Mission: Impossible - Torn Asunder

A new project I’m very excited about is now out on Wired! I’ve been working with Christopher McQuarrie, the director of Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, and Dylan Kussman on an 8-page graphic novel tie-in with the film which was just released on DVD. The story sheds light on the actions of agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) as he tracks the Syndicate around the globe in the six months he spends unseen in the film. The aim of the graphic novel is to provide a nuanced interpretation of the events that transpired moments after being shot, and in that window before the film catches up with Hunt, “six months later.”

I enjoyed the concept of this project, which allowed the narrative to take a turn through sequential illustration and pick back up in the second act of the film. The density of information and events in the story meant that all aspects needed to work in unison to be clear, so color played a significant role in unifying locations and timeframes as well as mood and emotion. The amount of story per page presented a challenge, but was also helpful in that if forced me to pare shots and beats down to the absolute essentials.

Having McQuarrie's entire film so well defined was a huge inspiration. It provided an essential structure for the dots that we were connecting with the drawings, and also set the bar incredibly high in terms of visual style and confidence.

The entire 8 page story is available online at WIRED.com. Thanks again to Christopher McQuarrie, Dylan Kussman, Jodi Wynne, and Kyle Bonnici for the opportunity.

LAZARUS: Twenty

LAZARUS issue 20 hits stands today! Greg Rucka, Michael Lark & Santi Arcas have put together yet another excellent issue building up to the final war-torn chapter of the POISON arc.

Working on the Lazarus covers is always an engaging and dynamic process. I actually created two covers for this issue; one before the story really came into focus, and another as it evolved in a new direction. The change of direction provided me with a great opportunity to better convey the nuanced, action-packed moment of the final story, as well as to hone in on what my goals and objectives are for the Lazarus covers.

LAZARUS 20 Thumbnails

Issue 20 is filled with great combat moments. My aim for the cover was to pull symbolism and visual cues from each of them. One challenge that always arises with the Lazarus covers is the desire to make each one fresh and unique. In that vein, I worked to pull in a different color palette, to provide an unexpected perspective, and to focus on the gesture and movement in the frame. Past covers have been wider and more figurative. In this one I wanted to pull in closely, to the heart of the action, and look at the details - the armor, the pills, the stabbing.

LAZARUS 20 Sketches

The turnaround time for the final cover illustration for this issue was tight. We realized the evolution of the story called for a new cover on a Wednesday and had to have finished artwork ready by Friday. Having Michael’s artwork provided the tone and inspiration I needed to pull ideas together quickly. The clarity and accuracy of his storytelling makes my job as an illustrator much easier when tight deadlines arise, as he provides solid material I can pull from. After sending the illustration to the Lazarus team, the final type layout was designed by Eric Trautmann, who pulled everything together efficiently and with great skill. It’s always a thrill to work with this team and I appreciate their trust and confidence.

LAZARUS: Number Sixteen

Lazarus #16 is on stands now. This issue is a bold vignette in the eye of the narrative hurricane by Rucka & Lark, and expands its format to include a wealth of journalistic design work by Eric Trautmann as well as a few interstitial illustrations by me.

Above are some of the process steps from early thumbnails, sketches and an alternate for the third act piece with a more digital fragmenting effect that was a fun experiment. Massive credit due to Eric for tying all the pages together so well, and thanks again to Greg and Michael and the team for the invitation to be part of the issue.

In related news, the original inks for this issue's cover (and others) are now available through Splash Page Comic Art. It's incredibly nice to be in such good company there as well.

Lazarus: Fourteen

Lazarus issue Fourteen arrives on stands this week and, with it, Greg Rucka and Michael Lark bring us further into the Conclave arc and the ever tightening situation on Triton One. For a glimpse at the excellent sequential work by Lark, Boss & Arcas, Comicosity has a preview of the issue.

Below are some of the development sketches that went into the cover. The inky night ocean scenes slowly shifted further underwater, hinting at some darker discoveries below the surface for the final cover illustration.

Granta: Horror

Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to illustrate several short fiction pieces by Roberto Bolaño for the literary magazine Granta. A few weeks after working on the watercolor illustration (above) for the short Bolaño story, "The Colonel's Son," art director, Michael Salu, asked if I would be interested in collaborating on a motion comic he had in mind to tie the short story and issue in with their digital readership. Time was short, but having already read through and sequentially visualized much of the story, it sounded too interesting to pass up.

The animation is now live at nothingbutamovie.com, and here are some samples of the finished layered illustrations, which were all inked digitally using Manga Studio (which I've just recently begun using inspired by the amazing illustration work of Asaf Hanuka).

Many thanks to Jocabola, David Bonas, Sorgerune and the visionary Michael Salu for the collaboration.

Superstition

Just completed this comic sequence in collaboration with Helen and the good folks at Sonny London. (The fully scripted and scored version is also available here.)