Pencil/ink/color/print.

Today we have a series of images showing the process behind my cover illustration for A Killing in Comics, the first of the Jack and Maggie Starr comics mysteries by Max Allan Collins.  There were a few rough preliminary sketches before this pencil prelim.  The drawing style is inspired by 1940's DC Comics in general -- the Batman newspaper strip, specifically.

Image #2 shows the inked and cleaned up line art.  My favorite inking tool is the Niji "Waterbrush" (the large size) filled with Rapidograph "Ultradraw" ink bu Koh-i-noor.

  This is followed by the colored version in #3.  Melissa Kaercher did a great job (from my color notes) on the faux '40s comic book color --big dots,  bad registration and all!  And finally, there's the printed version of the book cover, incorporating a slightly cropped version of the art.

My cover illo for the second in the series, Strip for Murder, was a painting, incorporating some cartoon art.  Unfortunately, the series came to a halt before the planned third book, which would have had an EC horror comics theme.  Darn it -- I was really looking forward to illustrating that one.  Heck -- I was really looking forward to reading it!  Some day, if luck is kind, Max  and I will be able to return to this series.  In the meantime, we have other things planned....

I yam what I yam!

Here's a great vintage Popeye item I used to own -- but sold on eBay years ago.  Why the heck did I sell THIS!?!  What a great piece!  And why didn't I keep a bigger, better scan of it? Aw shucks. 

The M.M.M.S. wants YOU!

I had copies of these posters from Marvel's M.M.M.S. (Merry Marvel Marching Society) fan club when I was a kid (I belonged to Marvelmania and F.O.O.M., too).  They're long gone -- I'm sure they got tossed after being torn and tattered from being taped and re-taped to my bedroom wall.  I found these scans on the web a loooong time ago -- they were a bit yellowed and worn, so I cleaned them up in photoshop.  I hope whoever originally posted them, doesn't mind me re-posting them here. I only wish they were larger -- but you can't have everything, can you? What wonderful, iconic images of these silver age Marvel heroes!  Face front, true believer!

Inking the "King"

Now that Big Funny has made its debut, I'll get back to posting more of my work, as well as various graphics and assorted "cool stuff" that I find worth sharing.  Today I'm bringing you a few examples of my inks over lightboxed Jack Kirby pencils from Jack's  "Heroes and Villains" sketchbook.  

These were initially done as an inking exercise -- but I ended up using them in a birthday greeting to Jack published in a San Diego ComicCon convention book.  Later, just for the heck of it, I colored them.  The originals were sold at auction in a 9-11 benefit at another convention.

I recently discovered these scans which I hadn't recalled making.  I'm glad I found them -- a nice surprise for me -- and I hope you enjoy them, too.  The experience of inking Kirby's pencils is such a pleasure for me -- I wish I'd been able to have really worked on something with him.

BIG FUNNY has arrived!

The Big Funny opening reception was -- or is -- as it's still going on while I type this -- a rousing success. The gallery was packed and copies of the publication were flying off the shelves.  The vintage Sunday sections I'd donated to be given away with early purchases went fast -- gone by the second hour of sales.

Original art from Big Funny was on display, as well as select vintage Sunday strips.  Many of the artists who had work in the show were there, as well as other local cartoonists such as Zak Sally (Sammy the Mouse) and Jim Keefe (Flash Gordon).  Winsor McCay's Gertie the Dinosaur was playing on a loop, projected on the gallery wall.  

Many of my former MCAD students were in attendance, as well as fellow faculty members.  I even bumped into an old pal from my hometown who I hadn't seen in twenty years (Hi Mitch!).  All in all, an impressive event, and a great show.  If you missed the opening, the show will continue through the 29th -- details here.   Enjoy the photos!

That's one of my MCAD students, Renny Kissling, in the center of this pic.

Sean Lynch and Eric Schuster, both former students of mine, chatting with MCAD comics instructor, Barbara Schulz.  

Cartoonist and MCAD visiting artist Zak Sally and MCAD design instructor Erik Brandt.

Big Funny contributor Lewis Tuck.

Original comic art by William Ede.

My Big Funny contribution (on the left).

BIG FUNNY -- tonight!

Big Funny makes its official debut tonight.  I picked up my copies yesterday and am thrilled with the big crazy thing!  For info on the reception, click HERE.  In anticipation of this event, I've been posting vintage newspaper strips from my collection -- here are a few more.  I hope to see all Twin Cities area comics fans at the gallery tonight!

SHOCK STORIES & URBAN LEGENDS sketch cards!

Taking a break from the vintage comics and Big Funny posts to get back to the soon to be released Shock Stories and Urban Legends trading cards I drew for Monsterwax.  One of the most fun assignments I've ever had was turning out 250 sketch cards for the sets.  For those who don't know, sketch cards are original art cards randomly inserted in card packs.  These are all ink and marker, and feature different views of the characters from the cards.  

My intern from MCAD, Hannah Blumenreich,  helped out with pencil roughs for some of these.  The "Mexican Pet" images show off her drawing skills especially.  These are a "best of" preview of the cards -- we drew a lot more!  If you happen to get one in your box of cards, please let me know what you got, will you?  

And if your response to some of these is "Eeeuwwww -- gross!" then you got it right!

PS: please leave a comment if you enjoy what you see here -- I know from the counter I just installed that folks are looking at this blog -- but some feedback would be really nice -- thanks!

UPDATE: here's an article on the 3-D subset cards!