Interviewer: Anthony Andujar jr
Interviewee: Rico Taveras
Hello everyone, welcome back to another entry of the Artist Ant Interviews People Summer Series. Today I have a special guest who is scholarly individual that I’ve come to know through my co-writer Jose Sanchez. I met this individual at a Barnes and Noble event that was located at the Union Square store. The event was a Q and A book signing, featuring the legendary DC Comics/ Vertigo writer Scott Snyder, who was signing copies of Dark Nights Metal. What was most interesting is that my co-writers WIllinzi Jonri and Jose did not know that this individual would be at the same event as us. This is an individual who is knowledgeable about the comic book industry, that provides insightful thoughts on various content that comes straight from the heart that is constructive and pure. He is a Dominican/American writer and critic based in the Bronx, who’s worked for the most part in the field of psychology as a researcher. Please welcome Rico Taveras!
Q0. Who are your inspirations?
RT: In life it's friends and family. I see them just trying to live a life of their own and that alone keeps me going.
In art, there's a lot of people. There's really too many to list. But I'll try anyway: Vita Ayala, toe, Emma Rios, Tillie Walden, Atsuko Ishizuka, Bahi, Dennis Villeneuve, Donald Glover, Hiro Murai, Jordie Bellaire, Hass, Chip Zdarsky, the Fractions, Alfonso Cuaron, NK Jemisin.
Q1. How did you get into art, most notably, writing comic books?
RT: I think it started when I was around 13. I was reading a lot of manga. It was my first time watching FLCL. Then, I came across 20th Century Boys. I knew it was something special and brought to light themes that were often not taken seriously. Each series I came across was inventive and challenged what a story can be to me.
Q2. When did you take writing comics seriously?
RT: Not that long ago. I've always wanted to be a writer, but to actively work on it and show others my work I'd say around 4 years ago.
Q3. What drives you in your daily life?
RT: Hope, friends, music, and curiosity.
Q4. What made you the person that you are today?
RT: My life experiences and the manner that I've lived my life. There have been moments that have changed my perspective on things and what living means to me.
Q5. If you could speak to any living creator or inspiration, who would it be, why, and what would talk to them about?
RT: This is tough, but I'm gonna go with Naoki Urosawa. He wrote some of my favorite manga of all time and I'd want to talk to him about his process, his life, and what has driven him to be where he is. A close second are Matt Fraction/Eunyong Choi/ Charlie Kaufman/Hiro Murai.
Q6. If there were any deceased creators , actors, singers, writers, etc that you would want to speak to, who would it be, and why?
RT: This is another hard one. I think it'd be Satoshi Kon. He made some of the most brilliant visual stories I've ever seen. Paranoia Agent is one of my favorite anime ever. I'd want to ask him about what made him make such unsettling yet beautiful work time and time again. A very close second would be J Dilla.
Q7. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
RT: First thought to me was Japan, but I'm going back again in December haha. I think it'd have to be Thailand. It looks beautiful and I love the food.
Q8. What is one thing that you fear?
RT: Not living a full life.
Q 10. If you had a superpower what would it be and why?
RT: Controlling quarks. It'd let me have any ability and it'd be fun to sort out. If it's only one ability, it'd be the ability to adjust the probability of any event or action.
Q11. What catches your attention when you meet people?
RT: What they talk about and how they talk about what they talk about.
Q12. What is one word of advice that you would impart to your younger self?
RT: Live as much as you can.
Q13. What are three books that you always remember or return to, and why? How did they shape you?
RT: Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut-it's my favorite book of all time. The concepts of what time, trauma, and survival mean meshes perfectly in it.
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado- it's a perfect short story collection. It showed me how to be completely fearless while writing.
Story of Your Life and Other Short Stories- it's a fantastic short story collection. It expanded my understanding of what a short story can be and what writing can be.
They humble me and keep me true to what I want to be as a writer.
Q14. If you could continue or remake a movie, or franchise, what would be your film of choice ?
RT: Not sure. I generally don't like remakes or sequels. But if I have to choose, it'd be either three...extremes or the Before trilogy.
Q15. If you were to make a film, novel, or comic book based on an album, what album or artist would you pick?
RT: There's too many awesome ones to choose from so I'm gonna cheat. I'll go with Tricot, with their first album, THE. It'd be fun to build a story from it and an extra challenge. And Faces by Mac Miller. It's my favorite Mac Miller album and it shows all of his sides artistically. It also has my favorite song he made with Earl and Dash.
Q16. Who In this life, has motivated you to stay true to what makes you who are?
RT: My best friend.
Q17. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?
RT: Working on multimedia projects, being published and having a production company for all kinds of creators to collaborate.
Q18. What are three albums or songs currently, that you listen to on repeat? And why?
RT: Gonna cheat again.
Albums:
Bandana by Freddie Gibbs and Madlib -straight fire and a great workout album.
Veteran by Jpegmafia-great album and charges me up
Igor by Tyler The Creator- super enjoyable and just resonates
Songs:
Yaphet Kotto by Childish Gambino (all time favorite song from him)
Kites by Cats and Cats and Cats (math rock/folk rock fusion, one my favorite niche combos)
Off da Zoinkys by JID (just bars)
Q19. What color speaks to you the most and why?
RT: Blue, it's calming and its various hues are usually the tones I think about in my stories.
Q20.What's one thing that you're proud of?
RT: Being a good friend. Seeing the people around me. Seeing them grow and do their best.
Q21. What is a mantra that you tell yourself?
RT: I don't know everything, I just know what I know.
Do good. Do better.
Q22. What is your greatest strengths?
RT: My flexibility
Q23. What is your greatest failure?
RT: Stretching myself too thin
Q24. What does success mean to you?
RT: Living and creating in my own terms, seeing people enjoy my work, and helping others find their own paths, and flourish.
Rico Taveras is a Dominican-American writer/critic based in the Bronx. He's worked for the most part in the field of psychology as a researcher. Most of his writing is science fiction. He can be found on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/Tsuna1?s=09
His reviews can be found at:
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