嗚謝DMop安排是次採訪。 // Thanks to DMop for the arrangement.
这位画风精致而多元化的插画师，在2000年买下美国著名漫画《Transformers》的版权而令之再度流行。而其作品亦曾出现在多本美国著名漫画包括《X-Men》、《Iron Man》、《Dark Knight》等。早前借着他在D-mop举办个人展览期间，我们与他做了一个访谈。当我们聊到共同兴趣──异形时，他向我介绍了他的一本画册《Extraterrestrial Compendium》，这本对我来说就像是一本图形小说的画册，打开了这个精彩访问的序幕。
So I meet Pat Lee, illustrator of comic book fame. He of the Transformers reboot in the 2000’s, X-Men, Iron Man, Dark Knight, the list is long, the work of quality and extent. I’m able to drag him out of D-Mop in Causeway Bay and sit him down for a chop up over a coffee next door. Over some small talk we veer into our mutual interests in alien phenomena. He details his book, “Extraterrestrial Compendium”, for me, which turns out to be graphic novel like of course! Why would you waste such talent with just words? It’s a twisted road of conversation and ideas even long for a SPITGAN interview so lets bring you in at this point :
<< English continued after the Chinese >>
SPITGAN : 你刚才说到「我们理解事物的能力只有五个百分率」，你说这是人类的理解力的限制吗？
Pat Lee : 我说的是频率。我认为世上所有事物都是以频率为基础，而所有事物都可以频率计算出来的。
SG : 所以说我们不可能达到七十个百分率的理解力…
PL : 要是你全心全意地去留意及理解某些讯息的话，我认为是可以的。有些人不愿意去知道一些事物，他们满足于活在自己的世界中，并留守在那个角落。但我知道亦有很多人已走出了矩阵，他们不单会去探索外界的事物，自己亦不断作出反思。我认为整个概念是，当你提升你的震动频率到达一个程度时，你自会接收到某些讯息。有些人活在低频率中，而低频率会产生一些负面的事物，那也不一定是负面的，你懂我的意思吗？他们只是活在实际的生活中而已。我相信你看到的每件事物都是源自你怎样去理解及感受，所以说你怎样想怎样看决定你的现实。我觉得随着人类的进化，我们开始懂得以自己的思想与感觉而去创造自己的命运。曾有科学家对此做了一些研究，像Dr. Greg Brayden，他计算出频率若离开人可长达3公里，为什么是3公里呢？因为仪器最多只能量度到3公里。
SG : 厉害。
PL : 他认为是超过3公里的。这里有一个概念，那就是你的思想与感觉，以及你对某事物的思考与感受的程度，决定事情会否变成事实，甚至带至你的现实生活当中。宇宙法则根据思考与感觉而运行及呈现。举个例子，这个访问、喝咖啡、我们身在铜锣湾，这些全是由思想与感觉而产生，你的一生都是以这个方式而创造的。
SG : 我大概有了一些概念。原来有人计算这个事情，太有趣了。
PL : 是的，你可以看看Greg Brayden的资料，他很酷的。
SG : 我对其他的东西感兴趣，特别是音乐，我能感受当中的这个概念。像你释放的正或负能量，最后会回到你这里。
PL : 我觉得当我创作时，(灵感) 不只是来自我本身而是整个宇宙，就像是我在制造一个讯号去创作，然后与宇宙一起创作，去创作一个图像。我认为整个宇宙的所有事物都是以这个方式创造的。我知道这听起来是有点疯狂，但我们就像是一个电台或手机。这里我不说太深入了，但我们就是讯号，我们向宇宙发放讯号，然后就是宇宙配合让我们去创造。
SG : 你是以这种方式创作的吗？是否一开始便是这样，还是慢慢发展至这个哲学的？
PL : 有时。像现在便是，我现时拥有强烈的欲望去创作。我不认为任何时候都是出自自己，我不知道，现在好像有个声音推动我去「做这个、画这个」。
SG : 这样会否令你在创作时更随意？更无束缚？
PL : 某程度上是的，这令我的观念更开放。我创作过很多东西，由漫画到玩具，衣服到珠宝，以至音乐视频等类似的东西，创作的范围很广泛，有时我什至会想这种多元性从何而来？出自何处？这个我不知道。我就像个海棉，在创意的范畴上，我吸收事物的速度很快。但当说到数学的话，我便…「我的天」…
