Every comic creator has to deal with cancellation. Robert Kirkman’s first series for Image got cancelled. So did Geoff Johns’ first for DC. This month’s Journey Into Mystery #655 is the series finale, but artist Valerio Schiti couldn’t be in a better spot. While we can’t answer the question of what’s next for the Italian artist, we can highlight what he’s done so far and get you on-board.
Based in Rome, Valerio Schiti graduated college with a very different job in mind: architecture. Schiti spent several years as an architect, but quickly found comics as his true passion. The artist says he was first introduced to comics with an issue of John Byrne’s Fantastic Four he was given as a child during a recovery from an illness. While working as an architect, the Roman artist attended the International School of Comics in his spare time. His studying paid off, as he quickly picked up some work for Italian publishers and also worked as an assistant to other Italian artists like David Messina and Elena Casagrande.
After doing Italian small press books like H.E.R.O.I.N. for Verdenero and John Doe for Aurea Editoriale, Schiti got a step up into his mentor David Messsina’s main client IDW when he was tapped to illustrate a story for 2010’s Angel #37. Schiti had done some samples for Marvel with a Rick Remender script, which then earned him the plum assignment for a newcome r– doing a back-up story for the 2011 Ghost Rider relaunch. It took some time for Marvel to offer him something else, so Schiiti went back to IDW working on the Infestation 2 prequel, the Dungeons & Dragons tie-in to that, as well as a one-off TMNT book focusing on Donatello. The artist got his first long-term assignment in drawing the licensed book Battle Beasts for IDW, which proved to be the breakthrough work that got him back in the graces of Marvel.
In 2013, Kathryn Immonen and Schiti took over Journey Into Mystery and focused it on the Asgardian warrior woman Sif. Critically acclaimed, Schiti drew every issue of the series in 2013 save one, #651. After this month’s #655, the artist’s future is wide open; he’s professed interest in working on Doctor Who and Spider-Man in the future, but he also has an idea for a creator-owned project with a friend he’s been wanting to do for some time.
What would you like to see Valerio Schiti draw next?
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His work on Journey into Mystery was stellar. His art with Bellaire’s colors were great. He is doing some work on Avengers A.I. coming up. I don’t know if its just fill in work, or a whole arc or what.
He would be great for Spider-Man or pretty much any super hero book. Loved his work on Journey into Mystery.
Thanks for the spotlight on Schiti’s work. I hadn’t heard of him before Journey into Mystery, but have been loving his work on the title. Hope he’s got some more stuff lined up soon.
Any particular pre-Mystery work of his you would recommend checking out?
DC should snatch him up and hand him alternate with Chiang on Wonder Woman. Those two not only would complement each other but Schiti is one of the few people, like Chiang, who can really update and evolve Kirby designs.
JIM is one of those books I never got into and not for a lack of interest just too much already on my plate. These pages of artwork got my attention where I could buy a few issues online. I like the Niffleheim Sif the best.
To keep with them theme of him drawing female led books can we get him on a Kate Bishop book or a Maria Hill book.
Hmmm, Kate Bishop’s pretty well served over in Young Avengers, but Maria Hill would be interesting . . .
This all looks really impressive. Would love to see him to more work and/or be on a major book.
Wow his pages are pretty great. His art reminds me of David Marquez’s art. Sort of the same style.
He can draw w/e he wants!! I loved every issue of JiM and I’m all over wherever he ends up next.
I’d like to see him work on Fantasic Four or maybe something like a New Warriors book. Whatever it is I’ll be picking it up though. JIM really blew me away with it’s awesomeness, both the art and the scripts.
His art would be great on Young Avengers.