Q&A with Rich Cirillo

Which piece in your gallery is your favorite and why?

I love the Vintage Micronauts color pin up by Michael Golden. Golden was such an artistic influence and inspiration on me as a teenager, his work blew my mind with each new book he drew! Micronauts was my first exposure to his work and the first 12 issues he drew are still among my favorite books all time. This pin up was published in Mediascene Magazine (1979), published by Jim Steranko. The original owner had asked Golden to hand color this years ago when he purchased it directly from him.

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I am a computer graphic artist working in the licensed sports apparel industry in Manhattan, NY. I have worked in licensed clothing companies since 1989 and have designed t-shirts for Marvel, DC Comics, Star Wars, Transformers, GI Joe, Thundercats, Looney Tunes, Simpsons and many others. I have always dreamed of writing and drawing comics and am currently working on a creator owned book that I hope to have self published in the next year.

How long have you been collecting comic art and what prompted you to start?

Even though I have been a comic book fan since 1972, at the age of 5, I didn't get my first original sketch until 1986 at a local con from Bill Willingham. I didn't start buying original published art until 1999 when I came across some George Perez Avengers pages on ebay. After that I started going to local cons again, meeting dealers and collectors to find the original art I craved!

How do you display/store your collection at home?

I have a few select pieces framed on the walls, as we have limited wall space, but the majority is kept in portfolios.

What are your top five most wanted original pages or commissions?

1) Merry Marvel Marching Confusion Poster by Michael Golden (I can dream!) 2) Avengers Chronicles 4 Pin Up by Michael Golden 3) Micronauts #38 cover by Michael Golden 4) New Teen Titans #39 2 page splash by George Perez 5) Captain America Aurora Comic Scene by John Romita