On the Shootin' Range with Jennyson Rosero
by Janet Houck
When we last saw John Parker, otherwise known as the lone gunman for hire named No Man, he was poised to duel with Doyle Bakerton in a showdown that can only have one survivor. In an alternative Wild West where summoned demons roam the plains, only one man stands tall against the Bakerton Detective Agency's nefarious plot, with his 16-inch revolver, a handful of bullets, and a lot of luck.
With the long-awaited release of the second volume of No Man's Land, Gomanga.com takes a moment to shoot the breeze again with artist Jennyson Rosero.
Thanks for sitting down with us for yet another interview! First off, why was there such a delay in the release of volume two of No Man's Land? Wasn't it originally slated for August 2005? We've heard rumors of an exploding computer...
JR: Haha! Nearly. But in a perfect world, we'd all be healthy and do pages 24/7. Unfortunately, that ain't the case. As much as I would like to do this non-stop, we can't avoid things like sickness and computer problems. We've been so dependent on our computers that any trouble we encounter with them causes so much work stoppage. Hopefully, that won't happen again.
Okay, so what was your first manga, and what are some of your favorite titles?
JR: I would say that my first manga was Occhio del Dio. That was around four years ago, if I'm not mistaken. Internationally, No Man's Land would be the first. It's hard to pick a favorite manga title, since lately I haven't picked up a good one. I do remember reading Blade of the Immortal, Oh My Goddess!, Spirit of Wonder, Ghost in the Shell and Bastard (untranslated). Two years ago, I became a fan of Air Gear.
You said in your last interview that you play and watch a lot of games and DVDs; what are some of your latest acquisitions and recommendations?
JR: Yes! I love movies! With games, I actually lessened my gaming habits, since I have work to do, but occasionally, a good game comes up and I try to finish it within a day, so it won't hinder my production schedule. I make time for it. The last game I finished was Resident Evil 4 for the PS2. When friends visit, we usually have a couple of Soul Calibur III rounds. DVDs, I just got the Firefly TV series and the Indiana Jones trilogy. I also love Star Wars!
You have a deviantART gallery; where else can fans of your artwork go to get an art fix until the next volume?
JR: Hmm... I'm afraid that's the only place they can find my works. I do have an account with Manga Revolution, but my works there can also be found in my DevArt page. I will try to make as many omake as I can though.
How much research did you need to do on the Old West when you first started to work on No Man's Land?
JR: I did a lot of research, but I don't think it showed in the final work. I concentrated on their clothes and weapons. I found the West's architecture a little harder than I first thought. Being a former architecture student, I became frustrated with it. But everything's been researched... Of course, we do stray a bit for entertainment's sake.
How much input did writer Jason DeAngelis have on your artwork and you on the story? Did you work together closely on both volumes?
JR: Jason thought of everything! The first time we talked about the project two years ago, I immediately became interested in it. I thought the mix between the West and the occult is an odd thing, but very very manga! So I wanted to give justice to his story by doing a finely detailed manga. We worked closely together on both volumes, and in pretty much everything I do. He's been my guide ever since.
The second volume looks full of dark magic and demons! Is this a shift in focus from the gunplay and character introductions in the first volume?
JR: The first volume needed that more traditional Western feel to establish the world they're in. In volume two, we can show the darker side of the plot, since the readers already know that it's set in the Old West.
Volume one of No Man's Land was filled with male characters; do the ladies finally get some space in volume two? If not, can you sneak in some barmaid cameos in the background for the third volume?
JR: Haha! A lot of people noticed the lack of the ladies in the first volume. In number two, however, we see more of Amanda, Parker's wife. For someone who's used to drawing sexy women, this was torture, but I ain't complainin'. Whatever's needed to tell the story, that's where I'll be. You'll have to wait for my future releases to see more of my women. Heh!
How do you feel about No Man's Land being picked up by Ki-oon? Did you ever dream of the book being picked up and published in France?
JR: Oh! Wow! That is really something! It is an honor to be published in France. I watched some special features on a DVD I have and learned that in France, they love their comics! So this is a great honor for us! I never dreamed my work would be published there... or anywhere in the world to be honest.
Were you involved the No Man's Land flash anime trailer project? Do you think that it captured the feel of the manga? You've said before that you try to draw the manga as if it's a storyboard for a movie.
JR: I loved what they did with the Flash Animation! It really captured the feel I wanted it to have. I don't have any complaints with the outcome! It's perfect for No Man's Land. As for my contributions, I guess a little extra character input. That's about it, I think.
What are you thoughts on manga being available on the PSP?
JR: Well, it certainly is a first! Gomanga thinks of the greatest things! I don't have a PSP, so I can't relate to people who can read their digital manga anywhere. I'm sure it's a blast! Did I mention I don't have a PSP?!
Nope! Speaking of pretty graphics, you do such great work in color, especially in your pinups! Will we be seeing some color in No Man's Land, perhaps in the omake pages?
JR: Definitely! More color works for No Man's Land and when available, for other Gomanga titles. I'd love to make omake for all the other Gomanga titles.
You certainly receive a lot of fan art of No Man. What do you think is the character's biggest draw to artists? Is it the big gun?
JR: I think it's Parker's likeness to me... hehehe! Nah, I think it's the overall feel of the book. It's something an artist can play with. Light and shadows.
Any chance of us seeing volume three before Christmas? Are you susceptible to bribes?
JR: Hmm...
We'll take that as a maybe... if a PSP is involved. Lastly, if you were writing the movie poster blurb for No Man's Land, what would you say?
JR: This is something I should let Jason think about... I think of the corniest and possibly dirty taglines and stuff... "6 inches - Average. 12 inches... No one has it but No Man." See?! SEE?! I told you.
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