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[WWC] Q&A WITH ART BALTHAZAR OF 'NINJATOWN' | | Wizard chats with the cartoonist about his new one-shot 'Ninjatown' and other future projects. | | | By Matt Powell | | Posted 6/27/2008 | |  | | Cartoonists extraordinaire, Art Balthazar and Franco (Tiny Titans) trade in their superhero capes for throwing stars in their new 48-page one-shot, Ninjatown: Adventures of the Wee Ninja Vol. 1, from Devil's Due on sale this month. Based on the stuffed toys, Shawnimals, created by Shawn Smith and energetically illustrated in the artists' fan-fave cartoon style, the cutesy violent comic is sure to equally please comic/ninjitsu aficionados alike.
Admist the busy streets of Wizard World Chicago's Artist Alley, Wizard caught up with Balthazar to discuss the comic.
| | ![[WWC] Q&A WITH ART BALTHAZAR OF 'NINJATOWN'](http://ep.yimg.com/ip/I/wizarduniverse_2057_172042053) WIZARD: First off art, how did you get attached to this book? Did ninjas always hold a soft spot in your heart?
ART BALTHAZAR: Josh, [Blaylock, Devil's Due Founder] from Devils Due called me, sir. He wanted stories with no words and lots of action! After reading Tiny Titans and publishing Patrick the Wolf Boy, he knew Franco and I had the Ninja powers he was looking for!
What can you tell us about the premise of the issue? What is the Ninjatown world like?
BALTHAZAR: NinjaTown is a town filled with Ninja goodness! There's ninja workers, ninja bus drivers, ninja cowboys, ninja trashmen, ninja bankers, ninja milk men, ninja doctors, ninja grocery baggers, ninja business men, ninja dancers, ninja teachers, ninja chefs, ninja farmers, ninja ninjas...ninjapeople. They are under the constant threat of the evil Mr. Demon and his evil henchmen the
Wee Devils. Like Devil's Due, huh? The wee Ninjas band together and challenge the wee devils the only way wee ninjas can. You'll see lots of wee ninja moves and lots of wee ninja ninja stuff! Oh yeah, and Feroshi sneezes fire!
Tell me more about the characters from your tale.
BALTHAZAR: The Ol' Master Ninja is the respected ninja of the bunch. Ol' Master knows all. And he has a Ninja stick to warn him when the evil Mr. Demon's wee devils are near.
Your art style looks to be a natural fit for this comic in the way it matches the design for the plush toy. Did you always prefer the cartoon-like style of drawing?
BALTHAZAR: Cartoony style is the way I know how to draw. I look at stuff, feel it, absorb it, learn it, live it, then draw it...and it comes out cartoony. It's the signals that my heart is pumping to my brain and out thru my arms and hands.
What are some of your artistic influences that motivate you in your work?
BALTHAZAR: I like comics and action figures and cartoons! When I was a wee ninja, I watched lot of Hanna Barbera and "Woody Woodpecker" and "Tom and Jerry" cartoons. My first comic was the one where Jackal scratches the stuff out of Spidey, then throws a table on him, then clones a naked Gwen Stacy! That was the best comic ever! Gwen rocks too, especially her headband and boots. I like action figures too, sir. Remember those old MEGO figures from the 70's? Well, they are all over the place in my studio. I like ninjas.
Jumping back to ninjas, what was the most fun/craziest thing you drew in Ninjatown?
BALTHAZAR: I drew a zombie getting hit in the head with a piece of cake. [Laughs]
What's coming up in terms of your other projects?
BALTHAZAR: Me and my brutha, Franco, have been making lots of Patrick comics! We've got tons of pages that we are planning on releasing in a top secret collected trade. It's an exclusive and you heard it here first! Also, we have awesome plans for Tiny Titans! Raven eats pancakes in issue six! [Monsieur] Mallah and the Brain are in issue seven! The Titans get their report cards in issue eight! Monkeys and monkeys and monkeys are in issue 9! And more secret Titan stuff so watch out!
Now to cap things off, we couldn't talk about ninjas without having our own ninja death match, Last Man Standing-style! So in this series of battles, who'd win?
Wee Ninja vs. Snake-Eyes (from G.I. Joe)
BALTHAZAR: Wee ninja and Snake-Eyes would get along real well. They're both quiet guys that don't talk. They'd probably just sit around and show pictures of their girlfriends.
Wee Ninja vs. Garu (from "Pucca")
BALTHAZAR: Garu would make hin eat some wee ninja ninja star cookies. A little sugar rush would wind up Garu so much that he would spin around and scare away all the evill wee devils. So, Wee ninjas would dig Garu too.
Wee Ninja vs. the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
BALTHAZAR: If the Turtles came to Ninjatown, the wee ninjas would make them paint! You can't use famous artists' names and not paint!
Wee Ninja vs. Scorpion (from Mortal Kombat)
BALTHAZAR: Ooh this would be good! All the wee ninjas would band together, put on their sunglasses and fight him Johnny Cage-style. Then they would whip out the chains and finish him Luke Cage style. Then torch up his head Nicholas Cage [Ghost Rider]-style.
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