MASH UP AND ECCC

Do you like SAMURAI JACK? Do you dig JACK KIRBY? Do you like MASH UPS??

(Was this a terrible idea?)

I just finished "play-drawing", this was the result. I'm thinking about printing a few of these and selling and/or giving away this coming week/end up at Seattle's EMERALD CITY COMICON--where I'll be in the ARTIST'S ALLEY section, BOOTH J-03. Come see me. Buy something!

"AVENGER TIME!"

I'm usually savvy enough to not post freelance--for a number of reasons, but I thought these were too fun and eventually revised so much they don't appear too similar to the final products, thus hopefully legally off the hook for posting.

The job required parody's of Marvel Super Heroes. Needless to say, it was probably my most favorite job--less any work Marvel wants to throw my way....? *crickets* No? Okay, moving on...

Below, a slight twist on a classic (I think the hat was a nice touch).
The HULK parody below was probably my favorite--as I have a fondness for the sort of hillbillyness of it's design.
And these two, well...
You can see the actual short here: http://www.cartoonbrew.com/tv/mads-marvel-superheroadventure-time-mash-up.html

"IN THE BEGINNING--"

--Or "Highfather was a Badass Pt. 2"...

To further illustrate the profound impact this story had on me as a kid I depicted another scene from The NEW GODS story. I remember finding this issue buried in my brother's box of comics, wedged somewhere beneath Colan's IRON MAN and Buscema's AVENGERS. The cover was missing, so I had absolutely no idea what this was, nor the vast titles it belonged too (we were a MARVEL household, apparently). I thought it looked sort of how I imagined my brother's Micronauts toys would've been illustrated and the stories wherein (obviously I was wrong). All I knew was that I thought IZAYA THE INHERITOR was cool, cool, cool!

"HIGHFATHER WAS A BADASS!"

Continuing with a theme, I drew a scene from my absolute, hands down, favorite NEW GODS story. My favorite character in the Fourth World canon: IZAYA, THE INHERITOR!!!

THE BUG!

FORAGER is one of my favorite characters out of Jack Kirby's Fourth World NEW GODS stories. After finishing up a freelance job where I needed to digitally ink and color pages fast (6-9 pages per day), I wanted to turn that newly learned looseness onto a sketch for myself (and an image I can actually post). This was the result. Hope you enjoy!

"TO ROB, LOVE KAMANDI"

LAST WEEK'S SIGNING...

Here's me drawing JACK KIRBY'S OMAC for Collector's Paradise owner Ed.

...and here's the almost-final-result.

Shopkeeper and all around nice guy Andy asked me to draw any version I wanted of his fave character Iceman. Since I was in a Kirby sort of mood, he got the "snowy" version!

p.s. you don't wanna know where those snowballs came from!

"SPEAKING OF KIRBY..."

I recently saw THIS during my ritual-like scanning of Ebay for Jack Kirby original pages (that I cannot afford, mind you--but fulfills my need for self-afflicted abuse!). This apparently is being billed as a Kirby penciled cover for The Phantom. I haven't investigated further to find out if it's valid.
Whether this is true or not; I really love the design of the dwarf! And that four-armed chick...I'm guessing she'll seep into my not-so-subtle subconscious and appear in Season 2 of Charlatan Ball.

MY JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR INTERVIEW!!!

Out in stores now: JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #52...

This is quite possibly, the coolest thing that's ever happened to me! What an honor, what a thrill! And I'm equally proud to share the pages with JERSEY GODS co-creator and artist, DAN McDAID.

SOME THINGS I'VE STUMBLED UPON...

...WHILE LOOKING FOR SOME OTHER THINGS.

Y'know, when you're googling images for reference, etc. and you find gems that make you smile, inspire or enraged? Well, we'll stick with the first two emotions as I walk you through my sifting...like a 49er and his pan of gold. Mind you, these aren't images I sought after, only the ones that I happened across in my quest.


I'm not sure where I pulled this off of, or perhaps whose blog it occupied previously--or exactly who the artist was that did this, mighty fine tribute to KING KIRBY...but it took my breath away--in the most romantically inappropriate way possible. Those colors...that costume; HELA, possibly one of my favorite Kirby designs.

...and here is Kirby's original, The Mighty Thor #150.

I. Love. That. Costume.
...Seriously; what is it, two colors?! Genius: it's already such an elaborate, overly complicated design, sticking to monochromatic color schemes made it bold, made it strong, made it one of my favorite designs. Ever.

Does the above image need any explanation as to why its up here?


Got to love it when folks put up hi-rez scans of their original Kirby art they're auctioning off on eBay! Suckers.


