Two days ago, Andrew Zubko's illustration of Jedi Batman battling a shark blew up the internet. Here are more aesthetic oddities from the Portland artist. Andrew, thank you for realizing the most nerdgasmic dream of a million fanboys and fangirls.

Andrew was nice enough to answer some questions about his work. Here's the scoop:

What was the impetus behind the Batman vs. Shark piece?

The Batman vs. Shark piece was created for my friends' 3 year old son, almost 5 years ago. I was challenged by his mother to combine his three favorite things into a single illustration. That's really all there was to it. Basically it was created for absurdity's sake. For fun. Needless to say he was completely stoked about it when I gave it to him as a gift. I believe it's still hanging on his wall. I look at the piece now and the technical mistakes are glaring, I'd like to think I've improved as an artist in the last few years, but at the same time the piece still gets great reactions, proving that art and illustration isn't always about great technique.

What's been your reaction to the massive amount of attention the work's received in the last few days?

I am completely shocked that it has traveled as far as it has at this point. A friend and soon to be colleague of mine, Benjamin Truman contacted me regarding the piece being posted on a couple of websites and I watched it explode from there. I was a bit disappointed that I was not getting credit at first, but it was still fun to watch it spread. I still have no idea where it originated from, but I'm pretty sure it was not done maliciously. It just spread virally.

Any more epic mash-up pieces in the works?

No mash-ups at the moment, as I will be fairly busy in the coming months working as the colorist on a comic book/graphic novel title called The Inner Station, written by the previously mentioned Benjamin Truman (bentruman.com), with art by his father, comic book legend Tim Truman (www.timothytruman.com). Maybe I'll get around to another mash-up soon. I'll have to consult the art director of the Batman piece, who is now 7. Last I heard he was really into the movie Alien, so who knows?

Any other sentiments you'd like to convey to fans of your work?

I'm just glad everyone seems to enjoy the piece so much and I thank all who left great comments – and even critical ones too!

[via Andrew Zubko]

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Meet Lightsaber Batman Vs. Shark Artist Andrew Zubko