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Formerly Joey_numbers
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Houston, Texas
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LESEAN THOMAS - FROM COMICS TO BOONDOCKS AND MORE
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by Steve Fritz
Wil Eisner isn’t the only comic talent from the Bronx.
“I’m from the South Bronx, born and raised,” quips LeSean Thomas. “For the curious, East 152nd Street between Tinton and Union Avenue, not far from Southern Blvd, in John Adams Housing Projects…the least likely place to find animators. Ha Ha!”
Take it from a boy from Queens’ north shore, you can feel the Zoo, Yankee Stadium, Nedick’s and Nathan’s and the rest of the Bronx all over Thomas’ work. You can even feel what beat it moves to.
“In terms of influence, like any artist, home has definitely played an integral part in my development,” Thomas concurs. “I mean, Hip Hop was born there. I grew up when it grew up. It’s the Mecca, so yeah, the first thing I think people get outta my work is movement and spontaneous energy, two things that I think are somewhat embodiments of Hip Hop culture. I’ve been labeled as a ‘Graffiti-styled,’ ‘Hip Hop Manga’ and ‘Hip Hop-styled’ artist among many.
“Those terms sound corny to me,” he laughs, “but it’s not that far off from the truth, there just isn’t a better term out there yet to describe my stuff.”
So like the jazz that powered Eisner over a half-century ago, Thomas’ style is moves to a more modern beat. Another influence was his family. .
“Yeah, there wont be an ‘I’ve always known I wanted to be an artist’ bit to go with this response,” Thomas admits. “I was really just swagger jackin’ from my older bro. I mean, when you’re the second child of five, you have to compete with the first-born. Afterwards, it was one of those things that I stuck with because nobody else around the way was doing it. None of my siblings are artists. They all went on to become productive members of society. Me, on the other hand, I draw funny books for 40 year olds who still live in the basement with Mom, and produce animated works that provoke Rev. Al Sharpton to protest,” says Thomas. “I’m a real credit to society!”
But there’s one other element in the mix. That’s anime and manga. As fans of such series as Tenjo Tenge and Samurai Champloo are realize, Hip Hop provides subtext to high octane Asian action ‘toons.
So did this mean that Thomas is the hot young prodigy just about to tear the roof off the sucka? Hell, no.
“I always aspired to be a comic artist,” says Thomas. “It was the birth of the Image Comics era but my stuff was [considered] too ‘cartoon-y’ back then,” says Thomas. “After various attempts and drawing different styles to get work at Marvel and DC, I just gave up and went into animation. Not to mention the competition was so fierce.”
Going into animation wasn’t a bad thing. It schooled Thomas.
“The biggest is animation is not comic books,” says Thomas. “You can pull some comparisons, but it’s a completely different mind-state, focus and discipline. You have to forget falling in love with a drawing, something that’s cherished among comic artists. You have to check your ego at the door, something not regulated in comics, ha ha.
“But the main difference is that you have to work with others more intimately and be willing to conform to one style. You could have the sickest drawing in the world, but if it doesn’t fit with the other 23 drawings in a frame it has to be omitted. It’s about making 24 drawings convey one second of movement. It’s an entirely different approach.
“The same goes for any other aspect of animation production it could be storyboards, layouts, background design and color. No matter how great a comic illustrator you are, if you don’t know the camera rules, terminology and techniques for film to translate to an overseas studio who speaks another language, those pretty pictures are pretty much useless. It’s something that’s a lot more collaborative compared to the ‘do-it-yourself’ nature that comes with the comic artist culture.”
After working for a few organizations over the next decade, primarily Disney, as well as working on his own independent comic, Cannon Busters, Thomas got tapped by no less than Aaron Magruder.
“Aaron contacted me during my development of Cannon Busters and doing Disney’s Kim Possible storyboards back in ‘04,” Thomas recalls. “In fact, I had just finished watching the dude get interviewed on The Tavis Smiley Show. It was redevelopment time. Aaron was having trouble finding brothas (or anyone for that matter) in Cali’s TV animation circles who could competently combine anime, have a hip hop sensibility at a high level of quality and still be able to ‘get’ the type of black humor he was bringing.
“Enter Boondocks comic strip artist Carl Jones, who also serves as one of the show’s producers. Carl and I go back a few years prior to him meeting Aaron. Upon us meeting, I was later commissioned to art direct development for an animated series for Roc-a-fella Records recording artist Beanie Sigel titled The Play Pen (which is currently in development now; http:// www.myspace.com/the_play_pen ) and I got at Carl to help me as character designer for the project.
