The Timeless Art of STEPHANIE BUSCEMA (Interview)

As an artist, Stephanie Buscema does a pretty good job reminding the reader of what a good comic book should look like.

And it's a pretty good bet that she's going to be in demand very shortly.

Her latest comic story will be released in Spider-Man Family #8, in stores this Wednesday.

Stephanie was kind enough to take a few minutes from her busy schedule to chat with Forces of Geek about her work and influences.

Be sure to check out her official site and her blog, Sacharine Inspired Illustrations & Other Sweets for more examples of her amazing work.




FOG!: Your grandfather was the late John Buscema, certainly regarded as one of the legends in the industry. How did seeing both him and your great uncle Sal work in comics influence your desire to become a cartoonist yourself?

SB:As soon as I was old enough to understand you could draw pictures and actually get paid, I was sold.

It was always explained to me that drawing comics and making images was a way to put food on the table. If you had the talent and could keep your deadlines you could survive as an artist.

Young Stephanie Buscema doing most of the layouts for a Conan story with grandfather, John

Growing up, we lived three houses down from where my Grandparents lived. I was always over their house watching cartoons, reading comic books and was encouraged to pick up a pencil at a young age.

I'd pull up a chair, sit next to my Grandfather and watch him draw after school.

He always made the time to explain things, encourage me and introduce me to different art styles. When I was about nine or ten I started to really show an interest in making art - my grandfather even put a little drawing board in his studio next to his.

Boy, did I feel like a big shot!

It was settled then, I was going to draw pictures for a living.


Next to my Grandfather, Marie Severin had a huge impact on my decision to pursue art. It was her that introduced me to color and gave me my first set of Dr. Martins watercolors.

I look up to her with the highest admiration.

You were an assistant editor at DC, working on such titles as Captain Carrot and the Final Ark!, Ambush Bug Year None, Brave & The Bold, Booster Gold and Billy Batson & The Magic of Shazam! How did you get started professionally and what prompted your move to becoming a full time illustrator?

It all started when I had interned up at DC editorial back in college.

I was very familiar with the freelance end of things but wanted to learn more about the business and editorial side. That following year, college graduation was right around the corner and I needed a steady gig! Just so happens Joey Cavalieri was looking for an assistant editor and was kind enough to help me come on board.

It was a great experience, I met a lot of really wonderful people and I feel grateful for the opportunity to have work up there. But a few months in I started to get really antsy-I needed to draw all the time.

I'd come home after work and draw and paint like crazy, working up new samples and building up my portfolio. I started taking on every freelance gig I could get my hands on. Soon after and was basically working two jobs for a good year or two. I saved everything I could and took the leap when freelance work started to get steadier.

It was terrifying at the time, but the best move I could have made for myself.


Tell me about your story in Spider-Man Family #8?

This was an absolute blast to paint! I was lucky enough to be asked by Steve Wacker and Tom Brennan to illustrate a 10 page story written by Tom Peyer. I got the script and was on the floor, it's not every day I get a good humor story to work on!

The premise of the story is what would happen if Spider-Man lost his spider-sense.

Working sequentially is really such a treat from the normal full page illustration jobs. I hope everyone enjoys it!


Who or what are the biggest influences on your work?

My grandfather is always going to be my number one influence. Mainly because he had an art style he could call his own and it set his work apart from other artists, yet you could clearly see the classical influences when viewing his work.

That idea of learning from the masters and filtering it through your hand and pencil to make it your own. For me the art made by Mary Blair, J.P. Miller, Gene Deitch, Charlie Harper, Jim Flora, M. Sasek, Abner Graboff, just to name a few-I responded to their work as a kid and became obsessed with their stylized images. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, yet it seemed so warm and familiar.

I wanted to develop a style that was influenced by these particular masters and make it my own. As I got older I gravitated towards the atomic age stuff, mid century design and advertising, 50's and 60's horror and sci-fi movies, jump blues and rockabilly music. It was the start of an obsession with the past.



All of these obsessions continue to influence me and the images I make.

Your style is very unique and you and I have chatted about your art on several occasions. Have you had any pressure to modify your style?


Absolutely, mostly because I paint and draw pictures by hand in an age of digitally made pictures. The only time I use a computer is to scan the art. I've had so many people tell me that I wouldn't make in the art field without knowing computer programs and how I should change the way I work..but in turn it would change the look of the pictures so much. I cant achieve a certain warmth when making images on the computer-there's always going to be something that gets lost when filtered through a machine. I'll stick with my brushes.

I'm old school, I'm going to remain old school and I will continue to grow and work traditionally, despite what people may say to me.



What's currently on the drawing board?

Lot's of picture books!

I've just wrapped up illustrating two poetry picture books: Maybe I'll Sleep in the Bathtub Tonight and Other Funny Bedtime Poems, written by Debbie Levy and Name That Dog!, written by Peggy Archer. Both out in 2010. I'm gearing up to start drawing a really fun book for Disney books and another for Dial books in the fall.

My husband and myself are also working on putting a book together, something we've been talking about doing for a few years. I've also got a bunch of art prints I'm working on as well. I'm hoping there will be some more comic book work on my drawing table soon, too!


What are you currently geeking over?

Currently, I'm geeking out over a bunch of vintage Golden Books I've gotten off eBay. These little books are so priceless to me and I'm slowly building up my collection of first printings. As for books coming out, I'm excited for Darwyn Cooke's Parker novels to hit the shelves! They're obviously going to be absolutely gorgeous and I'm really looking forward to reading them!