How to become a comic artist, while you have a fertile imagination
Ario Anindito is not your usual comic artist: he is neither from the American continents nor from Europe. His name is based on Satria Pinandita, which, taken separately, means Ksatria: Warrior and Pandita: priest. So roughly, he has the bravery of the Warrior and the wisdom of a priest… A kind of Warrior Monk, who ended as a comic artist! And « Since Jedi are like monks in a way, in a way, Ario Anindito fulfilled his parents’ purpose ».
Mr. Anindito was nice enough to agree for an interview, last March, while he was hardworking on several deadlines, and among them was another warrior monk on the way: Obi-Wan Kenobi.
MintInBox: Ario, please could you introduce yourself?
Ario Anindito: My name is Ario Anindito, I am a comic artist living in Bandung, Indonesia. I have been drawing professionally since 2007 if I can remember, and then I started working for the big comic companies DC Comics in 2012 and then Marvel Comics in 2014.
MiB: Ok I thought that for Marvel it was more recent than that. And you made Avengers and other super-heroes like that.
Ario: I think I started for Marvel with Wolverines, the title is Wolverines in 2014, it’s super-heroes genre, and then various super-heroes until I landed a Star Wars Annual probably in 2018ish and went back to Star Wars in 2021…
MiB: With the High Republic.
Ario: Yes.
MiB: We will go back on that precise point later on. The little bit I know about Indonesia and Indonesians, being a comic artist and moreover such a career in the US Comics industry is not common. Am I right?
Ario: That’s true, that’s right.
« My cousins were comics readers. »
MiB: How did you manage or why did you choose that path? Did you ever draw as a kid or anything else?
Ario: Oh yeah, actually, the funny thing is, actually it’s just an interesting thing for me… Uh. When I was a little kid, my cousins were comics readers. They read a lot of comic books. I got exposed to comic books because of them. When they finished a book, they gave it to me. So, there are plenty of comic books, because they read a lot of comic books. And the first comics that I am exposed to is actually an European comic, it is called Trigan Empire by Don Lawrence, I can’t remember what year it was released and the Trigopolis or something like that, I was reading Asterix and Obélix and Smurfs and Lucky Luke, Tanguy and Laverdure.
MiB: A lot of French-Belgian comics it seems.
Ario: Yes, all the European comics, but as you know those European comics are not very easy for a kid to draw, but it ignites my interests to draw comics, my own comics. Because I enjoy reading those comics, a lot, to the points where I started to imagine a new story, a new adventure for the characters. You know. It would be fun if the Smurfs go to water and meet strange fish and things like that. And so I started to draw my own comics, it was just amateur comics, with fruits in it. And so the main characters were fruits.
MiB: Fruits ? No durian?
Ario: There are durians in it but they are not the main characters because durians are so hard to draw (laughter). Drawing strawberries are much easier. So the main character is a strawberry. The title is Fruit Man because they have eyes and arms and legs. And they go into adventures, getting into ships and going over mountains and seas and things like that. Basically I love doing adventures in comics. As for myself I originally I wanted to be Indiana Jones when I grew up, I would like to do adventures but then again, I realised that I am afraid of heights. So that aborted that life-goal, I don’t want to be Indiana Jones any more, and I just let my characters in the comics, to do the adventures, and then I am sitting nicely at my desk. (laughter) It is safer that way. And so ever since I was a kid I always wanted to be a comic artist. At that time I decided I wanted to be a comic artist because I hated Math, I was so bad at Math and I thought that it would be amazing if I can be a comic artist later when I grow up because I got to decide a lot of adventures and things like that, so. But at that time, of course, I don’t know how hard it is, especially to be working in an international company, big publishers. It never crossed my mind, when I was little. I didn’t even know they are Marvel and DC. Of course I read Batman comics when I was little but I didn’t know (the publishers). I mean it never crossed my mind that I am going to be able to work for them at all so… The point is I just wanted to be a comic artist when I was little, so that was always my goal… When I started to draw, when I was a kid.
MiB: And then you studied for that?
Ario: Well, I grew up drawing… all the time… every time because it became my passion, to draw. People who are close to me, they always see this little Ario, always with his sketchbook. I think that they are fed up, they always see me drawing like « Aren’t you tired of drawing? » and I was like « No, I love drawing » – « But you keep drawing all the time, and you know, aren’t you bored? » – « No, because I have this other world inside my head and drawing is my bridge to have my own adventure in that world. » I live in two worlds: the imaginary world and the real world. And my drawing is a glimpse of that world. Normal people will just see the normal surroundings, like: this is a room, this is a garden but I see dragons flying above those gardens. I see magical creatures here and there. It is all living inside the other world that I have. Drawing helps me to control it and all. And if I ever need to borrow those creatures, I just draw them. Like I did for The High Republic #1 when I get to draw the giant locust creatures. You know that character was already in my head for a long time, so you know.
And all the planets that I draw in Star Wars, because in The High Republic they don’t really give an exact description… No, no, they give a description, but they don’t have the exact concept arts for the planets in issue #1. So I just took it from what I have in my imaginary world for years already it is already inside my head, and I just pour into my drawing, into the pages. It really helps as a comic artist to already live in two worlds because you get to borrow the elements anytime you need to draw those creatures and things. And yes, people always see me with sketchbooks and pencils, and I never stop drawing.
