Bold statement: artists often burn bright outside the corporate machine, not inside it, and Ghost of the Gulag is David Derrick Jr.’s bold proof of that truth. But here’s where it gets controversial: can a creator truly stay authentic when the industry’s gravity pulls you toward safe, marketable projects? Derrick says yes, and he demonstrates how a demanding, mythic fable about a blinded Amur tiger unfolds when you opt to chart your own course.
Director Daid Derrick: From ‘Moana 2’ To A Dark Indie Web Comic
By Jamie Lang
For the past decade, David Derrick Jr. has been a steady hand at some of the world’s biggest animation studios—DreamWorks, Disney, and today Warner Bros.—helping guide massive, family-friendly projects through production. Most recently, he worked on the billion-dollar blockbuster Moana 2. Yet Ghost of the Gulag, his stark, hand-drawn webcomic set in Russia’s Far East, was born from a desire to step away from that system entirely.
“I want to create things,” Derrick tells Cartoon Brew. “I want to be very selfish. I don’t want to make something that the studio is going to want to buy.”
That impulse, pure and practical at once, led Derrick to a story few major studios would greenlight: a brutal, mythic fable about a tortured, blind Amur tiger navigating a landscape scarred by violence, tribal feuds, and the long echo of Russian history.
“I want to tell a gritty, dark story,” he explains, naming formative influences like Watership Down and Princess Mononoke. “Something that blends grim, messed-up Russian history with animal clans—the wolves, the boar, and all the allegories they carry.”
Stepping Outside the Studio System
Derrick’s exit from Disney followed Moana 2’s release, a moment that underscored his need for change.
“Ultimately, there are times when every artist needs to move on, when you have to find a new mountain to climb,” he says. “Disney was a good experience, but I was ready to move on.”
In the world of large media conglomerates, Derrick notes, you’re constantly negotiating. “You’re making a lot of concessions creatively to get something everyone can agree on,” he says. “Sometimes you need a place where there are no negotiations at all.”
Ghost of the Gulag became that place—a creative refuge during crunch times on studio films. “Sometimes it became so stressful,” he admits. “Working on my comic felt like a refuge. There were no concessions. It was just me, creating in a raw, visceral way.”
A Living Comic
Ghost of the Gulag isn’t a locked-in feature or a conventional graphic novel. It evolves in public, shaped by reader input. Derrick posts chapters online for free and reads every comment.
“I love putting something out and getting immediate feedback—what lands, what doesn’t,” he says. “I’ve definitely changed story points to ensure the moment lands as I intend.”
That feedback loop mirrors an animation screening process but without executive filters. The result is a living project that grows organically, not tied to a single delivery date.
“I found a pace,” Derrick explains. “Typically, I publish on Mondays and Thursdays. There are times when crunch makes that hard, but I try to honor a straightforward agreement with my readers.”
Drawing as a Native Language
Though global audiences mainly associate him with CG features, Derrick emphasizes that drawing has always been his primary means of expression.
“Drawing is how I communicate,” he says. “It’s how I’ve expressed myself since I was little.”
Moving from disposable animation storyboards to polished, print-ready panels required new discipline. “[Animation] story artists can churn out hundreds of panels quickly,” he notes. “But those were meant to be discarded. This project is about taking something to completion.”
Animals, in particular, have long captivated Derrick. “When I was growing up, people said, ‘Don’t anthropomorphize animals.’” he recalls. “But anyone who’s lived with a dog or cat knows they have emotions. It’s about recognizing what’s already there and highlighting it while staying true to anatomy.”
Why Side Projects Matter
Now at Warner Bros., Derrick works on original projects, yet Ghost of the Gulag remains essential rather than optional.
“If you’re not careful, the voice that got you hired can get swallowed by the giant corporate organism,” he warns. “To remain valuable, you must define yourself outside that system.”
He advises younger artists to nurture their own creative outlets, even when production schedules are relentless. “Make art for art’s sake,” he says. “You can’t control success, but you can control what you make. Put your pride into that, and good things tend to follow.”
The Long View
Derrick isn’t positioning Ghost of the Gulag as a pitch, product, or guaranteed monetization. And that’s part of the point.
“I don’t think you always have to think, ‘I must sell this,’” he says. “Sometimes it’s about finishing something you can put your soul into. That renewal is valuable.”
In an era of AI-generated images and risk-averse franchises, Ghost of the Gulag stands out as a handmade work born from one artist’s instincts, contradictions, and patience. As Derrick puts it more simply: “For people who feel like they have to create, creating is like breathing.”
What do you think?
