DSTLRY has made a name for itself in the past year, making their return to San Diego Comic-Con a memorable one with multiple newly announced series, many panels, and a booth teeming with people. Since its founding in May 2023, DSTLRY has released hits as Blasfamous by Mirka Andolfo, Gone by Jock, the Eisner award-winning Somna by Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay, and much more.
It came as no surprise on the last day of the convention that they still had one last panel to share with fans in which Jock (Gone), Mirka Andolfo (Blasfamous), and Joëlle Jones (The Devil’s Cut) drew in real-time while answering questions in a panel moderated by DSTLRY founding editor Will Dennis.
It started with Jock taking the stage first and drawing his first piece of art, which was displayed to the audience on a large screen. As you looked around the room, multiple attendees either sketched along or listened intently to the artists. There wasn’t a moment without questions being asked and laughter filling the room.
Dennis kept the panel moving, with the first question directed at Jones. He mentioned the new series, Through Red Windows from Ram V and Joëlle Jones, saying, “So it’s like an urban horror with Edgar Allan Poe-inspired elements mixed with Lovecraftian influences, but set in a very slick world of finance.” He continued, “I like to talk to artists about their process, down to the minute details of their workspace or how they do things. So I wanted to ask, when Ram sends you a script, what’s the process at that point?”
Joëlle explained that the process varies with each artist. “With Ram, we’ll jump on the phone, and he speaks a visual language that I understand. So a shorthand takes place, then I’ll go off and write the script. If I feel burned out, I doodle my first impressions in the margins and then move on to a rough series after that.”
She added that her process is ongoing. When asked if she works on physical boards or in the initial stages, Jones said she keeps working on what she has, even if it’s a bit messy, referring to her method as “tradigional.”
Dennis then turned his attention to Andolfo, asking, “So now that you’ve finished Blasfamous, a lot of the stuff you do, you write yourself and draw. When you’re actually writing it, do you write a full script and then start to draw? How does that process work?”
Andolfo paused from her sketch and explained, “I usually write a summary of the entire story, but I don’t provide a detailed scheme. Once I have an idea in mind, I go directly into the layouts.” She also mentioned her preference for working digitally as it is smoother for her.
She also commented on her physical studio: “I have a physical studio. I’m very happy to have that because this way I can step outside my work sometimes. Yeah, once a day.” The panelists laughed at that, as it was something they all knew too well.
Even Jock mentioned how he had a studio down in Nashville where he can have a cup of tea and focus on his work. “It’s a bit stressful,” he joked. Dennis, with a smile on his face, turned to the crowd and said, “ If you picture the Shire, that’s what it looks like. In some Instagram posts, it’ll say ‘studio shot,’ and it’s just this green hill with a golden sun rising over it. You look at it and think, ‘I don’t see any studio.’ It looks very idyllic. It’s pretty good.” This was met with laughter from the audience.
The panel was filled with lively discussions and fond reminiscences about their journeys, inspirations, and what the future holds for DSTLRY. As the artists shared their creative processes and personal anecdotes, it became clear that their passion for storytelling and art remains undiminished. Fans left the panel not only with a deeper understanding of the artists’ work but also with great anticipation for the exciting projects and innovative stories that DSTLRY promises to deliver in the future.
Miss any of our earlier SDCC ’24 coverage? Find it all here!
