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Get Graphic: Metal Society's Guilherme Balbi Steps in the Ring

Art by Guilherme Balbi

Interview by Troy-Jeffrey Allen


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You've heard all those tales about foolish humans creating their future robot overlords. But what happens when there are no humans to lord over? Well, the robots resurrect the humans and let us duke it out with them UFC-style! 

Guilherme Balbi (Alien, Sacred Six) steps into the octagon with Metal Society #1 from Top Cow! The Brazilian artist takes writer Zack Kaplan's words and gives kinetic visual muscle to this dramatic new sci-fi miniseries.

In the following interview, Balbi takes us inside his process and gives us a look behind the scenes of Top Cow's newest soon-to-be hit.    

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Firstly, who are you and where do hail from?

I was born in a city in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. It's called Ubá.

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What can you tell us about the story behind METAL SOCIETY?

Metal Society is more than a story of struggle, it's a story of a race. It goes beyond the physical put there, it's a story that takes place in the future but it's much more present today than ever. [The fighters] do it for survival and willpower.

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How did you go about designing the look of the fighters?

The robot fighters' design was inspired by cleaner machines - with a more "clean" design, At the same time they are fighters, so I put a touch of brutality in their steel skin. I always research the references using movies and series that I like.

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How did you get into comic books as a fan?

I think most comics artists [started as] fans, I was no different. I love drawing and reading. It all seemed too obvious to me! I love stories, and I was already fascinated with Antifa stories. My father [was a big influence].

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How did you get into comics as a professional?

I don't remember exactly. I'm terrible with dates, but I think it was in 2009-2010 at a small horror film publisher. At the time I was working with something else to help me pursue a career as a designer. In Brazil, it's very hard to just have a job as a comic book artist. You need to have one more job to keep everything on track before you really get into the comics.

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What’s next for you?

I have some projects underway but I can't reveal them. My last interview was for Metal Society [and that was] until now confidential, but I hope to surprise you again. [laughs]

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If you want to discover more of Guilherme's work, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

METAL SOCIETY #1 (MAR220053) hits comic shops on May 4, 2022. It will be released monthly from Top Cow Productions.

Keep an eye on PREVIEWSworld.com's TwitterFacebook, or Instagram for more artist spotlights! 

IMAGE COMICS
METAL SOCIETY #1 (OF 5) CVR A BALBI & LESKO
(W) Zack Kaplan (A/CA) Guilherme Balbi, Marco Lesko
MINISERIES PREMIERE

PORT OF EARTH writer ZACK KAPLAN teams up with hot up-and-coming artist GUILHERME BALBI in a dramatic new sci-fi miniseries that's Blade Runner meets Rocky.

In an inverted future, evolved robots have resurrected humans for manual labor. When a tribalistic cultural clash breaks out, a fearless human fighter and a frustrated, displaced robot will square off in a public MMA-style sport fight of epic stakes to determine once and for all who reigns supreme: man or machine.
In Shops: May 04, 2022
SRP: $3.99
PREVIEWS Page #54

IMAGE COMICS
METAL SOCIETY #1 (OF 5) CVR B KHALIDAH
(W) Zack Kaplan (A) Guilherme Balbi, Marco Lesko (CA) Qistina Khalidah
MINISERIES PREMIERE

PORT OF EARTH writer ZACK KAPLAN teams up with hot up-and-coming artist GUILHERME BALBI in a dramatic new sci-fi miniseries that's Blade Runner meets Rocky.

In an inverted future, evolved robots have resurrected humans for manual labor. When a tribalistic cultural clash breaks out, a fearless human fighter and a frustrated, displaced robot will square off in a public MMA-style sport fight of epic stakes to determine once and for all who reigns supreme: man or machine.
In Shops: May 04, 2022
SRP: $3.99
PREVIEWS Page #54

IMAGE COMICS
METAL SOCIETY #1 (OF 5) CVR C QUAH
(W) Zack Kaplan (A) Guilherme Balbi, Marco Lesko (CA) Alan Quah
MINISERIES PREMIERE

PORT OF EARTH writer ZACK KAPLAN teams up with hot up-and-coming artist GUILHERME BALBI in a dramatic new sci-fi miniseries that's Blade Runner meets Rocky.

In an inverted future, evolved robots have resurrected humans for manual labor. When a tribalistic cultural clash breaks out, a fearless human fighter and a frustrated, displaced robot will square off in a public MMA-style sport fight of epic stakes to determine once and for all who reigns supreme: man or machine.
In Shops: May 04, 2022
SRP: $3.99
PREVIEWS Page #54

IMAGE COMICS
METAL SOCIETY #2 (OF 5) CVR A BALBI & LESKO
(W) Zack Kaplan (A/CA) Guilherme Balbi, Marco Lesko
The challenge is made. As our willful heroine Rosa succeeds in securing more human job opportunities, the effort inadvertently displaces construction bot WOL-421313, leading the frustrated, newly unemployed robot to follow a fundamental tenet in robot society and solve his grievance by challenging Rosa to the first ever robot-human fight.
In Shops: Jun 08, 2022
SRP: $3.99
PREVIEWS Page #83

IMAGE COMICS
METAL SOCIETY #2 (OF 5) CVR B PANOSIAN
(W) Zack Kaplan (A) Guilherme Balbi, Marco Lesko (CA) Dan Panosian
The challenge is made. As our willful heroine Rosa succeeds in securing more human job opportunities, the effort inadvertently displaces construction bot WOL-421313, leading the frustrated, newly unemployed robot to follow a fundamental tenet in robot society and solve his grievance by challenging Rosa to the first ever robot-human fight.
In Shops: Jun 08, 2022
SRP: $3.99
PREVIEWS Page #83

IMAGE COMICS
METAL SOCIETY #3 (OF 5) CVR A BALBI & LESKO
(W) Zack Kaplan (A/CA) Guilherme Balbi, Marco Lesko
The training begins. After Rosa publicly accepts WOL-421313's challenge, both fighters set out to train with their respective coaches. But while human leaders encourage Rosa to focus more on playing human spokesperson for humanity's image, WOL is compelled to dramatically upgrade himself in order to win at all costs.
In Shops: Jul 06, 2022
SRP: $3.99
PREVIEWS Page #81

IMAGE COMICS
METAL SOCIETY #3 (OF 5) CVR B RUDY
(W) Zack Kaplan (A) Guilherme Balbi, Marco Lesko (CA) Marco Rudy
The training begins. After Rosa publicly accepts WOL-421313's challenge, both fighters set out to train with their respective coaches. But while human leaders encourage Rosa to focus more on playing human spokesperson for humanity's image, WOL is compelled to dramatically upgrade himself in order to win at all costs.
In Shops: Jul 06, 2022
SRP: $3.99
PREVIEWS Page #81

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Troy-Jeffrey Allen is the producer and co-host of PREVIEWSworld Weekly. He is also the Consumer Marketing Manager for Geppi Family Enterprises. Troy's comics work includes MF DOOM: All Caps, Public Enemy's Apocalpyse '91, the Glyph Award-nominated Fight of the Century, the Harvey Award-nominated District Comics, and the Ringo Award-nominated Magic Bullet.


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