Sunday, December 25, 2011

AMBASSADOR OF PEACE & SISTERHOOD/FIGHTER FOR TRUTH & JUSTICE


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Above a blue line sketch of the Golden Age Wonder Woman--I don't know why, but I love her in a skirt.

Below is a ballpoint pen sketch of Tonto, the Lone Ranger's partner. I aged him a bit for this one--in my mind he's still out there in the old west righting wrongs and helping out his Kemosabe!


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Saturday, December 24, 2011

CHEWBACCA versus DARTH VADER



Think about how short this series could've been had only Chewy gotten his mitts on Darth Vader...

This time of year also brings me back to that Chewbacca Christmas Special... and then my brain begs me to quit.

COAST TO COAST NO MORE


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Guess I'd almost forgotten to post this one. Love the old school animated characters and when I was asked to sketch Space Ghost, I couldn't help but smile. And then I started drawing him and realized how great and simple his design was. Props to the main man Alex Toth for designing him right.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE BOY COMMANDOS

Joe Simon passed away last week at the age of 98. Joe was one of the true legends in the comic book industry--co-creator of one of the biggest fictional characters ever created for comics, Captain America. Like Will Eisner, he was one of only a few on the talent side of the business who knew about how the business side worked and so he was innovative in that regard. Mr. Simon also created many other characters of note and they are the original Vision, The Boy Commandos, Blue Bolt, Brother Power the Geek, Fighting American, The Fly, Prez, Newsboy Legion, Guardian and, of course, The Red Skull.

In honor of Joe's passing, I sketched up a few tributes to the old soldier... rest in peace, Joe.




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Saturday, December 17, 2011

THESE NEW GODS OF JACK'S






The above is a week's worth of Daily Sketch Challenges from OUTCAST STUDIOS--great fun practicing on some of Jack Kirby's most interesting DC creations.

Monday, December 12, 2011

THE DAYS ARE JUST PACKED

Always loved that title for a CALVIN & HOBBES collection--it implies so much about how big a single day could be when you are a kid. And CALVIN & HOBBES is all about being a kid. Bill Watterson is a genius humorist and cartoonist. And that was what took his strip far above and beyond the other strips of its day--it was great all around. Whereas you'll have one strip look good artistically, it didn't have it when it came to the writing and vice versa when it came to art--in Watterson's strip you find the perfect combination of a cartoonist at the peak of his powers artistically and as a writer.

And so I dreaded it when the challenge came forth to draw these characters. I couldn't settle on the sketch I wanted to do... so I wound up doing a study of one of his strips and panel from a scene in which Hobbes stalks Calvin like the red-blooded jungle cat that he is...

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Sunday, December 11, 2011

RED, RED, RED



Came up with the idea for this sketch the other night and it just flowed out fairly easily. Tells the picture story as they say...

Saturday, December 10, 2011

WHAT IF SOLOMON GRUNDY...?


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Another DSC--this one my own weekend challenge for members who thought DC really missed out by not including a particular title in their new DCU 52 titles. "GRUNDY" was my idea. I don't really think he could cary a regular title for long, but in this "what if" world, I thought what the heck!

THAT ROBIN GIRL, CARRIE KELLY


(Click for a closer look!)

A digital sketch, this one done for the Daily Sketch Challenge from my Outcast Studios pals over at DeviantArt. Easily my second favorite Robin... and she's a... brace yourself... GIRL!

For someone who some think of as a sexist in the way he portrays women, I've always thought that Frank Miller just happened to portray his women like the men in his comics--equally. Besides, he's created some of the best female characters in comics history in Elektra and Martha Washington. But that's a discussion for another day.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Floating Vision



The Vision is one of those characters who different people react to very differently. I happen to love the character and his classic look, so when it came time to sketch him I went with that.

That Rasputin Boy

Just thought I'd drop a line and update you folks as to what's been occupying my illustrative mind of late...

Collaborated with Mr. Chris Williams AKA Furious Nick on this here Colossus drawing. He did the pencils and I did the inks (my usual best to copy what the three best Colossus artists did to portray him and they were Cockrum, Byrne and Smith). Turned out okay...