We’re on the edge of our seats with just 3 days left until the release of Saturday AM Annual 2024! We’ve witnessed the incredible dedication that’s been poured into this edition, and trust us – it’s monumental! Recently, we got the exclusive chance to sit with the masterminds behind this year’s captivating stories, diving deep into their creative realms.
Today, we’re spotlighting the phenomenal Eric Pedrucci, a Brazilian maestro who dazzled us in last year’s #summerofmanga with “Aquila The Mighty.” For this Annual, Eric has conjured a breathtaking one-shot for Hammer. Collaborating with the Original creator Jey Odin, they’ve woven a crossover of Stud and Aquila that’s bound to leave readers spellbound. Curious about Eric’s journey? So were we!
How was your experience crafting content for this year’s edition of the Saturday AM Annual? Were there any moments that stood out to you?
“Working on this year’s Saturday AM Annual was a blast! I got to flex my creative muscles and team up with some seriously talented people. Seeing everything come together was a real highlight. Can’t wait for more projects like this in the future! Probably In the beginning, when I was talking to the editors and the creator of Hammer, Jeyodin, about how the crossover with Aquila would look like.”
What message or emotion do you hope readers will take away from your contribution to the Annual?
“I’m aiming for that sense of excitement and curiosity for what’s next!”
Can you share any behind-the-scenes moments or challenges you faced while developing your story?
“The biggest challenge related to the art was drawing Stud, a character with a more cartoonish style. Drawing him my own style while still staying true to the original design. I can say that I achieved this goal. Another challenge was highlighting both characters, Stud and Aquila, in the crossover in a way that could showcase the best of both.”
For those who worked on preexisting Saturday am titles How did you balance paying homage to the original character’s essence while also imprinting your unique style and voice?
“Talking to the author of Hammer and receiving his input on the artistic aspect and the fidelity to the character’s personality was important. “Hey Jey, in situation X, how would Stud react?” This kind of question helps to get a better idea of what kind of character you’re dealing with.”
Are there particular artists or illustrators, whether from Saturday AM or elsewhere, that have influenced your work?
“Heitor Amatsu, Tony Valente, Jeronimo CJD, Kohei Horikoshi, among others. Looking objectively, I wouldn’t be able to point to just one artist.”
Sending heaps of gratitude to Eric for this insightful conversation! We’re all buzzing to explore his one-shot. Hurry, preorders are still up for grabs!
PREORDER SATURDAY AM ANNUAL 2024 HERE
