Q: The color art is very beautiful -- what did you base your character designs on?
Hiroyuki Takei: I received concept art from Mr. Lee, and the concept was figures vs. figures. Of course, I wanted to do something new. I figured, since it's a cross-over collaboration between Japan and American comics, and it's from an American writer, why not make Japanese-style art the motif for the series?
Originally, I had in mind a kind of Tetsuwan Atom / Astro Boy-type characters, so the thinking behind it was what if Astro Boy was in set in Japan's past?
Q: Now that we've met Ultimo and Vice, are there more karakuridoji (mechanical boys) who will appear?
Hiroyuki Takei: I'm thinking about creating more characters like that -- as many as I can think of. (turns to audience) If you have any thing in mind that would be a perfect idea for a new kind of karakuridoji, please let me know. That would help me a lot. (laughs)
STAN LEE ARRIVES WITHOUT HIS VOICE, BUT WITH LOTS OF LAUGHS
Stan Lee arrives, to great applause and cheers. He apologizes for his hoarse voice, due to several speaking engagements over the prior two days of Comic-Con.
Q: The first volume of the Ultimo tankobon has been published in Japan, and it has a great picture of Mr. Lee on the cover! How does it feel to see Ultimo published in Japan?
Stan Lee: I took a crash course in Japanese, and it still hasn't worked. I still haven't gotten past putting a dash and "san" after a name. (laughs)
Q: For this collaboration, for both of you, a Japanese manga creator and a U.S. comics legend, do you feel like this kind of collaborations should happen more often? Do you think there would be a benefit from having more American comics creators work with Japanese manga artists?
Stan Lee: There is a lot that we can learn from the Japanese style of storytelling, and there is a thing or two they can learn from us. So I think it's great working with them, and hopefully moving American comics and Japanese manga a little closer together. I hope we can do it together without ruining both of them! (laughs)
Q: So Takei-sensei, now that Ultimo has been acclaimed for melding East and West, would you like to keep this innovation for yourself, or would you like to see other creators do this?
Hiroyuki Takei: Well, it's really hard, so I don't know. To do something that is appropriate for both American and Japanese audiences is really hard. For me, it's hard to negotiate these things.
Stan Lee: Our biggest problem with working together is trying to curb this man's enthusiasm! (laughs)
Hiroyuki Takei: (mock indignantly) I do have the feelings to do this right! I'm trying my best!
Stan Lee: He's great to work with, because even if he's saying something bad to me, I don't know it! (laughs)
Hiroyuki Takei: I'm not saying anything bad!
Stan Lee: I'm getting to like him more and more! (laughs) It's good to see him smile. I was worried when I walked in; I thought it was a funeral! (laughs from everyone)
Q: Here's a question for Stan Lee: Did you have creative input in the design of the characters in Ultimo?
Stan Lee: Yeah, I did have a lot of input. I said, 'Hey, Takei-sensei, design 'em good!' (both Lee and Takei giggle)
Q: Does this mean after this panel that Dunstan will be killed off in the series?
Hiroyuki Takei: Uuhhh.... Stan is the final boss.
Stan Lee: (to the translator) Please tell Takei-san that I think he speaks Japanese very well.
Hiroyuki Takei: (In English) "Thank you." (everyone laughs and claps)
Stan Lee: I hate it when somebody tops me! (thumps table, then laughs)
Q: What's your favorite part of this collaboration together?
Stan Lee: The fact that we're so many miles apart! (laughs)
Hiroyuki Takei: My favorite part is that I can see Stan Lee work 100%. Whether to make him active (in the story) or not, it's up to me!
Stan Lee: (chuckles) The beautiful thing is we work together through video conferences. The reception is always so bad, I can't make out what he saying, and even if I could, he doesn't care what I'm saying, so it's a great relationship! (laughs)
Hiroyuki Takei: I'm listening! (laughs)
Stan Lee: It's hard to be serious when I can't talk. But seriously, this man is such a great talent. He taken the very simple outline of a story I wrote, and he's turned into something that they tell me is really wonderful, and I've learned to understand it.
I'm really so pleased and so proud to be working with a talent like this man, and I mean this in all seriousness.
Hiroyuki Takei: (to Stan Lee) Are you being sarcastic? (smirks)
Stan Lee: He topped me again! (laughs)
Q: Takei-sensei, now that you've heard Stan Lee talk like this, has the voice of Dunstan changed in your head now?
Stan Lee: (hoarsely) Don't make the voice sound like this!!
Hiroyuki Takei: (laughs)
JAPANESE MANGA MEETS WESTERN SUPERHEROES FOR WORLD PEACE?
Q: Are there plans to make a Dunstan action figure?
Hiroyuki Takei: I definitely want one!!
Stan Lee: Only if there's also one of my new friend! Can you imagine how those would sell and what it will do for international relations? You think this is just a comic strip! What this is just the first step in unifying the entire world!
Hiroyuki Takei: That would be really great!
Q: How different is Ultimo from what you imagined when you first wrote this concept?
Stan Lee: It's not that different... no, actually, it's very different. I didn't think they would be puppets like this, but that's the great part about working with Takei. He has added so much to it, and gave it a Japanese flavor. He's taken this wonderful American idea and he's given it a Japanese style. It's got to be a big hit, because it's got the best of East and West, and I think the United Nations should give us an award. (Lee flashes a satisfied smile)
Q: At the end of it all, when readers read Ultimo, what do you want them taking away from this story?
Hiroyuki Takei: Hmmm! Uhh... it's all about good and evil.
Stan Lee: It's all about selling a lot of copies!! (laughs)
