INTERVIEW: Detective Pikachu lives on in new ‘Pokémon’ graphic novel
Image: Art by Nelson Dániel. Courtesy of Legendary Comics / Provided with permission.
The summer of 2019 saw the release of the successful Pokémon: Detective Pikachu to movie theaters — a bygone era when audience members actually sat near one another and enjoyed collective entertainment amidst gallon-sized tubs of popcorn and drums of soda. Although those halcyon days are far in the past — thanks coronavirus! — fans of Pokémon should not fret: the adventures from that live-action film have recently been adapted into a new graphic novel, out now from Legendary Comics and The Pokémon Company International.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachui, in graphic-novel form, comes from the mind of writer Brian Buccellato and artist Nelson Dániel. In the adaptation, the protagonist Tim Goodman (Justice Smith in the movie) searches for his missing father in the noir environs of Ryme City. To help him find his dad, Tim employs the help of Detective Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds in the movie), and together they must navigate this unique world of humans and Pokémon.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Dániel about the special release. He has worked on a motley variety of projects as a comic book illustrator and cinematic art director, including Eli Roth’s Aftershock and Green Inferno, Robert Rodriguez’s Machete, and his own graphic novel, Lucca. Other credits include 1899, 1959, The Cape: 1969, Judge Dredd, Dungeons & Dragons, Clue and Stephen King and Joe Hill’s Road Rage. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Did it take some time to figure out the artistic style of Pokémon?
Not much, honestly. I had the idea, and I did some tests. It worked very well. At first, we drew all the Pokémon that appear in the book and incorporated some patterns that I normally use that are also similar to those used in the more traditional manga. I treated the humans with a synthesis similar to that of the Pokémon characters and in the backgrounds to create contrast, as well as get closer to the atmosphere of the film. I decided to work with more blacks and much more detail.
Did you feel you wanted to honor the look of these characters, or did you want to put your own stamp on the art?
You always want to put your own stamp, but the characters have their own characteristics — very specific that make them unique and very recognizable, that’s the Pokémon stamp. That’s what finally I tried to make stand out.
What was it like working with Brian Buccellato?
I know his work very well and was really happy to be able to work with him. The script was very clear, fun and dynamic. I read it before watching the movie, and it reflected almost exactly this new Pokémon universe. It was an incredible experience for me.
When did you first realize you had skills as an artist?
Since I was quite small, but, I only discovered comics at 10 years old. And it wasn’t until when I was 16 years old that I decided to make this my life.
Is working on a graphic novel like this completely different than your work as art director and designer on movies? Are there similarities?
Of course there are similarities. In the comics, there is also setting, costumes, makeup, props and effects. There is also art direction, photography (even when you don’t work with color). Here all these elements come together in a simple panel that later forms part of a page; where each of these details is essential to be able to correctly narrate a story. It is, very simply put, the same concept applied to another language.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, written by Brian Buccellato and with art by Nelson Dániel, is now available from Legendary Comics. Click here for more information.
