5 reasons comic book artist Franco is the perfect choice to launch Svengoolie's 2025 Artist Collection
The first artist of the 2025 Svengoolie Artist Collection speaks about his start in comics, his love of old Hollywood horror, and how he found Svengoolie!
In an exclusive interview, MeTV asked artist and writer Franco all the toughest, hardest-hitting, most uncompromising questions.
Things like:
"How did you get started in comic books?"
"What do you miss about teaching?"
and "Who are your top 5 pro wrestlers of all time?"
We have to hand it to you, Franco... You never buckled under the weight of our journalistic integrity.
Now, reprinted here for your reading pleasure, you'll find what we learned in our conversation with the Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures artist.
Without further ado, here are the Top Five reasons Franco is the best choice to launch Svengoolie's 2025 artist collection!
Get your "Hair's Looking At You" designs here, and use code ARTIST for $5 off all Artist Collection items for a limited time! See site for details.
1. The Ultimate Origin Story
Franco's start in the comic book business should inspire any would-be creatives who love his work. We've all faced rejection, and at the beginning of his career, Franco didn't let it deter him from his goals. After sending out artwork and getting turned down "by everybody, more than once," Franco took matters into his own hands.
"I decided I'm just going to start writing and drawing. I wrote and drew a couple of my own creations and put them out there, and then got more involved with people and partnerships. I met my buddy Art Baltazar, and we did a book called Patrick the Wolf Boy that gained notice by DC Comics."
That led to titles like Tiny Titans, Shazam!, and even Superman. Pretty incredible!
2. Introducing Younger Audiences to Horror
With titles including Itty Bitty Hellboy and Deadman Tells the Spooky Tales, Franco has done loads to introduce small readers to scary material. He's the perfect guide to the world of horror. Does that remind you of a certain top-hatted coffin-dweller we know?
A few key movies hooked him as a kid, and throughout his career, he's been returning the favor.
"I love the old Universal stuff. When Abbott and Costello met Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, and Dracula, that was a lot of fun."
It wasn't just for entertainment's sake, either. Those Universal movies helped Franco's family learn English!
3. Franco's Sven History
While he was growing up, Franco was a big fan of the East Coast's horror hosts. So, it's no surprise that he fell for Svengoolie's schtick shortly after first being introduced to our favorite dungeon denizen.
That's why Franco was thrilled by the prospect of collaborating on some official Svengoolie artwork. If you've been paying attention, you'll know that this Artist Collection isn't the first time Franco's name has appeared next to Sven's...
4. Svengoolie: Lost in Time
Eagle-eyed fans will remember seeing Franco's name on the pages of Svengoolie: Lost in Time! In the first of two specials, spooky sensation Svengoolie appears in his first full-length comic book feature. The evil Svenbot goes to the past to undo Svengoolie’s future, and chaos and hilarity ensue. It's a rubber chicken riot.
So, Franco already has Sven bona fides! He was an artist and a script assistant on the hit comic book, released in 2023.
5. An Expertly Chosen Wrestling Mt. Rushmore
In addition to sharing scripting credits with Svengoolie, Franco also shares a surprising fandom with the horror host. They both love wrestling!
In our conversation, Franco proved that he knows what he's talking about by listing off a perfectly executed "Top 5 Wrestlers of All Time". If ever there's a correct opinion, it might just be Franco's.
In no particular order, the artist and writer chose...
CM Punk
Becky Lynch
The Undertaker
John Cena
and AJ Styles
