What is the best thing that I love about my work? I love every aspect of my work, I love it as I can love a part of my body that is indispensable for everything else to work. The aspect I prefer is the phase where ideas sublimate and come to life on paper, the step between the brute creation and the script. That moment where you can afford everything and where you are totally and fully free.

What is my idea of happiness? Doing what I love despite super-structures and egocentricity… and being the master of my time… and a big plate of Sashimi.

What is my greatest fear? Insanity and the loss of my mental or physical faculties.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? Being a victim of anger really makes me angry…

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire? Paul Karasik, Riccardo Burchielli, Onofrio Catacchio and Matteo Casali, I was lucky that all of them were my mentors and I owe to them what I am professionally today.

What is my greatest extravagance? I do “exotic” breathing exercises every morning trying to find a Zen that I can’t find… for now.

On what occasion would I lie? When I want to be right (even though I know I’m wrong. Lol), but I only do it with people who are very close to me and who can understand it.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? The competition, the over- egocentricity, the careerist stalkers… all those toxic human dynamics.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work? My first signing session at New York Comicon in 2015 at the Scout Comics booth and the one in 2017 at the CBCS headquarters in Manhattan. The audience reaction was great and I couldn’t stop smiling.

If I could, what would I change about myself? I wish I was less anxious and at the mercy of my emotions. I’d like to be much more zen and peaceful.

What is my greatest achievement in work? I can think of two: being published for the first time by a French major like Editions Delcourt against all expectations, and obtaining the option of my own “FISHEYE” series for a movie with a Hollywood production.

Where would I most like to live? I have lived in many different cities, from New York – Brooklyn, to Toronto in Canada, from Switzerland close to Lugano, to stay for a while in Florence, Bologna, Grosseto and now in Malaga, Spain. If I have to think of the places that gave me the most, I think of Toronto and Malaga, almost opposite on the Atlas and with very different climates, but what these two cities have in common is the courtesy, education and simplicity of the people, which to me is something indispensable to live well.

What is my most treasured possession? My hard drive and my notebooks.

What is my most marked characteristic? My wife says fairness, I would have said anxiety eheh.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city? It depends a lot on the city. Here in Malaga the most inspirational location for me is a small nearby village called La Herradura, a very old gulf where dozens of Spanish galleys once fought and shipwrecked in the war against the Moors. A magical place, of peace now, with a very clear sea that you can almost see the ancient galleys at the bottom of the gulf.

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city? The central fish market in Malaga is one of my favorites, where you can eat the best freshly caught fish from the Cosa del Sol.

What books influenced my life and how? Actually a lot of them, but if I think of the one that most left its mark on me during an important period of my life, I would choose The Road by Cormac Mccarthy: a distressing, grey, terrible and very hard book, but with a light inside, a flame of hope brought by the relationship of a father and a son travelling in this dying world. I think The Road has somehow influenced my entire production and my writing.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Long Distance by Therapy?, it would be perfect to see your whole life passing in front of your eyes.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? If I had to bet on wisdom, I would tell you Gandalf, which for me is the aspiration for my old age. Instead working more on the action I would say John Nada from They Live, performed by the great Roddy “Rowdy” Piper.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? My grandfather, who left us a few years ago, I am lucky enough to have a partisan legacy and because of this I have great respect for all those who fight for their freedom and their loved ones. But also all those people who, for example, go to the most unfortunate countries to help them, very brave people who have a rare sense of responsibility towards the human race.

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime? Apocalypse Now, a piece of art that I shouldn’t even recommend and that people should definitely and absolutely see.

What role plays art in my life and work? It surrounds and fills everything, every suggestion, every detail of my days. Whether it’s a movie, a song that you listen to while walking and allows you to imagine a scene or a situation, or a book, a painting or a comic book. Art in general surrounds everything we do and my brain sublimates it by paying homage to it in my storytelling work.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ to me? To be just and master of one’s own life, aware of the consequences of our actions and with the right courage to take on the burden of our responsibilities. To be always correct with everyone else and sincere, so that we are never afraid of the actions of others.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? My wife Lucrezia, with whom I share the joys and sorrows of my life and work, the only person who really manage to make me a better person.

Which people or companies would I like to work with in 2020?  I feel very lucky actually working with the artists I create stuff with now, after so many years I can finally say that I wouldn’t change a single one. If I had to dream a little bit though I’d
tell you that I’d love to do a cyberpunk retro-wave comic book with the great Robert Valley, author that I esteem very much and to write a story in Clive Barker’s Nightbreed style, for Victor Santos.

Which people in my profession who can make a real difference in my creative career would i love to meet in 2020? I need a good manager… I’d love to work with Amber Garza on foreign copyright, continue with Thierry Mornet, my editor at Delcourt and have the chance to work under Alix De Sanderval. Likewise a dream would be to work for the new label of Karen Berger, one of the greatest minds inside the (sadly) now closed Vertigo. It would be a great dream come true and I hope to give even more to get there in the future.

What project, in 2020, am I looking forward to work on? Too many, I’m a kind of graphomaniac… I’m finishing some editings on the LOCUST series that will be released in November 2020 for Scout Comics and the series BROKEN SOULS BALLAD, I just started working on the Captain Battle header for Chapterhouse and for Chapterhouse I’m finishing RED LEAVES. At the same time I’m preparing two projects for my studio, LEVIATHAN LABS. Beyond that we are working on the EMBRYO series for Action Lab Entertainment and four titles for Behemoth Comics: CARDINAL DAGON, VIETNAM HORROR, SONG FOR THE RED GHOSTS and KOOOKY WANDERER. Beyond that I’m working on a project for Spaceman Project: JOAN, and the adaptation of the videogame MUSHROOM WARS. With the Spanish director Ivan Mulero we are working on the adaptation of RED LEAVES for an audacious Spanish production. And if that wasn’t enough for Sallybooks we are preparing NOBODY’S CHILD and CLAN PICASSO. I’m a war machine… or a suicidal writer.

Where can you see me or my work in 2020? This 2020 fortunately in many places, mainly on the American and Canadian big distribution, but also in Italy, France and Spain. My titles come out with Editions Delcourt, with Behemoth Comics, Scout Comics, Chapterhouse, Karras Comics, Sallybooks, Action Lab Entertainment, Leviathan Labs and Spaceman Project.

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? You can see it from the answer above on how many titles I produce each year. I can’t really stop, my passion, my desire gently borders on addiction. Better this than other things, don’t you think?

Which creative heroes should Peter invite to tell their story? I would like to mention my best friend, the one I call the “brother I chose”: ANTONIO BARBIERI, an artist and sculptor moved by the same passion that drives me. Then one of my work mates: ALEX NIETO, one of the best artists I was lucky enough to work with. My dear friend VINCENZO FEDERICI, an artist of excellence. The writer DAMIAN BELFRY whom I hold in high regard as a colleague and professional. And finally PAMELA POGGIALI, an exceptional colourist and my partner in the publishing house and my favourite artists the stratospheric LUDOVICA CEREGATTI.

How can you contact me? I’m on all the socials, these are the ways you can follow my work and write to me:
FACEBOOK: Massimo Rosi
INSTAGRAM: @captainmaximum
TWITTER: @MassimoRosi15