The following is an interview with acclaimed concept artist Alex Ries (Subnautica: Below Zero, Godzilla X Kong: The New Kingdom) regarding the recent launch of a Kickstarter campaign for the collected edition hardcover, Other Worlds: The Art of Alex Ries, in association with Iron Circus Comics. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Ries about the experience of revisiting his body of work in preparation for the collection, the draw of storytelling through a speculative fiction lens, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for Other Worlds: The Art of Alex Ries, a hardcover book collecting your personal and professional artwork, including both Subnautica: Below Zero and all-new pieces. As you look ahead to the collection, what has been your experience in revisiting your body of work?
Alex Ries: It was illuminating; a string of TERRIBLE PCs taught me the hard way to back up everything, so I have a good archive of digital art going back decades. I also went through a lifetime’s worth of sketch pads and art journals. It was particularly interesting to see the evolution of some of my long-term projects like the Birrin Saga, and their earliest beginnings on pencil and paper. My influences from the real-world science and art I was excited by at the time can be seen woven throughout; it’s amazing to have the chance to share that.
BD: Your work has spanned various entertainment mediums, from film to video games, but has always explored the natural world through a speculative fiction lens. Was there anything in particular about the genre of speculative fiction that provided you with the perfect tools to capture your visual storytelling?
AR: Speculative fiction allows me to combine my love of science and art. I actually wanted to be a naturalist for a very long time, and consumed an unreasonable number of David Attenborough documentaries. (I was obsessed with The Private Life of Plants. Even set up my own garden on the farm with a little pond.)
Wanting to explore that connection with nature and science fiction made speculative fiction a good fit. I was able to apply what I adored about nature with the sci-fi stories I was starting to develop, keeping those two core parts of myself connected.
BD: In revisiting your work, was there anything new or intriguing that you took away from the imagery that you hadn’t anticipated when originally creating it?
AR: It was interesting to see an evolution towards a harder sci-fi aesthetic from what was more traditional space opera-like when I was much younger. I tend to do more research now when creating a new machine or being, while earlier art was more freeform. I didn’t put too much thought into how the hyperdrive on a starship worked, or if 20 legs on a creature made sense for its environment.
I don’t consider the harder SF I moved towards superior to other genres, but it was definitely interesting to see me clearly become more detail-oriented over time. Though I never abandoned the bigger space opera themes entirely, particularly with the ‘Metahumans’ in my paintings like Contact.
BD: What can you tell us about your shared creative process in working with Iron Circus Comics for the collection?
AR: It is a little bit of an odd story! When my agent Anne Perry managed to negotiate a deal with Iron Circus, by complete coincidence Spike and I were already familiar with and admired each other’s work, and had done so for years! In fact, it turned out I had also been following the art of other ICC employees completely unknowingly. Working with a team of creatives I already admired has been amazing.
BD: Lastly, in light of the Kickstarter campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
AR: We have put together a set of rewards that include prints of my art, and we were given permission to make some signed prints of a Subnautica: Below Zero concept that I am particularly proud of; the Ventgarden. At our highest, more exclusive reward tier, you can send me your art brief and I will illustrate it for you, myself.
