Lucas Makes Comic-Con Debut, Unveils First Look at His “Temple to the People’s Art” Museum
Lucas was joined on stage by Guillermo del Toro and production designer Doug Chiang: All three talking about how narrative art, which includes comic book art, needs to be uplifted and celebrated.
Oscar winner George Lucas stepped into the San Diego Convention Center’s Hall H: the legendary creator of Star Wars made his first appearance at Comic-Con, the convention that has partially been built off his stories and creations.
It was the largest ever Sunday panel for the convention, which usually sees its marquee presentation headline on Friday or Saturday.
Thousands waited hours just to get inside, chanted “Lu-cas, Lu-cas!” while they waited, and then gave a wild standing ovation as the filmmaker took to the stage, introduced by rapper-actress Queen Latifah, and sat down next to filmmaker del Toro and Star Wars production designer Doug Chiang.
Lucas even received a standing ovation when he left the presentation, which was devoted entirely to the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. He, along with museum board member and fellow art collector del Toro and Chiang, were there to not only give a first look at the museum but also make a case for the importance and validity of narrative art, which includes comic book art, as a vital form of expression.
“This is a temple to the people’s art,” Lucas said, speaking about the idea for his museum. His first words in Hall H were about how he began acquiring art while in college, but all he could afford was comic book art. With success, he expanded his art collection to over 40,000 pieces.
“And this is memorializing a popular, vociferous and eloquent moment in our visual past that belongs to all of us. And the museum celebrates this,” he added.
A video presentation showed interior looks at the museum, no right angles anywhere, as well as images in the collection.
Also in the museum will be concept and storyboard art from Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark by Ralph McQuarrie and Jim Steranko, as well as the props of starships and speeders from various Star Wars movies.
Chiang explained that comic art in particular had long been discounted. “It’s not taken seriously,” he said, and when he was younger was told, “You will outgrow it one day.”
“I’m so glad I didn’t,” he said, before driving home the point that one of the strengths of narrative art is that it’s driven by story. “Story comes first. Art comes second.”
Del Toro got into the heady and philosophical, denoting differences between art for myth-building purposes and art for propaganda purposes
“Myth belongs to all of us, propaganda belongs to a very small group,” he said. “Myth unites us, propaganda divides us.”
The museum, which has had its opening pushed back several times, is slated to open in 2026.
