We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Cortez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, what inspires you?
I get inspired by everything—music, comics, movies, anything that can light that spark. I get inspired by watching other artists work and love their craft. There are a couple of documentaries that I always go to, including the Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, Floyd Norman: An Animated Life, The Image Revolution, and LA Originals, to name a few. There are a ton more, but I’d be here all day listing names.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My next project is an anthology-type graphic novel based on a cyber planet, years in the future. The main goal of the comic was to play with the medium and expand my knowledge of storytelling. This was also a history lesson in comics, studying; both writing and artwork styles from past to present. Not being confined by lore or in-depth stories allowed me to fully explore the artwork. Different characters, tones, and colors, it was all very refreshing after my last project, “A Violent New World.”

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Of course, my parents come first. They’ve always been proud of my work and pushed me to do more in art. I’d like to thank my teachers, as well, for their knowledge and support. At school, they challenged me to do more. They showed me a world and a vocabulary that I wouldn’t have anywhere else, and for that, I’m forever grateful.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd39fdTa9230TGHe8Z5g8Hg/featured

Other: Email: michaelcortezcontact@gmail.com

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