Allen: Tell me about yourself Reno.

Reno: My name is Reno Maniquis, a senior art director in the Philippine advertising industry, 35 years young, and I live in the Philippines with my lovely wife and daughter. I've been in the local comic book industry since I was 13 years old, waaaayyy back during the latter part of the 80's. First as a writer, then as writer and artist.

I mostly wrote and drew short stories for local publisher (now-defunct) Graphic Arts Service, Inc., one of the two largest komiks (as comic books are known here) publishers in the Philippines. My output started to decline during 1989, since I decided to concentrate on finishing high school first.

During my college years, I wrote and drew a comic strip for the local newspaper TEMPO entitled MASKARADO, a super-hero who gains his powers when he donned a mask given to him by an alien benefactor. It ran for about six months, during which I then had to finish my college thesis so I decided to end the series.

After graduation I headed to New York, but I wasn't too lucky in landing a job in comics. This was during the 1990s comic boom, and lots of creators popped out of the woodwork. I had gone through the usual process (during that time) of sending out submissions by mail, and some publishers even took a little bit of interest in my work (including Marvel!) but after the initial interest I didn't hear from any of them again. I went back home to the Philippines and started my career in the advertising industry, by this time, the once-booming komiks business was beginning to go under, so it wasn't a good idea to do koiks work.

In 1998, I went to the San Diego Comic Con, and had my portfolio reviewed by then-DC editor Kevin Dooley. He liked my work, but like the last time I went to the US, didn't hear anything more aside from that initial interest.

Heading back home to the Philippines, I got married a few months later, settled down, but the itch to do comics was still there. By this time, some independent creators we're beginning to churn out comics, most notably ALAMAT comics, so I decided to take the plunge into self-publishing. I dusted off Maskarado, and as of this writing it has reached seven issues (eight if you count the preview edition) and it has been a moderate success.

I've also done some stuff here and there for other local publishers, most notably the award-winning anthology SIGLO: PASSION.

Some time last year, I decided to try my hand at getting work from outside the country. I started sending e-mail and art samples through the web to some independent publishers, and that's how I got the Wall of Angels gig. I've also done some other stuff for Ultimate Comics, LLC, 803 Studios, and I'm also a contributor to the new edition of GRAPHIC CLASSICS: AMBROSE BIERCE, out now from Eureka Productions! Sorry for the plug. Am I allowed to do that? Hahaha!

Allen: Tell me about some of your earliest comic book memories.

Reno: My memory is a bit bad so I don't remember how I got first hooked into reading comics. I do seem to recall that the first comic book I read was either an issue of the Flash where the cover depicted Flash in a tug-of-war with Professor Zoom, with Iris caught in the middle. Or maybe it was an issue of Detective Comics where Batman squared off against a vampire named Gustav DeCobra (I still have that particular comic!). Although these weren't comics imported from the US, but local reprints.

I also read a good amount of Filipino komiks, especially the one aimed for kids entitled PILIPINO FUNNY KOMIKS. These came out every week, so once a week after coming home from school I would persuade my nanny to buy me copy off the nearest newsstand.

Allen: How hard was it to get comic books in your area?

Reno: It wasn't really hard to get comic books, although it was hard to track down the next issue of a particular issue you were reading, since they were local reprints and weren't reprinted in chronological order. The imported ones were much more expensive than the local reprints, and I had to really convince my parents to buy me one of those once in a while. Comic Specialty shops didn't really exist until around the mid-80s, so I had to get my comics from the supermarket or the bookstore.

Philippine komiks were different. You could buy them almost anywhere. There were lots of newsstands and newspaper vendors who carried them. And because they came out once a week (some even twice a week), they were really very much in abundance.

Allen: What influenced you to work in comic book industry?

Reno: I guess I just really liked comics that I never quite outgrew the hobby of reading and collecting. Comic books broadened my vocabulary as a kid, and it also influenced me to start drawing at a very young age.

Allen: Did you have any professional comic art training?

Reno: I studied under Filipino komiks illustrator Hal Santiago, one of the best artists during the heyday of Philippine komiks. My father knew some editors, and it was through them that I got to meet Hal. Hal introduced me to a world of comics that I never knew existed. I discovered the works of such past masters like Hal Foster, Burne Hogarth, Alex Raymond, Will Eisner, Milton Caniff, Al Williamson and the like. They've all been a very big influence on my work, in addition to the artists I grew up with like John Byrne, Neal Adams, Don Newton, etc. He also taught me not to just look at comics, but also at the works of painters, sculptors¡K and most importantly real life.

Allen: What did your family think about you working in comic book field?