And when I went to college I had these two choices: first I can go into the Fine Arts major and second Architecture. I was inspired to take Architecture because my Dad is an architect and when I was little I always see him going around the world taking pictures of beautiful buildings and then turning them into slideshows because he is a lecturer and he prepares slideshows from his photographs. And at that time, when I was little, I thought that was the work of an architect. You know: going around the world, taking pictures of beautiful buildings, and that’s it. So I wanted to do the same because of that. Little that I didn’t know that it is not the work of an architect (laughter) It is much more complicated than that. When I got graduated from Senior High School, I took both tests, and I got accepted in both majors actually. I got accepted in Visual Communication and Design in ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology), the best art college in Indonesia, and I also got accepted in the University of Parahyangan in Architecture. And I decided to take architecture, and when all of my friends found out about that, they said I am stupid because I didn’t take the art major. But I do have my own reasons for that. And at that time I was this young reckless teenager, I have this thinking I don’t want to be dictated in doing arts, I want to experience arts as a personal religion of mine I want to do arts by myself. I don’t want to be dictated by the academic. I want to do all the experiments in arts. I want to make beautiful mistakes, so no one should come near me on arts, I want to experience it myself. It is mine, it is for me to explore I don’t want to let anyone near it. It is my personal space. So it was arrogant I know, because if I study arts academically speaking maybe I could draw better now. But at that time it was my arrogant thinking.
The other thinking that I had at that time is that I need to take this technical major, which is architecture, so I can learn how to do a structural conceptual thinking, instead of being too spontaneous in that Fine Arts major, instead of being too wild: letting all your thoughts free and all the freedom. I think I need to take this so I can think conceptually in a systematic way and I need to know the boundaries of doing things. So I took architecture and graduated in 4.5 years and it really is useful for me because I ended up working in several work places. The ability to think and create a systematic concept is really useful in that field. So I worked in advertising agency where you need to create such a great concept in order to sell things and I also worked in movies where we need something which is very structural to do for the art department. So it all contributes a lot in my career. Maybe if I didn’t study architecture I won’t be as conceptual and as structural as I am now because right now I am working six projects at the same time. Architecture is like puzzle solving and we have this area and the client wants that many rooms and we need to solve it.
MiB: yes, you have constraints to deal with
Ario: yes, exactly. It really helps me to do my work, starting with managing my time, which I am still bad at, and doing things conceptually and structurally and last but not least taking architecture helps me to make sure that if I ever draw Spider-Man swinging from a building, that building will be strong enough for Spider-Man to swing.
MiB: That’s a good explanation. And sometimes we don’t necessarily think about that kind of things. And already you can see that in the first issue of The High Republic, where the padawan has to climb up the stalk, you already see a fine structure and so on.
Ario: And it really helps me to draw the Starlight Beacon as well because they asked me to design the interior of it. You know, how the rooms are, how the hall, where Keeve is being knighted and they are raising their lightsabers up. And yes I designed that room as well , and you know, it has proven to be very helpful, that architecture knowledge that I have to design things in the High Republic.
« Work on a Star Wars project? No! »
MiB: Since we are speaking about that, I have another question related to the High Republic: how did you manage to get involved in that project?
Ario: I didn’t know nor read anything about that project when I was offered to work on. Actually the person, who offered me is Mark Paniccia. He is the Senior Editor of Marvel Comics, and we’ve been working together for several books already and apparently he paid attention to my work and he said that I am getting better and better. And so he said « I have a Star Wars project that I want to offer you, that I want you to work on if you are interested. » And I said « What is Star Wars? »
MiB: NO?!
Ario: (laughter) No, no 😉 And I said: « Did you just said Star Wars? Of course I want to do it. » But at that time I didn’t know what it was. I thought that I am going to draw the Star Wars that we know, just like in the Star Wars Annual. You know all the characters from the Skywalker Saga. Little that I know that this is a new project. This happened when Mark offered me when I finally got to meet him in person in 2019, I was visiting the New York Comic Con, it was before the pandemic so I didn’t know that the next year everything would be going to change. So the next year haven’t started yet and I thought « Oh they are just going to offer it to another artist. » At the time we started to be in the pandemic, I started to get the information that I would do the High Republic, so I started googling about the High Republic, and I thought : whaou, this is big ! And they offered me to do something this big. And uh… No pressure at all.
And I was like: am I ready for this? Because as a Star Wars fan, the last thing I want to do is to destroy or to ruin Star Wars. I got nervous. And because of the pandemic, I didn’t start right away. For around three or four months: « ok, this is not happening. Maybe they have another artist, that is, of course, bigger than me because this is big. » But then Mark contacted me again and he asked me if I am still available and I said « for the Star Wars project? » and he said « Yes » and then I said « I will always be available for Star Wars. » And then I started working on it and I got to do Zoom meeting with Cavan Scott. At that time I already read on the internet a lot of negative comments from people on the internet.
(mimicking internet people)
« What is this High Republic ? This is gonna be terrible and this and that. »
Of course, I had my own concerns but after I got the Zoom meetings with Cavan Scott, I knew instantly that he is a Star Wars fan. And we don’t have any hidden agenda or whatever that is, we just want to make such a wonderful and interesting, and amazing Star Wars adventure and journey. We just want to give the best for the Star Wars fans, including us. And all of my concerns are gone. I just knew right away okay this was gonna be superfun and as a Star Wars fan, I love it. So let’s do it I don’t know if I can do it actually because this is probably the most challenging project I have ever had. So at that time I felt both excitement and nervousness. You know I am so afraid and so scared that am I gonna be able to do this? I mean this is such a big thing and there is so many things that happen in large scale that I don’t know if I can draw it justice. But uh… You know that’s life you know… You get to face the challenge and ok, let’s do it. And then we started doing it. And that’s how I got involved in the High Republic.
