Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with writer/artist Joe Martino about his upcoming sixty-four page one-shot Ripperman produced by JGM Comics and published by Chanting Monks Studios in October.
411: Can you tell us a little about your previous comic industry work?
Joe Martino: I started my “career†in comics as a self publisher in 1996, I published, wrote and lettered four issues of Shadowflame and penciled two. I’ve also done pinups for various comics including CFD’s The Intruder, Doc Behemoth and CyberGen. My upcoming pinup work includes Image’s Invincible and Trinity comics The Wraith.
I also have a pinup in the Uncanny Dave Cockrum Tribute Book.
411: How long has JGM comics been around?
Joe Martino: I formed JGM back in 1995 to publish my Shadowflame mini-series.
411: On to the main event! Tell me about the Ripperman one-shot coming out in October?
Joe Martino: A small town is terrified by a series of brutal child abductions. When a stranger arrives and is taken in by a local preacher, the man becomes the main suspect. Who is the stranger that wears an ancient icon once possessed by Satan? Have the heavens sent forth an angel, or has hell coughed up a demon to hunt bloodthirsty killers?
411: There’s an impressive list of talent attached to the project. Tell us who’s involved?
Joe Martino: By the end of the project there were plenty of guys attached to it. First were the great covers by Ben Templesmith and Jeff Pittarelli. And in terms of content there is Peter Palmiotti, Rick Buckler Jr., Johnny Lowe, John Orlando, Steven Preston, Dash Martin, Peter J. Romeo, Naser Subashi, Jim Taylor, and Jeff Austin. There is also a great backup story by Jon Hook and Allen Geneta.
I started this project with Peter Palmiotti in 1997. I would work on it when I could and vice versa. I got him all but the last 5 pages and he went to work. He was working in between his other projects. In 2001, he was able to put the final ink to those pages and I worked on the last 5 pages with Rick Buckler which Pete also inked. This was slated to be the first issue with 25 pages.
When I pitched the book to Joe Monks, he asked me how I wanted to publish it and I told him that I wanted to do a 2 issue miniseries and see where it went. He said he would be interested if we could do it as a 64-page graphic novel. I thought it was a great idea but I didn’t have the second chapter started. Unfortunately, at that time Peter wasn’t available to ink the second chapter. This was good and bad news at the same time. I had wanted to work with other inkers and now was my opportunity. Everyone that worked on Ripperman were guys that I respected and wanted to work with. So I broke up most of the pages by four and handed them out to the different guys to return. Everyone that helped on this book are people that I knew either from conventions or message boards that I frequent such as Digital Webbing.
411: When and why did you create Ripperman?
Joe Martino: This is a line that I have repeated enough times to know by heart. Ripperman is a character that I created in late 1987. At that time, as well as today, it seemed as though all you heard about were killers and rapists. I kept wondering “Where is God in all of this? Why doesn’t he do something?” Receiving no answer I came up with one in the darkest reaches of my mind…
What if God and the Devil got together and created a killer of killers?
That was all the incentive I needed. The Ripperman was born.
411: Will this be Ripperman’s first published appearance?
This will be his first “Official†appearance. He was in a pinup in the 1997 Pittsburgh Convention booklet. But not in a full story.
411: Having had the pleasure to read a preview copy of Ripperman, there seems to be a 1970’s Marvel-Horror influence at work. Do you have an affinity for that era of storytelling?
Joe Martino: I am a big fan of Marvel comics of that era in general. People call me Old School and that is Ok by me. I like horror movies and action movies. I also like movies like The Prophecy and other like movies. I think they heavily influence my writing. I recently saw the movie Van Helsing and certain aspects of that reminded me of the Ripperman as well. But my story was done first.
411: What else does JGM have on tap this year?
Joe Martino: I am currently writing a Ripperman follow up to the one-shot that’ll be published if this one is a success. I co-wrote a three-part story called Crimson and Caress that is going into a future Digital Webbing Presents. Last, but not least, I am currently writing and penciling a new five-issue miniseries for Shadowflame. It is 90% done. One more issue to go.
411: Are there any other comics that you’re enjoying right now that you could recommend to readers out there?
Joe Martino: Poison Elves, Walking Dead, Invincible, All the Superman and X-Men titles, Ultimates and Authority. There are more but these are my mainstays.
The Ripperman one-shot will ship in October and is currently available for preorder in the August issue of Diamond’s Previews catalog under the Chanting Monks Studios listing.
To read more about Ripperman check out the dedicated page at JGM’s website, which features a five-page preview.
