Director Dave McKean is best known for his collaborations
with comic world superstar Neil Gaiman. The two met in 1986 after hearing about
a publisher interested in publishing an anthology created by unknowns. While
the anthology never came to be, they later met with Paul Gravett, co-editor of Escape Magazine, who offered to print a
short graphic novel about childhood perception and disturbing memories called Violent Cases.
Violent Cases
After Violent Cases,
the pair attended a meeting with DC Comics representatives who were visiting
England on a talent scouting expedition. Though McKean said “[they] don’t
really want us to do stuff for them, they were probably just being polite”, DC
Comics offered them the Black Orchid
miniseries, kick starting their long relationship with DC Comics.
Black Orchid
From there, McKean provided the artwork for Grant Morrison’s Batman graphic novel Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious
Earth, which quickly became one of the best-selling American superhero
comics.
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
McKean is best known for creating the covers for Neil
Gaiman’s Sandman. Using a variety of
techniques such as painting, sculpture, photography, drawing and computer
manipulation, McKean was able to convince DC editor Karen Berger that the
protagonist did not need to appear on every cover.
Creating the cover for The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes
Sandman #10: The Wake
Sandman #11: Vertigo
Luna is not Dave
McKean’s first foray into film. His feature film debut was 2005’s
MirrorMask, written by Neil Gaiman and
produced by Jim Henson Studios. Dave McKean also provided the illustrations for
Neil Gaiman’s
Coraline, which was
later adapted into a stop motion film by Henry Selick and Laika Studios.
Coraline's The Other Mother
With Luna, McKean’s disturbingly gorgeous illustrations will come to life in a blend of live action
and animation that is sure to be memorable.
Sat., Sept. 6, The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema 6:30 PM
Mon., Sept. 8, AGO Jackman Hall 9:00 AM
Sun., Sept. 14, Scotiabank 9 8:45 PM
