Comics / Cult Favorite

Artist Scott Stewart Soars With Superman

By Philip Schweier
January 13, 2008 - 21:48

On January 29, Meredith Books will offer a new children's book, Superman and the Robo-Monster,  written by Jake Black and illustrated by Scott Stewart. "It's about Lex Luthor's giant robot dinosaur that he's building to get rid of Superman," says Stewart. "It's a 22-page children's book that will be available in all the bookstores nationwide  – Books-A-Million, Borders – in the children's section."

Illustrating a Superman adventure is a major achievement for Stewart, who describes himself as a "Superman maniac" ever since seeing Christopher Reeve in the first Superman movie in 1978. "I was seven years old, and he really drove it home. I really believed a man could fly. I saw it with my own eyes.

"I've been beyond a Superman fan for many years. It's a fun place to be, let me tell you."

Stewart believes the ideals Superman represents have a universal appeal. "I think everyone likes to hold up an archetype ideal for mankind to aspire to, something we can look forward to achieving, with all of our strengths," he says. "Especially in today's wild and crazy world. It's so easy to draw role models off things that have no substance." To Superman fans, the Man of Steel has proven for more than 60 years that truth, justice and the American way will persevere.

Stewart cites comic artist John Byrne as his biggest influence. "I collected a lot of John Byrne's work. When I was 17 years old, John Byrne was hired to recreate Superman. They (DC Comics) held a contest and gave away 1,000 copies of his mini-series Man of Steel in a single cover, and I won that contest. Then I came to Dragon-Con and got him to autograph it."

Stewart attended his first Dragon-Con at 16, and one of the first comic pros he met was artist Walt Simonson, another inspiration in his work. "Definitely in the top five," says Stewart.

Stewart is beginning to make a name for himself as an illustrator. Though he has never received any formal art training, he explains, "I drew in every class in school. I'd skip some classes, giving myself more time to draw."

Finishing high school, he spent a year living in Los Angeles, but never fully embraced the West Coast lifestyle. "Working in Hollywood was a little too crowded and busy. I was raised here in the South and where I live in Tennessee is really relaxed. I live right at the foot of the Smokey Mountains National Park, and it's a far cry from L.A."

Stewart has illustrated other books based on licensed properties for Meredith Books, all in the same 8-inch by 8-inch format targeted at boys 7-10 years old. Titles include X-Men: The Brotherhood of Monsters and Spider-Man: A Great Day. All of them feature an illustrated comic book story, but in single-page, 8-inch panels.

Once Stewart reached a level of trust with his editor, he was able to flex his creative muscles, deviating from the eight-inch square format of the book. "I was able to use an entire two-page spread, allowing me to go cinematic."

The process begins with the script, which Stewart receives from the publisher. The book is then laid out in rough pencils. Once approved, the drawings are inked, then scanned into a computer. Using a Wacom tablet, Stewart is then able to digitally color the illustrations in Photoshop, and return a completed book to the publisher for printing.

While computers have streamlined the publishing industry, there are always challenges. "I had penciled the entire X-Men book and was about three weeks away from the deadline," explains Stewart. "Word came that Marvel had changed the style guide for the X-Men and they wanted me to go back and redraw every character in the book in a different costume. They didn't adjust my deadline, because they were on a contract and on a printing schedule, so it kind of put me into overdrive. But when you get the end result, you know all the hard work you put into it was worth every bit of it."

Despite such hurdles, Stewart's spirit is forever cheerful. It is that kind of optimism – and confidence – that has helped him realize his dreams.

"It's really about showing your stuff to everybody you meet and letting everybody know that you can do it, and the believing in yourself," Stewart says. "The truth is everybody makes their own world how they want it. We all the ability to make every dream we have come true."

Praise and adulation? Scorn and ridicule? E-mail me at philip@comicbookbin.com. Correction to this article are welcome.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12