Our First Interview

Soon after our first published work appeared in Tales From the Inner Sanctum, we responded to an online ad we saw from the Miami Herald. They were looking to do features on independent artists in the Miami scene, so we responded. We also took the opportunity to do a little PR photo shoot of which you can see the results of in the slide show on this post. The interview was quite funny and revealing. We've republished it here for your enjoyment and entertainment.

Who are you?
We go by the names of Ricardo Porven and Luis Diaz, but that doesn’t really answer the question. We have been brought together to fulfill a purpose. A purpose that doesn’t contribute to the greater good or bring about some ridiculous high-minded ideal such as world peace, justice, or freedom from sin, but is no less important. We’re the best-kept secret in the world of independent comics, but not for long.

What do you do?
We create comic books for adults. Really, really good ones.

Why do you do it?
We have no choice really. For as long as we can remember these stories and characters have lived inside us and lately they have grown restless. If we don’t get them out on paper, they may turn on us. The thought terrifies us.

Where are you from?
I’m from an extinct tribe of sadistic Judeo-Cuban Filipinos who took great pleasure in torturing lizards and other small animals to pass the time in the wilds of Hialeah.

Luis hails from the very depths of Hell, or Westchester, as some are prone to call it. I conjured him to do my bidding while I played with my Ouija board one night.

Seriously, we are Cuban Americans from different corners of the globe. Ricardo Porven was born in East Newark, NJ and moved to Miami at an early age. Luis Diaz was born in Cuba, but also grew up in Miami. Somehow, I think that’s scarier.

Where are you going?
Though after reading our stories many may think we’re headed straight to Hell, we believe we have the ingredients necessary to propel us to elite status in the comic book industry. Cocky? Perhaps, but if we didn’t feel we had the stuff, we’d just spend our days like most comic fans; playing video games, arguing about what superhero would beat what superhero in a fistfight, and spending a year planning our Halloween costumes.

Where and how did you start?
We’ve spent many years planning our hostile takeover, but just recently decided to do something about it. We had our first submission, “The Penitent and the Damned”, a ten page short horror story, accepted for publishing in “Tales from the Inner Sanctum”, a horror anthology by the message board members of steveniles.com.


Who or what inspires you?
It is the many artists before us who were driven by a passion to create and motivated by the sheer enjoyment of the process that inspire us. It’s rare to find that combination today; so much of it is all about business.

Who are your influences?
We are influenced by everything around us including the media. But mostly from our own life experiences and unresolved issues. Conflict makes for good storytelling, or so I’m told.

How can you be reached?
You can reach us through our websites, www.rabidart.com or www.hallucinonia.com or find out more about our upcoming comic book projects through our studios’ site www.grafikapress.com

Anything else you want people to know?
Keep an eye out for us in 2005! We are currently shopping a series to the 3 major independent comic book publishers and also plan to release an independent miniseries through grafikapress.com. You can also see Luis’ work in an upcoming series of Garbage Pail Kids trading cards from Topps, Inc.