“Carl showed him my work. Once Aaron saw my Cannon Busters work, among others, I think it was a wrap. I got the call, and within a week I was in Los Angeles with Aaron at Sony Pictures Television Animation studios, thumb nailing rough ideas to what would be the final look to what you see on the screen now. It was pretty exciting.”
It is a good thing Thomas knew anime. Magruder loves a number of those shows; particularly FLCL and Samurai Champloo.
“In terms of incorporating them into our show, I think those two were more of an influence than anything,” says Thomas. “We studied a lot of anime for timing ideas, like animating on 3’s, approach and inspiration and always came back to them. Samurai Champloo is boss, simply because anything that Kazuto Nakazawa (SC’s character designer among many other credits--ED) puts his hands on is gold. The man showed me that it’s OK to draw inaccurately as long as the appeal, energy, and fun is there.
“I love FLCL for simple foundation purposes. I say that because I’ve been watching FLCL since 1999. Ordering the original DVDs from Japan. It jump-started my influence and change in approach immediately upon viewing that series. Leave it to Gainax studios; first Evangelion, now FLCL. They have a penchant for expanding my imagination every time.
“Also as Supervising Character Designer/Co-Director, my style, by default, falls into the category of being Kazuto Nakazawa-esque, who is one of my idols. I got comparisons him from my work on Dream Wave’s Arkanium series which was in ’01, years before Samurai Champloo even started. That, combined with the music, gives you a similar feel.”
“The new jump-off I’m dying to get my hands on is Gun Buster: Aim for the Top 2! I’ve seen the first two episodes and it’s the most fun I’ve seen in years. Lead designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (One of the founders of Gainax, who’s work includes FLCL—ED) never ceases to amaze me with his character design. I hate the Japanese sometimes. They do everything that we do…but they always add salt and pepper to it to give it some flavor. I need a copy of their cookbooks.”
But still, the most important element is Thomas’ work is 100% compatible with Magruder’s. This is particularly important when one is making the transition from comic strip to animation.
“I personally think there's a definite contrast from the newspaper comic strip to the 22-minute animated version,” says Thomas. “As a strip, a lot of the world of Woodcrest you are familiar with is all in your head. Aaron only provides so much visual information, it being 3-to-6 panels…[it] leaves a lot for the imagination. Also, it takes literally MONTHS to produce ONE SHOW. So we don’t have the advantage of poignant delivery of current events like the newspaper strip provides, which, is produced EVERY DAY. I think both the show and the newspaper strip are great. They are just DIFFERENT in approach. I think people who are fans of the strip, for them to see the show and these characters move and talk. It’s a bit startling at first.”
The truth is the animated version of Boondocks still feels true to Magruder’s source material. This, in turn, has made it an out-and-out hit. Thomas is right pleased with himself. He deserves to be.
“It’s amazing!,” says Magruder. “Personally, I think its two things: The writing and the visuals. The goal was to create a visual look that was so beautiful, it would distract you from the wild, unconventional stuff you see and hear the characters perform in the series. From a writing standpoint, I mean, it’s Satire. The goal is to hold up a mirror and poke fun at some of the things that’s accepted in modern society, which forces us to re-evaluate, discuss and debate what’s acceptable which is always healthy. In today’s seemingly media-controlled climate, critical thinking and revaluation itself is often looked upon as ‘controversial,’ so making sure the visuals are amazing helps distract you a little.”
As for the future? Expect to see a lot more work from Thomas. Really soon, too.
“I’m focused on Season 2 and am excited about outdoing myself this time around,” he admits. “I think Season 1 let cats know that we’re here and that it can be done. To me, Season 2 lets cats know Season 1 wasn’t a fluke.”
But the new work isn’t limited to animation, either. Thomas is getting back to his first work, Cannon Busters.
“Cannon Busters is a li’l concoction I’ve been developing and penciling for the duration of the last couple years, which launched in ’05 with issue #1,” says Thomas. “It is the fantasy story of Samberry, a royal Companion droid who's trying to get back home. Having never experienced interaction outside her kingdom's walls, it all goes askew when she's violently separated from her owner and kingdom, due to an attack from a mysterious and powerful sorcerer, during a time where magic is extinct. Along her journey, she comes across the paths of three other individuals who also wish to get to where she's headed, but for their own reasons. It's like a smoked-out version of the Wizard of Oz meets Breath of Fire FLCL meets hip-hop. The spine of the story is very high concept, but of course it's the journey and the characters that will make it unique.”
