Comics artist at Marvel: I hope to create an Algerian Superman

Listen to the article. The audio text is automated, generated by an automated system

From small drawings that she insisted on implementing despite her family’s objection, to working with major comic publishing houses in the United States, Aletha Martinez traveled a path that was not easy, which ended with her arriving in the world of Marvel and DC, and obtaining the prestigious “Esner” award in the comics industry.

But the American painter's journey did not stop in New York or the most famous supernatural figures; Algeria, which she visited for the first time in 2018, became part of her artistic experience, to the point where she began to wish that the world would one day see Algerian “Superman” and “Wonder Woman.”

During her participation in the activities of the 18th edition of the International Film Festival in the Algiers capital, Martinez spoke about the artistic scene that she witnessed among young artists, expressing her admiration for the development achieved by many of them and their attempts to develop their own styles.

The American artist believed that the future of comic books in Algeria could resemble the early beginnings of the Marvel and DC universe, when artists were exchanging ideas and searching for new characters and stories.

She also expressed her hope that Algeria would succeed in building its own world of heroes, saying that she hopes that Algerian artists will be able to create a group of characters that resemble “Superman” and “Wonder Woman,” but all of them are Algerian.

Martinez does not view comics as merely a means of entertainment, but rather sees it as a space through which the image by which others know societies and cultures can be changed. She said that, in her opinion, the American image of Africa is still narrow, noting that many in the United States do not know anything about Algeria, and some of them do not even realize that it is part of the African continent.

Therefore, since her first visit to Algeria, she carried a special artistic mission, which was to draw characters that appear in the backgrounds of her works, so that their details reflect something of Algiers and its culture.

During her career, Martinez worked with major companies in the comics industry, and participated in designing series and characters related to the Marvel Universe, including “Iron Man” and “Black Panther.”

Her name has also been linked to works in the DC Universe. In 2018, she won the Eisner Award, one of the most prominent awards in the comics industry, in an experience she says she did not expect at all.

Martinez pointed out that her editor was the one who nominated the book for the award, while she was busy working on another project and was not present until the moment the win was announced. She said that it seemed to her like a birthday surprise, after she suddenly learned that the book had won the award, while one of her editors received it on her behalf, adding that the team at Marvel was proud and happy with the achievement.

But behind this success is a harsher personal story; Martinez faced rejection from her family, who did not see drawing as a suitable future for her as an immigrant to the United States. She confirmed that her family wanted her to have a traditional career path, such as medicine, law, or engineering, and when she chose to stray from that path, the differences reached the point of estrangement.

She also explained that the last thing her grandfather said to her was that she was required to rely on herself, before her contact with her family members was cut off for years, and relations did not return to normal until around 2016.

However, despite that experience, she did not give up on drawing, but rather her insistence on continuing turned into one of the most important lessons that she passes on today to her students at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

During the workshop she presented at the FIBDA exhibition, Martinez met hundreds of young people and brought to them advice that seemed simple but, to her, is the basis for success in the profession: draw daily. The American painter told her students that they should draw whether they are at their best or facing a difficult day, even if it is limited to drawing a small head, because continuity builds discipline and gives the artist stamina.

But she distinguished between the two matters; Discipline means committing to work, while endurance means continuing even when conditions are not ideal.

For Martinez, comics are inseparable from the memory and identity of societies, as she believes that art is one of the means through which societies leave their mark. She said that society is remembered through its art, considering that this is the essence that drives artists to continue working and creating stories and characters.

From Algiers, Martinez does not seem ready to close this page; She confirmed that she is ready to return to Algeria if the US State Department asks her to do so, perhaps in a larger presence this time, and accompanied by her son, Michael Foulston, who, according to her, grew up largely in Algiers.

On the professional level, Martinez is preparing to announce a new project during New York Comic Con, during which she is scheduled to reveal the work she will move towards after her previous projects.

Between New York and Algeria, Martinez's career seems to be based on the same idea that she has been defending since she chose to draw despite her family's objection: that comic books are not just superhero characters, but rather a space through which the artist can create a world that reflects his culture, memory, and identity.

Perhaps the next dream, as Martinez hopes, is for a superhero to emerge from Algeria itself bearing her features and story, and one day find his place among the most famous comic heroes in the world.