Richard Di Martino studied Graphics and Advertisement, and began his career with several agencies. From 1998, he worked as a storyboard artist at an animation studio in Marseille for two and a half years. Di Martino developed his first comic series, called 'Malek Sliman', while working in the studios. A trilogy of books starring this detective, written by Bruno Falba, was published by Vents d'Ouest between 2000 and 2002. By 2001 Di Martino founded the Zarmatelier studios with his former studio colleague Bruno Bessadi. The duo participated in the fanzine Kérozène, created short stories for the Semic pocket Yuma in cooperation with Eric Stoffel, and additionally did some contributions to Le Journal de Spirou.
