Adam Kubert Talks About Citizens Iron Man Collaboration

October 02, 2014

In an era when AI seems to be nibbling away at every corner of creativity, theres something refreshing about seeing a brand choose human artistry over algorithms. Citizens latest Marvel collaboration, the Stark, Kinda Sorta Famous watch-and-pin set, is not only a nod to Tony Stark but also a showcase of what happens when you hand the pen (and the power) to one of the most respected names in comics. Adam Kubert, whose personal and family legacy in comics runs as deep as Marvels history, was tapped to bring Iron Man to life in a way that only a true comic book artist could.Citizen Stark, Kinda Sorta FamousKubert didnt simply rehash the familiar. Instead, he reimagined Stark with a style of his own, grounding the collaboration in authenticity and craft. The result is a watch that tells not just time but also a story, one in which Citizen honors both the Marvel universe and the artist behind the mask. In my recent interview with Kubert, we chatted about comics and watches and did a superhero landing on his thoughts regarding the collaboration.The art of the coverOur interview began with the two of us nerding out over one of Adams recent Wolverine cover illustrations. He guided me through the thought process behind creating a captivating cover - the dynamism, the colors, and using everything in your toolkit to foster intrigue from a single image. And he would know about that. Adams been illustrating comics for longer than Ive been alive, and in that time, weve seen many iterations of our favorite heroes. In fact, this evolution formed the foundation of our conversation. Comics are as close as we get to modern-day mythology, and each artist brings a unique understanding of the character. In this way, Citizen encouraged Adam to take ownership of the work he did on this project, allowing him to shine through the character.In recent years, AI has been taking work from creators, including comic book artists, when prompted to create images. And often, licensed products utilize stock art to churn out collectibles for consumers. I was intrigued by the amount of leeway Adam had here and wondered what makes Adams Iron Man unique from how others may view the character. Its the imperfections. Hes hard to draw because there are so many nuances to him [as a person] and to his costume. This lends to my style. Im a bit more dramatic, remarked Kubert. Yet, a watch dial is a far smaller canvas than hes used to working with, so deciding on a singular image couldnt have been easy.Bringing Iron Man to the dialWe began discussing what it means for an image to stick with someone, and then Adam said, when referring to creating a single image of a character, You want to make the character look as iconic as possible. He went on to explain how, when imagining Iron Man, I think of how he lands, how he flies. I wanted him flying right at us. This is exactly how the character appears on the dial, flying toward us from the 6 oclock position and leaving a luminous jet stream behind him, moving up the pinion and beyond the 12 oclock mark. Within the jet stream, we see Starks name.Now, something you may notice about this depiction of Iron Man is that it s not totally symmetrical, and Adam did this intentionally. Thats what gives it life. This gives it the movement I was looking for, and I was glad that it made it through to the final product, he said. This is exactly the kind of thing that sets this apart from a typical character watch that might use stock photos, leaving you with something sterile and lifeless. This is also where the collaboration with Citizen s designers came into play, as they added the gold plating to Iron Man while also adding lume to his eyes and the arc reactor in his chest. The illustration features both movement from Adam and a physical dimension from Citizen, adding a dynamic quality to such a limited space.Panels you can wearFor this project, however, Adam had a bit more room to work with than one might suspect. To make this an even more tantalizing offer to comic fans and watch fans alike, the watch also comes with a lapel pin that features Iron Man taking off and using his hand repulsors to stabilize himself in his ascent. According to Adam, the watch and pin are intended to function as two adjacent comic book panels, showing different stages of Iron Man in flight. This certainly adds an extra artistic touch, but it also lends itself to the collectibility factor for fans. The realization of this intentional proposition led me to ask the most obvious question: will Adam be making another watch with Citizen?Adam responded affirmatively, but he couldnt share any information on which character(s) would be coming next, no matter how hard I went after that NDA. Even so, the prospect of an artist-drawn series is plenty to be excited about. The idea of a collection in which each watch-and-pin set works like a serialized story - panel by panel, hero by hero - feels like a natural extension of comic book storytelling, only this time rendered in steel, with an Eco-Drive movement, instead of ink and paper. Its not just a watch collaboration; its also a narrative you can wear on your wrist and carry on your lapel.Specs fit for a superheroThe watch itself offers a 100m water resistance rating, a mineral crystal, and a sizable 43mm diameter, which is likely to create extra space for a rendering of the hand-drawn illustration. The rest of the dial is black with painted indexes and is quite stark (hehe) to give Iron Man room to shine. This is all set in a black-coated stainless steel case, which draws further attention to the dial. When you flip the watch over, you ll see an engraving of a business card for Tony Stark, including his title as CEO of Stark Industries and noting that hes kinda sorta famous where hes from, followed by his signature. Under the case back lies the Citizen J830 Eco-Drive movement to ensure that Iron Man remains fully charged!The black leather strap is a modern take on the traditional rally strap, featuring more perforations than usual and sloping red stitching that, when combined with the illustration on the dial, adds more momentum. The buckle and tang match the black steel case, ensuring cohesion. All together, this watch makes for a fun wrist roll, as the stitching almost acts as a runway, building up speed until we come to our favorite Avenger jetting off to presumably clobber Thanos-or meet his friends for some shawarma.EXCELSIOR!Great comic books are never the work of one person; theyre the sum of countless creative voices working in harmony. Writers, artists, inkers, colorists, letterers, and editors all contribute their parts, layering vision upon vision until a hero leaps off the page. The Stark, Kinda Sorta Famous watch was built in much the same way. Adam Kubert brought the illustration, infusing Iron Man with energy, movement, and personality. From there, Citizens in-house designers figured out how to translate that vision into metal, lume, plating, and mechanics, accentuating the art rather than overwhelming it. The result is a piece that feels more like a collaborative comic issue than a licensed product - a wearable panel born of shared creativity, reminding us that when great minds come together, even a watch can tell a story worth collecting.The retail price of this Citizen Iron Man watch (ref. AW2095-41W) is US$495. It is available via selected retailers, like Disney, and the Citizen website.Watch specifications Brand Citizen Model Stark, Kinda Sorta FamousReference AW2095-41WDial Black with painted indexes and illustration of Iron Man by Adam Kubert, featuring luminous eyes, arc reactor, and jet stream with "Stark" letteringCase Material Stainless steel with black ion platingCase Dimensions 43mm (diameter)Crystal Mineral glassCase Back Stainless steel with engraved Tony Stark business card, screw-in Movement Citizen J830: Eco-Drive quartz, powered by any light sourceWater Resistance 10 bar (100 meters)Strap Black perforated leather with red stitching and black ion-plated steel pin buckleFunctions Time only (hours, minutes, and seconds)Price US$495Warranty Five years, limitedSpecial Note(s) Includes special lapel pin with Iron Man artwork by Adam Kubert