SG : 刚刚你所说的带来了很多意想不到的话题！好，先回到基本的问题上，请介绍一下你自己。
PL : 我一直想做与漫画有关的工作，从小便有收藏漫画的习惯。 Simon Bisley、Jim Beam (我的旧老板)、Todd McFarlane、George Perez、Art Adams等这些来自美国的艺术家，及我的一些同事像Michael Turner到Scott Campbell等一直赋予我很多灵感。我酷爱美国漫画、超级英雄及他们的故事。有趣的是我在儿时已开始做一些与美国漫画有关的事情，约在9、10岁的时候我一直想画Transformers，于是我便收藏Transformers，并开始画自己的漫画册，10的时候已画了三期。到22岁的时候真的在画变形金钢！ 17岁的时候，我的父母跟我说，「Pat，若果你一年之内不能将之变成你的事业你就要回学校读书。」当时我计划到Cal Arts修读漫画。
SG : 听起来很严重。
PL : 我跟随了一位家族朋友的步伐，他是Disney的Animation Director。
SG : 对于一个华人家庭来说，这样养育孩子实是有点反传统。
PL : 在第十一个月的时候，我在想「太棒了，我找到工作，不用回学校了。」于是我便去了加洲培训一年，之后搬到多伦多并成为一位自由插画师，并开始建立自己的工作室。开始时只有8个员工，5、6年后增至50人。之后买了《Transformers》的版权，我们工作室变成是出版社。 《Transformers》那期间可以说是我们最成功的时候，我们卖了差不多一百五十万本，那真是一个了不起的数字。
SG : 你觉得你这么受欢迎的原因是？
PL : 我想是因为当时我为《Wizard》杂志画了一个Autobots的图像，他们刊登了并写着「Pat画的变形金钢会是怎样的」，引起不少人的兴趣。
SG : 但不是其他的名字？我没有看过你画的其他人物，他们是否很机械人模样的？
PL : 他们看起来很动画的，很有日本Manga风格。然后便是画Transformers，亦是我们成长的时候。
SG : 我以前也看很多漫画，直至Image era开始的时候我便停了。可以说是《Transformers》让我重拾起美国漫画。
PL : 那真的是一个美好的年代，因为都是出自一些来自Marvel的插画师像Jim Lee、Todd、Mark Silvestri、 Wilce Portracio等，那时的漫画很值得收藏，亦是我收藏漫画的时候。
SG : X-Men真的很酷！我觉得它的故事写得实在太好了。你有遇到过Chris Claremont吗？
PL : 有啊！Chris Claremont实在了不起！
SG : 我觉那是个非常成熟的故事，对那时正在成长的我来说，很有教育意义。
PL : 我最近已没有看，和以前有很多不同了。
SG : 是很多…
PL : 很多变化。
SG : 然后我看到一间加拿大公司在出版《Transformers》，看起来很酷。
是的，我们做了约4 年，然后他们问我要不要画Marvel及DC，我说「很酷啊，我有选择？！」
PL : 开始时我在Marvel的工作量颇多，然后他们问我想画什么，当我说到最喜欢的两个漫画人物是Fantastic 4及X-Men时，他们便对我说将会将两个人物结集并推出一系列故事。我当时在想，那实在太棒了，之后我便做了一套系列。那时真的很困难但同时很好玩，因为我除了在做《Fantastic 4》跟《X-Men》之外，同时还要照顾自己的公司。之后我做了很多《X-Men》、《Spider Man》、《Iron Man》，及做了很多封面，包括《X-Men》的封面。然后有一天DC打电话给我，问我是否有兴趣做《Dark Knight》，于是我又做了《Dark Knight》一段时间。 DC真的很棒，当时给了我很多封面，那时我与Jeff Loeb一同工作。我很喜欢Jeff Loeb，他真的很棒。本来我是与他的儿子一起做一个系列的，但他的儿子因癌病去世，最后由Jeff Loeb接手他的工作，我们一起做了《Batman》及《Superman》的Crossover。能够成为那个系列的一位子我觉得很荣幸，对我来说，那个时候可算我的漫画事业的高峰。那时画的只是《Batman》系列，之后我便不想再画漫画了。
SG : 你开始的是画图像对吗？然后你搬了去主要的公司工作？
PL : 是的，开始时是画图像，然后是授权，再后来是Marvel及DC。我花了差不多十年时间才有机会做这些项目，这些机会真的很难得。
SG : 但当机会来的时候，就像门槛为你打开。
PL : 是的，那实在太棒了，当机会来的时候，就像在问「你想做那一个？」。我能够与Marvel、 DC的人合作真的感到很荣幸，他们给予我创作上很大的自由度及弹性，真的很棒。之后我想去追寻自己的梦想，想看看自己作为一个独立创意人能力可以去到哪里，于是我搬来了亚洲，尽我所能去创作，看看自己除了漫画外还可以做什么。那时我参与了电影《Superman》的制作，来到了亚洲之后我又在日本、韩国及中国找到一些很有趣的项目，之后我在创意方面的态度变得更开通。
