Marvel Star Wars: Mike Mayhew’s Star Wars Sketchbook

Marvel artist Mike Mayhew is back for Star Wars #20 and another look into the journal of Obi-Wan Kenobi…

Marvel.com has released a piece on artist Mike Mayhew who is helming Star Wars #20, which takes another look into the journal of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, as he spent his time watching over young Luke Skywalker — Darth Vader nee-Anakin Skywalker’s infant son — as he grew-up on the desert planet of Tatooine.

Star Wars #20 takes another dive into the journal of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and sees that Jabba has hired bounty hunter Black Krrsantan to find out who’s been thwarting his men. In this issue, we find that the old hermit of the dune wastes might know something about Jabba’s problems.

In the comics, Black Krrsantan is a Wookiee bounty hunter. Mike Mayhew talked about bringing the fury merc to life:

"“I was intimidated. I can’t be named Mayhew, with the same last name as Peter Mayhew who played Chewbacca in the films, and draw a whack wookiee! When I was a little kid, I used to tell kids in the schoolyard he was my uncle—which was bogus! And, for some reason spelling his full name for some reason drove me crazy! I still get it wrong.”"

Mayhew goes on to talk about how deceptive Wookiees are to actually draw. Their unique facial expressions and distinctive hair/fur patterns really do set them apart from each other…and this posed a challenge to the artist.

Marvel.com asked Mayhew how he approached drawing Krrsantan, and if it was as simply a bad Chewbacca, or is there was something more to it:

"“I remember explaining to [writer] Jason Aaron and my editors Jordan D. White and Heather Antos that I saw him a bit bigger and more gorilla-like. I explained that if you used a “Planet of the Apes” analogy, Black Krrsantan would be more General Urko to Chewbacca’s Cornelius. Not quite the same, but you get the idea. I felt he had to be very intimidating in order to feel like a credible threat to Old Ben who is a Jedi Knight.”"

There is much more to the Marvel.com interview with artist Mike Mayhew, and you can read it by clicking the link provided. In the interview, Mayhew talks about drawing Obi-Wan in issue #15, and well as young Luke Skywalker, and what went into bringing Tatooine to life.

Next: The Force Awakens’s John Boyega Lands Lead In Pacific Rim 2

I suggest reading the whole thing, because Mike Mayhew is a real talent, and Marvel Star Wars is lucky to have him on board, bringing characters like Black Krrsantan, a Wookiee bounty hunter into Star Wars canon.