Interview with Rippaverse Character Designer and Co-Creator
The Soska Sisters get into the mind of Concept Artist Marcos Rios
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Jen & Sylvia Soska
Marcos Rios is the brilliant artist behind the creation of every character you see in the Rippaverse. Founder and owner Eric July brought him on for Isom #1, and his work has been so extraordinary that he’s stayed on and been a vital part of developing our world as it continues to evolve and expand. We, ourselves, have had the esteemed pleasure of creating many vast and complex characters and creatures with Marcos, from Yaira and Bloodruth’s worlds to Michael Copper and Lilian Ronashi’s, and I must say there is absolutely nothing that Marcos cannot do. Whether Marcos is designing a striking beauty or a Hellish beast, he does so with incredible ease and originality. He is truly one of the most valued team members over here at The Rippaverse and his art and creative genius touches every single book we release. It is a real joy to be able to take this time to chat with him a little bit to allow our wonderful fans a glimpse behind the curtain and an opportunity to better get to know this sensational artist.
Let’s freakin’ go!
Marcos, thank you so kindly for taking the time to chat with me and answer a few burning questions. I know we keep you very busy over here.
S. What first inspired you to become an artist?
MARCOS: Well, whether it be drawing or just admiring it, I’ve been invested in art since I was a toddler. I spent most of my youth playing video games and watching cartoons, all of which helped increase my desire to someday create similar stuff. I guess you could say that other artists inspired me to stay on the path of one thanks to their art in media.
S. What were the first comic books or comic book characters that got you into comics, and what about them had such a profound impact on you?
MARCOS: Disney comics such as Duck Tales were among the only comics I read growing up. Those sparked the love for cartoon art within me. I also read Archie’s, which had a more realistic feel to them style-wise, sparking yet another thing I’d come to love drawing – stylized semi-realism and anatomy.
S. Who are your favorite comic book characters or series, and why?
MARCOS: My answer being “The Rippaverse” feels like a cop-out, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it. However, before The Rippaverse, I would’ve said that my favorite comic book series of characters and stories were those from DC. More specifically, Superman and Batman. My dad used to watch both animated series of those characters when I was younger, and I’d always enjoy watching with him.
S. How did you first meet Eric July and come to work and design for the Rippaverse?
MARCOS: Through Jean-Paul, one of my best friends who’s also an artist in his own right. About a year or two before the launch of The Rippaverse, he told me about this Eric YouTuber who had some interesting political videos and talked about comics. Months later, Jean tells me how Eric posted on his YouTube channel that he’s looking for artists to work on a brand-new comic book universe. At first, I hesitated, but Jean convinced me to give it a shot, so I sent Eric a direct email of my portfolio. Surprisingly, Eric replied that same day, praising me for the art I showed him. I was stoked! From that moment on, Eric and I began a professional friendship, if you will, through back-and-forth emails discussing the initial designs of what’s now known as The Rippaverse. Eventually, we became actual friends, and when the time came, he reached out to me, offering me the position of Concept Artist for the company. To this day, I still thank both God and Eric for that opportunity, and I know I’m willing to do it ’till I die, hah!
S. What has it been like for you to be the official character designer at the company?
MARCOS: Like a dream come true. Back in Middle school, I developed a desire to create comic books of my own stories – random kid stories about monsters and the sort. However, when I was in High school, my goals grew not only towards making comics but more towards creating unique characters for them. That’s when I started to learn more about what it takes to design. The fact that my first official job as an adult and as an artist ended up being the Concept Artist of the biggest comic book universe since the “Big Two” is something I still struggle to believe. It’s literally the answered prayer of a nerdy kid.
S. Do you have favorite characters or designs that you have created for The Rippaverse, and what about them do you like so much?
MARCOS: Without a doubt, Yaira, Lilian, and a couple more from future NDA projects within the Rippaverse (Foiled again, NDAndrew wins!). For Yaira, I’ve always loved her outfit. The colors Eric helped choose for it were just perfect. In terms of Lilian, there’s something about her having a simple black dress that screams mystery and raw power. I love that about her, and after reading her upcoming book by Jen Soska, I’m pretty sure everyone will understand.
S. We often talk about our faith, and it comes up a lot when we are discussing certain characters and designs, especially in Bloodruth. How important is your faith to you as an artist, and how does it feed into your art?
MARCOS: As a Christian, I’ve always felt a bit off about creating images of characters/people since it’s, in essence, similar to making idols, which is what The Lord talks a lot against in the Bible. However, I never create any design with the purpose of glory or ‘worship,’ much less if I’m drawing demonic creatures and monsters. I always look at it as an attempt to depict these creatures and characters in an accurate way for relevance and as a means to an end, regardless of whether they’re fictional or based on historical, real beings.
S. Which artists inspire you most and why?
MARCOS: Jim Lee and Caanan White. Their way of drawing anatomy and their practically perfect lines have always left me speechless. Watching them create highly detailed pieces of a single character, or even just a face or a muscle, is like watching the premiere of a masterpiece at a theater while I chow down some popcorn. They’re a great inspiration and serve as a necessary aid for any artist looking to improve their knowledge of anatomy.
S. Who are your favorite characters in The Rippaverse, and why?
MARCOS: Yaira and her cut-throat approach will always have a special place in my heart. However, I’m also a big fan of Braxwell because of his heroic demeanor. He’s always silent, but you can tell he has a good heart and is always out to protect and save those in need, and that’s something I’ve always admired about him. Lastly, I’d have to say Goodyng. He’s one of the more relatable characters for me, especially with his upbringing and his personal take on bullies. He’s a very humble man and likes to defend fairness, and that’s hard to come by today.
S. What advice would you give aspiring artists who want to get into working on comic books?
MARCOS: Honestly, just don’t give up. Whatever you see or do, don’t let style or stress get in the way of success. You don’t build a mansion in one day. I’ve been trying to make personal comic books on my own since Middle school, and there came times when I nearly gave up. By the time I was in college, it was really hard for me to get back into it, but a good friend of mine reminded me of the small legacy I had begun as a kid with my art and inspired me to keep going. Look at where it got me to now. Look at your goal and focus on it. The rest is just blurred.
S. What do you feel sets the Rippaverse apart from other comic book companies out there?
MARCOS: Frankly, the boss and creator of it all, Eric himself. He’s literally the wheel that started it all, especially when it comes to the code of ethics of the company. Leaving politics at the door makes everything feel fresh and original, as opposed to constantly having to reference real life and the do’s and don’ts of our daily reality. Combine that with the constant need to maintain lore accuracy, the ease of approach for new readers, and the greatest fandom ever created from nothing but love and respect amongst itself and the creatives, and you’ve got a powerful and unique monster called The Rippaverse. The work we do behind the scenes is also what makes this so special. The company itself, the employees, all of us—the main staff from year one – it’s always felt like a family. Everyone here loves their job, and you can see that with every release, as opposed to seeing it as another ‘gig’ and having to rely on peers.
S. Where can people find you online and see more of your work?
MARCOS: My digital portfolio, where I update every main, non-work piece, can be found on Artstation under my name, Marcos Rios, or under my tag of “mcslendy.” Other social media include my X (Twitter) and DeviantArt at “Slender7Last”.
Lastly, I have a Facebook art page called “Mark-Art.”
- Editor’s Note: You can also catch Marcos’ amazing art on our monthly Ctrl+Z Artist Podcast on our YouTube channel! – NDAndrew
