大象传媒

Alter Ego
Frank Quitely the alter ego of Glaswegian comic-book artist Vincent Deighan, part of a select group of British writers and artists who have re-invented the superhero genre. Frank鈥檚 depictions of iconic characters like Batman and the X-Men have thrilled generations of readers the world over and have provided inspiration for some of Hollywood鈥檚 biggest franchises.

Jupiter鈥檚 Legacy
Following Frank over the course of a day, this film reveals the painstaking work it takes to create just one panel of a comic book. We follow him as he draws his new work, 鈥溾��, set in a world in which the grandsons and granddaughters of old superheroes have become Paris Hilton-esque celebrities, more concerned with lucrative endorsements than saving the world.

Comics and Social Trends
Frank discusses how comic books often reflect societal trends: 鈥淪uperman sells better in times of economic depression and Batman sells better in good times...When things are bad, people are looking for a God figure or a father figure. Whereas in the 80s for instance, when everyone was making money and people felt powerful and self-assured, then Batman seems to fit the zeitgeist better.鈥�

Deadlines and Commitments
The film follows Frank at work in his Glasgow studio, and we see how the conflicting pressures of mounting deadlines and his commitment to quality push him to the limit. He eventually calls it a night at 04.30am, sleeping in his studio, as he does regularly.
Despite the long hours and stress, it鈥檚 clear that Frank holds a real passion for the unique medium of comics and what they can do.

Visual Narrative
鈥淚鈥檝e become fascinated by the visual narrative,鈥� he says, 鈥渢he way it works, the way it flows. In a comic, you鈥檙e putting something down that doesn鈥檛 really work in a film, doesn鈥檛 really work in prose. The more I understand about how they work, the more I realise how unique they are.鈥