The following is an interview with gallery owner and curator Philippe Labaune on the recent launch of the Paul Pope Exhibit at the Philippe Labaune Gallery in New York City, NY. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Labaune about Pope’s cultural impact, the collaborative process of bringing the exhibition to life alongside Felix Comic Art, and more!

---

Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the launch of the Paul Pope Exhibit at the Philippe Labaune Gallery! As the gallery’s owner and curator, what can you share with us about the genesis behind this particular exhibit in honoring Pope’s groundbreaking career as a cartoonist?

Philippe Labaune: Thank you—this exhibition is a very special one for me personally. I’ve wanted to work with Paul for a long time. My introduction to his work came through THB, which I first picked up after hearing about the manga influences in his style. What immediately struck me was how deeply layered his approach was. Yes, there’s that kinetic energy you associate with manga, but there’s also something much more—a fusion of styles and traditions that’s entirely his own.

From THB, I dove into Batman: Year 100, and that’s when it truly clicked for me just how expansive his vocabulary is. There’s this incredible mix of European bande dessinée sophistication, German expressionist moodiness, and that raw, brush-heavy, kinetic force that feels punk and futuristic all at once. Paul’s work isn’t just influenced by comics history—it’s in dialogue with it, pushing boundaries while honoring the medium’s past.

We’ve always wanted to present Paul’s work at the gallery, and when we learned that PulpHope 2, his long-awaited follow-up art book, was nearing publication, it felt like the right time to celebrate his singular career. The show came together as a kind of visual journey through the worlds Paul has built—from Heavy Liquid to Battling Boy, and of course the pieces that are more personal and experimental. It’s a rare opportunity to see how one artist has absorbed so many global influences and transformed them into something so unique.

BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in working with Felix Comic Art to curate Pope’s work included within the exhibit?

PL: Working with Felix Comic Art came together very naturally. From the moment we started discussing a Paul Pope exhibition, Felix was instrumental in shaping the vision of the show. He’s done a great job representing Paul’s work over the years, and his deep familiarity with Paul’s career helped us build a focused yet expansive selection—something that feels like a small survey of Paul’s artistic evolution, while also aligning beautifully with the release of PulpHope 2.

Felix and I are both longtime friends and admirers of Paul, so there was a shared enthusiasm from the outset. That made the process feel less like planning and more like assembling a tribute—an opportunity to bring together highlights from Paul’s major projects and intimate works that offer insight into his world.

BD: This exhibit will continue the gallery’s focus on seminal comics creators. What, if any, conversations do you feel that this exhibit may evoke from attendees, and are there other creators whose work you would be interested in highlighting for future installations?

PL: One of the core missions of the gallery has always been to spotlight how deeply comic artists influence visual culture—and how their work deserves to be viewed with the same seriousness and reverence as any other form of fine art. I think this exhibition with Paul Pope will absolutely continue that conversation. His work resonates across generations and genres—he’s drawing from manga, European comics, American pulp traditions, and something distinctly his own. Because of that, his work creates a kind of common ground where a wide range of viewers—whether longtime comic fans or newcomers—can resonate with the work.

I hope visitors walk away not just moved by Paul’s singular vision, but also reflecting on the broader power of comics as an artistic medium. His art invites questions about form, narrative, identity, rebellion—it’s bold and emotive.

Looking ahead, we’re absolutely interested in continuing this exploration. There are so many brilliant creators whose work deserves to be seen in this context. Artists like Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave McKean, Geof Darrow, and Ian Bertram. These are artists who, like Paul, push the boundaries of the medium and demand that we reconsider what comics can be. We’re excited to be a part of that conversation and to keep creating space for it in the gallery setting.

BD: How do you feel that Paul Pope’s work has explored new territory within the sequential art medium, and what do you feel truly defines his contributions to narrative art?

PL: Paul Pope has always stood at the edge of what’s possible in comics. What makes him so exceptional is his ability to blend high-energy storytelling with a deep attention to form and gesture. He takes the visual language of manga, the existential weight of European bande dessinée, and the rebellious spirit of American indie comics, and fuses them into something that feels immediate, global, and unmistakably his own.

Paul’s brushwork skills are wild and expressive, yet always loyal to the story. He plays around with pacing and perspective in ways that feel almost cinematic, drawing upon a love of film noir, yet totally grounded in the traditions of illustration. In works like Heavy Liquid and Battling Boy, you can see this commitment to atmosphere and rhythm. Even in his take on Batman: Year 100, there’s this undercurrent of political urgency and psychological complexity that elevates the genre.

What truly defines Paul’s contribution to narrative art is his willingness to embrace contradiction. His stories are intense but also lyrical, fictional yet deeply personal. He’s not afraid to be messy, to let the ink bleed, to leave things unresolved—and in that, he reminds us that comics are not just a medium of entertainment, but a space for poetry, rebellion, and  human expression. That’s the kind of work we want to present at the gallery.

BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about the Philippe Labaune Gallery and the Paul Pope Exhibit?

PL: The best way to stay updated is by visiting our website at philippelabaunegallery.com, and sign up to be on our mailing list. We will send out details about the exhibition, including dates, featured works, and related events. We also share news and behind-the-scenes content on Instagram at @philippelabaunegallery, which is a great way to follow along with the exhibition in real time.

For collectors, press, or anyone interested in learning more about the available works, we encourage you to reach out to us directly via the contact page on our website.