Artist turns real cars into comic book creations with bold outlines and a surreal 2D sketch style
Published on Aug 31, 2025 at 8:39 PM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Aug 31, 2025 at 8:39 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Meet Joshua Vides, the artist who turns real cars into comic book creations with bold outlines and a surreal 2D sketch style.
Using a technique called ‘Reality to Idea’, instead of bringing the fictional world to life, Vides is turning reality into fiction.
He customized and hand-painted two vehicles, a 26-foot stretch limousine and a 1991 Honda CBR 1000RR, for a pop-up show in NYC, using up nearly 10 gallons of paint and over 168 hours of work.
The artist wants to blur the lines between 2D and 3D reality, give people nostalgia for their childhoods, and honor the iconic tradition of pop art.
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Joshua Vides turns real cars into comic book creations
There’s nothing quite as cool as these pop art comic book creations in the form of real-life painted cars.
Created by artist Joshua Vides, two vehicles were displayed at a NYC pop-up, and they looked like they were driven straight off the pages of a black and white comic book.
The 26-foot stretch limousine and 1991 Honda CBR 1000RR don’t even look real, and it felt like a cartoon that accidentally snuck into the real world like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
These aren’t just cool and excitingly drivable art installations, though; they’re so much more than that.
Why has he created these car art installations?
No one can deny that these comic book cars look awesome, but there’s a sweet reasoning behind why Vides decided to make reality a fiction.
Firstly, the artist’s signature style is called ‘Reality to Idea’, and these cars perfectly encapsulate that style. Secondly, he wanted to evoke a sense of nostalgia in comic book fans.
Comic book fans could look at these retro-painted cars and feel like they’ve driven straight off the pages of their favorite Batman comic.
Furthermore, these cool comic cars are a homage to pop art, an art style we don’t get to enjoy as much these days.
Holy comic book car, Batman!
Daisy is a technology journalist, covering artificial intelligence, consumer tech, Apple news, cryptocurrency, digital business, and emerging technologies. Since joining the team in 2025, she has reported on everything from AI-powered startups and major iOS updates to viral tech hacks and the latest developments in the digital economy. Drawing on her background in automotive journalism and a degree in History and Journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London, Daisy specializes in breaking down complex technology stories into clear, engaging reporting for a global audience. Her work focuses on the products, platforms, and innovations that are transforming the way people work, communicate, and interact with technology. Daisy has gained first-hand access to some of the world's most talked-about technologies and innovators, including meeting Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot during its first European appearance in London. She has also discussed the future of space exploration with an astronaut, bringing unique insights and real-world perspectives to her coverage of emerging technology.
