Tuesday, March 31, 2009

SKETCHBOOK & TEES ORDERS: BONUS SKETCH!

For those of you that have received an Art of Andy Sketchbook or T-Shirt from me know, I always include a personalized, one of a kind drawing. It's my little way of saying: "thanks for dropping twenty bucks on me!" My favorite thing to draw has been Demon Empty. Here's a couple of sketches that I liked and scanned (my apologies if one of these are yours and consequently might have bent the spine scanning), that went out recently:
Sometimes I color them, sometimes not:
...I felt like this one just worked better as a B&W. I also feel like I'm just starting to turn a corner with my inking and the black/shadows worked in this drawing.


I like this guy--sort of reminded me of Elmer Fudd mixed with Mark Twain. I don't think I've sent this book off to anyone yet!

Monday, March 30, 2009

INAPPROPRIATE

I'm a big Jay Ward fan. I love Dudley Do-Right. I was super excited when I happened along a strange, new comic book shop around the corner from my dentist's that had a treasure chest of gems (to those of specific tastes), for 30% off! Among the titles I purchased were "Lancelot Link" (for a friend), DC's "Prez" and this Dudley Do-Right comic from Charlton Comics. What a SCORE, right?


After carefully undoing the tape from the bag and backing, I took in a deep breath, savoring the old, moldy, parchment smell. Keeping the brittle paper away from anything flammable, even overhead light--lest it burst into flames, I took delight in the antics of Mr. Snidley Whiplash, Nell and friends. Now, I wasn't yet around for the 'swinging' year of 1970--but after a two-page mini story about a, ahem, Beaver, my jaw dropped at the ad immediately following:

I love old comic book ads, I really do. I wish I was one of those kids that sent away for a build-it-yourself submarine (any Get a Life fans out there?), but this one struck me as a littler out of place in a kids funny book. Then again, had I seen this one when I was a kid, I'd have absolutely sent away for "Judy" instead of any bike, binoculars or sub!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

A TALE OF TWO ("PRESIDENT") BATMANS...

This has been a big week for me, comic book-release-wise; bigger couple of weeks, if you include CHARLATAN BALL #6, two weeks ago! Along with CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #55 (cover image above), BATMAN: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD #3 (cover also depicted above--it should be noted I did neither), came out this past Wednesday. Pretty neat!

I'll post some of my MY GYM PARTNER IS A MONKEY pages next week, but wanted to show you some rough pages from this latest Batman issue. You'll notice there are a couple versions of each--with one small, but major alteration...
In this story, Batman assumes the identity (by way of hologram) of the President of the United States. In the current comics climate of slapping Barrack Obama's mug on every funny book out there, DC decidedly didn't want to follow the current trend...and while my first take wasn't exactly our new Prez, he definitely wasn't different enough. So revisions were made and this is what ends up in the final printing.

I sort of think he ended up looking like the dad from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

I've been digging the 2-page openers...

This was a cool sequence: Batman fights Congress!


That being said, I've been loving working with Rachel, DC Comics and drawing Batman, writers like Matt Wayne and J. Torres, being inked by Dan Davis (who's working overtime on all the extra line work I've put into issues #4 and #6). I feel like I'm just starting to loosen up and bring a little warmth to my designs and panels. It can be really tough and at times, paralyzing, following someone else's designs--especially translating one medium to the other. But challenges can be fun too; it inspires growth and I'm definitely learning with every issue.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

"JUST YOUR FRIENDLY, NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN"

Spider-Man is real, and apparently he lives in Bangkok! I'm sure a lot of you have already seen this recent news footage, but thought it was pretty sweet, touching and altogether humbling to think there are people like this out there. Check out the story of how a fireman dressed up as Spider-Man to rescue a kid HERE.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

BATMAN'S BUDDY...

A couple of folks have asked if I'll be doing more BATMAN: BRAVE & THE BOLD comics for DC. The answer is YES. Supposedly (and hopefully), Dan Davis (the inker) and I will be one of the two teams of "regulars" on it (I'd do every one if I could). P.S. Please don't ask me to help you get "my" job on this. Ahem. Really?? Anyway, so far we've done issues #1, 3, 4 and 6. They are looking GREAT and we're both evolving, stylistically--becoming more relaxed and comfortable with the style and incorporating our own "voices" to it. I think we were both surprised and ultimately awe struck by show producer James Tucker's cover for #1. It was the shows style, but so much more. Incredible.

