Gentle Giant interview sculptor Joe Menna

January 17, 2018

- Advertisement -

Gentle Giant have sat down with sculptor Joe Menna for an in depth chat in their latest blog.

The talented Joe Menna is a freelance sculptor that has done quite a few projects with us over the years. His most recent being the new Bib Fortuna mini bust that was released last month. We caught up with Joe this week to ask him a few questions about the process of bringing this fan-favorite character to three dimensions and share with you a rare look at the digital sculpt!

Can you give us a brief history of Joe Menna?

I am classically trained sculptor who finished his training in Russia, many years ago. After that I worked for some time in the fine art foundry world before my lifelong love of all things comic books, Star Wars, sci fi, and fantasy brought me into the collectible sculpting industry.

Do you remember the first sculpt you did for Gentle Giant Ltd?

It was a Jar Jar Binks bust, the first of many Star Wars projects I’ve been lucky enough to do for Gentle Giant Ltd.

Tags
Gentle Giant

SourceGentle Giant

Brian Cameron

A Star Wars comic and novel collector - Brian has an eclectic collection of Star Wars literature from around the world all crammed into his library in the Highlands of Scotland. He has written for a number of Star Wars websites over the past twenty-five years, is the webmaster of Fantha Tracks, editor of Fantha Tracks TV and co-host of Good Morning Tatooine / Good Morning Coruscant every Sunday at 9.00pm GMT.

- Advertisement -

Counting Down To:

May 2026

fri22may12:01 AM11:59 PMThe Mandalorian & GroguEvent ends in

Event Details

The Mandalorian and Grogu, announced as The Mandalorian & Grogu, is a Star Wars movie that started production in 2024. Directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, and Dave Filoni, it takes place between the events of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and Episode VII: The Force Awakens, focuses on the adventures of Din Djarin and Din Grogu, and will be a spinoff to the TV series Star Wars: The Mandalorian. The film was announced on January 9 that year on StarWars.com with a conceptual sketch by veteran illustrator Ryan Church, along with an announcement of a second season of the television series Star Wars: Ahsoka. A fourth season of The Mandalorian is also still in development.

On May 7, 2019, Disney revealed their future movie release schedule, including a set of three untitled new Star Wars films, one of which had a scheduled release date of December 20, 2024. The Star Wars Show also reported on the news on May 15. On July 23, 2020, after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was delayed to December 19, 2025. After the start of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, Disney shifted their theatrical film release slate, with the film being pushed to its current release date of May 22, 2026. A film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy occupied this release slot until The Mandalorian & Grogu was announced.

Star Wars Insider 224 revealed the initial film logo was the same as the one for The Mandalorian Season Three. In August 2024, during D23 2024, it was revealed that the film had entered production, and a new logo was revealed, in addition to a teaser that was shown to the audience. In August 2024, Sigourney Weaver revealed that she had joined the cast of The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Alongside the release of the movie, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run will be updated to include a new mission featuring Djarin, Grogu, Tatooine, Endor and Cloud City, which takes place off camera from the film.

Time

May 22, 2026 12:01 AM - 11:59 PM(GMT+01:00)

Calendar GoogleCal

September 2026

tue22sep12:01 AM11:59 PMLucas Museum of Narrative Art opening ceremonyEvent ends in

Event Details

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art celebrates the power of visual storytelling. Founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the museum explores how images move us and shape our collective memory. From Frida Kahlo’s self-portrait to Norman Rockwell’s scenes of everyday life to Charles White’s portraits of dignity. Each invites reflection. Each tells a story.

Designed by Ma Yansong of MAD, the Lucas Museum is located in Exposition Park in the South Los Angeles region. The museum’s campus includes new green space designed by Mia Lehrer and her team at Studio-MLA. Inside the building, our galleries explore timeless themes—family, love, work, play, fantasy, and more. Additional spaces include two state-of-the-art cinematic theaters and dedicated areas for learning, dining, retail, and events.

George Lucas and Mellody Hobson share a conviction that illustrated stories connect people across cultures and generations. Their decades of collecting span iconic American painting and popular illustration, comics, and cinematic art.

Lucas, creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, and founder of the George Lucas Educational Foundation began collecting in college, when the only art he could afford was original comic art for $30. Over 50 years, that collection has grown to more than 40,000 works. “I could never sell my art,” Lucas says. “It just is not what I think art is. I think it’s more about an emotional connection with the work, not how much it cost.”

Hobson, in addition to managing Ariel Investments, is the former chair of Starbucks Corporation and serves as a director of JPMorganChase.

In 2010, Hobson and Lucas signed the Giving Pledge, a campaign and public promise by some of the world’s wealthiest philanthropists to give the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. The pair is committed to improving education, particularly through the arts. “We’ve always said we’re holding society’s money, which we fully intend to give back,” Hobson says. “This is how we’re doing it.”

Time

September 22, 2026 12:01 AM - 11:59 PM(GMT-07:00)

Calendar GoogleCal

February 2027

fri19feb12:01 AM11:59 PMStar Wars 50th Anniversary releaseEvent starts in

- Advertisement -

Gentle Giant have sat down with sculptor Joe Menna for an in depth chat in their latest blog.

The talented Joe Menna is a freelance sculptor that has done quite a few projects with us over the years. His most recent being the new Bib Fortuna mini bust that was released last month. We caught up with Joe this week to ask him a few questions about the process of bringing this fan-favorite character to three dimensions and share with you a rare look at the digital sculpt!

Can you give us a brief history of Joe Menna?

I am classically trained sculptor who finished his training in Russia, many years ago. After that I worked for some time in the fine art foundry world before my lifelong love of all things comic books, Star Wars, sci fi, and fantasy brought me into the collectible sculpting industry.

Do you remember the first sculpt you did for Gentle Giant Ltd?

It was a Jar Jar Binks bust, the first of many Star Wars projects I’ve been lucky enough to do for Gentle Giant Ltd.