This is a weekly column where I will showcase up and coming or undiscovered talent, bringing to your attention artists that I feel will be break-out stars in the near future. Some are already well on their way to super stardom.
Everyone has a favorite comic book artist. One they’ve discovered recently, or maybe followed from the very beginning of their career. Some have so many favorites it’s hard to choose just one. Every one of those artists started somewhere, be it by producing photocopied mini comics to sell at their neighborhood comic shop, getting a table in the artist’s alley at their local comic convention, posting images to deviantart.com, or doing commissions through the internet or at conventions. There are so many different ways to break into the American comic industry.
Already well known in his native Brazil, Rafael Grampa chose to align himself with like minded artists Gabriel Ba, Fabio Moon, Becky Cloonan, and Vasilis Lolos to create an anthology comic called, simply, 5. For it he received the Eisner award for Best Anthology in 2008, and has continued in the business ever since.
Born in Porto Alegre, Brazil, he worked as an art director of animation, motion graphics and graphic design before getting into the world of comics, his first published work being a four page story in the Gunned Down anthology. Besides his Eisner win, Grampa has won Best Artist and Best Especial Graphic Novel for Mesmo Delivery at the HQ Mix Awards in his native Brazil.
He created the fantastic comics Mesmo Delivery and Furry Water, both subsequently published by Dark Horse comics, and has done a smattering of covers for the likes of DC/Vertigo and Marvel Comics, as well as a Wolverine short in Marvel’s Strange Tales anthology, which is where I discovered his work. He even has a statue based on his Batman: Black & White artwork!
With an insane attention to detail, Grampa’s work is still so dynamic, his characters look as if they are about to jump right off the page and into your lap.
His highly exaggerated style is full of energy, and brings a unique vision to all too familiar characters, making them his own. He may not be extremely well known in the states, but he has been gaining a vocal worldwide fan following in recent years, and deserves all of the accolades he has received. He was even featured in an Absolut Vodka commercial and advertising campaign talking intimately about his life and what it means to create. It can be seen here.
With his highly energetic lines and detailed compositions Rafael Grampa is about to explode on the American comic scene, and is a future comic rock star for sure.
Be sure to follow him on twitter, as well as his blog and on flickr.