Description
Creative Director Tom Muller breaks down his journey from side hustles to working on Marvel’s X-Men and AAA games. We talk building a personal brand, landing major clients, creative direction, AI in design, and why every designer still needs their own website.
Follow Tom on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellomuller/
Follow the Cosmic Sans Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/cosmicsanspod
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6IdhFtjpQfU9bXiZUwe3eN
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cosmic-sans/id1809877829
00:00 – Intro: Meet Tom Muller (Marvel, Disney, AAA Games)
00:27 – Starting the Year as a Freelance Designer
02:04 – Growing Up in a Creative Family
03:30 – Failing Industrial Design → Finding Graphic Design
05:13 – Moving to London & Entering the Design Scene
06:16 – The Moment That Changed Everything (Build Your Own Identity)
08:57 – The Side Hustle Grind (Working Until 3AM)
10:17 – Going Freelance & Starting Hello Muller
11:23 – Getting Laid Off → Going All-In on His Studio
13:25 – When It All Clicked (Why London Changed Everything)
16:05 – Why Every Designer Needs a Website
19:22 – The Risk of Relying on Social Media Platforms
22:02 – Diversifying Platforms (Howard’s YouTube Story)
28:40 – Landing Big Clients (Marvel, X-Men, Comics Industry)
33:04 – How Visibility Leads to Opportunities
34:01 – The Email That Landed X-Men
37:33 – Behind the Scenes of AAA Game Development (NDAs & Timelines)
39:05 – Why Connections Matter More Than Posting
40:04 – Finding a Design Language (Drifter Case Study)
46:14 – Why Comic Covers Always Put Logos at the Top
51:02 – Creative Director vs Designer (Day-to-Day Reality)
57:04 – Hiring Designers
01:02:14 – Dream Clients (A24, NASA, Film Industry)
01:05:20 – Why Smaller Clients Often Lead to Better Work
01:08:04 – “Fixing Logos” Trend (Hot Take)
01:12:03 – Design Trends That Need to Go
01:14:05 – Handling Feedback (Ego vs Reality)
01:22:07 – AI in Design (The Real Impact)
01:28:23 – Why AI Feels “Soulless”
01:36:23 – Where to Find Tom Muller
01:36:46 – Outro