The clearest indicator of how much I like something is when I draw it. Here’s some love for James Harren and Dave Stewart’s “Ultramega”:
It’s probably a bit much, but hey, that’s the spirit of the comic. When I was younger, every time I read a comic that I liked (which was almost every comic,) it made me want to draw. Over time, as my tastes matured, that happened less and less, becoming more concentrated on specific creators. In grade school, it was Joe Madureira and Chris Bachalo and Greg Capullo. In high school, it was Grant Morrison and Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman. These days, I get obsessed over a good mix of writers and artists, but nothing gets me super inspired quite like a good writer-artist.
Harren’s art has always been one of my favorites, but seeing him unleashed on a story of his own design is a revelation. This mad, brutal remix of campy tokosatsu action has a spark to it that is really special. You ever see someone out and about—someone you don’t know—and just from a superficial glance, you can tell they’re probably awesome? And then you meet and talk to them, and you realize they’re just as awesome as they projected? That’s how I feel when I look at this comic. It’s just COOL. And when you get past the superfice of the art and dig into the storytelling, it really holds up to scrutiny. This comic, man. It’s got that wild, fresh manga energy.
Hey, I’m gushing so much I made a short video about it. Here you go:
My hope is that one day, my work has the same effect that all these other artists have on me. Imagine making art that inspires other people to make art! Keeping the muse’s fire burning for the human race, passing it over lifetimes from heart to heart: that is the GOAL, my friends.