George Lucas ignites Comic-Con: The Force Arrives for the First Time
George Lucas Unlocks a New Narrative Hub at Comic‑Con
For the first time at San Diego’s pop‑culture megafest, the creator of Star Wars and Indiana Jones addressed 130,000 attendees in the 6,500‑seat venue. Lucas, 81, opened an exclusive preview for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, slated to open in Los Angeles in 2026 – a museum he co‑founded with businesswoman Mellody Hobson.
Why the Museum Matters
- Art as Emotion – Lucas said he collects “tens of thousands of pieces” since college, but refuses to sell them. He believes art connects deeply to our inner selves.
- Featured Artists – the collection will include illustrations from Norman Rockwell, Jessie Willcox Smith, and N.C. Wyeth; paintings by Frida Kahlo, Jacob Lawrence and Robert Colescott; and comics from cartoonists such as Winsor McCay, Frank Frazetta and Jack Kirby.
- Temple to Storytelling – Lucas called the museum a “temple to the people’s art,” honoring narrative creativity across all media.
Panel Highlights
Lucas was joined by Oscar‑winning director Guillermo del Toro and production designer Doug Chiang, who together shaped the visual world of Star Wars. Their discussion covered:
- Heart‑Driven Leadership – Chiang praised Lucas for guiding from the heart, a trait that defines the museum.
- Freedom of Speech – del Toro noted that many museum pieces celebrate free expression, memorializing a “vociferous, expressive, eloquent” visual past.
- Social Conscience in Comics – del Toro described comics as a medium with a lot of social conscience, joking that comic artists were the first to “punch a Nazi” in their work.
Comic‑Con Fans React
One attendee, Jesse Goldwater from Los Angeles, said the panel embodied the spirit of Comic‑Con itself:
“What a panel! They are the embodiment of Comic‑Con, without them Comic‑Con wouldn’t exist.”
Final Thoughts
Lucas concluded that narrative art gives us a way to fearlessly explore unknown worlds—much like science fiction books and art that bring myth to life. The museum, housed in a sleek, curved building, will also showcase Lucas’s own film artifacts, honoring the enduring power of storytelling.