MiB: and it’s such a big project with all the books, the comics and so on. And I wanted to ask you, do you have any concept arts given by Lucasfilm?
Ario: Oh yes, a lot of them. And it’s all wonderful, all beautiful, but just like everything new, there is a lot of spots here and there that we have to fill in because This is totally new, but old. This is the old era, but this is new. There is a lot of new characters, lot of new designs. In a way it feels wonderful to be able to design elements in Star Wars characters, creatures, clothing, you know fashion. And yes I was given beautiful concept arts by Marvel and Lucasfilm.
MiB: Last week I finished the first TPB in French and waou. And I really like the way you draw the characters…
Ario: Thank you so much.
MiB: And I was wondering: we are used somehow to comic artists from Western countries like Europe, like the USA and the likes. And when I saw your name, I thought: « what that’s not a usual name (for Western countries)! » and I looked a bit and I read that you are from Indonesia, and since I have some points with Indonesia. So do you have any inputs from your own life – but I think I already start to have an answer since we spoke a bit – your own culture in the High Republic?
Ario: In the High Republic, I can’t remember which issue number, but I got to draw these two Jedi entering this Drengir prison, they ended up letting the Drengir… No, no, no I mean they ended up trapping the Drengir. and the two Jedi, the two Sith I mean. So I drew two Sith lords and they got attacked by the Drengir, before they were attacked they were wearing masks, you know Sith masks and I actually draw that Sith masks based on the Javanese Hanuman masks I think that’s the only element from Indonesia that I took. But another element from my life, as I told you before, I borrowed a lot of elements from my imaginary world, such as the creatures, the planets. It’s already inside my head for years, and I am happy I got to find a place to put them. I know for sure I cannot take anyone to see that imaginary world inside my head, because it is inside my head and I don’t know how to get people inside it other than to show through my artwork. So whenever I got the chance, to invite people to see a little bit of what I have inside my head, it is always a precious moment. So when I got to draw the planet in the first issue I took a lot of elements from the imaginary world inside my head and I put it there. And then when I drew the creatures, of course, I got, you know, them from my imaginary world as well. It means a lot to me, whenever I got to do that because I have friends, who asked me, who are wondering: « Ario what is it like that imaginary world inside your head? » and I reply: « if only I can take you to visit it inside. It’s wonderful, it’s beautiful. I am not doing drugs but this is wonderful. (laughter) Maybe I can show you glimpses of it if you read my work then you see, you know, glimpses of it. It’s like Alice in Wonderland. You got to see parts oft it, in my work. » Basically, a lot of things in the High Republic comes from that imaginary world of mine.
MiB: so that big beast with the yellow eyes, the four yellow eyes (i.e. the locusts).
Ario: Yes, yes, but the colours are different in my imaginary world. But the colours, Ana Lisa Leoni did a really good work, a really amazing work with the colours so I gave freedom to Analisa to colours it as she likes. We have discussions of course, « maybe don’t colour it green because it looks a lot like the planet itself maybe you can colour it differently. » But the creatures’ colours are very different in my imaginary world. I don’t want to dictate the colours, I want to give her freedom, for expressing herself through the colours and I think she did a truly wonderful job.
MiB: Speaking of drawing and so on. Do you draw on paper, on computer or a mix of both?
Ario: A mix of both. But on the High Republic, I draw traditionally, so I use pencil and paper just like when I was a kid.
MiB: So after you scan the drawing and then you send to Marvel?
Ario: Yes.
MiB: Do you have any input/feedback from Cavan Scott about how to draw, or not necessarily?
Ario: Oh yes, we discuss about things. Basically I always want to accommodate what he writes in his script as much as possible. I hate to change the scripts and I never want to do it, so whenever I draw the script I want to visualize it as good as possible. It is what is in the script and if I can imagine it visually, it would be like that but there is discussion with Cavan and but thankfully we have the same taste, we have the same visions so there is not a lot of changes when I give Cavan the lineart and he mostly enjoys it, he likes it and we get along really well and we started to collaborate along on different projects as well. So I am so grateful that I get to work with such a fantastic team for the High Republic. Everyone is very supportive with each other and appreciative. And we work together really well, our chemistry is great and basically we are thriving to deliver the best product as possible. Every concern that we have is for the best. That is rare because to have such a team that works together like a family, is wonderful.
MiB: Do you have any feedback from the other authors like Charles Soule, Claudia Grey?
Ario: So far they have said nothing but kind things and wonderful things to me. They love what I did with the High Republic. Especially Daniel, he really enjoys the work that I do, as I also enjoy his work in Star Wars Adventures. Yeah basically the responses have been really positive both from the other authors and the readers and I am very glad of that because Star Wars fans are hardcore fans (laughter). It can be very terrifying, it can be very scary. It can hurt you mentally and I am afraid of that. Of course I have to admit, I am not as big as those comic giants like Alex Ross or Adam Hughes or Mike Mignola or Oliver Coipel. I am just starting, you know. I have fears. I am scared that people will not enjoy or they won’t love my work. And this is the characters that we need to work on from the beginning, from scratch. Nobody knows who they are, and it’s up to us to make them accepted or be loved by the reader. If I fail to draw these characters, then people will not feel attachment with the characters, they won’t feel close to the characters and they will not give any care to the characters. And that’s the least thing that I want to do. I want people to feel that they know the characters, that they are close and they have great connection with the characters. And I want them to feel that this is the new Star Wars era. It is still Star Wars even though we don’t see any Skywalkers in it. This is still Star Wars that we all know. And I am glad if I read the reviews, if I read Twitter. I am glad to see the response. People accept it and people are happy with it. And issue #1 got many, many reprints. I think it’s like five times.
