First Comics News: What made you want to be an artist?
Yishan Li Artist: I always loved drawing ever since I was a kid. when I realized I could make a career from drawing comics that got me excited! Doing something I love while making enough to live on is a dream comes true.
1st: How did you become involved with “Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley’s Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter”?
Yishan: Editor got in touch with me and I loved the script even before I finished reading the first 10 pages.
1st: How did you come up with Mary’s look and style?
Yishan: She’s a teen girl with an attitude. her image just came up in my mind and I can’t really explain how… she was just there.
1st: What characteristics does your art bring out in Adam?
Yishan: He’s a cute one but knows so much. So his face and body language is always both confident and innocent.
1st: Did you do any research on the monsters in this comic?
Yishan: Not much. for the main monsters they were all in the script, and the rest of them I could just use my imagination. in the end, creating monsters is the easiest thing. no one has seen them before and no one could say they are inaccurate.
1st: Did you get to stretch your artistic ability drawing the various mythological creatures in “Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley’s Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter”?
Yishan: I did draw a lot of cuter things than I normally would. most of the monsters are just so adorable!
1st: Which monster did you have the most fun drawing?
Yishan: Polly– the half-bird monster! She has a mean face and is always quite weird.
1st: Is it hard to draw a monster as a “non-monster,” meaning as a friendly creature?
Yishan: Not at all. Actually, it makes drawing them easier. because they can have more facial expressions other than just one angry evil look.
1st: Have you read Mary Shelley’s original “Frankenstein”?
Yishan: Yes, when I was a kid
1st: What did you most enjoy about working on “Paradox Girl”?
Yishan: Its cleverness. The logic of the story is perfect. I had to read the script a couple of times before I could draw it correctly. It has so many time loops and references to pop culture.
1st: What is the main difference between manga and western-style art?
Yishan: Drawing of western-style art is more diverse and more on the realistic side. But really these days they are getting more and more similar because the world audience are more used to both.
1st: Do you read many comic books?
Yishan: Sometimes. I’d love to have more time to read.
1st: What would you like to say to those who enjoy your art?
Yishan: Thank you!! And I want to improve all the time!
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