SG : 例如有什么项目？
PL : 像我们之前在澳门MGM做了一个重七吨的龙像，那是我做过最大型的项目，总共有120个人参与，我是设计师及创意总监。那个项目很有难度，但我们能够在这么短的时间内完成真的很厉害。我暂时仍不能够透露之后的项目，当时间差不多的时候我很乐意与你分享，它们都很有趣及很有独特性。今日我在做的都是一些我之前从没想过会参与的项目，有时我会想，我是做漫画的，以我的创意去设计，出来的会是什么？想到此我便觉得很有趣。我在香港开了一间公司SecretLab，正在为中国市场发展一些与屋地产有关的项目。同时我们现正密锣紧鼓，计划将一些动画项目带到中国，很快便可以成真，对此我感到异常兴奋。
SG : 你在美国已经这么受欢迎，为什么选择中国呢？
PL : 我觉得我能够做得到我都做了，像开公司、做漫画、设计玩具等我都做到了。我仍很喜欢这些事物，并觉得有一天我会再回归那个范畴。但我想去另一个星球，想看看自己的能力可去到哪里。 2004年对我来说是一个很困难的时期，那时整个漫画圈都不好，生意不好，我们的公司发展得太快，加上当时加币很强但我们赚的是美金，难以缩减去配合不景气，就像一个吹胀气的气球爆破一样，于是那亦成为我去发掘自己的另一个理由。我来到亚洲从新出发，那是一个很艰辛的旅程。现在我很专注于画画，很喜欢丙烯画(Acrylic Painting)。我画很多大型的丙烯画及big screen painting，这些都是我今日的基础，项目都是围绕着这范畴。我觉得今日已很满足，我不知道啊…
SG : 这个很重要。
PL : 是的，我觉得这里的朋友、身边的人及一些与我经常碰面的人，都是同一个频率，不论在工作上或创意上，都乐意互相帮助，我很喜欢这里。
SG : 你觉得来到亚洲，机会是否自然而来。我的意思是，你之前谈及你以往所得到的机会…
PL : 是的，我以往的工作为今日带来很多方便，并经常被提及，像Transformers、 Batman、Superman。我觉得在香港及亚洲最引人入胜的地方是这些非常有趣的项目，都是我之前从没想过会参与的。我不是说在美国便没有这些机会，只是我在这里遇到非常有趣的人…
SG : 这期我们的主题是「新中国」，最近我在这里感觉到一股能量。对于「新中国」这个名词你有什么想法？
PL : 新中国，我觉得当我们不断前进、当中国不断前进，就会变得愈来愈多元化。机会肯定是多的，同时，在创意范畴上，能力会提高，会愈来愈具多样性、愈来愈国际化。我觉得他们对新事物的接受能力让很多事情都成真了。
SG : 是的，我也这样认为。我觉得因为香港已经发展到一个地步，已经成形，所以只能在框架下发展。但中国不同，这里有一些很疯狂的事情。
PL : 是的，香港有很多外国人，很太多的外国人，所以肯定的是，在创意方面，你可以做很多事情。做任何事情！
SG : 但你觉得质量跟得上发展速度吗？
PL : 这个嘛，除非你找到合适的人，否则仍是要监控的。但当中有很多选择，这亦是美妙的地方。若果你找到一所合适的公司，质量可以是很好的。
SG : 说回漫画。你可以向我们讲解一下penciler及inker的分别吗？
PL : 若果你将Inker称为tracer，他们准会很生气。我有一个好朋友，他为我当inker已有9年，每次我们问他能否描摹时，他会说「我从不描摹我只着墨。」基本上，penciler是绘画初稿的人，绘画所有绘画人物。而如果你是一个很好的inker，你可以将初稿美化十倍，他们最重要的任务是将之变得更具线条感，好让印刷的时候不会变糊。 Inker会尽量保持准确性，但经常也会加入一些自己的本领。他们会加入一些粗或幼的线条，最重要的是让画面看起来更具线条感。如果要说的话，我觉得penciler与inker同样重要。没有一个好的inker，penciler不会成立，同样地，没有好的penciler，inker也不会成立。
SG : 这与fine artwork有分别吗？我在你的视频中看到你绘草图后着墨。
PL : Inking让我了解了很多，我知道怎样画很粗及幼的线，并知道怎样运用marker落笔。但如果我没有接受过inking的训练我不会知道怎样落笔，用marker亦不会像用铅笔那样画得飞快。
Penciling的工夫很沉长但同时可以很有趣，inking则比较轻松但画时很困难，因为当中有很多粗及幼线。 Inkers，我们会用钢笔尖，像ProQuills或Hunts 102’s。你需要非常的准确，要刚柔并重，每一笔都是，所以是很困难的手技。
SG : 你说的两个品牌就像是Montana cans。
PL : 基本上是的，画漫画用的…，spray painting的话我用Montana。
SG : 你也会spray painting？
PL : 是的。
SG : 啊！
那说说这个服装系列，是怎样诞生的？
