Happy RE-EVOLUTION week shellheads! Thanks for coming back to Under the Shell, it’s week 3 and to tie in both Ronin and the TMNT ongoing book we have Shawn Lee who is a vital member of the team. He’s such a chameleon I had no idea he was lettering and designing so many of the TMNT books!
I’m a big fan of lettering and letterers and I think you’ll see that in this interview. Please enjoy this interview with Shawn who is another unsung hero of the IDW TMNT world. And be sure to re-read some cool TMNT comics after reading it, I bet you’ll notice more of Shawn’s work! Like those balloons in The Last Ronin! So cool!
GateCrashers: Here at GateCrashers, we fancy ourselves to be hard hitting journalists and we start every interview with the heaviest of questions. What is your favorite sandwich?
Shawn Lee: Turkey, lettuce, jalapenos, bacon (crispy like a Giacommeti sculpture), and hook up that peppercorn!
GateCrashers: How much prep goes into your work? Do you have any rituals?
Shawn Lee: For lettering, it’s mostly just setting up your template for the issue–fonts, page sizes, etc. Design work, I’ll actually sit down and sketch ideas or brainstorm moods, themes, colors, type… HEY, WAKE UP OVER THERE!
GateCrashers: I came to Sophie Campbell’s run as a trade paperback reader and the first thing that really caught my eye was the stylish design work within. The trades are incredibly cool and they stand out from not only other trades in my collection but even other trades in the IDW TMNT line. Did you work from a brief or was it more your interpretation of what sets this run apart?
Shawn Lee: My favorite part of the original ongoing trades was how bold the colors were from volume to volume and that’s definitely something I wanted to retain. It’s not a different series, just a rebrand, so I wanted to nod to the prior series but maybe add a lil more flash, a lil more dynamic. Aside from that, Sophie and Brahm Revel leaned into the punk scene in their series, and it’s an easy ask for me to head in that direction. I feel there’s a subtle flyer feel to the design because of that.
GateCrashers: It’s the 40th anniversary of TMNT, what is your history with the franchise as a fan? Do you have a favorite character?
Shawn Lee: I got a second print of the original series #5 when I was a kid, followed by getting into every parody of TMNT – I was hooked.
I’ve cycled through all the turtles as my favorite, EXCEPT Donatello, who I didn’t know anybody liked till a few years ago.
GateCrashers: What is the biggest misconception about what you do? Or what do you wish more comic fans knew about the lettering process?
Shawn Lee: I am not the writer. I am not the artist. Those should answer my most frequent questions. Lettering is just something most people don’t think or care about and that’s fine, it doesn’t change that it’s pretty important to you know, READING comics (please do not look up Silent Interlude). You’ve got to familiarize yourself with storytelling and composition, you’re not the star of the show, but you are there to help make the story and art better.
GateCrashers: With four decades and various interpretations of the characters and world, what do you think makes TMNT so lasting and adaptable?
Shawn Lee: It’s kitsch, and it leans into that. TMNT is not constrained by a bunch of rules. You got mutants, aliens, time-travel, other dimensions, ghosts, gods, and… gangs of teenagers that give them a hard time! It’s wide open and readers know to just go with it because why not? It’s what you’re here for!
GateCrashers: If TMNT was a close friend turning 40 and they were asking for some life advice, what would you tell them?
Shawn Lee: Maybe don’t eat that whole pizza. Maybe some of it can be eaten tomorrow or not at all. Talk to your doctor.
GateCrashers: Is the process of lettering the main TMNT book versus The Last Ronin books different for you?
Shawn Lee: The same broad concepts apply to all lettering, but TMNT and Ronin have different styles. The ongoing is more long-form storytelling, a more contemporary style much like a tv show. Ronin is more of a throwback feel, a ‘90s Image vibe to me. You gotta keep those aesthetics in mind as you work on sound effects and design.
GateCrashers: Can you walk me through your thought process behind the balloons in The Last Ronin? I love the different line weights on the edges and the non-rounded balloon style.
Shawn Lee: It’s a pretty simple trick in Illustrator, rough edges and a tapered stroke. It’s an homage to Kevin and Peter’s original lettering. Something rough and rudimentary, looking for that street-cred.
GateCrashers: I want to end with simply praising the work you do because I would have bet money that the ongoing and Ronin were lettered and designed by different people. I’m not sure I agree with the old adage that a letterer’s work should be invisible, like most of these types of adages they are oversimplifications. I think you may aim for some invisibility in your work but I think it’s important to note that I enjoy these books a lot more because of what you bring to them. Thank you for your time and your great work! I appreciate it.
Shawn Lee: Much appreciated, thank you! I always laugh at that adage because it’s saying that all the time and effort you put in should be completely unnoticeable and possibly better if it weren’t there at all. Haha. It’s a weird back-handed compliment, but as a letterer…you’ll just take whatever compliment you can get because, hey, at least it was noticed. 🙂
