InterPop Q&A: Dynamic Comic Artist Lucas Meyer Talks Sunder and More
Lucas Meyer is a dazzling new find from the minds at InterPop Comics. He’s an incredible penciller and inker with a flair for moody, noir superhero art. His work can be found in Emergents Presents #4 from InterPop Comics. Read on for more on his artistic process, approach to tragic character Sunder, and favorite comics.
InterPop: Your first project for us is drawing Sunder based on Marc Andreyko’s script. Tell me about working with a veteran writer like Marc.
Lucas: Working with Marc’s Script was great. It was also the first time that I worked with an open script so it was challenging for me, but at the same time, he was able to convey everything he wanted very well. I believe I managed to transcribe all the best possible ideas from the script, so it was wonderful!
InterPop: How did you approach Sunder as a character visually?
Lucas: I already had a concept for Sunder —a model sheet that helped me a lot. He also had a brief appearance in a previous Emergents story by Freddie Williams II, so these visual references were a great help. But I still wanted to leave my mark on the character.
I thought of him as a big mobster but very much a strategist; whenever possible I used high and low camera angles on him to better emphasize his greatness as a character, thinking of a tailored suit for his size in a way that his muscles were visible and that the suit was comfortable at the same time. I tried to give him a more serious and profound look every time he appeared because we were working on the tragic origin of the character, so I always wanted to make this as clear as possible.
As for Sunder’s human form before his accident, I tried to give him a sweet and introverted personality. I wanted him to look “weak” on the outside but strong on the inside, and after his accident when he gets his powers, the strong part comes out.
InterPop: You’ve previously worked on fantasy books like Grimm Fairy Tales. How different is it working on a superhero — or supervillain — book?
Lucas: The difference is quite big actually, the work I did on Grimm Fairy Tales is very different from what I did here. I honestly really had fun working with a “villain,” if we can call Sunder that after all. Most villains are heroes in their own story, and Sunder is no different. He has good reasons to do what he does, and the story was extremely fun.
I got to work with a more urban character which was great, while in GFT I had more medieval and magic elements. I find both things great, but in Sunder’s story, I felt like I was working deeper with the character’s personality.
InterPop: Tell me about the last great graphic novel you read, in any language.
Lucas: I think the last thing I read, which I actually reread, was DC Comics’ saga Blackest Night. It’s my favorite comic book saga; that counts as a graphic novel, right? Haha.
InterPop: What attracted you to InterPop and its universe initially?
Lucas: Mainly the different digital format. I find this very interesting, but as for the universe I really can’t say much; I just worked with one character, although I already think he’s my favorite, by the way!
I believe that what InterPop is creating is wonderful and extremely deep, with characters and stories that will make anyone who likes superheroes and comics fall in love with this new universe.
