abbracadabbling: YGI: Damaggio Will Power 'GREEN LANTERN'

09 November 2009

YGI: Damaggio Will Power 'GREEN LANTERN'

Green Lantern has remained one of my favorite superheroes ever since my life in single digits, and not much has changed for the last thirty years. While the drama and intrigue of his stories has never been as visceral - and thus not as enjoyable -- as my other favorite hero's, Batman -- Green Lantern's hook in me was never his character's resolve, nor the spectacle of his space-faring adventures, nor even his emerald costume always awash in that green cosmic glow.

It's the Power Ring of the Green Lanterns that I've always desired, and what as a little boy became the catalyst of wonderful and soaring dreams. The ring is Green Lantern's weapon, but it's also much more. Unlike the Batman's batarangs or grappling hooks, which are tools and movie props, the whole of the Green Lantern concept, the heart of the superhero, and indeed Green Lantern's very source of his luminescent powers are all embodied in his green ring.

The power ring functions on all levels of story for Green Lantern - plot, narrative, character, decision, thought, thematic elements, and spectacle. The best Green Lantern stories are those by writers who have this comprehensive understanding. Geoff Johns has captured these principles in the current DC Comics Green Lantern series, and has even extended it (perhaps as far as possible without it unraveling) through the current Blackest Night with success. It works because despite all the action, science fiction, and character development -- all essential and great things -- he didn't loose the core of the story in the process. Concept permeates the work, and gives it meaning.

In comics and movies both, a story's concept can be difficult to execute, but a good artist can capture it, conveying idea, mood and design through their work. A great concept artist accomplishes the same, yet more. The difference is something ineffable, a spirit or imaginative quality, that gives form and presence to a story on the page and off. Like in Green Lantern comics, conviction and willpower make the imagined, real.

Rodolfo Damaggio has been called by his peers to be among the best concept artists working today. Before moving into concept art and storyboard creation, Damaggio began his artistic career as a penciler and inker for DC Comics. Damaggio notes this bit of advice on his website: 'if you want to learn to draw, draw comics.'

It's extremely clear that he's learned to do just that, with cinematic grandeur. And to say that I'm absolutely stoked that Rodolfo Damaggio's current gig just happens to be Warner Bros' upcoming Green Lantern movie would be an understatement.

Damaggio's talent and skill is reflected by his extensive resume that includes films like Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. He's worked with director Joe Johnston on both Jurassic Park III and most recently Universal's The Wolf Man -- which you know all about from our weekend blog.

Science fiction aside, Damaggio's experience in film hasn't strayed too far from his comic book beginnings. He's worked as a concept and storyboard artist on Ang Lee's Hulk, Marvel's first Iron Man movie, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and Mission Impossible III.

It's likely to be some time before any of his concept art of Ryan Reynolds or Green Lantern surfaces, but once you see Damaggio's work, it's impossible to think that Green Lantern's concepts are in anything but the best and most capable of hands.

For your graphic imagination, abbracadabbling presents just a sample of Rodolfo Damaggio's portfolio below. If you'd like to see more, you can find his many portfolios and samples of his comics work on his website here.