Oni Press is celebrating one of comics’ most electrifying illustrators with an epic new art book, and we’ve got your exclusive first look.
Unveiled today, CARBON BASED: The Art of Lewis LaRosa is the acclaimed artist’s first-ever career retrospective, a deluxe, oversized hardcover showcasing more than 250 pages of raw, unfiltered, and painstakingly detailed linework that spans his decades-long career. Known for his signature blend of hyper-realism, stylized grit, and cinematic storytelling, LaRosa has left his mark on Bloodshot Reborn, Divinity, The Punisher, Shadowman, Savage, Transformers, and more, and now, it’s all collected in one striking volume.
Launching soon on Kickstarter, the book includes:
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Rarely seen covers, character designs, and concept art
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New commentary from LaRosa and former Valiant EIC Warren Simons
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Essays from top creators like Lee Bermejo, Dave Johnson, Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, and Yanick Paquette
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A foreword by Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson
Fans can follow the Kickstarter pre-launch page now to be notified when the campaign officially opens. Exclusive rewards include a foil-stamped hardcover, limited edition slipcase, signed and remarqued books, t-shirts, portfolio sets, and more.
Below, check out exclusive art from Divinity — just a glimpse of the “carbon based” intensity LaRosa brings to every page.
But wait, LaRosa has this to say about the project:
“Re: Divinity. I wanted to create a timeless sci-fi character design for Matt Kindt’s brilliant concept, something with a unique silhouette, a striking color pattern, and ultimately something that would be fun for artists to draw and for readers to look at. It was about balancing detail so that he was simple enough to draw repeatedly throughout a comic book but had enough complexity to remain visually interesting. I studied a lot of retro cosmonaut suits and gear and tried to cherry pick and edit those elements into a superhero costume. I’ve always been a sucker for pipes, tubing, layers, and seams, but the most satisfying element was his head crest. I’ve been a Transformers nut since I was five years old and his head piece is 100% an homage to 1980’s G1 cartoon Ironhide, one of my all time favorite characters.”
“LaRosa’s linework crackles with energy and vitality. Looking at a page of his art is a reminder of the potential of the pure power of comic book storytelling.” — Hunter Gorinson, Oni Press
Stay tuned for more as CARBON BASED prepares to launch, and prepare to see comics through LaRosa’s unmatched, analog lens.
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