Women In Comics Month: Interview With Maria Laura Sanapo

In honor of Women in Comics this March, PREVIEWSworld talks with artist Maria Laura Sanapo!

PREVIEWSworld: Tell us a little bit about yourself! What are you currently working on? 

Maria Laura Sanapo: I recently finished a story for DC Comics Bombshells, working as cover artist for Zenescope and working for Titan Comics.

PREVIEWSworld: How long have you been working with sequential art? What titles, companies, and creators have you worked with over your time in comics? 

Maria Laura Sanapo: Well, I can describe myself as a young artist, because I've been a comic artist for two years. During this time I worked for DC Comics, Valiant, Dynamite, Zenescope, Titan Comics and Audi (the car brand).

PREVIEWSworld: Did you have a mentor or hero in the industry that inspired you to pursue a career in comics?

Maria Laura Sanapo: I must admit that I was very lucky to find two great mentors: Marco Santucci and Emanuela Lupacchino. They helped me a lot to improve my skills with great patience and passion for this job. They were my inspiration, together with other big artists such as Adam Hughes, Frank Cho and Alan Davis.

PREVIEWSworld: In your opinion, how has the comic book industry evolved in terms of gender? 

Maria Laura Sanapo: I think that nowadays the comic field is more and more female-oriented, in a positive way of course. There are a lot of superheroines ready to collaborate with the classical and well-known male characters. I find this team-up really interesting. 

PREVIEWSworld: What stereotypes do you see surrounding women in comics? How could people of all genders go about breaking those stereotypes? 

Maria Laura Sanapo: Personally I think it is a matter of taste. Well, if the topic or the representation of characters of a particular comic annoys you, you just don't buy it or you don't read it.

PREVIEWSworld: How do you want to see women represented in comic books 10 years from now?

Powerful and beautiful! 

PREVIEWSworld: If you could give advice to any aspiring editors, executives, writers, or artists, what would you tell them? 

Maria Laura Sanapo: Never give up. Accept critics and try your best to see them as good advices to improve your skills and not as a personal offence. Be kind and professional. Always. 

PREVIEWSworld: And lastly, are there any up-and-coming women creators who you would recommend readers check out?

Maria Laura Sanapo: Emanuela Lupacchino, Claire Wendling.

 See more Women In Comics Month interviews in our special section on PREVIEWSworld!