Here's an upcoming "SECRET FILE"...

As for the TV show, I storyboarded a Plastic Man opening sequence that will be coming up sometime soon I think.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

"I USED TO BE SEXY!"

Uncomfortable post title aside, I recently dug up a couple of character designs and development from eons ago. The project was called: "Sexy Deadly". Originally developed as "Birds of Prey" with DC Comics at WB Animation--DC pulled the plug due to either legal, TV, or feature conflicts. Not wanting their hard work to go to waste, they changed the name and added about 50% more raunchiness. The man for the job? Paul Dini, of course. As enamored to work with him as I was, I couldn't say he felt the same way--culminating in my witnessing him asking for another artist right in front of me...sigh. God bless them though, they kept me and put up with my recently evolved--or DEvolved "gross" style of designs. Again, this was years ago--before the recent trend and tendency towards this style (i.e. "Flapjack", etc. ). I smoothed a couple designs out the best I could--trying to let go of any ego I might've had for not being known as the "sexy-girl" artist. I think my favorite part of this experience, aside from working with Paul Dini, was going to MTV for a video-feed meeting on both coasts, where each team of development execs looked like super hip veejays and were literally hung-over from their no-doubt, ultra-cool festivities the evening before. Actually getting a "oh, my head, please don't talk to loud" comment through a satellite feed was priceless.

These are some cleaner models...





This drawing below is still one of my favorite designs...



The drawings below remind me of THIS recent message board where readers were talking about how my Power Girl design in BATMAN: Brave & the Bold looked like a tranny...




Yeah, sort of gross.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

"SPEAKING OF COVERS..."

No, do not attempt to adjust you monitors, this is my cover for CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #56 (I believe). Yes, obviously an homage (or blatant rip off) of ANDY WARHOL's (self-)portrait(s). This one was inked by Mike DeCarlo; the colorist's name escapes me, wish I could remember who Liz said, because they did a great job.

What's cool is, Comicbookresources.com ran a "Judging a book by it's cover" feature--where they described this one as: "Very clever Cartoon Network Block Party cover by Andy Suriano. Definitely the sort of cover that stands out on a rack." Made me smile--and appreciate an editor like LIZ GEHRLEIN for providing me the space and encouragement to take risks and think outside the box--(yes, even on a CN offshoot book like this). Check out all the covers, HERE.

And here's the devolution of the process...
This was the color comp I sent with my penciled page. The final penciled page.

Then, here are some of the rough concept sketches I initially did...

CHARLATAN BALL #6 COVER!

Well, the front half, at least. Not to be missed on shelves, eh?


And our "No-Prize" of the week goes to TOM for getting my KITH reference in the post below. Nice catch, Tom!

Monday, March 09, 2009

FREAKSHOW: ISSUE #6 IN STORES THIS WEDNESDAY!!!

That's right, shout it from the rooftops. CHARLATAN BALL #6 finally hits the stands this Wednesday, the 11th!
The delay and extended break from issue 5 was due to no fault on our part, but apparently a back up que at the printers!?
In any event, it's the best issue yet! Seriously, those of you waiting for the trade paper back are missing out--besides, the only people who go for trades are housewives and those that pick up "Greatest Hits" albums.
I felt like everything sort of came together in this issue, like THIS is the starting point or baseline for which I want to continue with. Marc Letzman's colors are incredible this go around too. We really gelled. Plus, I had so much fun drawing aliens and freaks. (I call the orange dude above in the BG, "Kumquat Head".)"Hyper/Meta-Reality Alert": Me, Joe, Marc and Ben make appearances in this book...
Here's 3 of our 5 contributers; wish I knew what Russ Wootan looked like. Ben Kalina shows up four panels later. (Little known fact: Marc moonlights as a masked pro-amatuer wrestling announcer!)




Oh yeah, buy a teeshirt!