1. This is a departure from your previous comic, THE LAST MERMAID, in many ways. What made you jump from such a fantastical genre to one that’s much more gritty and grounded like ROYALS?
DEREK KIRK KIM: Yes, it’s definitely a departure in setting! I love playing in different sandboxes, I suppose. For whatever reason, I’ve always been drawn to artists who try something completely new with each project, like Jeff Smith, Gene Luen Yang, Stanley Kubrick, Mike Patton… So I guess I naturally lean that way as well. (Not comparing myself to those greats, just in terms of wanting to try different genres.) That said, I think ROYALS and THE LAST MERMAID are connected in a deeper way: they both wear their heart on their sleeves. They may be wrapped in different skins, but at their heart, both are about outcasts trying to survive in a world they don’t necessarily fit in; told sincerely, with heart and humor, even in the face of the bleakest circumstances.
Speaking of THE LAST MERMAID though—I just want to take a moment to assure fans of its return! I’m working on it every chance I get around my other concurrent projects. It’s just a really time-consuming, labor intensive art style so it takes some time to build up enough pages for another season of issues. Thank you for your patience, THE LAST MERMAID fans!
2. In addition to comics, you’ve also directed Disney’s Amphibia, did character designs for Adventure Time, and storyboarded for Netflix’s Green Eggs and Ham, how have both mediums informed your creative process? Do you think of the characters first and world building later? Or vice versa?
DKK: It seems to switch depending on the story! With THE LAST MERMAID, the central character came first, but with ROYALS, the idea came first. The creative process is infinitely fascinating, isn’t it? It’s so mysterious and downright mystical how each story becomes real. There seems to be an infinitely number of ways in which one gets formed as there are different stories. But yes, my work in shows have definitely informed by current work in comics. Most importantly, they helped me to not be precious with anything. Even if you love a scene or character, if they don’t serve the overall story, they need to be killed. And that’s very hard to do at first. But working on all those countless episodes helped me with that.
3. Speaking of characters, ROYALS introduces a pair of brothers who share a psychic connection and ultimately leverage it for personal gain. Despite their psychic closeness, and their shared grift, the two struggle to see eye-to-eye. What made you want to explore such a complicated brotherly love in comics?
DKK: This probably won’t be a surprise, but my relationship with my own brother, haha. There’s no love/hate push and pull as strong as the one between siblings, I think. I’m sure it’s something a lot of people can relate to. And I look forward to that conversation once people have read the book!
4. Castor and Pollux have surprising namesakes—what made you decide to give a nod to the Gemini twins? Will the Greek Myth (or any further mythology) appear elsewhere in the story?
DKK: I thought it was a fun way to hint at their relationship. Telling you without telling you, you know? Greek Mythology is a rich reference point to graft stories onto since they tap into such universal themes. Plus it’s something almost everyone has some knowledge of. I’m glad you caught that!
5. References to Korean culture abound, from some pretty tasty-sounding food to an acknowledgement throughout the story that characters dip in and out of speaking Korean. What was it about the city that inspired you to set a comic there?
DKK: I was born and raised in Korea until I was 8 years old, so it seemed like a natural way to pay tribute to my birth country. Considering my history, it seemed like a shame that I had never tackled a story actually set in Korea, so I’m happy to correct that with ROYALS. It’s a total love letter to Korea, despite it being mostly about criminals, haha. Also, if you’ve ever been to Seoul, you know what an electric, vibrant city it is. You can’t help but get fuel for stories there if you visit!
And it’s absolutely incredible how Jacob Perez captured Seoul! My mom couldn’t believe he’d never been there when I showed her the art, haha.
6. As soon as Castor sits down to play, there’s a building sense that perhaps the stakes are higher this time than his previous games. And there’s a bit of foreshadowing that one or both of the brothers may find themselves in grave danger. What was the creative process like trying to strike a balance between a tourist-y Seoul and a seedier side to the city?
DKK: That’s all Jacob! The way he visually conveyed that sequence through the storytelling and character acting really sold the dread and building tension. I can’t emphasize how much Jacob knocked me out as each page came in. This is his first professional longform comics work, so I wasn’t completely sure what I would be getting back, but I can say with complete sincerity that he went way beyond even my highest hopes. Wait until the second issue—he composes the action sequences like a master conductor. I’m so excited for comic fans to discover his work. Mark my words, this is the launch of a future legend!
ROYALS #1 by Derek Kirk Kim and Jacob Perez will be available from Image Comics on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.