PL : 我有一位好朋友介绍了Fredrick给我认识，Fredrick是D-Mop的成员之一。我之前从没有做过与时装有关的事情，觉得那会是一个很有趣的项目，所以当Fredrick问我有没有兴趣合作时我便答应了。我们一开始想到的是武士、浪人及忍者这些概念。我一直都想设计一些具功能性的产品，于是我们设计了一套两件有帽卫衣。一件设有忍者面罩，另一件则是传统的卫衣，当将两件卫衣结合时就是忌者的造型。至于那件忍者颈链其实是一条鞭子，当你遇到危急情况时你可以把它除下当成武器。
SG : 太有趣了，所以你做了一些武器。
PL : 是的，我们做了一些武器…其实不应该这样说，那是一条项链！不是武器。那是一件自卫物品。哈哈，不是用来杀人的。
SG : 这让我想起了那些漫画书背页的广告，那些你可以买的东西。
PL : 是的！完全正确。所以我们就是这样开始了。 D-Mop真的很棒，他们给予我很多创作上的自由。而我一些不熟悉的事物，像布料与车线这些事情，他们也让我知道。最后这个系列便是在来回的交流下而诞生。
SG : 这个很好啊。可以看到他们很贴心，不会只给你产品然后叫你上色了事。
PL : 它们看起来很具线条感，同时亦是一些新的概念。像怎样让衣服发挥其功能等。
SG : 我很喜欢衣服的剪裁。不是像Fruit of the Loom那种品牌的剪裁。
PL : 这个对付污染也不错。
SG : 什么？
PL : 对抗空气污染时你可以把面罩带上。
SG : 你有听过Aitor Throup这个名字吗？他是一位很出色的插画师，他有一些想法与你颇相似的，他的设计很具功能性，同时他不是每季生产的。一位很具概念性的设计师。
PL : 我也很喜欢具功能性的设计。若果我穿上一件衣服，我会有希望它有一定的功能，我会想要一件附有按钮的T恤。当天热时或天冷时，只要你一按按钮，便可以调节体温，像一件空调T 恤。
SG : 我觉得今日很多时装都已经没有了这个想法，当我拍摄大片时都会问模特穿着这些漂亮时装的感觉怎样，她们很多时候都会说「很糟糕，我什至不能穿着它走路。」
PL : 我想制作一些布料，例如是T恤，因为很多时虽然穿的是T恤，你还是觉得热得要命。这件T恤看起来是一件传统的T恤，但内里其实有多个小孔，很透气，就像是没有穿衣服一样。
SG：所以我觉我Nike真的很厉害，他们是这样的具前瞻性。很多人只会留意一些法国、意大利时装屋的设计，但其实Nike真的不能错过，很多人都是因为那种需求而买Nike的，他们真的创造了轻身的T恤。
PL：你知道为什么吗？因为人们真的希望穿得舒适，穿着时可以感受到的舒适。
SG : 我喜欢好看的设计，但穿上时不舒适的话…
PL : 拘紧。是的，我也喜欢穿得舒适。我曾经很沉迷滑板，所以我穿很多滑板服饰，T恤、松身裤等。
SG : 为什么滑板鞋都有很宽的鞋舌？
PL : 因为是有缓冲的作用？我很随意的，之前都是穿Converse滑板，穿破了很多双。它们把我的脚弄坏了很多遍，但之后我的脚又生了很多茧，所以我做ollies时做得更好。哈哈。
SG : 知道这个真的不错！
PL : 如果你想滑板并有更好的平衡力的话。
SG : 做完这个系列后有再继续的想法吗？
PL : 我觉我今次是一个很好的开始，若果再做下一个系列的话我希望是具有更多功能性的，当中可能会附带一些工具加强功能性。
SG : 这个系列是男女装还是只是针对男顾客？
PL : 男女均合适的，但可能比较倾向男士角度出发，设计很具线条感。
SG : 这些图像是特别为这个系列设计的吗？还是取自之前的作品？
PL : 有些是取自以往的作品，有些则是为今次特别设计的，像那个以忍者为概念的女装，便是我突然而来的想法。
SG : 谁是你头三号的女英雄人物？
PL : 头号是Psylocke。
SG : 再改良的那个。哈哈。
PL : 是的，原创，Jim Lee Psylocke，然后第二名是Catwoman，这里真的有很多好的女英雄人物，第三名要不是Spiderwoman便是Batgirl。 Wonderwoman也是其中一个很棒的人物，她的名字是什么？ LindaCarter？她绝对是其中几位最优秀的，有着Dcup的身材。
SG : 在漫画没有有小过C cup的啊。
PL : 那实在太棒了。
SG : 最后，可以讲讲你未来的大计吗？
PL : 我下半年会进驻画廊举办展览，从香港开始，之后可以会到大陆。这里有一些项目暂时不能透露，但会是一些与画廊有关的项目。我会专注于丙烯画，刚刚完成几个封面，并签了一些机密的合约。
SG : 美国公司还是亚洲公司？
PL : 美国。
<< English continued below >>
SPITGAN : You just said, ‘the capability of us to understand (things) is only 5%’. Do you mean to say that that’s a limitation to us (being humans)?