This anthology book is coming out soon from Image--featuring art and stories from guys on the other side of the world. Some of the work in here looks really, really impressive. You can check out a preview here.

I stumbled across this image from a colorist I'm smitten with named Dylan McCrae. His pyrotechnic palette can be seen in the latest issue of SAVAGE DRAGON #137!




To be honest, I've no idea WHERE the above-images came from. I think it's an Indian Comic Book Series, but to know for sure would be to google it specifically instead of the indirect surprise the rest have been. I'll have to make sure and do a follow-up. It definitely reminds me of Howard Chaykin's work, along with his dashing, misogynistic anti-heroes...even down to the haircut!


Aahhh...my favorite anti-hero, hero-killer MARSHAL LAW. Geez, talk about stories and images that've shaped my idea of the medium, FEAR and LOATHING is one of the BEST graphic novels on the planet. Incredible. While I'm happy Kevin O'Neill is taking a break from LEAGUE of EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMAN to put out another volume of this futuristic cape-killing cop, I'm bummed to discover it looks to be another picture-book with less pictures and more book, if you catch my drift.




...and here's my favorite cartoon of all time. I think I found these images while investigating any possible leads on DVD collections. Sigh. Sure, in retrospect it probably wasn't a great cartoon by any stretch--but I long for the day when I can create and produce a cartoon where the main characters spend the entire episode going fishin'...or persimmon pie poaching....or shooting guns. I also loved how "off model" the book covers were to the actual animated designs.


...and call me "late to the party", but I just had no idea just how MANY people steal from Ronald Searle.


And my favorite thing of the moment:

What and amazing 1967 manga by KAZUO UMEZU. Not a big fan of reading things backwards, I picked it up on a lark and mostly because I'm working on an idea seemingly very similar and wanted to make sure I was only stealing the good parts-- (haha).

And for Japan's answer to our Leprechaun Trilogies, check out this trailer. I dare you not to tinkle a little in your pants.


I'm not sure I can dutifully explain the mind explosion that occurred when I saw this online. All of my faves...in one powerful embrace.


Mwaw! Oh come on Bats, quit being so butch--a little PDA won't kill you!

SOMEONE ELSES ART...

--That has totally knocked me on my ass, recently.

The first is more GODLAND covers. It's interesting, in the latest KIRBY COLLECTOR #50 (or, as it appears on the cover: "KIRBY FIVE-OH!"), from Twomorrows Publishing, Godland artist and fellow JOE CASEY collaborator TOM SCIOLI said in an interview, oh God(land), I just looked it up to quote--but must've gotten my sources mixed; in any event, he had said somewhere that he was going to "stop trying to do it the Kirby way", or something along those lines--and problem solve as he, himself as an artist would. Whatever he's doing, it's working! Check these out:



Then of course, good-golly there's Tim Sale...yes, he's the artist behind the artist that paints the future, but Issac never painted like this. Those colors are amazing too, huh?



Now, check out this Argentinian artist, MAX FIUMARA. He's collaborating with writer JOE KELLY on another Image title called FOUR EYES. Wow. His inking takes my breath away. I know how that sounds, but...look at these pages!

CHAOS!

COLORING KIRBY Part1

Ahhh. To color Kirby. What an honor. What a weight to shoulder.

As issue #1 of CHARLATAN BALL is currently being colored; I've attempted to provide the colorist with as much information in terms of my own personal color theorie(s) and "tastes", however tasteful, or palettable they may be. (hehe, get it?) Well, beyond my own scope of marker comps, digging thru older French Graphic Novels and such--nearly all my JACK KIRBY reprints and collections have been earmarked and flagged. Granted, some of these newer albums have been modified, colors and line adjusted (like in those DC ARCHIVE EDITIONS or MARVEL MASTERWORKS)--but some pages remained close enough, which saved any further damage to my old, original pages of the individual issues.

...and I know I may be in the minority; but I love the way color comics look on newsprint. Classic. Bold. Expressive when needed. Pure pop pulp.


I've always loved this page (I should scan the originals, I know--), I love the way the entire page is in complete chaos, ink darting all around, lines everywhere--but the colorist was able to bring it all back. The foregrand characters are grounded and simplified.



Before Magnola...





Such a great example how color can really set mood...


I know, I know, this is a modern coloring of a classic. But they didn't kill it--and I sort of like it:



This is a sample of the "classic" coloring. I LOVE the subtle blush on the cheeks, adds a bit of life--withought the horrendous "photo-real", FX-laden pages of today's books.





These next two are probably my favorites...


So simple. Brilliant.