George Lucas Makes First Comic-Con Appearance, Unveils His Vision for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Image Credit: Star Wars on X/Twitter

Hall H was packed on Sunday morning at Comic-Con as George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, made his first-ever appearance onstage at the massive geek event.

Joining him were three-time Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro and Academy Award-winning production designer Doug Chiang for an event that felt like a major post-COVID milestone for Comic-Con. The trio was there to share an exciting glimpse of the upcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, and fans were treated to an exclusive first look at what Lucas calls a “temple to the people’s art.”

The panel was moderated Queen Latifah, who kept the energy lively as these creative titans shared the story behind the ambitious museum project, set to open next year near the USC campus in downtown Los Angeles.

“It’s a temple to the people’s art,” Lucas said about the stunning Mobius-strip-inspired building designed by architect Ma Yansong. The museum will act as a cultural epicenter for storytelling art in all its forms.

Lucas explained that one of his driving motivations for creating the museum was very personal:

“I refused to sell it,” said Lucas, referring to the massive collection he’s built since his youth, ranging from comic books to thrifted pieces of art.

With more than 40,000 pieces in his personal archive, Lucas wanted a space where this work could be appreciated for its emotional resonance:

“(Art) is more about a connection and emotional connection with the work, not how much it cost or what celebrity did it. I don’t think it’s anything anyone will tell you. If you have emotional connection, it’s art. If you don’t, just move onto the next painting.”

As a board member of the museum, Guillermo del Toro spoke passionately about its importance. After surviving the recent Los Angeles fires, the filmmaker revealed he’s also looking at the museum as a safe home for his own personal art collection. He emphasized the universal role of myth in human culture:

“We realize that stories shape the world,” says del Toro. “One of the narrative branches brutally applied is propaganda. Art is celebrating the work of incredible people, but also is celebrating the thing that belongs to us: Myth, belongs to us. Propaganda belongs to a very small group. Myth unites us and propaganda divides us.”

Meanwhile, Chiang, who has worked on Star Wars: Episodes I–III and as production designer on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew, praised the museum for elevating art forms that have long been overlooked:

“It’s giving respect to an artform that hasn’t been honored before.”

Chiang credited comic books as the spark that ignited his creative journey, though, at the time, they weren’t respected in the art world. Lucas, he added, taught him that every piece of art needs a story behind it. His hope for the museum is simple yet profound:

“I hope this museum inspires the next Norman Rockwell or Frank Frazetta.”

Fans in Hall H were treated to an exclusive sizzle reel narrated by Star Wars legend Samuel L. Jackson, offering a sneak peek at the incredible treasures the museum will showcase. Among the highlights:

• The General Grievous bike

• Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder from the original Star Wars

• Anakin Skywalker’s podracer from The Phantom Menace

• Concept art by Star Wars visionary Ralph McQuarrie

These pieces will be part of the cinema gallery, just one of 30 to 40 planned galleries in the museum.

But this isn’t just a Star Wars showcase. Visitors can expect a stunning variety of works, including:

• Paintings by Frida Kahlo and Norman Rockwell

• Original comic art by R. Crumb and Jack Kirby

• The first character drawing of Flash Gordon (1934)

• Original Peanuts strips from the 1950s and 1960s

• The first Iron Man cover drawing from 1968

• The original Black Panther pen-and-ink splash (1968)

Lucas spoke with reverence about Rockwell’s iconic Freedom From Want painting, saying; “Family is important, it keeps society together, even if it’s tough.”

He added that family is one of the core reasons behind building the museum.

One cool detail about the Lucas Museum is its design, the building has no right angles, only curves. This design choice symbolizes something essential to Lucas’s vision:

Art is endless. It outlives us, connects generations, and keeps our myths alive.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art isn’t just a building. It’s a declaration that the art we grew up loving such as comics, concept art, film design, illustration, is every bit as culturally significant as any masterpiece in a traditional museum. And if this Comic-Con panel is any indication, Lucas is about to give pop culture the cathedral it deserves.