CARBON BASED – THE ART OF LEWIS LAROSA Kickstarter launches

Multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher Oni Press is celebrating comic illustrator Lewis LaRosa with the launch of the Kickstarter for Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa, a +250-page art book chronicling his 20 years of work in the comic industry, working on several series including Bloodshot Reborn, Divinity, Harbinger, Punisher MAX, Savage, Shadowman, Uncanny X-Men, A Vicious Circle, X-O Manowar.

“It’s happening, guys! Thanks to the fine folks at Oni Press, a retrospective of my art spanning over 20 years is in the oven,” said artist LaRosa. “What an incredible honor. From my early days at Marvel, launching Punisher MAX, to my years helping relaunch the Valiant Universe, this collection showcases some of my best work in one lovely tome. I’m making sure to include some rarely seen odds and ends, as well as insight into my old-school analog process, revealing how the sausage is made. Whether it’s the muscly figure work, sleek robots, or prehistoric dinosaurs, hopefully these images will inspire you to pick up the pencil and DRAW!”

The Kickstarter for Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa launched August 11 and offers fans 11 pledge tiers that include a slipcase edition of the book (limited to 250), signed, and remarqued editions; a deluxe portfolio set recreating the fine detail of the original art for LaRosa’s iconic Valiant covers for Divinity #1, Ninjak #1, X-O Manowar (2017) #1; premium, hard-screened t-shirts; specialty art prints; commissions; and even the opportunity to own LaRosa’s original cover art for Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa itself.  

Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa

Since making his professional debut at the dawn of the 21st century, American illustrator Lewis LaRosa has defined himself as one of the most singular masters of the modern comics medium — fusing dynamic reference-based realism, stylized superhero storytelling, and a master’s control of shadow and light to produce a wholly unique, jaw-dropping style that could only be called “carbon based’. 

In this first-ever career retrospective—spanning more than 250+ pages of LaRosa’s raw unexpurgated line art in all of its painstakingly rendered intensity, alongside rarely seen covers, character designs, concepts, and more from Marvel Comics, Valiant Entertainment, Epic Games, BOOM! Studios, Creative Beast Studio.

Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa will be an oversized hardcover, measuring 10×12 inches, and will feature page-by-page commentary by LaRosa and former Valiant Editor-in-Chief Warren Simons. As well as appreciations by colleagues and collaborators, including Lee Bermejo, Dave Johnson, Matt Kindt, Jeff Lemire, and Yanick Paquette.

“When it comes to Lewis LaRosa, ‘immense talent’ seems like a titanic understatement,” said Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson. “For more than a decade, I’ve had the great joy of working alongside Lewis at a number of publishers, and it’s an honor to finally collect his life’s work – so far! – for the first time between two covers at Oni Press. [Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa] is a comprehensive, career-spanning appreciation of Lewis’ artwork in one heavyweight, coffee-table book-sized tome that’s suitably oversized to capture all the grit and grandeur of his unique and unreplicable style. We’re having a blast collaborating with Lewis on this one-of-a-kind collection spotlighting his unique and hard-fought position in the pantheon of comic book greats.”

There are a bunch of Oni Press add-ons as well, so make sure to check out the Kickstarter page for Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa. Check out the Kickstarter here; fans can back the project until September 3 and check out some of the exclusive offers below: