iFanboy Upstarts: Marley Zarcone

Talented people travel in groups, and sometimes the best place to look for budding talent is in the friends of your favorite artist. It was David Mack that introduced Joe Quesada to Brian Michael Bendis; and Moebius was the one that convinced Geof Darrow to get serious about comics. This week’s iFanboy Upstart is one I discovered by following the work of Corey Lewis and Brandon Graham, and in the years since she’s gone on and broke through to the published world and is looking for her next big break.

Vancouver resident Marley Zarcone first popped on my radar for her webcomics, but quickly became someone to watch after last year’s miniseries Forgetless written by Nick Spencer. Since then she’s swooped in to draw for two DC/Vertigo series (Madame Xanadu and House of Mystery), and is balancing several creator-owned and independent work-for-hire projects that look dazzling. She’s currently working on an untitled project with Jersey Gods writer Glen Brunswick, and she’s also working on a thrilling-looking supernatural series of her own Black Circle. You might have seen her work before, but looking at the level of detail and time she’s put into Black Circle makes me drool over the day when it’s finally released.

Zarcone’s art is reminiscent of Becky Cloonan, but the more I look at her work — especially the backgrounds — the more I’m reminded of manga-ka Taiyo Matsumoto. She’s one of a growing number of artists who can ably color themselves, making her an even more adaptable artist.

Check out her art below, including the Black Circle pages at the top: