Aspen Universe: Revelations #1 cover by Jordan Gunderson

Artist Jordan Gunderson has worked on such books as Warhammer 40000:Defenders of Ultramar, Executive Assistant: Assassins, The Four Points, and more. His new project is Aspen’s game changing series, Aspen Universe: Revelations with writers Joshua Hale Fialkov and J.T. Krul. Westfield’s Roger Ash contacted Gunderson to learn more about this exciting new series.

Westfield: Aspen Universe: Revelations is a big story. Did you find the prospect of working on it at all intimidating?

Jordan Gunderson: Honestly, not really. It’s the big, world-building stories that I tend to gravitate towards and this one was no exception. Previously, I had worked on The Four Points for Aspen Comics, which was a world that needed a lot of design and character creation itself. I kind of see it as a challenge for myself to go into these big stories and create the world as I interpret it from the script and notes I have been given. Once the first characters are turned in and the creative team is able to hone in on the feel and aesthetics that they should have, it is that much easier to move on and create other things that fit cohesively into the world. The part of this story that I found really intriguing was that I would be utilizing creations that Michael Turner had brought to life over 13 years ago. I would still get to put my own creative spin on them, but fans will also get to see that characters from Fathom and Soulfire that they love and recognize.

Steigerwald

Aspen Universe: Revelations #1 cover by Peter Steigerwald

Westfield: What sort of prep work did you do to get ready for the series?

Gunderson: We had a good amount of lead time going into this project, so with it I was able to start fleshing out details of the upcoming comic in advance. This would entail multiple character design passes that were getting tweaked and having revisions done as the creative team saw fit. Also, I would be generating sketches of locations that would be prevalent in the book as well as items and pieces the characters would be interacting with during the series. The apocalyptic future setting of the book really allowed us to open the flood gate to all kinds of ideas early on and see what worked and what didn’t.

Westfield: Is there anything you can tell us about the story?

Gunderson: The story starts off on an epic scale, as you get to see the devastation wrought on a planet without water.  Aspen, the heroine from Fathom, now faces this new world alone. She must embark on a quest that will not only span time but also encounter magic unlike she has ever seen. This is the setting for the two worlds of Fathom and Soulfire to converge. Characters from both the universes will clash and unite in this series, so fans of both comics will get a chance to see the characters they love again. I don’t want to give too much away, but I think people will definitely be hooked once they get a taste of Worlds of Aspen 2016.

Preview art for Worlds of Aspen 2016

Westfield: Are you enjoying drawing the Fathom and Soulfire characters?

Gunderson: I really am! At the start of my career, when I was still going out to conventions and submitting my interior art to various companies, Aspen’s Fathom and Soulfire is what I was reading at the time and really influenced the beginnings of my artistic journey. So, to be on a book were I am drawing the characters that really got me into the whole illustration game in the first place is really amazing!

Aspen Universe: Revelations #1 cover by Paolo Pantalena

Westfield: You’re working with writers Joshua Hale Fialkov and J.T. Krul on the series. What can you say about your collaboration with them?

Gunderson: These two writers are really top notch. I have been a fan of J.T.’s writing for a long time and Joshua has really exploded on the scene and has a variety of amazing titles to his credit. So, being able to work with both these gentlemen is a real pleasure. Having both of them adding their own unique touches to the Revelations story has been great to see behind the scenes when the scripts show up in my inbox. I think the fans will really enjoy the story that they are crafting and I look forward to each new script I see.

Westfield: Any closing comments?

Worlds of Aspen 2016 FCBD cover and process sketches by Gunderson.

Gunderson: Worlds of Aspen 2016 drops on Free Comic Book Day, Saturday, May 7th. The ensuing crossover event, Aspen Universe: Revelations will be out in July, so if people like what they see and read on Free Comic Book Day, the following issues are not too far behind. Fans of the art or people who are curious about seeing more of the art that I create can visit both The Art of Jordan Gunderson Facebook page or Jordan Gunderson Illustration on Instagram.  I would like to thank Westfield Comics for hosting a great event and you, Roger, for setting up this interview. Many thanks!

Purchase

Aspen Universe: Revelations #1