From the sounds of things, the first issue did pretty well. A second printing was done before it was sandbagged by Boondocks.
“In retrospect, I thought it was received pretty well,” says Thomas. “The Boondocks, unfortunately, made me decide the best way to put it out is through the way of a graphic novel. I disappointed a few people and a few of my followers, but I feel this way, I now can work at my own pace and not be pressured by the standard monthly deadlines. All this, while I help contribute to one of the most important pieces of animated entertainment in the history of prime [time] television.
“My priorities are aligned more clearly, and given the circumstances, I don’t need to speak on which of the works are more important, especially since they are both getting done. I took the risk and it paid off. That just means when I do eventually drop the Vol. 1 OGN of Cannon Busters this year, it will hopefully be met with more people knowing my name and looking for it.”
Then again, one could say Thomas is doing a little shrewd marketing while he’s at it.
“The market is going the ‘OGN’ way these days more so than ever,” he said. “Also I think people would rather wait to get a whole chunk of something as opposed to waiting month to month. The OGN route also creates new opportunities for exposure through bookstores like Borders and Barnes and Nobles, not just the direct market/mom and pop stores.
“I think fans of my work have been waiting for me to finish this thing for some time now and it’s indeed being wrapped up. It will be about 100 pages of art, including issue #1 reprinted, the hard-to-find San Diego Comicon issue #0, 11-page back up story by Corey Lewis (Sharknife) an all-new, hefty sketch book section as well as a guest pin-up gallery by comic favorites, indy and mainstream. It’s gonna be quite the book. Scripted by none other than www.jtorressonline.com and colors by Stuart Ng (www.genesoul.net ) and a few other guest colorists. It’s slated for a 4th quarter release and will hopefully satisfy my fans with a dose of high-impact, action fantasy.”
That isn’t the only thing Thomas will be publishing this year. He’s also got a sketchbook planned.
“I’m putting the finishing touches on Nervous Breakdowns: The Art of LeSean Thomas, Vol. 1, my first-ever, well-anticipated sketchbook. It’s a monster of a book, if I do say so myself. Not to toot my own horn but I just got the test copy in and holding this thing in my hands, it’s a beast. It’s like Terrada’s RAKUGAKI KING sketchbook in some ways. There will be TONS of never-before seen stuff, new and old. It will be spanning a decade of progression, circa 1995-2005. No specific order. Over 320 pages in length, black and white with full color cover at $17 bucks, featuring an introduction by me and a Forward by great buddy and world famous Warner Bros Animation Studios Producer/Art Director, Jeff Matsuda (www.jeffmatsuda.com; Batman, Jackie Chan Adventures).
“You can also look for it in the Anime Essentials recommendations/review section in an upcoming issue of www.playmagazine.com . It’s THAT dope! It’s scheduled to be released at the San Diego Comicon and for sale (shortly before the Comicon) at my web site, www.leseanthomas.com. Keep an eye out for it. Also, visit my web site when you get the chance, its been given a “2.0” treatment and its lovely (props to www.galvotoast.com )”
So it would appear this is one Bronx kid who’s gone quite far, at least as far as L.A, where he currently resides.
“I don’t know, its weird,” says Thomas. “It’s summer all year ‘round out here. I’ve lost my sense of time because there’s no seasonal changes, or, not enough of a change for me to notice time has passed. Every day’s the same out here. At least back home I had four wardrobes for the four seasons. Out here, I just rock a pair of shorts and white t-shirt everyday. Also, the people out here say hello to complete strangers too, I’m still trying to get used to that. Really though, I’m pretty content with where I live.
“Since I spend most of my days indoors on my grizz’ I’m cool. As long as I have my light box and drafting table, I’m swayze’. I could be in a cave and it won’t matter as long as I got my tools. I’m focused. I'm just in a different zone these days. I've become more of an introvert. Also, my tastes are changing. Things that used to impress me two or so years ago don’t impress me now. I think every artist goes through that phase. I'm getting more into classical artists and have been taking life drawing classes and painting classes in the evenings. It’s weird. My tastes are constantly evolving and I feel like I'm starting come full circle: simple to complex to simple, back to complex again.”
In the meantime, Thomas will be bringing it on back home this weekend at the New York ComicCon. He’ll also be going down to Atlanta for the Independent Black Film Festival come March 12-19, where he’ll actually be speaking.
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