Comic Bible Brings God's Word to Life
Sergio Cariello has illustrated some of the best-known comic book characters, from Batman and Spiderman to Superman and Wonderwoman. With The Action Bible, he brings to life the real "action heroes" of God's word in a vibrant format that appeals to comic book lovers everywhere. Check out this short interview with Cariello and view a virtual sampler of The Action Bible.
Q: Tell us how you developed a love for drawing while living in Brazil as a child.
A: I just picked up the pencil and got busy with it! Watching TV, and life around me, and reading comics fed my brain with enough imagery to draw. I spent hours on the floor drawing with all kinds of writing tools on all kinds of surfaces. My brother and I just loved to draw everything, everywhere.
Q: You created an original comic strip character for a local newspaper at age 11? How did that come about?
A: It was on a Sunday afternoon that I found out this newspaper welcomed young artists to draw for them. I sat down and created the strip, Frederico the detective, that same day, with the speech balloons and all. I submitted it and a few weeks later my strip was awarded best strip among kids my age.
Q: You’ve done work for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse, and more. How did you get involved with The Action Bible?
A: I got an email from Mary McNeil and Bob de La Pena from Cook asking if I’d be interested in drawing for The Action Bible. They saw a drawing I did of the Crucifixion for another Christian book and gave me a tryout page for David and Goliath. Instead of one pencil page with one panel inked and colored, as they requested, I submitted the entire page inked, colored and lettered!
Little did Mary and Bob know that my parents had bought The Picture Bible (earlier version of The Action Bible) for my brother and I when we were kids. I had immersed myself in those stories, which I had already heard in Sunday school, because I could not only read the words but see the stories as well. I consider my illustrations for The Action Bible to be a lifetime achievement!
Q: What is your hope for children who pick up The Action Bible?
A: I hope they finish the cycle by immersing themselves into The Action Bible as I did with the original Picture Bible as a child. I also hope it will bring life to them and inspire them to do great things for the Artist of Artists, Jesus Christ Himself. After all, it’s ALL about Him.
Q: How is The Action Bible different from other illustrated children’s Bibles?
A: There are many different ways to illustrate the Bible, but I did it in the style I’m accustomed to: the comic book format. It’s more dynamic to have images and text intertwined, constantly pulling the reader’s eye toward the ultimate climax of the story, progressing like a movie. I hope The Action Bible will draw audiences of all ages with its dramatic storytelling format.
Q: Has this project been particularly fulfilling since it is based on characters and stories from the Bible?
A: Absolutely! Many times I‘ve encountered myself playing the character, subsequently feeling what he or she was feeling, embracing the same challenges and applying them in my own private world. It was a thrill combined with all the emotions that the stories carry with them—a fourth dimension experience because it tapped into my soul.