Reno: My family has always been supportive of whatever I do. My father in particular really encouraged me to pursue art as a career and even helped me get formal comic art training like I mentioned above.

As for my wife and kid, they've also been very supportive. I may have even influenced my daughter's love of doing art. Is that a good thing? Hahaha!

Allen: Please tell me about your work on Wall of Angels: The Franchise comic book.

Reno: Working on Wall of Angels has been a blast. It's my first regular comic gig for the US, and I really have to thank writer Anthony Garcia for having faith in me and my work.

Allen: How hard has it been for you taking over for former artist Jim Jimenez?

Reno: At first it was a bit rattling, since Jim Jimenez' style is so radically different from mine. He has a more cartoony style, while I have always been schooled in the "realistic" style of illustration. Also, as a fellow Filipino, I was pretty familiar with Jim's style, so I knew that we had different ways of doing stuff. I was trying to find a balance between my style and his, since I didn't want the readers to be thrown off by such a radical change in the art. But Anthony just told me to go ahead and do what I was comfortable with, so I guess that balance I was looking for was immediately thrown out the window! Hahaha!

Allen: What do you like most about drawing Wall Of Angels: The Franchise pages? Secondly, who are your favorite characters to draw?

Reno: I really love the creative freedom that Anthony gives me! He mostly let's me decide on how to compose the pages, and just let's me run with it. Plus, he gives me some things to draw that I'm mostly not familiar with, so it gives me a bit of a challenge. Like in up-n-coming issues where I had to do a lot of research just to get some clothing and environments right. Its hard work, but I welcome the challenge.

As for a favorite character, Dennis Oldfather certainly has grown on me. Being a new character to the series, I decided what his look should be, and I didn't feel constrained with character designs that Jim Jimenez has done with the other characters (no offense meant to Jim). Although, I also love drawing Nick whenever his mask flows over his face.

I had the hardest time keeping the look of Father Ignacio consistent, though. Jim drew him a bit more cartoonish than the other characters, so I had difficulty making him look a bit "real." I think it turned out pretty well, though.

Allen: Are you going to be Wall Of Angels artist for many issues?

Reno: Hopefully, if Anthony doesn't fire me! Hahaha! Seriously, I'm in this for the foreseeable future.

Allen: What are your art tools that are requirements?

Reno: Pencil, eraser, paper and ink! Hehe. I'm finding the computer and the internet to be very useful tools now, especially if some research needs to be done.

Allen: How do you like working with writer Anthony Garcia on Wall of Angels: The Franchise?

Reno: You could never find a nicer guy to work with. I mean that. We haven't met personally. Most of our correspondence is done through e-mail, but I can honestly say that he is one helluva guy. Plus, like I said, he gives me so much creative freedom that it's insane! Other publishers, editors and writers want to see every step of the drawing process from thumbnails to finished inks (not that that's a bad thing), but Anthony just gives me the script and lets me do it from start to finish without interruptions. The faith he has in me to deliver good work just makes me try all the more not to disappoint him.

Allen: Do you have website?

Reno: Yup. I can be found online at www.capsulezone.tk , and my blog is http://ka-blog.blogspot.com . I also have a comicspace page, www.comicspace.com/renoman , where most of my art samples are up for viewing.

I can be contacted through e-mail, capsulezone@hotmail.com or renom1@yahoo.com . If you have a comicspace account, you can also send me a message there.

Allen: Do you plan on attending any comic book conventions?

Reno: Being in the Philippines, it's kind of difficult (not to mention expensive) to attend conventions in the US. Although, I am a regular attendee of local conventions here in Metro Manila.

Allen: Do you read many comic books at present time?

Reno: I read mostly DC, although I have to say that my favorite title right now is Ed Brubaker's Captain America run. I also can't wait for the next installments of Justice Society of America and Booster Gold. And I'm enjoying Secret Invasion much better than Final Crisis. As for indie books, they're a bit hard to get here, though some graphic novels are available at the big bookstore chains here. I've recently read (make that seen) Shaun Tan's THE ARRIVAL. It is such a beautifully illustrated book. And also Charles Burns' BLACK HOLE. Very creepy.

Allen: Do you have any hobbies?

Reno: Well, aside from reading and collecting comic books, I work out regularly. Is that a hobby? Hahaha! But I enjoy running. I run almost every day. It's great exercise.

Allen: What television shows or cartoons do you like to watch?

Reno: I don't get to watch TV as much as I used to, but I watch pro-wrestling semi-regularly. I also watch FIGHT QUEST. My wife and I also enjoyed the vampire-detective series MOONLIGHT. Too bad it got cancelled. I'm also a big HIGHLANDER fan, but I do admit the latest movie sucked big time. And POWER RANGERS is a guilty pleasure for me. Hehe.

