Phase 2: Games
By the time I decided to pursue concept art, my comic book career was in a great place.
I had drawn Tomb Raider.
I had drawn for Marvel Comics.
I had drawn a run on The Uncanny X-Men, written by Chris Claremont.
For someone who grew up loving comics, that was a huge childhood dream fulfilled.
And yet, I could feel myself being pulled toward another challenge.
Concept art fascinated me. It required a different kind of thinking from comics. It wasn’t just about drawing a finished image or telling a story panel to panel. It was about designing characters, creatures, costumes, props, environments, and worlds that could eventually become part of a game or film.
It was visual problem-solving — all while getting to create fully painted illustrations.
And I wanted to do it.
So once again, I found myself stepping away from a path that was working.
Some people probably thought I was crazy (again!).
I was fresh off working on X-Men books and being offered big opportunities in comics. But that familiar pattern in my life was happening again.
I didn’t want to stay somewhere just because it was comfortable.
I wanted to grow.
That decision led me to Sony Santa Monica Studio, where I joined the Visual Development team on the God of War video game franchise.
And just like my early days at Extreme Studios, I was thrown into a bullpen of incredibly talented artists.
Only this time, I wasn’t the young comic book artist learning how to draw pages.
I was the established comic book artist learning how to become a concept artist.
It felt like being thrown into the deep end and being asked to swim.
But I’ve realized that the greatest periods of growth in my artistic life have happened exactly that way. When I’m surrounded by artists who challenge and inspire me. When I’m faced with something I don’t fully understand yet. When I have no choice but to work hard, adapt, and level up.
I spent five amazing years at Sony Santa Monica working on the God of War franchise.
God of War II.
God of War III.
God of War: Chains of Olympus.
God of War: Ascension.
On God of War III, I became one of the leading artists on the project, helping lead the charge on designing characters, creatures, and creating marketing illustrations to promote the project.
That chapter taught me how to work with teams, directors, producers, designers, and other departments. It taught me how to contribute to a larger vision. It taught me that art in entertainment is not just about making cool images. It’s about helping build a world.
In many ways, God of War became the bootcamp for everything that came next.
I was working on one of the biggest video game franchises in the world. I had a great position. I was growing. I was surrounded by talented people. I had security.
What more could I want?
One day, I was talking to Ian McCaig, the legendary concept artist. Knowing that I had a hunger for something more in my career, he asked me a question:
“What would it take for you to leave Sony and God of War?”
I had a two-word answer.
“The Avengers.”
— Andy Park
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