Pat Lee : It’s a frequency. I believe that everything is based off of frequency, and everything is mathematically calculated by frequency.
SG : So you don’t think we could get to 70% understanding…
PL : I think you could if a person wanted to dedicate their intentions to be aware and to understand certain kinds of information. There are certain kinds of people that don’t want to know about certain kinds of information out there, and they are content to live their life and do their own thing; be in this dimension. But I know many other people that have gone out of the Matrix, and just basically explored not just externally, but delved down really deep internally, which I believe…the whole concept is just raising your vibrational frequency to a level where the information arrives to you. Some people just live (in) this low frequency, which is just manifesting a lot of these low, negative things. Not necessarily negative, but just very physical things, knowwhatImean? Just living a very physical life. I think that I am coming to an awareness of this myself that, everything that you see is coming from a manifestation of everything you feel and the way you think. So the way you think and the way you feel actually creates your reality. I believe we’re getting to a point of our evolutionary process as human beings where we are starting to learn that we create our reality by thought and feeling. That vibrational frequency then moves out of the body…Actually there have been scientists that have actually measured (this), like Dr. Greg Brayden, who has actually measured the distance of the frequency that the heart perpetuates outside of the body. That it measures about 3 miles, and the only reason it measures a 3 miles radius from the human body is because their instruments can only measure up to 3 miles!
SG : Oh wow.
PL : He says he believes its way beyond 3 miles. So there’s this idea that thought and feeling, and the depth of what you think and feel, manifests things into physicality; into your reality, and the laws of the universe perpetuate themselves through that feeling and it moves into that manifestation. So for instance, this interview, having coffee, us being in Causeway, this has all been manifested based on thought and feeling. Your whole life is created in that way.
SG : Yeah, yeah! I have a general sort of base concept like that! It’s interesting that people have gone to measure that.
PL : Yeah, you should check out Greg Brayden its pretty cool.
SG : I’m involved in other things, especially music and I feel that sense greatly. Like what you perpetuate out is what you draw back in.
PL : I believe when I create its not coming from just me. I believe its coming from the universe. I believe that I basically am creating a signal to create. Then allowing the universe to co-create with me, to create an image. I believe that everything in this universe is creating in this kind of manner. I know this sounds crazy but we are kind of like radios, we’re like mobile phones. I don’t want to get too in depth but we’re a signal and we reach out to the universe and the universe co-creates with us.
SG : Is this your original process of drawing? Did it start out like that or is this something that has developed (this philosophy)?
PL : Sometimes. Sometimes. I just have this at-the-moment, on the spot (urge) to create something. I don’t feel it’s always coming from me. I don’t know. There’s something nudging me to ‘do this, draw this’.
SG : So does that make your work more impetuous? More free?
PL : To a certain degree. It allows my perception to be more open. I mean I’ve created so many things in my life like comics, to toys, to apparel, to jewelry, whatever. Music videos, all kinds of stuff… My style is so diverse, sometimes I wonder to myself where is that diversity coming from? Where is the origin of that diversity? I don’t know. I am like a sponge, I am able to absorb things very fast, in terms of my creative capability, but if you were to say here’s a mathematical…I’ll be like, “Oh God”…
SG : Ok maybe lets get to some formal questions, but that really expands the conversation and things I wanted to ask you! So much for just comics.
To start at the beginning, give us a little background of Pat Lee.
PL : So my background. I’ve always had a passion for doing comics. I have been a comic collector my whole life. Just being very inspired by the art created by American artists, specifically Simon Bisley, Jim Beam (my ex-boss), and Todd McFarlane. George Perez, Art Adams, some of my other colleagues, Michael Turner to Scott Campbell…It was just like I loved American comic books, superheroes, the stories, and so forth. Its funny one of the first things I started trying to do as a kid, I think I was like around 9 or 10 years old, something like that, I always wanted to draw Transformers. So I would actually collect Transformers and I created my own little comic book! I was at like issue #3 and I’m like 10! By the time I got to the age of 22, I was doing Transformers! Before Transformers, at the age of 17, I became a freelancer. My parents basically said, “Ok Pat. You have to make this a career in one year. If you don’t get a job, you’re going back to school”. So I was supposed to go to Cal Arts for animation.
SG : Serious.
PL : I was following the footsteps of one a family friend who was a lead animation director for Disney.
SG : That’s quite the antithesis of basic Asian child rearing man.
PL : I was like on the 11th month like, “Yeah yeah I got you! I got a job. I don’t have to go to school.” So I picked up and moved to California for a year and got a lot of training. I ended up moving back to Toronto after and became a freelancer again, and started building a studio. From 8 employees it ended up turning into, in about 5 or 6 years, around 50 people. We became a studio, and then a publishing company, by the time we bought the license for Transformers. So Transformers was the peak of our success as a publishing company. We sold 1.5 million copies or something like that. We did a really amazing numbers…
SG : Why were you such the popular choice?
