Mario is a talented illustrator that puts Philadelphia on the map. No, really. He grew up on a healthy diet of Marvel comics and R. Crumb. After attending Tyler he grew his clientele through direct mail, building a client-base of editorial work that eventually lead to a year-in-review assignment for Beutler Ink. For this piece he poured his meticulous attention to detail into every square inch of the job, resulting in a fun, Easter-egg-filled tableau. It was this piece that convinced him to pursue an idea of illustrating a map of Philadelphia. Infusing the same insane level of detail with his signature style and touches of humor, he created an epic illustration. From there, he has also created pieces dedicated to Pittsburgh and Portland, two cities that he has called home, and his work on the maps has now begun to influence the editorial pieces he creates. Ryan and Mario sit down for a discussion on struggling with concept, creating portraits of strangers and delving into the discography of T-Rex. Visit mariozucca.com, follow Mario on Twitter and Instagram @mario_zucca, on Facebook at mariozuccaillustration, and on Behance at mariozucca. This episode is sponsored by Tandem 2016, October 1-2 at Philadelphia University.