I met Cristian at Short Run Seattle which is funny, because we are both based in the Bay Area, but we met at an out of town show. Immediately I was amazed at his comics style. It’s both playful and clean. Cristian is 1/3 of the Bay Area Comics collective ‘Freak Comics’.
When I first heard of Freak, I thought it was another series from Cristian, then I found out it was an anthology and collective in the Bay Area. Cristian is one of the nicest people you will probably meet that makes comics and seems to be another one of those cartoonist who doesn’t seem to know how talented they actually are (but I could be wrong).
Cristian’s current collection of his Wild series is sold out, but if you look at some of the pictures of the book, you can quickly see why.
WILD
CRISTIAN CASTELO INTERVIEW 2020
Are you from the Bay Area or did you move here?
C: Yep, I’m from Hayward. I spent a lot of time between there and Daly City, where I currently reside.
When did you start making comics?
C: I’ve been making comics since I was in the second grade maybe? Me and my friends would act out these fantastical adventures during recess and sword fight etc. I would draw all our characters when I went home, and present them the next day. It was like dungeons and dragons without any of the sophistication of dice or whatever lol
How has the progression of your cartooning career impacted your life?
C: I think it’s become the thing I “do”. Comics are my main focus. My life events sort of circulate around comics and the friends I make are through it. Wherever it goes, I follow!
How have you grown since your earlier comics?
C: I guess technically I’m better, although lately I’ve been finding myself trying to incorporate mentalities I’ve held in the past. When I first started, I was less concerned with building a coherent narrative, so I really poured my all into the visuals. There was a confidence there in my mark making and a lack of reliance on established visual techniques that forced me to think outside the box.
Now I just gotta combine that with the writing again and Voila! You have a comic lol
What are some of your most memorable moments of your career so far?
C: I really cherish every moment I’ve have while traveling the west coast with Freak Comix. The time in between destinations, and the moments we share in other people’s towns. Of course I miss the social aspect of anything at this point, but I also realize I missed it before shelter in place, so it’s valid. Comics have afforded me a community of like minded people that not many other things did. Compared to the fine arts scene where I came from, it was so much looser. Incredibly self conscious, but embracing of it.
What is different about The Bay Area comics scene compared to other places you have been?
C: Well, I think a lot of the consequences the Bay scene faces comes from gentrification and erasure of the city's history. We don’t have an institution to back the history up, because either those key players have left or lost interest. Everyone who wants to do comics here is tasked with rebuilding the scene and putting the Bay on the map again. I think in the mid to late 2000s, that was sort of happening, but then a lot of those people moved to LA to pursue animation. We’re rebuilding, just in seemingly separate places, turned away from one another.
In the East Coast, you have plenty of conventions and festivals that keep the party going. This creates a higher frequency of opportunity for community growth and relationship building. I think this has made the East Coast the epicenter for comics, and now you see a lot of artists traveling to these places out of necessity of wanting to be “a part of something”.
Also, it’s fucking hard living out here, so I get it. But I have confidence in the people that are here and our love for the medium that we can create something for ourselves that encourages looking inward instead of outwards to the other coast.
Any comics recommendations?
C: I always say Ping Pong by Taiyo Matsumoto. On a technical level, in my opinion, he is the most accomplished cartoonist/mangaka around. Every image and bit of dialogue feels purposeful, and not in an exhausting way!
Any cartoon/tv shows or movie recommendations?
C: I’ve really only been watching the Sopranos! Watch that lol
What influences your work?
C: I’ve been trying to read more theory and just understand the world around me a little better. I think naturally, my work is just going to reflect those things. It’s a coping mechanism to make sense of what you feel or see.
What do you want to do in comics in the next 5 years?
C: I just want my books to be out there more! I don’t know if that’s through a publisher or what, but I want to be able to reach a wider audience and be able to sustain myself through this (Goodluck!)
I also want to build a greater community in comics and establish Freak more.
What are you working on now?
C: I’m working on Wild 2. It’s almost done!
What does your work represent to you?
C: I don’t know. I feel it obvious to me, but in a way I’ve never had to describe. Maybe it’s therapy. I think maybe that’s what it is for everyone on some level. I don’t know if my work solves anything for me, but it begins the process of unknotting.
Cristians Comic For The BAYlies 2018
Thank you to Cristian for doing this interview. It’s important for me as someone who is here right now to not only archive and document comics history, but to shine light on what has been and still is here. It’s important to have him be a part of the BAYlies because what he is doing with Freak Comics is a part of the comics history here in the Bay Area and I’m excited we can connect.
Please Check out his work
Peace and love
-Lawrence