MiB: Five time reprints? Oh I knew it was reprinted but I didn’t expect that much.
Ario: Yes and I am very grateful for that because, and I never thought that it would happen like that, and when I see the diamond comic list of the best selling comics in 2021, we have the High Republic in the list among the 10 comics that sold the most in 2021 and I was like « waouh, there is the comic that I am working on. » Of course, when I read Twitter, there are negative comments as well, here and there. As always, for every project, for everything actually. You cannot make everyone loves you, and that is OK, that is normal. I try to not focus on that kind of comments. And mostly it’s because they [the haters] don’t want to read it, they haven’t given it any chance to read it. So they already said negative things even before they try to read it or before they try to know it. And I just want to tell them that we are all Star Wars fans. We all love Star Wars. I love all the characters from the Original Trilogy, of course, I love them. I grew up with them.
Before I worked on Star Wars Annual, I was offered to do another Star Wars comic by my agent, but I said no because I was too scared… I am a huge Star Wars fan and I don’t want to ruin Star Wars, so I said « No, I cannot draw spaceships, and I am not good at drawing droids, so I am going to skip because I don’t want to ruin Star Wars. » And I told my wife that and she wanted to kill me (laugthers) because she is a huge Star Wars fan herself. When I said that I don’t want to do that and that, because I don’t want to ruin Star Wars, and she said: « What?… Hold on, why don’t you sit right here, I am going to take my knife » and I was like « Please, please, spare my life and I’ll learn how to draw spaceships and things like that. » And when I went to Malaysia, I was invited for a Malaysian comic con if I am not mistaken and I met my friend there, he is a senior of mine, his name is Alan Qwa and I told him about the Star Wars story that I skipped, that I said no to Star Wars because I am afraid to draw spaceships and things like that. And, at the airport, on the way to go back to Indonesia, he came to say his goodbye and then he gave me this book « Star Wars Spaceships », and he said: « so you will have no reason to say no, next time you get offered a Star Wars book. » And so when I get the offer to do a Star Wars Annual, I have this obligation to say « Yes, » because Alan has given me the book and my wife is holding the knife so I said « yeah I am going to do it. » And after I drew the Star Wars Annual, it gave me a good feeling that it’s not that scary you know, drawing Star Wars. People like the pages I did in the Star Wars Annual, so I think I can do a Star Wars comics, but when I got offered the High Republic I think, I just never knew it was going to be that of a project. So, when I knew that this was going to be the project for which Disney is making this huge thing about the launching of the High Republic, then suddenly I became this scared little chicken again, and I was like « Oh my god, what did I got into? » I am afraid that I am biting more than I can chew. But luckily I got a lot of comments from the readers, from my team mates, my work mates. From everyone basically. I read every review, and all of those reviews are positive and that gives me the energy to do the pages even better and better and better. And so I owe all the readers and the reviewers for Star Wars The High Republic because they are the ones sending me the Force to do it, to do all the pages. And of course, I owe Mike Peniccia big time because he is the one that trusted me to do this project in the first place. I would forever be in debt to Mark because I don’t know what he sees in me because I am not that huge comic artist but he somehow has faith to put me in the High Republic and I am just trying not to disappoint him and the rest of the Star Wars fans. That’s the goal.
MiB: It seems to work!
Ario: Thank you so much I am glad.
MiB: Like I told you I only have the first TPB in French, and I read some others in English, but they are very good. Speaking of which, I have one of my colleagues of MintInBox, who asked if you can manage to draw Master Sskeer smiling.
Ario: (laughter) There is smiling Sskeer in the Star Wars the High Republic comics, there is. If you see in one of the issues, you can see him. At least on the last issue, you get to see him smiling.
MiB: Is the last issue the one from Phase 2, that we saw on Jedi News?
Ario: Yes, the last issue is #15. I think there is a smiling Sskeer.
MiB: In Jedi News’ review you can read « the beautiful artworks of Ario Anindito. »
Ario: Thank you so much, I am very grateful. Although those reviewers are so kind to me, I never felt so much appreciated in the work I have done, as big as the one I do in the High Republic. The appreciation is so big from the readers and I am just happy and grateful, and it’s all team work. Mark Morales is a legendary inker I have been looking and reading his work even while I was still in college. So he is a legendary inker, he is so good and he also inks traditionally, so it makes him even better bad-ass. And then I get to work with such great colourist, Annalisa Leoni (website, twitter), is one amazing colourist from Italy. And I also work with Carlos [Lopez] on the last issue, and Carlos is also amazing. And I am very lucky to be working with such great inker and colourists, and that makes my work ten times better than it is originally.
MiB: Indeed, it is a full collaboration. So just to be on the same page: you are the main artist, the penciller, right?
Ario: Yeah.
MiB: You are the one who draws with the pencils or whatever, and after you have the inker who is, somehow, finalizing your work.
