At the “Marvel Fanfare” panel at New York Comic Con on Saturday, Marvel Comics editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski sat down with fan-favorite artist J. Scott Campbell for a candid conversation about Campbell’s career, from his early X-Men fandom to his evolution into one of Marvel’s most recognizable cover artists.
Cebulski opened by asking about Campbell’s. The screen displayed some of his childhood drawings and handmade X-Men paper figurines. Campbell spoke about growing up in Colorado, his early dream of becoming an animator, and how his love for comics, particularly X-Men and his favorite character Rogue, shaped his artistic journey.
The discussion then turned to Campbell’s big break in the ’90s, his dedication to studying anatomy, and those formative years breaking into Marvel alongside a new generation of artists.
One fun reveal for longtime fans was that the “J.” in his name actually stands for Jeffrey, though his parents thought “J. Scott” had a better ring to it.
Campbell and Cebulski revisited the story behind Campbell’s now-iconic Mary Jane cover for Amazing Spider-Man #601 (2009)—the one that arguably defined his career. It was originally meant to be a convention print but became a last-minute cover assignment when Campbell was told to color it himself to meet NYCC deadlines.
Ironically, that rushed job ended up becoming one of his most popular and enduring pieces, though it’s also been the subject of much debate.
Before wrapping up, Campbell and Cebulski hinted at something forgotten about in Campbell’s works at Marvel. The pair referenced The Astonishing Spider-Man, an unreleased project from the Amazing Spider-Man era with reportedly two completed issues created with legendary creator, Jeph Loeb.
It seems unlikely that this reference will lead to the issues seeing the light of day, but the House of Ideas always has surprises up its sleeve.
Stay tuned to The Beat for more coverage from NYCC ’25.
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