"The Impossible Dream": DC World's Finest and Once & Future artist Dan Mora opens up about his career

It takes a long time and a lot of hard work to be an overnight success. While Batman/Superman: World's Finest artist Dan Mora might seem like he has come out of nowhere to become one of DC's core superhero artists, his path to here has been long and he's had to make many sacrifices to have what he calls, "the impossible dream."

Growing up in his native Costa Rica, Dan Mora didn't know making comics for a living was actually a thing. But now in 2022, he's doing it - very successfully - and feeling himself to be a role model for other Latin American artists who like him, share in his love of comic books.

Mora is one of the most interesting and talented new voices in American superhero comic books, so what better reason to have a conversation with him? What we found was a very grateful family man who believes in hard work, and realizes you can't wait for your dreams to come true.

Popverse: Dan, let's start this out easy - what are you working on today?

Dan Mora: Hi Chris, thanks for taking the time to talk with me. I'm currently simultaneously working on Once & Future for BOOM! Studios and Batman/Superman: World's Finest for DC.

That's a lot of work, Dan! What's a normal workday/work week like for you to do this consistently at such a high level?

Yeah, it is a lot of work. I usually get up very early to work, then take my son to school, then go back to work until late afternoon. Then I'll take a break with my family, and go back to work at night.

I don't sleep as much as I'd like, but I'm working on it.

Is there something you learned along the way that's helped make this work for you, while also being a husband and a father?

I learned that I need to have a strong discipline, and also when to let go a page and not spend more time than scheduled on each project. It's not always possible, but I try.

Years before you became a Batman artist for DC, you said he was one of your top two dream characters to draw. We'll get to the other in a bit, but after now having drawn Batman in Future State: Dark Detective, Detective Comics, and World's Finest, how is it being a regular Batman artist?

[Drawing Batman for a living] is the coolest thing ever.

[Laughs] It is the coolest thing ever.

It is something so important to me that I'm sure I can't express in words the gratification it gives me to wake