extremely pertinent. They reacted with a lot of enthusiasm.
Q) There were many children in your special session. How do you feel about your ability to inspire people of all ages?
That’s actually one of the most rewarding parts of the job. And since it's part of the job, I don’t experience it that often unless I come to shows like this.
I am thus very grateful for this opportunity. I wouldn't have known what kind of experience I would have missed out on otherwise.
Q) Was there any major difference between Comic Con India and other such events you have attended?
I loved the fact that it was conducted in an outdoor space.
Q) As a comic artist, your journey has been an inspiration for many artists. Would you like to give any advice to aspiring Comic artists?
Just keep drawing. A lot of people fall into two traps - they become overly cautious and spend too much time drawing.
The first piece of advice is to work faster and move on to the next drawing. I always tell the kids: your best drawing is your next drawing. Try different things. Don’t keep doing the same thing over and over again.
Display absolute courage. Try to improve your drawing skills by drawing something you're not particularly good at.
Trying is a calming activity for many people. There are projects that are both enjoyable and challenging. So get accustomed to it.
One of the artists has a great quote. So basically, one of the interviewers asks her about satisfaction, and she responds by saying that there is never any satisfaction of any kind. She's right, you know.
Q) Art is constantly evolving, and making the most of your creation while adjusting to those changes is a challenge. So, which method of creating comics do you prefer: traditional or modern?
In terms of drawing: digital.
But the basics are still the same - You have to tell the story. You have to bear in mind that you stand between the writer as a wide, hard-flashing inspiration and a reader who has no clue whatsoever. The readers do not have the luxury of seeing the writer's storyline.
Q) What is the most common thing that you look for in a superhero?
I guess humanity. The Superman family is like Stan lee said, "With great power comes great responsibility." In contrast, Batman is a person who suffered terrible losses but ultimately exerted control over them through his actions.
What worldview do you find yourself most at ease with? Do you believe that having great power makes things better, or that taking on responsibility and hoping for the best makes things better? Which representation is more accurate?
We all have the ability to be powerful. It's just that we need to look into it.
Q) You may be aware that India has a plethora of artistic treasures, but you may not be aware of how difficult it can be for artists in particular to get their work seen. What, then, do you think it takes to get discovered the way you were with DC and Marvel?
This question has come up a lot in these two days. Stop trying to keep up with Marvel and DC and instead focus on the Indian versions. Make your own Marvel and DC characters. There are interesting opportunities here.
It could be something related to your culture, readers, or personal history. I mean, Indian culture is a thousand years old, so anything is possible.
Q) What is your definition of becoming a successful artist?
Accept challenges. Each difficult drawing contains a small amount of learning experience. Things should not become too simple or routine.
Q) Could you tell us about your upcoming projects that the audience should be excited about?
Blue Angel, my 160-page graphic novel, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.
It has a superhero and a lot of Americans in it. I'm not sure if these two aspects will appeal to Indian audiences, but it's entirely colored by a brilliant Pune artist. So, if you like color comics, go check it out.
Also, check out our exclusive interviews with Top Cow & Image Comics' Matt Hawkins and Star Trek: Discovery actor Adil Hussain here and here.
Stay tuned for more exclusive coverage and interviews with Delhi Comic Con 2022 Headline artists.