PL : I think what happened was I did one image of (the) Autobots. It was one quick drawing that I did for Wizard magazine. So Wizard published my Transformers work as a, “What if Pat did Transformers”, type thing. That’s what sparked the interest.
SG : But it wasn’t because of other titles, I didn’t read your other titles, but were they very robot oriented?
PL : They were very anime. They were very Anime. They were very Japanese Manga style. So that spun into Transformers then we grew.
SG : Transformers got me back. I used to read comics until the beginning of the Image era, then I kinda walked away.
PL : That time in comics was great cuz that’s when all the Image guys were at Marvel. So you had Jim Lee, Todd, Mark Silvestri, Wilce Portracio all those guys were in Marvel at that time and that was a great time to collect comics. That’s when I was collecting comics.
SG : X-Men was beast! I always thought it was written really well. Ever met Chris Claremont?
PL : Oh yeah! Chris Claremont’s amazing!
SG : I thought that was such a mature comic. That was very formative for my age, growing up.
PL : I haven’t read it lately but it’s completely different now.
SG : A lot of its…
PL : Yeah, a lot of its different.
SG : Then I see this Canadian company picked up Transformers and I went down to check for it. “This looks cool.”
PL : Yeah we did Transformers for a while. Like 4 years, and that’s when I started doing more Marvel and DC. They basically were like Pat, what would you like to do? I was like, “Oh cool! I get to pick?!”
So I worked with Marvel quite heavily at first and they said what do want to do? I said, “Well my 2 favorites are Fantastic 4 and X-Men…” They were like, “Ok well we’ll just combine them together in a comic book series!” I was like, “Fuck yeah! That’s awesome!” So I did a series of that. It was tough. It was very fun but I was working around the clock because I was running a company, and working Fantastic Four and X-Men at the same time. After a while I did a lot of X-Men, Spider Man, Iron Man. I did a lot of covers, a lot of X-Men covers. Then DC called me and said, “Hey Pat we want you to do Dark Knight.” I’m like, “OKAY!” I went and did Dark Knight for a while. DC was awesome. They gave me tons of Batman covers. I was working with Jeff Loeb which is like…I love Jeff Loeb, he’s awesome. Originally I was supposed to do a series with his son but he passed away from cancer. So then Jeff Loeb took over and we did a Batman, Superman crossover. That was such an honor just to be a part of that series. That was the peak of comics for me. Just to work on a Batman series. After I worked on that I just didn’t want to draw comics anymore.
SG : But you started with Image right? Then you started moving back to the main companies.
PL : Yeah it started with Image, then licensing, then Marvel and DC. It’s really hard to get an opportunity to work on those titles. It took me a decade, to get an opportunity to work on such big titles.
SG : But when it came. It was like the doors were open to you.
PL : Yeah it was amazing. When it came, it was like, “What would you like to work on?” It was really an honor to work with the people at Marvel, and the people at DC, and the characters that they gave me, and the freedom and flexibility they allowed me to be creative. After that I really wanted to find myself. Who I was and how far I could go as a creative individual. Then I moved to Asia and just tried to be as creative as I can. Like, “What else can I create? What else can I do that’s just outside of comics?” I was doing feature film work on Superman the movie…Then when I came to Asia I started to find very interesting projects in Japan, in Korea, and China. Then I started to be just open-minded to my creativity.
SG : What were some of these projects?
PL : So, we built a seven-ton dragon at the Macau casino, at MGM. It was the biggest project I ever worked on. In terms of production we had a 120 people working on it. I was the designer and lead creative director of the whole project. It was a tough project but the fact we were able to pull it off in such a short timeframe was great. I cannot talk about my up and coming projects yet. I would love to share with you when the time comes…Now I am involved with a lot of very interesting and unique projects I probably thought I would never do. Sometimes I wonder how am I going to design these things. It’s going to be interesting. How I am going to use my creativity to do it. Doing animation. I opened a company in Hong Kong called SecretLab and we develop intellectual property for the China market. We’ve been developing an animation project with hopes of trying to get it into China and we’re definitely moving in the right direction. We’re very close to making it a reality, so we’re very excited about that.
SG : Why Asia? You were already quite popular in America.
