Seven Stones, Seven Interviews: Nicolas Giacondino

Posted By on August 17, 2013

Currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, Seven Stones is an anthology of short stories and graphic novel set in the Wrecked Earth, the setting of C.E.L. Welsh‘s debut novel Clutch. The Wrecked Earth is an Earth much like our own, except it’s been bombarded by meteors in an event called “Rockfall”. The meteors and the devastation they brought destroyed society, leaving humans in dire straits. The radiation from the fallen meteors have leaked into the earth, mutating animals and harming the land, making this Wrecked Earth even more of a dangerous place to live in.

The titular seven stones are seven meteors that made it to Earth and stories surrounding them. Seven writers and seven artists were tasked with bringing these seven stories of the Wrecked Earth to life in what will eventually be a combination short story anthology/graphic novel omnibus. With the project running on Kickstarter for the rest of the month, various writers and artists were kind enough to talk about Seven Stones, their contribution to the book, and how it feels to play in another creator’s (devastated) world.

Today’s interview is with Nicolas Giacondino, artist on the webcomics Free Mars and Divinity. Nicolas’ contribution to Seven Stones is as artist on the Howard Mackie penned story Cash and Carry.

Seven Stones Cover, by Jeremy Mohler

Seven Stones Cover, by Jeremy Mohler

Leo Johnson: Tell us a bit about yourself, if you would.

Nicolas Giacondino

Nicolas Giacondino

Nicolas Giacondino: My name is Nicolás R. Giacondino and I’m an illustrator and comic book artist with over 10+ years of experience in the field. I live in Argentina and thanks to the power of the world wide web, I’ve been publishing overseas and am involved in various projects for several publishers.

I’m self-taught, though I took an illustration and comic-book course with the great argentine artist Enrique Breccia (Lovecraft, Swamp Thing, X-Force). My influences are many and varied, including Breccia, Bruce Timm, Simon Bisley, Juan Gimenez, amongst many others. That said, my style has evolved to a point where it’s become unique and very recognisable to those that know it.

LJ: How did you get started in comics?

NG: I began working in comics in my country doing one-shot independent stories and fanzines. With the internet becoming more available over time, I managed to get in touch with editors and writers from around the world, which opened up a whole new window of opportunity.  My first big break came around the year 2003 when I was approached by an independent publisher who was interested in a story I pitched to him which later became my first graphic novel: UTOPIA. From then on, work just kept flowing, mostly in the form of private commissions from various forums and websites, until again I was hired to draw an ongoing project, which would lead up to my second venture into comic-shop shelves: FREE MARS. Of course, these two are just the ones that have been put to print, but I have had many, many projects published through the web.

"Cash and Carry" pinup by Nicolas Giacondino

“Cash and Carry” pinup by Nicolas Giacondino

LJ: The Seven Stones is both a comic anthology project and a collection of
short stories set in a shared world. There’s a great group of talent
working on the book. What is your contribution to the project going to
be?

NG: My main contribution to the project will be as the artist on one of the stories of the anthology. It’s written by the legendary Howard Mackie, so I hope to make it justice as well as the world that Chris has created, along with all the other contributors. I was selected by Jeremy Mohler, the Art Director, to work in this particular tale and from the looks of it, it’s right up my alley! My utmost desire for my share of Seven Stones is that it makes this rich universe proud and that it adds something to it.

LJ: Free Mars, one of the webcomics you’re currently illustrating, deals
with some sci-fi elements. There are some sci-fi elements in the Seven
Stones as well, but in a very different setting. Did the huge
difference in setting make you approach the art any differently?

NG: It did. Contrary to FREE MARS, where I was running along its development and making decisions art-wise as they were presented, I approached the Seven Stones project as just another reader at first. I wanted to see what the descriptions and the first novel of the Wrecked Earth inspired me visually. That way, I would be able to translate the same awe and sense of discovery to the artwork. As far as design and concept goes, I drew a lot from the classic post-apocalyptic settings like the Mad Max trilogy, but adding a more modern twist to it and of course always keeping in mind that this is an original universe that has to be unique and poignant its own way. I think what will really stand out is my style, which (according to many) is quite different from what’s out there. I tend to have a very human approach to all the stories I draw, focusing more on the characters, rather than vehicles or huge battles; and I think that human drama is what makes Seven Stones a great setting.

LJ: Seven Stones is a post-apocalyptic sort of story that ties into an
already established universe from a related novel. How does it feel to
be adding to an already established universe, rather than helping to
make one from scratch?

NG: The best thing about adding to a world is that I get to enjoy it freely and more purely than if I was creating it myself from scratch. When you’re the one developing the setting, you have to worry about a lot of things: what’s in it, what’s not, what are the rules and situations that have to happen and what doesn’t. And that can make it a bit of a burden from time to time. Here, you’re given everything and all you have to do is pick up the pencil and have a good time exploring the different aspects of the creation.

LJ: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

NG: I’d like to say that I’m grateful I’ve been chosen to participate in the Seven Stones endeavor and that I’ll be making my utmost best to be up to the challenge.

LJ: Where else can you be found around the internet?

NG: You can find my work and various links to my webcomics and updates about my art on deviantART at www.aerion-the-faithful.deviantart.com

 

 

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About the Author

Leo Johnson
Leo is a biology/secondary education major and one day may just be teaching your children. In the meantime, he's podcasting, reading comics, and hoping that they find life on another planet. He currently resides in Mississippi and can be found on Twitter at @LFLJ.