Having taken four years to create, it’s only natural that Paul Gerrard would feel bullish about Rivals, his graphic novel that depicts a brutal martial-arts fantasy world. Not only is this the first in a series of books the artist has planned, but a board game is also due this year, followed by a PlayStation 5 game pitch, and even a planned live-action TV series.
“I decided,” says Paul, “it’s not enough just to do a script and a package, I want to do the whole thing, the whole George Lucas.”
With a background in film and TV concept art, on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hellboy and Indiana Jones 5, Paul is no stranger to the demands of the industry or what it takes to create a new IP. He began on Rivals by defining his world: “post-apocalyptic […] medieval, with a kind of Mad Max overlay”. From there he worked on mapping the history of the planet, then its factions, then its clans, and finally he whittled his way down to his characters and only then did he begin writing the story.
TEAM WORK
Rivals is co-created with writer and film director Mike Clarke, and comic artists such as Greg Staples and Dave Kendall have joined to bring the graphic novel’s pages to life. Paul is canny about bringing on board people he’s worked with (Greg Staples was production designer on Hellboy with Paul), and he’d work through Rivals ideas with Mike Clarke because the pair were on set of the indie horror film Cali together.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PAINT EPIC BATTLES IN TRADITIONAL INK
Warhammer illustrator THOMAS ELLIOTT shows you how to create an epic science fiction fight scene with this step-by-step guide
CONJURE MAGIC ILLUSTRATIONS
Daria Anako demonstrates her process for creating a whimsical piece of art with some spellbinding touches
First Impressions
We discover the early influences that inspired the artist
ZBrush for iPad
GAME CHANGER The desktop version of popular 3D sculpting software ZBrush has been redesigned for iPad - and it's brilliant
BenQ GW2786TC
GET AN EYEFUL Don't scrimp out on your health with a monitor that's kind on the eyes and good for creative tasks
Huion Kamvas Pro 19
TABLET WARS An attractive pen display does an excellent job of balancing price and performance as it sets out to challenge its rivals in the mobile marketplace
DRAGON OFORCEC
Legendary D&D artist Larry Elmore explains the keys to crafting timeless fantasy art.
DUNGEON MASTERS
ImagineFX marks the milestone 50th anniversary of the launch of Dungeons & Dragons with a look at its rich tradition of illustration
Erik Ly
Gamer's haven Why the artist enjoys a maximalist aesthetic more than the minimalist approach.
2D meets 3D: How the workflows are merging
Interdimensional As VFX and animation evolve and tools become more accessible, Tanya Combrinck asks whether the separation between the mediums is reducing