It may not even be July, but Jason Sean Alexander already hopes you’re thinking about Christmas.
More specifically, the artist (behind books like Killer Delphia and the Sky Zone) recently launched a Zoop campaign for Scrooge: A Christmas Carol. As you may already guess from the title, Scrooge sees Alexander adding artwork to Charles Dickens’ famous 1843 novel. It’s an opportunity to “share the images that appear in my head when I read this ghostly story,” as Alexander explained in his press material.
But there is yet another wrinkle to this story. Scrouge actually began in the early 2000s with a “never realized” project. So, after finding the artwork about 24 years later, Alexander recreated and completed the Scrooge with some photos “fine-tuned and others, completely redrawn and new ones added.” Despite the fact that the book took a while to finally arrive, Scrooge promises to be a bold new addition to Alexander’s own robust catalogue of impactful art, an interesting spin on true seasonal classics.
Scrooge Zoop is currently active. If you’re interested in supporting the campaign, please see here. We recently caught up with Alexander via email until it was released. So we talked about how Scrooge was first evacuated, how his experiences reworked/added art, why Scrooge is such an iconic story, and his favourite scenes/exceptions, other topics and little things.
AIPT: What happened with Scrouge’s books in the early 2000s – why didn’t it come to fruition?
Jason Sean Alexander: The company was inevitably closed.
aipt: Maintain that vein: What was it like to revisit this material and recreate it? Do you have a better idea now about your early days and comprehensive development as an artist?
JSA: This book started out as something I thought would be faster. Ha. My wife and I decided to find all the original art, look into it, then try to publish it. But once I start putting together the book, this is a big book, and it’s the only time I’ll show you my version of this story, and it’s one of my absolute favorites. So I started tweaking them digitally and after they ran my motor I realized I had to do it all the way through.
My goal was to “correct” certain images and some of the other images, but what happened was to recreate all the illustrations in the book. I still base my old illustrations on my work and where some really special aspects work. It seems I’ve been having a conversation with my 25-year-old self, composing his string drawing bones and showing him what I’ve learned over the next 25 years.
AIPT: What were the challenges of starting art again in 24 years? What about the opportunity?
JSA: The challenge was purely time-related. This has become a much bigger project than I thought. This has become a much bigger project than I thought. This has become a much bigger project than I thought. But everything about working on these images and adding new images was just an opportunity. This has become a much bigger project than I had expected. But working on these images and adding new images was just an opportunity and an explosion.
AIPT: How does this new book differ from what was 24 years ago or how did it change? I’m sure there will be plenty of winnings, but when will they come back, do you think they missed anything?
JSA: I haven’t missed anything. I am excited because I have this opportunity to visually show you why I like this story so much. The painting itself is improved and relaxed, and the pure vibe is something I couldn’t stop at the time.
AIPT: Why Scrooge’s Story/Canon is your favorite and still very important or resonates?
JSA: I love it. I generally have a dark sensibility, and this is a shining ghost story told at Christmas! The best! And I’m a good red talk sucker.
aipt: Do you have any favorite images from the book? Are there any images that speak to what this book is really trying to achieve?
JSA: Too many. I’m proud of all this work.
AIPT: It has a very strict and unique style. When you tell a story like Scrooge, did you fix it at all?
JSA: Yes, the original drawing was for a younger audience. I understood it well until I revisited the book and reread the story. This is actually not a book for children. But I loved comics and exaggeration, and I knew I didn’t want to take pictures of models and do everything as realistically as possible. I did that. So, although this version is definitely dark, there are many characters in that darkness.
AIPT: Is it scary/sharrowful to portray the story of Charles Dickens? Or does it reduce pressure considering your “collator” has been dead for so long?
JSA: The pressure comes from not wanting to knock out another project. I hope this volume will be a version of people on the bookshelves that are open during the season. I treat this book with all respect. It’s as if it’s done in every library in the country.
AIPT: Speaking of the dead, I always felt that Christmas carols were a better Halloween story than Christmas. Do you agree with that, and do you basically make it a Halloween story with your fierce/creepy art style?
JSA: No! It is a story of regret and redness. Finally, I’m still choking. The man was taken in the face of the consequences of his actions and he literally woke up. beautiful.
AIPT: What do you think about participating in the entire crowdfunding experience? Do you think books like this are tailored to this approach?
JSA: Yes. I think every project has its own atmosphere and it has its own way of being presented. Crowdfunding I felt this book was correct.
AIPT: We’re talking about Christmas, so we have to ask stupid/silly questions: what is the best holiday song, why?
JSA: For nostalgia, I have to say “little drummer boy.” For some reason, I had a record and loved the drums. And I was small. By becoming.
Also, “Holy Night” if someone could really build that last part. “New York Fairy Tales” by Pogs. And the baby should go back to that house covered by U2. Editor’s Note: It would be an underrated “Christmas (Baby Go Home).)”.
AIPT: Scrooge, is there anything you need to know about your work, or any more “secret” projects?
JSA: All I can do is destroy Albert Finney’s Scrooge every time.
My only other secret project to be revealed is hopeful next year, next year, will create a 300-page empty zone omnibus containing everything that has been released so far.