As for cartoons¡K Spongebob Squarepants, The Simpson¡¦s, Justice League Unlimited¡K those are the few ones I can think of from the top of my head. As for anime, I love the ones made by Hayao Miyazaki, and I'm a big fan of the Giant Robo genre prevalent during the 1970s. I guess growing up during the late 70s to early 80s when those particular shows were shown here in the Philippines had something to do with that.

Allen: Do you think Wall Of Angels: The Franchise could be cartoon or movie?

Reno: Maybe not a movie, but a TV series could do it justice. Wall Of Angels has a bit of a complex storyline, and maybe a TV series is the way it should be done in other media. As for a cartoon, it would have to be a cartoon aimed at adults. It's not for the kiddies.

Allen: Do you have any future projects that you are also working to complete?

Reno: I'm also working on a short story for a horror anthology, COLD BLOODED CHILLERS, with stories penned by Robert Heske. Aside from that, Wall Of Angels is pretty much the only thing I'm doing. My advertising job keeps me busy most of the time.

Allen: If you had super powers which kind would you have?

Reno: Everyone gets asked this question at least once in their lives, right? Haha. I've always wanted to have super-speed. The possibilities are endless. You can move so fast you're practically invisible, you can run on water, run up walls¡K You know, come to think of it, the Flash should be practically unbeatable.

Aside from that, maybe a power ring like Green Lantern. That would be pretty cool, too.

Allen: What comic book would you really like to draw if given chance?

Reno: Maybe a martial arts book, like IRON FIST or NIGHTWING. I like to draw fight scenes like that, even though I'm not a practitioner of any type of martial art. A stint on CAPTAIN AMERICA would be great, too!

But my dream would be to have a creator-owned book that is widely-read, like INVINCIBLE or SPAWN when it first came out. ļ

Allen: If you could travel in time machine to any time (included one handy dandy translator device) where and when would you go?

Reno: I'd go back to Bethlehem when Jesus was born. That would be a great and humbling experience. An maybe I'd time-jump to every significant portion of His life. That would be the ultimate time-travel experience.

Allen: If you had chance to meet any creative person in comic book field for dinner, which would you like to meet. If not alive, hop in a time machine.

Reno: Hal Foster, definitely. His art is unparalleled even to this day. Every element on the page is important, even if it was just in the background. And every frame is expertly composed. Just look at any PRINCE VALIANT strip he's done. Gorgeous,

Allen: What kind of novels do you like to read?

Reno: I read a wide variety of novels. I'd read anything by Neil Gaiman. I also like historical books and biographies. I enjoy the occasional SF and fantasy novel, but I'm more drawn to the pulp-ish types of books like the ones by Edgar Rice Burroughs or the Doc Savage stuff. When I'm in the mood for a rollickin' good read that I could just sit back and enjoy, I read the DESTROYER series, although it's hard to find those books here. I see a lot of the MACK BOLAN stuff, but the adventures of Remo Williams are few and far between.

Allen: What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Reno: Pretty much any kind of music. It depends on my mood. Sometimes I'd be listening to old stuff like Frank Sinatra or Billie Holiday, other times it would be Chris Brown or Rihanna. I also like rock music, although I'm not much into the emo stuff. I'm currently enjoying the music of John Legend and Duffy, the latter I found out about because my 4-year old was listening to her music!

Allen: What kind of movies do you like to watch? Have you seen many movies at theatre recently?

Reno: Action-adventure stuff mostly. But I do like well-written dramas and the like. The sappy side of me also enjoys romantic comedies. Haha.

The last movie I saw in the theater was THE DARK KNIGHT, a really good movie but I felt very heavy walking out of the theater. It was a big contrast to the other last superhero movie I saw, which was IRON MAN. It was also very good, and I don't think it's fair to compare them since they're very different. Apples and oranges, you know.

I don't get to watch much in the theater, we watch DVDs most of the time.

Allen: What inspires your creativity?

Reno: I don't know¡K everything, I suppose. You can get ideas by just about anything, even staring at a rock. A little while later you can make up a story about that rock. It's like looking at clouds or staring at bathroom tiles while you're peeing. Sooner or later you see all sorts of neat stuff forming on that tile. I think that's just a little bit too much information, right? Hahaha!

Allen: Thank you Reno for your hard work with me on interview. Would you like to leave Jazma readers with some words of wisdom?

Reno: Buy Wall of Angels! Make the sales go through the roof so I can get a raise! Hahaha!