Paul Pope discusses his return to comics and concerns about AI and future technology

Paul Pope, renowned for his work on comics like ‘Batman: Year 100’ and ‘Battling Boy’, has been relatively absent from major projects for over a decade. In an interview with TechCrunch, he shared insights about his creative process, his return to the public eye with a new exhibition and art book, and the changing landscape of comics. Pope, known for his traditional ink-on-paper approach, expressed his concerns about the increasing role of AI in art, particularly the possibility of AI replacing human comic artists. While he acknowledges AI’s potential as a tool for research, he remains skeptical about its creative capabilities, arguing that AI lacks the emotional depth and personal history that human artists bring to their work. His concerns are not just about plagiarism or copyright, but the broader implications of rapidly advancing technologies, such as killer robots and surveillance systems. Pope, who has drawn dystopian futures in his comics, believes we are nearing a tipping point where these technologies could become a serious threat. In the end, he is more concerned about the ethical and social consequences of these innovations than about AI’s ability to mimic his artistic style.