Q&A: Elmer Damaso, artist of ‘The Ninja Diaries’

Outside the comics scene, I also provide spot illustrations for our local K-Zone (Philippines), K-Zone Australia and International, and various publications in the Philippines. I also provide concept designs for various companies locally and abroad.

Before anime and manga, I was a fan of Western comics like “X-Men,” “Spider-Man,” “Justice League,” “Batman,” etc. That was the time when Mr. Jim Lee and his art was all the rave in the comics scene. I never attended any seminars or took any subjects that taught how to create comic books. All my knowledge was either self-taught or shared to me by my fellow colleagues.

What is manga, and how is it different from traditional comics? Is it just a visual/aesthetic difference?
Simply put, manga is the term for Japanese comics. In the general sense, when you hear "manga", you think about cute characters, huge eyes, wild hair and exaggerated expressions. But manga offers more than that. In my opinion, it employs a more cinematic style compared to other comics. It does not concentrate on the superhero genre, but rather offers a wider range of subjects, ranging from science fiction, sports, fantasy, comedy, drama, adult topics, etc.

How do you work with the writers—which comes first, the visuals or the story/dialogue?
The story comes first. Initially, I am given a summary of the story, character descriptions, and other important details. My first step would have to be character designs. Some writers already have a very visual idea of how they want their characters to look, while others will leave all the designing to me. After all (or most) the major characters have been designed and approved, I will then proceed to the page layouts and artwork. Even though the writers sometimes give detailed descriptions of how they want the scene/artwork to look like, I can always make some improvising whenever I think it's necessary.

In a nutshell, how would you describe “The Ninja Diaries”?
Not much has been revealed to me, and I am not sure how much the writers want to reveal for this interview, but safe to say, it is a story about a ninja clan hoping to get their supposed heir to leadership, who happens to be a struggling actor in L.A. And most of the fun begins from there, I guess.

Where do you hope to see the story going? That is, if you could draw anything, what would you hope happens?
I hope to see a lot of comedic romance and authentic ninja action in this manga. If these ninjas can summon giant creatures stomping buildings a la Godzilla, that will be an interesting scene as well!

Have you ever been to L.A., and if so, what are your favorite places to hang out? Any particular comic book shops that you love in L.A.?
Sadly, I haven't been to L.A. or any part in the U.S.A. But I'm working on it. Hopefully, someday.