Ario: Yes, it is Mark Morales. He is inking from my pencil, so he inks all the line art that I do, and then he sends them to the colourists – Annalisa or Carlos – and then we send that to Ariana Maher, the letterer and that’s it. And all this process is being watched carefully by the editors.
MiB: While you were answering, I was looking at the French edition, and does the letterer do every languages or only the English edition?
Ario: I have no idea.
MiB: And I see the different concept arts made by different artists, for example Diogo Saito among others…
Ario: Yeah. Diogo made the character concept arts for few characters in the High Republic.
MiB: And we have also the concept arts for the beacon made by Pascal Blanché and others.
Ario: And if I remember that Keeve is originally taken from Phil Noto’s artwork, so Diogo is making a proper character design sheet of Keeve but the original Keeve character is drawn by Phil Noto.
MiB: And Phil Noto is doing most of the covers.
Ario: Yes.
MiB: And you have your own art, which looks the same but it is not the same, you took the concept and you really personalized it.
Ario: Thank you.
MiB: I still have couple of more questions if you have time: which characters do you enjoy drawing the most, from Star Wars or any other universe, DC, Marvel, or any other publishers.
Ario: In Star Wars, I really enjoy drawing Master Sskeer because I love drawing creatures and I think he looks like a creature. He is a Trandoshan but I draw him a little bit different from Bossk, the Trandoshan that we know. Because I imagine, just like us, they have different features and faces and Master Sskeer is just more handsome than Bossk (laughter), it is as simple as that.
MiB: Maybe also because he is a Jedi.
Ario: Yes, yes, he is a Jedi and he is very kind so I draw him more handsome than Bossk. Bossk is more a monster, his face is more creature-like.
MiB: Is it me or Master Sskeer is bulkier than Bossk?
Ario: Oh, yes, yes. He is much bulkier, and his face is more kind. Bossk is like a wild animal. Master Sskeer is more human, kinder, yeah and more civilized. And of course I enjoy drawing Keeve as well, because Keeve is my favorite character in the High Republic. We get into this journey with her from #01 to #15. She is like my little baby. I got to see her from a small padawan and then to a Jedi Knight and in the last issue to become what she is now. It is really a wonderful character development, and that’s all the work of the authors, including of course Cavan Scott. I think he is a genius. I always love working from his script because he is a genius… he is a cruel genius…
MiB: A cruel genius?
Ario: Yes, he does a lot of sadistic things. People are crying because of him!
MiB: Yes indeed, I agree with you: in the first TPB in French, we are let with Master Sskeer heavily wounded by the Drengir and we really want to know what will happen next.
Ario: Yes! He is really a cruel writer, which I enjoy because we all the same dark humor and dark jokes and because we love horror movies. So yeah, it’s funny because we never got to meet each other in real life, but it feels like we’ve met. From all the team that I have worked together on Star Wars The High Republic, the only person that I met in person is Mark Paniccia. The rest I never met them in person. Oh but I met Rachelle Rosenberg, who is the colourist for issue #09 I think, I have met her in person as well. But other than those two, I never met Mark Morales, oh, I also met Tom Groneman. He is the editor for the first half of the High Republic… Yes I have met him too, he is a wonderful person, really fun to work with. Yes, him, Mark Paniccia and Rachelle Rosenberg and the rest I never met before.
MiB: Oh I just saw in the credits of the French edition, the letterer is Christophe Cemoil, and of course we also have a translator, and that’s normal.
Ario: Annalisa Leoni is from the same agency as me. We are kind of brother and sister but we never met (laughter).
MiB: And from different parents…
Ario: Yes. (laughter)
MiB: That was about the High Republic, but generally speaking, do you really have any character that you like to draw during your career or on your own free time?
Ario: Oh yes! And I forgot to answer that. Yeah, out of Star Wars, I really love to draw Deadpool because I got to draw Deadpool several times in the Marvel comics, and I really enjoyed drawing him. And I also enjoy drawing Weapon X err Weapon H I mean. Weapon H is the combination between Wolverine and the Hulk, so it’s like the Hulk, but it’s grey and it has the claws of Wolverine. It has the best of both worlds: it has the power of the Hulk but he has the adamantium skeleton of Wolverine and his healing factor, so you don’t want to mess with Weapon H. And then my favorite Marvel character is Gambit, but I never got to draw Gambit yet, hopefully one day, I will be able to draw him. But I never draw him yet. But yeah Remy Lebeau is my favorite character. And he can speak French (laughter), and he is a really fun character and I hope one day I’ll get to draw him.
MiB: Maybe, you never know. And by DC?
Ario: In DC’s world my favorite character is the Joker. I really love to draw the Joker, I actually designed a Joker statue for XM Studios. Aside from the Joker, I really love Zatana and Harley Quinn of course, Lobo and Swamp Thing. Yes, I am loving the villains more than heroes (laughter).
MiB: Yes, I think it is not charisma but it’s because they have more something to remember.
Ario: It’s just more fun to draw the villains. They are very interesting characters because they are not just straight lines. You get to channel all your craziness when you draw them. So it’s like art therapy (laughter).
MiB: I think I saw on your Instagram, a guy with a cap. Is it an Indonesian character or your own creation?
