A History In Paper: Illustrator Matt Ryan Tobin’s Neon Void

 

The first collected works of Matt Ryan Tobin captures the illustrator in full voice. Tobin’s book Neon Void is an education in the modern act of creating illustrated paper. In its pages are Tobin’s posters spanning a decade—the first just as solid as the last.

Neon Void goes beyond simply being a beautifully bound and printed compilation of work—the book places a shine on the purpose of these posters. Give a follow to Tobin on social media or hear him on a podcast and it is clear that these posters mean something to him. In a passage from the book, creative director Rob Jones recalls calling Tobin to offer him what could have been his second Mondo gig, a poster for Captain America: Civil War. Tobin turned it down. The subject didn’t resonate. The purpose of these posters can only be achieved if Tobin is all in.

Neon Void ends with Tobin’s poster for The Lost Boys, his last poster for collectibles company Mondo. Soon after The Lost Boys, The Austin, TX based company would be sold to Funko who would later layoff the founding creative team. The Mondo that Tobin recalls in the pages of Neon Void no longer exists—the Mondo of today is a subsidiary of a pop culture collectibles giant and has since lost the roster of artists that helped to build the alternative movie poster scene as it exists today. In telling his own story, Tobin captures a specific period for posters, one on the cusp of a new era.

Future readers will find the names of Mondo’s original creative directors Rob Jones, Mitch Putnam, and Eric Garza in Neon Void. As we get further away from the illustrated alternative film posters of the 2010s, these names and the work they did with artists like Tobin have a place in art history with their roles as mentors fostering a burgeoning scene. Perhaps it is a niche scene of pop culture creativity, but I agree with Tobin that these posters do mean something—they connect the art on screen to fans in the seats. Those stories that stay with us, we want to hold on to them and keep their power close. Reminders of the specific joy found in that movie, comic book, or video game.

Beyond just being a visual history of a career, Neon Void is the biography of a kid who stuck to doing what felt right, it’s a time capsule to the legacy of Mondo and the great team that built it. It is an educational manual. If someone wanted to know what illustrated film posters are is and how they work, Neon Void tackles that task well. A good class in illustration would be Neon Void, Jason Edmisto’s Visceral, and Gary Pullin’s Ghoulish. An aspiring artist would learn a lot from that trio of books.

Neon Void solidifies Tobin as a master of balance—he holds clarity of concept and skill in equal parts. This book is a testament to Tobin’s ability to consistently push himself in both directions.