PL : Yeah. Its kind of like I feel I’ve done everything that I feel that I can do. Building a company, doing comics, doing toys and doing the whole convention. I still love it and I would still like to go back one day and do that. Its almost like I wanted to go to a new planet and I wanted to see how I could be creative in that field. At that time I had a very difficult time. Around 2004 was very tough for me, cuz the comic book scene…the sales weren’t as strong. The Canadian dollar was getting stronger and we were making US money. So we had to close our previous company cuz it was just growing too fast and too big, and very difficult for us to shrink it. It was like an inflatable balloon and it just popped. Unfortunately. That was just another reason why I just wanted to find myself as a person not just as an artist. I ventured off into Asia to start fresh and new. To see how I could compete and create. It’s been quite a journey and now I’m just very concentrated on painting. I love acrylic painting. I love painting in general. I’m doing a lot of giant acrylic paintings, a lot of big screen printing paintings and that’s my foundation right now. I guess all the other stuff is collaborations that are kind of like wrapped around that. In my life right now I just feel so content. I don’t know…
SG : That’s very important…
PL : Yeah. Just the friends that I have here, the people I’m surrounded with, the people I’m constantly meeting. I feel like were all on the same frequency and everyone wants to help each other grow. In terms of business, and in terms of creativity, it’s very different. I like it here! Haha.
SG : Did you find coming to Asia, in terms of exploring you, (and your possibilities) its more fluid. I mean, your speaking on the different opportunities your getting…
PL : Yes. It does have a lot of effect on the stuff that I do. It’s always mentioned with the my work. Transformers, Batman, Superman…What I find most intriguing about Asia, not just Hong Kong, but Asia in general, is the stuff I’m getting to do. Some of the collaborations I plan on doing in the next 12 months, I just thought I would never get the opportunity to do some of these things. I’m not saying you can’t do these things in the States but…I meet some very interesting people.
SG : Basically what I want to say is this magazine issue is about ‘New China’. I kind of feel there’s this…lately from being here, there’s this energy…What do you think about that when you hear the words ‘New China’.
PL : New China, um. Well I think that as we progress, as China progresses, it becomes more diverse. I think that there are definitely more opportunities and as time passes, just from a creative perspective, there’s going to be more opportunities, more abilities, and more diversity. An ability to showcase your creativity more, it’s going to become more international. It’s basically all merging. I think there’s a lot going on in being open minded.
SG : Yeah. I feel in some ways there are more possibilities there cuz Hong Kong is a very developed place so your working through that structure, but there, some of it’s wild west…
PL : Yep. Well Hong Kong has also got a lot of foreigners. An extraordinary amount of foreigners! So definitely, in terms of creativity, you can do all kinds of things. Do anything!
SG : You find the quality on par with the speed though?
PL : Well yeah. It needs to be monitored but if you find the right people to work with…and there are so many options, that’s the beautiful thing. If you find the right company then, definitely, definitely the quality is good.
SG : Can you explain something about comics. The penciler and inker can you explain that relationship?
PL : Inkers hate it when you call them a tracer. They hate it. I had this one inker, a good friend of mine, who was always my inker for almost 9 years. Sometimes he would get called like, “Hey, so basically you trace right?” “I don’t trace. I ink.” Basically the penciler is the person who creates the original layout of how the page will look. Draw all the characters and so forth. The inker, if you have a good inker, will make it 10 times better. It is essentially trying to make it more graphical looking, so that when it prints it doesn’t look mushy. An inker tries to be as accurate as possible but always adds in their own flair. They add in a lot of thick and thin lines, but essentially their job is to make the artwork look a lot more graphical. If I were to say anything about an inker it would be that to create a comic book it would be an EQUAL collaboration between a penciler and an inker. Without a good inker, a penciler is nothing. Without a good penciler, an inker is nothing.
SG : Is it different from fine artwork? Cuz I noticed your video in the store…you had done the sketch and you were (inking)…
PL : That actually comes from my understanding of inking actually. That’s why when I draw heavy lines with the brush markers and things like that. I am able to get a lot of thick and thin lines and know how to apply the brush in certain areas. If it wasn’t for my training in inking I don’t know if I would be able to do that. I probably would pencil just as fast but in terms of using markers maybe not.
Penciling is tedious and fun. Inking is definitely more relaxing but harder on the hand cuz you have a lot of thick and thin lines. Inkers, we use nibs, specifically like ProQuills, or Hunts 102’s. When you do a pull it has to be accurate and it has to be gentle and strong. So you’re constantly doing that every stroke. It’s very tough on the hand.
SG : So those are like the Montana cans, those two (brands)…
PL : Basically. For comics…and for spray painting I always use Montana.
SG : You spray paint too?
PL : Yes. I spray paint too.
SG : Oh ish!
A bit about this collection then, how did it come about?
PL : A good friend of mine introduced me to one of his close friends Fredrick who’s a part of D-MOP. He asked me if I would be interested in doing a collab. I thought it would be interesting to do something with clothes. I had never done anything with clothes before, other than just prints. I never really got into fashion or things like that. I said, “Its sounds like an interesting idea, lets try it.” So our initial discussions were definitely something about samurai, ronin, and ninjas, something to that degree. I always wanted to design stuff that has some usefulness so we designed a double hoodie. So the first hood is a ninja mask and the other hood is just a regular hood. But if you combine both together it still looks like a ninja. We created that. Originally, for the ninja star necklaces, the whole idea was that you could take it off and whip it at people if you were ever in need. So if you’re in trouble you can just whip it off and chuck it at people.