Ario: Oh, the guy with the visor? With the cap, he wears a cap. It was a collaboration between me and the biggest delivery courier company in Indonesia. Basically, they approached me and they were like: « hey, we would like to work together with you. » And we are wondering what is it like if this courier, they have a mascot called Joni, it’s a delivery courier and Joni was just a regular courier man, and they said: « I think it would be funny if you make him into a kind of superhero-ish, » and I was like « Ok, let’s do it, let’s have fun with it. » And of course, I draw Super-Joni and it was like Iron-Man, he is just a regular cour ier delivery man but he got all the high technology gear to help him deliver the packages better and faster and more effective. It seems like people are liking that Super-Joni character.
MiB: And speaking about that, I remember the traffic in Jakarta, and your guy might help.
Ario: that’s why Super-Joni is flying.
MiB: Just for the people who listens, I mentioned that because Jakarta is a very jammed town.
Ario: Oh yes, that’s why I don’t live in Jakarta! I worked in Jakarta for several years, I think from 2010/2011 then I moved back to Bandung in 2013, it’s like three or four years are more than enough for me to live in Jakarta (laughs). I just realized it is too much of a stress because you spend your life in the traffic if you get to combine and accumulate all your life that you spent in that traffic, probably you got like five years of your life. And I don’t want that life of mine in traffic, you know. So I moved back to Bandung.
MiB: I think I have the same problem with Paris, even if I never lived there, just as a tourist. But when I see the traffic there… no way I go and drive in Paris. I am good in my small town, no problem.
Ario: Yeah yeah me too. Well Bandung is not a small town but that’s much better than Jakarta. We still have traffic here but not as bad as Jakarta. And the people are nicer.
MiB: Careful, I can confirm or not with my wife.
Ario: Well, it’s not a secret, but Jakarta is a tough place, Jakarta is a tough city. It’s tougher over there, the competition is pretty high. When I moved back to Bandung, people are nicer because it’s not as tough here as in Jakarta. So I am not saying people are like that because they are evil, no, no, nothing like that. It’s because of their environment, of circumstances. When you are placed in such a tough environment, then you have to be tough, maybe more ruthless.
« Again it’s the fault of my cousins… »
MiB: When did you start Star Wars?
Ario: Oh… Again, it’s my cousins to blame (laughs). The first time I saw anything Star Wars related when I visited their place, I watched the Sesame Street episode and it has R2-D2 and C-3PO in it. And I was like « what are those weird looking robots doing in the Muppets’ world? » and my cousins were like « you don’t know C-3PO and R2-D2? » and I was « no, do I really have to know them? », and they were like « you need to see Star Wars » and then I got exposed to Star Wars and the rest is History. I never imagined one day that I would draw Star Wars but my cousins are really influential to me even though they don’t know that! Because they were like: « we are reading comics, we read comics, we’re done and then here you go you can read it. » And when I was at their house « Ok, let’s watch Sesame Street » and then « oh you don’t know that robots, Ok watch Star Wars » and then it changed my life (laughs). Those small gestures from my cousins because I grew up in a very err… We were not poor but we were also not rich, so I don’t have a lot of references when I was little, I don’t have a lot of comic books, my cousins, they are… you can say they are rich so they got a lot of comic books and they are kind enough to lend them to me, to let me borrow the comic books, even they gave them to me so I can read them.
When I was six years old, my parents got divorced, so I moved to Bandung, I lived in Jakarta when I was little and then I moved to Bandung, that’s why I always draw all the time because I don’t have any toys. I lived a rough childhood but my mother is a great mom, a great single parent. She raised me and my little brother just by herself, and right now of course we are much much better in economy. We are much better than we’re used to, and I am just happy that I got to repay what my mother has done for us. She has raised us really responsibly. I remember there is that time that I went back from Jakarta to Bandung and I brought her the first DC comic that I made with my name in it, and I remember I won this gold award in advertising for one of my TV commercials and when I went back home, I presented to her and she was really happy and that was in 2012, and now she is very proud of her sons and that is my goal: to make her happy because she is a great single parent.
MiB: Does your Mum know Star Wars or comics in general?
Ario: I don’t think she ever saw any Star Wars movie (laughs).
MiB: Mine neither I think.
Ario: But I gave her my Star Wars comics. I don’t know if she read them or not. Her English is not good so. Probably she looks at the drawing, but she knows that Star Wars is big, and known all over the world and the universe so she is happy that I get to do Star Wars and of course. The happiest is my wife. And that’s why I am still alive. (laughs)
MiB: You said that your cousins lent to you the comics, were they written in English or in Indonesian?
Ario: Oh yes, they were already translated into Indonesian, that’s why I could read them and I was fortunate that I could read European comics when I was little because they are so good, they are wonderful. Artistically, they are wonderful, different, yes. American comics are awesome, they are really good as well, they are wonderful but I think the main difference, for me, is that US Comics have a small number of pages and so many texts to read. But European comics have a lot of pages and there are so many adventures and small word-balloons. So we got to see a lot of adventures in, let’s say Smurfs, we get to see that, so it’s more appropriate for me when I was a kid, because we got to see more drawings instead of writings. As a kid I was enjoying that more. But now I grew up and equally all comics are great: the US comic is wonderful and I am working in the US comic industry and I think it’s one of the most wonderful places to work. And I also still love the European comics: I got to meet the creator of Blacksad when I was visiting the New York Comic-Con I think, and you know Blacksad is wonderful.
MiB: And if I am not wrong, its artist is Spanish?
