Barbara Kaalberg’s art for BP03-001 Ultraman Ginga, pencilled by Alex Sarabia, was the very first art of the very first New Generation Hero that players of the Ultraman Card Game got! Her distinctive work (and distinctive choice of billboards in the background — Does Ultraman: Rising’s baby Emi eat Superior Baby Food when she can’t get fish?) is a great representation of the character from a western perspective. We caught up with Kaalberg to get her thoughts on her work!
UC: What was the process that got you creating this piece for the Ultraman Card Game?
BK: Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner, contacted me out of the blue after seeing one of my comments on Facebook. He had been my editor almost 30 years ago on 'Waterworld', 'Sliders' and Magic: the Gathering's ‘Dakkon Blackblade’ for Acclaim Comics. To think that he remembered me after all these years was not only a surprise but quite a delight and honor!
He was great to work for then and is great to work for now.
When he asked if I would be interested in working on the Ultraman Card Game, how could anyone NOT want to? I'm of a "certain age" that remembers religiously watching Adam West and Burt Ward's 'Batman' series original run on TV, which premiered in 1966, the same year Ultraman debuted. Around that time, I knew superheroes, fantasy and sci-fi were it for me. Get those silly romance novels away!
Being raised in Midwest USA, I only caught snippets of Ultraman from time to time, more often as the years went by, especially as my kids watched cartoons in the late 80's/early 90's. It wasn't until I took on this project, however, that I realized what a rich and complex world the Ultras inhabited! Needless to say, I have a new obsession.
UC: You worked with penciler Alex Sarabia on this piece. How did the two of you work together to make Ginga’s distinct design your own?
BK: I'd chosen Alex as my penciller when I debuted my own comic, Divinity, because of his style of drawing; classic, clean and dynamic. When I was approached to work on Ultraman, he was the first person to come to mind to bring the sleek, powerful characters of the Ultra's to life.
As with the previous times we've worked together, he would sketch the idea, then I would suggest changes or different POV's, he would tweak, I would review, etc. It's a system that works really well for us. A lot of back and forth. After I've inked the piece, I'll show him the art then move on to the colors. Once the colors are done, I'll ask him for his opinion on the colors and he might make suggestions or alternatives. It's a true collaborative effort.
Alex says; "Barbara brings not only great technical skill but also a genuine love for the characters she draws. Working with her on such an iconic character as Ultraman was a dream come true, and the way we both collaborated with Starlight Runner to bring the card set to life was a truly rewarding effort."
UC: Are there any other Ultra Heroes or Kaiju you’d like to draw? Are there any designs or characters that speak to you?
BK: I've already worked in another big Kaiju franchise so I kinda love that design. If I could round that out with Bemular, I think my life would be complete as far as the big bads are concerned, although Red King runs a close second. Actually, just give me ALL the Kaiju!
