The following is an interview with Eisner Award-nominated artist Mike Del Mundo (X-Men Legacy, Elektra, Thor, Avengers) regarding the recent Kickstarter campaign launch for The Marvel Art of Mike Del Mundo in collaboration with Clover Press. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Del Mundo about revisiting his body of work for the collection, the incredible backer rewards available through the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You recently launched a Kickstarter campaign in conjunction with Clover Press for The Marvel Art of Mike Del Mundo, a coffee table book collecting 200 pages of your incredible artwork with Marvel Comics. As you look ahead to the combined collection, what has been your experience in revisiting your body of work?
Mike Del Mundo: Revisiting my work for this artbook has been like looking at my art with fresh eyes, no longer blurred by the madness of deadlines that went so fast I couldn’t really be in the moment. I’m realizing that I wasn’t just drawing characters, I was breathing life into them and adding my own twist to comic history. Now, I can enjoy my work the way a fan would, sometimes thinking to myself, “How did I even think of that?”
What I’ve loved the most is digging back into the process, those raw thumbnails and sketches full of energy and ideas, some that never made it past the cutting room floor.
BD: Was there anything in particular about the sequential art medium that attracted you more than other artistic media?
MDM: Comics lets you be yourself. What I love about sequential art is that it encourages personality, your unique style isn’t just seen, it’s what helps sell the story. I think that’s what first drew me to this world of comics: It’s a business built on art but never loses the authenticity of self-expression, something I wear proudly on my sleeve.
And then there’s the storytelling, something I’ve loved since I was a kid. Truthfully, I’m still a kid in many ways, and that’s why comics feel like the perfect match for me.
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?
MDM: So many times! Like I mentioned before, deadlines get so intense that you’re never really present in the moment. That’s why flipping through old sketchbooks and past comics has been such an enjoyable experience. It almost feels like I’m looking at the work of a completely different artist. Over the years, I’ve evolved and grown through so many styles that it’s like seeing snapshots of different versions of myself. There are moments I stop and think, “How did I go this hard? What was I on to push it like this?”
BD: What can you tell us about your shared creative process in working with Clover Press for the collection?
MDM: Working with Clover Press is the best. Hank Kanalz is a consummate professional whose love for comics comes out in every project he works on. Not to mention his team which has made it an enjoyable experience. Their attention to detail is amazing and you can see it through their beautiful line up of Art of Marvel books.
BD: Are there any other projects on which you are working that you’re able to share with readers?
MDM: I’m working on something big with my team over at 3W3M. That’s Jonathan Hickman, Mike Huddleston, Nick Spencer, and myself. Jonathan and I just wrapped up our new book, SHIFT, which takes place in the 3 Worlds 3 Moons universe, and I couldn’t be more excited for fans to finally get their hands on it. Honestly, I feel like this is my best work yet.
BD: Lastly, in light of the Kickstarter campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
MDM: We’ve lined up so many cool rewards for our backers from sticker sheets and a puzzle to beautifully printed art in a Marvel Portfolio. But what I’m most excited about is the companion book we’re offering alongside The Art of Marvel book. This companion book is all about process, a raw, behind-the-scenes look at how these covers came to life. You’ll be able to flip through it and do side-by-side comparisons with the final pieces.
For me, the real magic is in the ideas that go into these covers, so I wanted to celebrate that with a book that brings all of those moments together.