Ario: Yes and I also love the Japanese manga. Oh I love them. So basically I love all comics: European, US and manga. I love them equally. There are people, who, they, don’t like manga, they only read US comics, they don’t like US comics and only read the European ones. But for me it’s all different kinds of styles, but it’s all great. They have their own beauty, or appeal, yes. You cannot replace US comics with European comics, no it’s different. You cannot replace Japanese manga with European comics, no you cannot, it’s different. All of them are wonderful, all of them are good. But I’m speaking for when I was a little kid. It was easier for me to enjoy European comics because of less writing, less words and more drawings and more adventures. For a little kid, that is easier to read and enjoy.
MiB: Yes, as for a counter-example, if you read Tintin you have quite a lot of text in the bubbles.
Ario: Yes, I didn’t read that when I was little. I didn’t really like it because there were too many texts, but when I grew up I loved it!
MiB: You have the full scene, and the text, which you have to picture what they say.
Ario: Exactly! But when you read Astérix and The Smurfs, it’s all adventure, you know, you get to go there… And Marsupilami and Spirou and Fantasio, it’s all adventures, and it is just enjoyable.
MiB: Ario, about Astérix… I guess you read it in Indonesian language, and there is a lot of puns (games of word) in French, already when you look at the names of the characters.
Ario: Yes, I read them in Indonesian language. They translated the names. It is genius to see how they managed to change the names and it’s funny.
MiB: Yes the names have a kind of meaning, you have to understand them, and they would need to sound Gallic because Asterix is a Gallic character…And what about the comic industry in Indonesia?
Ario: Oh, it’s growing and it is really good. When I see the comic artists in Indonesia nowadays, I am like: « Oh my god! I couldn’t draw that good when I was their age, so they are really good. » They are very lucky because now they have all the platforms to display their work. They got all the tools to draw. Right now, they have Wacom Cintiq digital stuff that you can create things. And they got YouTube tutorials, whenever they want to know how to draw anatomy, you can just google on YouTube and then you might find the tutorials on YouTube. Back then, before the internet, when we were still in the dark ages, we had to find books about drawing anatomy and stuff like that, so it was harder for us, and that’s why there is no reason for comic artist nowadays to not be better then me, in Indonesia, that’s what I always say when they say « Oh I hope I can be just like you » and then I replied: « no, no, don’t be just like me, you have to be better than me because you got all the tools, all the ressources, you got all the references. YOU HAVE To Be better than me. You cannot be not better than me, so you have to be better than me. You know it’s a privilege for nowadays’ comic artists. »
MiB: Yes, and especially now because everyone can work from anywhere, it’s magic.
Ario: Exactly. So I am just happy to see the Indonesian comic industry. Of course they are asking « don’t you want to draw Indonesian comic? » and yes I want but right now I am given the chance to learn and study in the US comic industry and it is not like everyday you got the chance to study and learn in one of the biggest comic industries in the world. So whenever I still got the chance to do that I will do that. But I am not being selfish by keeping all this knowledge all by myself. In Indonesia, I always do professional sharing whenever I can, so even though I am under tight deadlines I still do professional sharing: I share what I know, I share my knowledge, I share what I learned in the US comic industry, so that the young comic artists in Indonesia can learn from it, so that’s what I do. It’s not that I don’t want to make Indonesian comics, it’s in my list but not in my place right now, while I am still given the chance and opportunity to learn in the one of the biggest comic industry in the world then I would still do this.
MiB: And speaking of projects, I know you are working on Phase II of the High Republic…
Ario: No, I am working on Obi-Wan.
MiB: Yes, that’s another project, but are you still planned for the next installment of the High Republic?
Ario: I haven’t got any communications about that yet, so I cannot tell you anything. But what I can tell you is what I have in front of me right now is that I am working on Obi-Wan Kenobi, so that’s what I am focusing on.
MiB: And speaking of which, did you see the trailer?
Ario: Oh yes! (laughs) I am very excited when I saw the trailer, and I am also very excited for the people to read the comic as well so I cannot tell you (laughs) a lot of things that I know…
MiB: Please, please, please!
Ario: (laughs) But I love the trailer and there is so much things that are coming and it is a great time to be a Star Wars fan, you get to see the Mandalorian, you get to see the Book of Boba, you get to see a lot of Star Wars stuff coming, and you get to see live action Ahsoka Tano. Oh my god it’s such a wonderful time to be a Star Wars fan, yeah.
MiB: Can you tell us if your comics are related to the show or is it secret?
Ario: Yeah… I cannot tell you anything about that (laughs) but one thing I can tell you: there would be Obi-Wan in my comic…
MiB: Oh my! That I am very glad to know, I think we got an exclusive here!
Ario: (laughs)
MiB: And maybe on Tatooine?
Ario: I cannot tell you that also (laughs)
MiB: Speaking of Obi-Wan, you know there was some Marvel comics previously with Obi-Wan, err… What was the name? Not the Journal of Obi-Wan… Luke found the journal of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and there was some drawings showing the life on Tatooine. It seems to be linked to the same scenes in the trailer, it’s nice to see that it is all connected.
Ario: Yes, the good thing about the Star Wars universe right now with Disney is that they have everything connected. It’s just like in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is all connected, it’s all planned, we have the big grand plan so it is not random. So when you see Spider-Man: No Way Home, and you will see Doctor Strange, you can say: « okay, it is all connected this and that, this and that, » so it is amazing how they designed everything. Yeah it is such a good time to be a geek.
MiB: Indeed.
