We figured it out. I first met Ethan Castillo when he was 8 years old and a guest at Big Wow Comic Fest in San Jose. Already, he was known for drawing Spider-Man. Not in an “aww, how cute” way, but “seriously, how good is he going to be?” way. My son interviewed him for the podcast, and for years I’d check in with him at conventions. As he grew up, so did his art. I did a quick interview with Ethan at Comic-Con 2016, and noticed that every year, it got harder and harder to find that moment in Artists’ Alley when Ethan’s table wasn’t surrounded by enthusiastic fans.
This year, it was nigh impossible. Every time I walked by, his table was crowded. Not just with Spider-Man fans, but with people who appreciated that this young man had grown in skill. (Don’t take my word for it — last month, Wacom gave him 3 days controlling their Instagram account.)
This month, Ethan’s work will be part of an exhibit at the Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra, CA, from August 5 to August 20. Titled “Let’s Do This One More Time: Across the Spider-Verse,” it’s just further proof that the world is waking up to how good he is — and how good he’s going to be. So I couldn’t interview him at Comic-Con; we’re both safely back in our home offices and took some time this evening to connect and talk about his career — which has come so far and is still essentially at the beginning.
He may be inspired by Spider-Man, but it’s Ethan Castillo who’s spectacular.
