The following is an interview with John Barber [Editor-in-Chief, Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide (or PUG Worldwide)] and Stuart Moore (Doctor Strange: A Decade of Dark Magic) regarding the upcoming Kickstarter campaign launch for the hardcover art book, Marvel Artist Archive: Jim Lee, in collaboration with Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide (or PUG Worldwide). In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Barber and Moore about their experience in reviewing Lee’s body of work for the hardcover collection, the incredible reward tiers that will be available through the Kickstarter campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide will soon launch a Kickstarter campaign for Marvel Artist Archive: Jim Lee, a hardcover art book collecting the legendary artist’s extensive work with Marvel Comics. As you look ahead to the combined collection, what has been your experience in revisiting Lee’s body of work?
John Barber: For me, the thing that was most striking was getting back into the headspace of that era, and it was almost like seeing this stuff for the first time again. Jim Lee’s influence became so ubiquitous so fast, you sometimes lose track of how his innovations came into being. This art was so groundbreaking and so astounding—it was a real trip seeing it all coming together. Stuart Moore’s writing laid out the context—the interior context, what Lee and Scott Williams and Carl Potts and Bob Harras were all thinking about, but it all took me back to when I was reading those issues.
Stuart Moore: A few things struck me. I’d never read Jim’s run on Alpha Flight, his first professional assignment—it’s actually never been reprinted. He hit the ground running on it with solid storytelling and rendering, but it was wild to watch him experiment with storytelling and develop his signature style as the series went along.
I was also fascinated by the story of Jim’s evolving relationship with Whilce Portacio, who first inked Jim on Alpha Flight, and Scott Williams, who’s been his steady inker for decades now. There’s a whole behind-the-scenes story there, accompanying the artwork.
BD: In addition to Lee’s cover work and illustrations, readers will be treated to a multitude of incredible extras in this collection. What are some of the added features that readers may anticipate with this deluxe edition?
JB: There’s one cover that blew me away where they’d gotten rid of a Wolverine head from a cover, in order to put in cover text. Wild! That kind of behind-the-scenes stuff is really amazing. And we got a hold of copies of pencils and original art, it’s amazing to see. Plus, Stuart Moore really dug in and looked at archival interviews and—more importantly—conducted a ton of new interviews, including with Jim Lee. So, there’s new information here for everybody, whether you’re coming in because you remember the issues from the time, or you’re relatively new to looking at Jim Lee art, or if you’re an expert on the comics.
SM: Scott Williams, in particular, provided us with a lot of rare art from the time, including the first page he and Jim ever did together (from Punisher War Journal) and a lot of pencils and inks from Heroes Reborn. Lots of X-Men, too, of course. I’m really happy with the assortment we put together.
BD: In light of the Kickstarter campaign, what are some of the exciting reward tiers that will be available to backers?
JB: We’ve got a couple portfolios which look fantastic, some really fun postcards and stickers, but I’m most excited about the mini-covers and the mini-short-boxes. It’s hard to get across how cool these are without holding them, but everybody who does touch them is blown away. They’re super-thick, big like a playing card, and just being able to thumb through the covers and sort them out in the boxes, set ’em up by your desk, any of that stuff. They’re really fun.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – from Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide that you would like to highlight for our readers?
JB: I’m excited about our 3D collaboration with Masked Republic, doing a wild adaptation using the actual movie frames to make it a 3D graphic novel. It’s kind of like the mini-covers in that it has to be seen to be believed.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for readers to learn more about Marvel Artist Archive: Jim Lee and Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide?
JB: Go to our pre-launch page! Join the fun—we can’t wait to see you there!
SM: What he said. Excelsior!
