iFanboy Upstarts: Kim Jacinto

Every week iFanboy Upstarts picks out young artists making their first stabs at a career in comics. Some have been working their way up the ladder for a couple years, while others just made their debut. But this week’s Upstart is someone who hasn’t even debuted in comics yet.

Pinoy artist Kim Jacinto will make his comics debut tomorrow, July 3rd, when Marvel releases Venom #37. Written by Cullen Bunn, this new arc sees Flash Thompson — aka Venom — setting up shop as Philadelphia’s resident superhero and quickly coming at odds Philly’s criminal underworld. And oh yeah, a new symbiote named Mania!

Jacinto got this plush first gig after being recruited by Marvel’s talent scout C.B. Cebulski during his visit to the Philippines in March 2012 for the “Be The Next Comic Marvel” Contest at the country’s National Book Store. Jacinto was amongst 34 artists Cebulski reviewed out of a pool of over 200 aspiring Marvel creators, and his skills were put to the test illustrating a test script for Ghost Rider. And it looks like Jacinto wowed the right people, as he was quickly ushered into drawing tomorrow’s Venom #37 along with the next two issues.

In an interview with CBR, series writer Cullen Bunn describes Jacinto’s work as “wonderful grittiness,” especially when dealing with the “nuttier” aspects of the arc. That’s an apt description, as Jacinto’s work has that tight composure with rough sketchy line-work similar to previous Venom artist Declan Shalvey.

Below is a variety of Jacinto’s artwork, starting with a four page preview of Venom #37 and then going into various sketches, commissions, and test pages for other comics he’s done in the past. Those weapon and Pokemon-style monsters are a bit out of left field, but I love their creativity and cartoonish-ness.