Capturing the Juvenile Spirit: Luciano Vecchio On His Vision for Spider-Boy

Hailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Luciano Vecchio is a comic book artist with a slate of works that spans some of the most popular publishers in the world comics. Although he primarily, in recent times, works on mainstream comics beyond the capes and tights, Vecchio’s creator-owned projects mirror his true passions.

His most recent work on ‘Spider-Man’ continued to dazzle and inspire. His art has been described as “childlike” and “marvelous,” and since we got the opportunity to ask him how it all went down, we took it, and now let’s see what he had to say about it.

Comic Basics: You’ve recently worked on pretty big stories, both when it comes to Marvel and DC comics, and you have the chance to bring some of the most popular characters to life visually. How did you adapt your style each time, and was any adjustment even needed?

Luciano Vecchio: I think it’s more about tone than style and figuring out what the story needs me to put my focus on. For example, the start of the Hellfire Gala was all about glamour, fashion, and spectacle, so I went for page layouts that gave every outfit their moment to shine.

Then, when things got bad, the focus shifted to drama, chaos, horror, and intense emotions. In the case of Spinstress, that needed something different, being a world that homages all the Disney classics in balance with Spider-Man lore. For me, it’s always about being flexible to what serves the story and the writer’s intentions best.

You’re also known for your creator-owned series and other projects. How does your creative approach differ when working on characters and stories that you have created versus established characters like Spider-Man?

My creator-owned series Sereno is full of freedom, and other creative mechanisms are at play. It feels more like a trance and channeling directly from the realm of stories with expressionist and very intimate results. I share myself through it. 

My mainstream work demands a lot more discipline, and I love it as a collaboration across time and space with my current creative team -editors, writer, colorist, and letterer- and with everyone who participated in the character’s story through the ages. For example, Spider-Man is so much bigger than every one of us who got to tap into creating his stories, and I feel like one of the myriad visions invoking his archetype. That’s super fun, invigorating and inspiring.

Could you share with us your initial reaction when you were approached to work on the Spider-Man story? What was the first reaction that came to your mind?

I’ve been doing some Spider-Verse related stuff lately, like drawing Spinstress’ stories in ‘Edge of Spider-Verse,’ Web-Weaver on ‘Marvel Voices,’ a Storm Spidersona variant cover, and such. When I was asked to come along for ‘Spider-Man’ #11, I had to wait until Spider-Boy was announced to get more info on the issue, and it sounded huge!

I got to do a bunch of covers featuring Spider-Boy, too, and I loved being one of the first artists to draw him on the page and participate in defining his character along with legends like Mark Bagley and Humberto Ramos. Big Honor.

Your art in the latest Spider-Man issue was described as “light, airy, and fun.” How did you approach capturing that juvenile side of Spider-Boy’s personality through art?

Spider-Boy is ten years old, so I tried to channel the vibe of other characters of a similar age that I like, some I’ve worked on before, like Moon Girl or the Super Sons (Superboy and Robin), and one of my favorites, Avatar Aang. They helped me get into Bailey’s POV and navigate the superhero world through a kid’s (numerous) eyes.

Overall, across the storyline, your art is often described as light and perfectly fitting for the lighter tone of the story. Do you prefer working in such settings, or do you prefer working on much darker storylines?

I like the range. I do enjoy working with young and legacy characters, but I don’t like being put in a box as if that’s all I can do. I like adult characters. I like drama and action like you see in the ‘X-Men Hellfire Gala’ or the darker, oniric tone of my current yet unannounced assignment.

What was your favorite (and most challenging) panel to draw in ‘Spider-Man’ #11?

There was so much fun stuff! The Daredevil and Fantastic Four cameos, the panels explaining Bailey’s powers, which is something classic that I miss in current comics, and I think my favorite is the last one, with Spider-Man and Spider-Boy jumping into the new era after Peter finally comes to terms with how Bailey needs him as a mentor, it’s just epic.

What is the superhero (or a villain) that you’ve always wanted to draw but never got the chance?

So many! I want to draw everyone, but Marvel’s Young Avengers and DC’s Titans remain at the top of my dream list.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you can discuss? What can the fans look forward to?

I’m currently drawing a series for Marvel that I can’t talk about yet, but I’m having a blast and getting to collaborate with one of my favorite writers in the industry, so I can’t wait for people to see it! And I’m doing a lot of variant covers lately, so keep an eye out for those, too.