Meet a DMV Cartoonist: A Chat with José Villarrubia

Paul Gravett and José Villarrubia at BCC 2023

by Mike Rhode

A few weeks ago I went to the Baltimore Comic-Con with my friend Paul Gravett, the British comics historian who is the 'man at the crossroads' and knows almost everyone. He introduced me to his friend José Villarrubia, who agreed to answer our usual questions (but also recommended looking at his Wikipedia entry). Jose returned his answers within the hour, by far the fastest anyone ever has, to which he replied, "Teachers who procrastinate can get in trouble. Same with colorists." In addition to being a comic book colorist, he also teaches at the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he is a professor and  currently the coordinator of the Sequential Art Concentration. Here's a nice article the school did about him. I think there is plenty of potential for a long Comics Journal-type interview with him perhaps when my Int. J. of Comic Art duties have lessened.

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

  Coloring, editing, and color restoration. 

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

 All in Photoshop.

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

 1961, Madrid, Spain.

Why are you in Baltimore now?

 I came here to study and I stayed.

What neighborhood or area do you live in?

 Mt. Vernon.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

 None in cartooning. I have a BFA in Fine Art and an MFA in Painting.

Who are your influences?

In comics Corben, Moebius, Neal Adams, Victor de la Fuente and Dino Battaglia. 

Speaking of Corben, a volume of Den that you worked on has just been released. What did you do on it?

I'm doing the art direction for the collection and the color restoration from the originals.

Can you discuss some of the ways this work is done?

The original art was scanned and I blended it with scans of diverse printings to recover the color. The result has much more detail and texture than the editions almost 50 years ago. I also wrote introductions and selected all the extra material.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

Nothing, really.

 Or rather, how are you hoping your career will develop?

I hope to do more editing and art direction.

What work are you best-known for?

Batman Year 100 and Sweet Tooth.

What work are you most proud of?

My work with Alan Moore, particularly The Mirror of Love.

What would you like to do or work on in the future?

More restoration of classic comics, editing more illustrated books.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

I am never in a rut.

What do you think will be the future of your field? 

If I knew I would be very, very rich. But I think the future of comics is very bright.

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Awesome Con, or others? Any comments about attending them?

José and Dean Haspiel at BCC talking about Cuba in 2010

Always the Baltimore Comic-Con (my favorite), sometimes SPX.

What comic books do you read regularly or recommend?

I don’t read any monthlies, just collections and graphic novels.  

Do you have a local store?

I did: Collector’s Corner on Charles Street. But it closed down.

What's your favorite thing about Baltimore?

The architecture, history, and the people.

Least favorite?

Crime, obviously.

What monument or museum do you like to take visitors to?

The American Visionary Museum and the Walters Art Museum.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

My favorite, the Mt. Vernon Stable, closed. My current favorite is Minato.

Do you have a website or blog?

 No. I post regularly in Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky, and Threads.

 How has the COVID-19 outbreak affected you, personally and professionally?

 The same as everyone else, which for comics professionals is “not much.” I missed the conventions and I am glad they are back.