Hey Phillip! Thank you for coming out and visiting us today! And thanks to Nick Valente from DC for arranging this!
I got a couple of questions:
1. What's your process for worldbuilding? Between The Last God and Action Comics, you must have put a lot of thought into developing the settings, the cultures, and the inhabitants of these worlds. And do you have further plans for The Last God?
2. (from u/Killercroc22)
Hey PKJ. Love your work on Action Comics. It's turning out to be one of the greatest runs of the characters of all time. I really love that you reintroduced Mongul back as a real threat to Superman after decades of jobbing. Best iteration of the character since For the Man who has everything imo. You also have such a fantastic hold on Clark's voice.
Any plans of utilising other villains from Superman's roster once Warwold Saga ends?
(Please keep writing Superman as long as possible)
Man, I could answer that question with a college course, but in a nutshell: worldbuilding is basically trying to answer every question with another question. When working with another artist, it's also finding ways to marry up their vision with your own rather than tether them to what you originally envisioned.
By "answer a question with another," for example: "Who ARE the warzoons, at their core?" The way the Fremen are all about water scarcity, what's the warzoon thing, and why is Mongul different? which led me to the answer of: "Dominance." The first Mongul did what no leader on Earth has ever done, and conquered his whole world. (we'll learn how soon.) Then we get to: "How does that impact their culture? The way they choose leaders, find food, etc. Down the question chain, we get to "What's the warzoon language like?" which leads to "DO they all speak the same language?" to which the answer HAS to be No. It's an entire goddamn planet. WE don't all speak Latin or English or whatever, we all have our own thing, so why wouldn't they? Leading me to: would all the different warzoon cultures/tribes get along? Obviously not. Even though they all serve Mongul, they all vie for dominance constantly, as we do on Earth, except even more violently. And after asking these questions long enough, you get what has essentially become a real place.