Interview with a Printoonizer: Pierre Minne

In this interview, we meet Pierre Minne, a printoonizer at MAKMA. He takes us into the world of printoonization, where he juggles comic book techniques to bring webtoons to life in print format.

Pierre, to start off, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Pierre Minne: I’m 49 years old and I live in Toulouse. I’m married and a father of three.

Pierre Minne, a Familiar Face Returns to MAKMA

When and how did you first join MAKMA?

Pierre Minne: I originally joined MAKMA back in 2003, right when it was founded. Before that, I was part of Climax Comics, an association created by Stephan Boschat and Edmond Tourriol, where I worked as a penciler and inker. When MAKMA launched, I transitioned from Climax Comics to MAKMA like many other artists at the time. I continued drawing and inking there until 2008, when I left to focus on creating my own comics. I did that until 2021. Then, in 2023 (yes, very recently), I knocked on the door again and Stephan gave me a shot at printoonization. Bryan Wetstein and Nathalie Spampinato are the ones teaching me the ropes.

Can you tell us about your role at MAKMA? What does your job involve as part of the Printoonize team?

Pierre Minne: I’m a printoonizer, which means I transform webtoons—designed to be read on smartphones—into printed comic books. That requires both technical skills with graphic design software and a solid grasp (or willingness to learn) of comic storytelling conventions. Since I come from a traditional comic book background, that part is easier for me, but I still need to adapt to the specific codes of manga and manhwa, which are new to me.

How long have you been working as a layout artist on printoonization projects?

Pierre Minne: I started very recently, in April 2023. The work is intense and engaging. Nothing stands still—every new project brings something different. I’m constantly learning.

Do you enjoy it?

Pierre Minne: I love it. I’m right in my element: graphics, comics, storytelling. And since manga and manhwa are new territory for me, I’m diving into fresh styles of art, pacing, and narrative techniques. It sparks all kinds of ideas for my personal work—and when you feed a creative person, they’re usually insatiable.

The Role of a Printoonizer

Why is your work important in the printoonization process?

Pierre Minne: It’s the printoonizer who sets the tone and rhythm of the manga or manhwa. The way we arrange the panels guides the reader and immerses them in the story. Ideally, readers should keep turning the pages without even realizing it. Sure, the script and artwork are key, but bad pacing or storytelling can ruin the experience. That’s where my job—and our whole team’s job—comes in: we aim to keep the reader engaged, panel after panel.

Can you tell us about some projects you’re proud to have worked on?

Pierre Minne: Since I’m still new to this, I don’t have a huge list of projects yet. But I’ll start with the first one I handled: Les Chroniques du Disciple Dragon. That was a great learning experience. After that, I worked on Necromancer Survival, which had a totally different narrative approach. Switching between the two was a fun challenge. You can’t use the same storytelling style for every series, which keeps things from getting repetitive. Right now, as I’m answering these questions, I’m working on The Advanced Player of the Tutorial Tower, which is being printoonized for the German market. Again, it’s a different storytelling style—another big challenge.

A Comic Book Swiss Army Knife

Do you see yourself continuing in this field at MAKMA?

Pierre Minne: Based on everything I’ve said, I think it’s clear this work is driven by passion. Working in this field is no problem for me, but like many of the artists and writers at MAKMA, I’m something of a Swiss Army knife. I can draw, ink, design, do web work, and I’d love to apply those skills and even explore new ones. I think MAKMA can help me grow in that direction. For now, I’m still training in printoonization, but who knows? In a while, I might be able to contribute in multiple areas at MAKMA. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You have to truly master one thing before moving on to the next.

Thanks, Pierre, for taking the time to chat with us and for sharing your passion for comics and storytelling in the Printoonize department at MAKMA!