Ario: (laughs)
MiB: Now a bit out of Star Wars, you said that you are working on six big projects, five if you remove Obi-Wan…
Ario: Not all of them are big, some are smaller than the others, but yes, it is six projects at the same time.
MiB: I saw couple of days ago on Instagram, that you put your cover for Buffy.
Ario: Yes, I do covers for Buffy, but it is already finished because it is for a mini-series of four books. So, there are four covers and then I do work for that delivery courier company as well, and I still design statues for XM Studios and I also make illustrations for a game company and I make cover as well for a novel and I also do Obi-Wan yes, and I also design some things for Lucasfilms/Disney.
MiB: And I guess that one is secret?
Ario: Oh yes, that one is super-secret. I cannot tell anything about it. And people are like: « hey, what did you design for Lucas? » and then I say: « sorry I cannot say… Not even a single word » but I do really love for them because like I say it gives me the chance to pour whatever I have in my imaginary world and to have them in the Star Wars universe, it’s fantastic.
MiB: Before the interview, when we started to talk, you mentioned that you wanted to be Indiana Jones, but that you are afraid of heights. Do you expect to draw Indiana Jones?
Ario: Hum… No… No because Harrison Ford is hard to draw! (laughs)
MiB: I should admit, that’s right: I saw the cover of the last comic Han Solo & Chewbacca and I have issues with the face and the hair of Han Solo…
Ario: Yes, Han Solo is hard to draw so Indiana Jones would be pretty difficult to draw, so if I want to draw adventure comic, it would be Fruit-Man, a fruit with a face and hands…
MiB: For drawing the High Republic, did you read the novels or some of them?
Ario: Because of the tight deadlines of the High Republic, I don’t have the chance to read everything in the novels, but I got to read the important part that is connected to the comics. But whenever I got the chance, I try to read because they are all great books. The novels are great, and I enjoy reading them. When I am in tight deadlines, the only thing I can do is looking at the papers in front of me and, you know, drawing.
MiB: Yes, and moreover with the discussions you got with Cavan Scott, you can get some precise ideas.
Ario: Yes, yes, I can always be like: « hey, Cavan let me know what happens. » Like when we had the first Zoom meeting, Cavan told me there would be Jedi riding Rancors, and I was like: « OK, I’m in! » (laughs) « You got me, let’s do this! » Everything is planned from the beginning. I don’t know what they have for Phase II, but I am sure it would be great, and whoever the artist is for Phase II, I am sure I will read the comics as well, because it would be amazing, especially for Phase III, when we go back to see Keeve again, I am sure it would be wonderful and fantastic.
MiB: Keeve is like your baby?
Ario: Yeah, she is my baby.
MiB: Otherwise, if we would like you to autograph some comics, is it possible to send them to you and we pay the shipping?
Ario: I would love to, but the thing is that right now, I am having a hard time with international shipping from Indonesia. I don’t find any reliable international shipping company from Indonesia, so that is the problem. I am still looking for a good one but I still don’t find any. If I find one, I will let you know. But right now, the best thing is for me to just go… there and sign it…
MiB: Yes, indeed it’s the easiest! And we never know, for example in France we have some events, but yes, Indonesia is not nearby.
Ario: I haven’t visited Paris yet, so I am looking forward to visit France. And I really want to visit France of course. I have been to the UK and it’s wonderful, I visited Belfast (Ireland) and one of the comic stores there, Forbidden Planet, oh it’s wonderful. People over there are so kind. We are still communicating until now. It feels like whenever I go to foreign countries and I visit comic stores, it feels like I have a home in that country. Because people in comic stores, they always treat me like I am in home. It’s like « hey we are your family, please come back here again anytime and we would meet again anytime, we will be happy. » So, OK I have home in any country, which is a comic shop. (laughs)
MiB: Yes, that’s always super and if I remember the people, they are very nice. And that’s maybe also due to the fan base, because the fans are together because of something they like to share.
MiB: Since MintInBox.net is a website for Star Wars collector, I would like to know if you collect anything and if yes, what is your most favorite piece?
Ario: Yes, I do collect action figures, masks, a bit of helmets, and statues… and a small collection of comics. The figures are my long time addiction. I have a problem with space now. And the wife is grinding her knife.
As for my favorite piece… it would be the XM Studios Lobo statue, because I designed it, hahahaha.. not being narcissistic, but it’s just feel magical when you see your design transformed into a real life object, and XM Studios did a wonderful work on it!!
Yes, I also collect Star Wars stuff, and my favorite piece is my Darth Talon Premium Format by Sideshow Collectibles.
MiB: Ario, I don’t think I have something else to ask you for the moment…
Ario: Really, that’s all you got? (laughs)
MiB: In fact, I think I forgot something, something I didn’t write down…
Ario: You can always email me if you remember the questions.
MiB: and I was very glad to be able to do that interview, I will type everything, do a transcription… I would need a bit time, and I will inform you when it is ready if you don’t mind.
Ario: Yes, just let me know before you publish it, and thank you so much for having me, it has been a pleasure. And please sent my regards to your wife…
This interview is published in October 2022, some points were added and modified over the time, with precisions from Mr. Anindito. Yesterday, Mr. Anindito came back from the New York ComicCon, where he presented his work, especially on the new phase of the High Republic, hence new artworks.
Some of the pictures in that article were sent by Mr. Anindito, especially his collection. Some others were found online and represent a tiny part of his work.
Mintinbox and I, again, would like to thank Mr. Anindito for his time and patience.