SG : Hahah. Nice! So you made some weapons…
PL : So we made some weapons…No…I don’t want to say that, it’s a necklace! It’s not a weapon. I don’t want to say that. It’s a self-defense mechanism. Haha. It’s not used to kill people.
SG : It makes me think of those ads for things you could buy at the back of comics. LOL.
PL : Yeah yeah! Exactly! It’s one of those things. So we designed that and those were really fun and that’s how it kinda started. D-Mop has been really great, they have been very open-minded about my creativity. There are some things that I am not too familiar with, and they will express to me certain fabrics, certain ways of stitching. So through the collaboration we were able to create a line of clothes.
SG : That’s awesome ‘cause you can see it’s more considered than just you providing the graphics and slapping it on to some of their stuff.
PL : It was graphics too, but also collaborating on new ideas too. How clothes can function and so forth.
SG : I like the cutting as well. Its not just some Fruit of the Loom thing you guys bought and slapped on.
PL : Its great for pollution too you know.
SG : Pardon?
PL : Great for pollution. You pull up the mask if you’re choking on some bad air.
SG : There’s this guy called Aitor Throup ever heard of him? He’s a great illustrator but he designs kinda the way you’re thinking. Very functional and he doesn’t produce by season. He’s a very conceptual guy.
PL : I like that too. I like very functional things. I look at it if I’m wearing it. I like it to be functional. I want…Sometimes it gets really hot and it’d be cool to have a t-shirt where you press a button and it gets cool. An air conditioned t-shirt.
SG : I think a lot of fashion loses that sense. I will ask a lot of women when I shoot them, like that looks like a great piece. (But they tell me) “It feels bad. I can’t even walk in this.”
PL : I would just love to create a fabric where, like a t-shirt. ‘Cause even when you wear a t-shirt it still gets damn hot when you’re running around. But a T-shirt from the exterior looks like a regular t-shirt, but the interior or the way that it’s designed, its got tons of tiny holes in it, it feels like your wearing nothing. I dunno.
SG : That’s why I think Nike’s great. They’re innovative like that. When people think of fashion they name of the big French and Italian brands but you gotta look at Nike cuz a lot of people buy that stuff exactly because they make that lightweight t-shirt…
PL : You know why ‘cuz people like to feel comfortable in their gear…when you put it on you can feel it.
SG : Like I’m down with style but when you put it on you can’t feel like (I can’t move)…
PL : Stiff. Yah right. I love just being comfortable. I used to skate a lot so…I love wearing skate gear. T-shirts, really loose pants…
SG : Why always the fat tongue on skate shoes? SB’s always have a fat tongue.
PL : ‘cuz cushion? I’m really raw. Back in the day, I used to wear Converse shoes and they used to get destroyed. They would destroy my feet, but it builds the callouses in your foot so you can do ollies better! Lol.
SG : Good to know!
PL : If you want to skate and just more balance I would say.
SG : So this is your first collection. You think you’re gonna want to continue?
PL : I think if the next thing I do will definitely be much more functional. I think this was a good start but I think if I do another series of clothes it will be much more functional. Maybe at some level have certain elements of gadgets so that it becomes more functional.
SG : Was this a men’s/women’s thing or was this just men’s?
PL : Uh, it’s suitable for both, but I guess it leans more towards guys. It’s very graphic heavy. I mean in the type of art style, but it is open and flexible to both.
SG : And the graphics you said were unique to this collection? They weren’t taken from previous work?
PL : Well some of them are unique and some of them I had just created, like the ninja girl, she was just created out of my joy of art and I just felt like, “Oh its perfect for this collection”. So I would bring certain images into the collection.
SG : Give us your top 3 girl superhero characters.
PL : My number 1 would be Psylocke.
SG : The re-invention. Hahah.
PL : Yeah. The original, Jim Lee Psylocke. Oh-oh, definitely Catwoman would be my second one. There are so many, but the third one has to be between Spiderwoman and Batgirl. Wonder Woman is definitely one of those up there. Especially what’s her name, Linda Carter? Linda Carter, Wonder Woman definitely has to be up there, with a D-Cup.
SG : There’s no smaller than a C in comics man!
PL : Just awesome. Yeah.
SG : Maybe anything you can tell us about what you have coming?
PL : Coming? I am definitely going to have a gallery, second quarter of next year. A gallery show. It will start in Hong Kong first, and probably move to China. There are some other projects but I can’t… Most of the stuff I am doing is gallery related. Doing a lot of acrylics. Did a couple of covers in comics, I don’t really do interior projects. Signed confidentiality agreements.
SG : For American companies? Or Asian.
PL : US.
Speak Your Mind