How an Eisner-Winning Comic Gets Made: Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen
I went behind the scenes with a couple of Eisner-winning comics creators. No big deal.
A few months ago, I was talking with my Helioscope studio mate Steve Lieber about ideas for our YouTube channel. I’d been itching to add something to it—something with the same in-depth, production heavy approach I’d used when making the behind the scenes videos about my series, Incredible Doom.
I won't lie, I love working with video editing software and wanted an excuse to do more. But also, the more we can raise the profile of the studio, the better it is for all of its members. Having more fun videos on our channel that show off the amazing work Helioscope folks do can't hurt. The rising tide lifts all boats, right?
I asked Steve if there was a book by a Helioscope member with an interesting creation story and without missing a beat, he said, Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen.
If you’re not familiar, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen is a comic Steve made with writer Matt Fraction. It’s a sharp, funny, and wildly inventive series, and one of the most experimental comics I've ever seen from DC. It won two Eisner Awards—the comics industry’s highest honor—the year it came out and the stories behind it are just as good as what ended up on the page.
So for the past few months, I’ve been filming interviews with Matt (who I didn't know at all) and Steve (who I did), digging up never-before-seen versions of pages, unused cover sketches, and even snapshots from Matt’s notebooks. Then I took all that material and edited it into a deep-dive video—equal parts behind-the-scenes archive and conversation between two friends.
And as of today, that video is up on the Helioscope YouTube. Check it out, and subscribe if you enjoy it.
I’m looking forward to seeing what else we can come up with for the channel—spotlighting great books, sharing creative process stories, and capturing the day-to-day of working comics professionals.
Also, just yesterday, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen just got a gorgeous new deluxe hardcover edition. It’s well worth checking out—and if you look closely at the back cover, you might even spot a little hidden cameo.
Signed, sketched in editions of the book are available on the studio shop.
