With immense talent and a great attitude like that, it's no wonder Mel Rubi has become such a sought-after artist! Savvy comics fans already know Mel's stellar work on The Terminator: The Dark Years, Star Wars: The Bounty Hunters - Scoundrel's Wages, Predator: Xenogenesis, and Aliens vs. Predator: Xenogenesis.
The twenty-nine-year-old Rubi didn't garner all this attention overnight. Entering the comics biz in 1993, he's worked on Shadow Man for Valiant and Morbius: The Living Vampire for Marvel. After a brief stint working with the X-Men on What If? in 1998, Mel found a permanent home at Dark Horse. Ever since that fateful day, Mel has been turning out some of the most dynamic pages in comics, with each new issue better than the last.
"My work is evolving in the right path, it's getting better," says Rubi. "I'm more comfortable with my style."
Fans will immediately notice a manga and anime influence in Mel's explosive renderings. Growing up in the Philippines, he became a fan of such anime as Voltes 5. From that point on, he was hooked.
"I liked Bubblegum Crisis, Macross, then much later, Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell - anything by Shirow!"
Now Mel's work is veering into some exciting but unexpected directions. "I've become a fan of Bernie Wrightson: his anatomy, and the way he casts shadows is perfect."
This new influence, coupled with a manga-inspired style, will serve Mel well as he embarks on his biggest project to date:Aliens vs. Predator vs. The Terminator. Written by fan-favorite Mark Schultz (Aliens Apocalypse), this battle royal to end all battle royals debuts in April and marks the very first time these popular movie characters all meet in a single series. Is Mel excited?
"Definitely! I like the story, and I've enjoyed designing a new look for the Predators and the new Terminators. I wanted to put all my energy into this one."
What's the next Dark Horse project for Mel? We can't say yet, but fans can expect to be dazzled! Mel's one of those rare creators who puts his sweat into every page.Why?
"Comics keep us young at heart. That's one of the reasons I like what I do; it makes me feel like a kid again!"
What can he say? He loves his job. Which makes it a lot easier to love my job!
-Phil Amara, Editor