Copying from the Masters; Crossing the Finish Line!

Hey There! My month-long blog-a-thon featuring "cover" versions of all-time great comic book covers
comes to a close today! Check it out at:
Pulp Ink!

Three Funerals and a Reality

The death of Dwayne McDuffie cast a shadow over the whole comics industry -- while shining a renewed light on the possibilities for the artform that he showed. The next day three funeral-themed issues of major mainstream comics happened to come out, some of which fulfilled those possibilities.

The most high-profile was Fantastic Four #588. This is one of Marvel’s best books by its most important writer, and the death (for now) of Johnny Storm was handled in a monumentally moving way last issue. I can’t wait for Jonathan Hickman’s new “FF” book, and maybe he can’t either, because this final “mourning” issue often felt like something to get out of the way; some moments were very touching and there were others where I couldn’t fight off a mental image of Garth Ennis laughing his ass off. Superhero deaths are a ritual that, in the typical sense of that word, happens again and again, and before blasting into the next adventure the Fantastic Four creative team didn’t quite know how to stop.

With much less fanfare but more weight Issue #169 of Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon was observing the death of its sole title character (but still moving on), through the Dragon’s teenage kids conveying the mixed emotions and honest bitterness that losing a parent early brings on. Dragon is a rare real-time superhero series where you can’t go back, and that’s as good a formula as we’ve got for going forward.

Taking fantasy closer to the world we know was Amazing Spider-Man #655, detailing the death of an everyday person, Marla Jameson, as a casualty of the superbeings’ endless warfare. Marcos Martin’s crisp yet surreal compositions and writer Dan Slott’s imagination and human touch conveyed the distorted senses and toxic thoughts of a loss you feel responsible for, creating an unqualified and stunning work of art. Slott is the funniest man in comics when he wants to be, which he rightly didn’t here, but like all real jesters, he sees straight to the truth.

The story must go on, but for its absent players to have meant anything, it’s proper that a change is made.

Moon Prince page 49: Scary Noises.

The whole story (so far) is here.

Waist deep in the Big Muddy: Copying from the Masters; Week 3

forgot to tell ya': Week 3 of Copying the Masters began yesterday over at Pulp Ink! It's down to the wire and I'm working feverishly away with my markers and my sketchbook to make 5 MORE COVERS before the months end! To realize my goal of 28 covers for 28 days in February! Why? Who the hell knows? Seems like a studpid idea to me--but I'm committed to it! And it won't be the first(or last) stupid idea someone has committed great energy and great resources to!(You should my bill for prismacolors!)
AGH!-hunkered over the kitchen table-Not eating---not drinking- not speaking--just ...marking! Markers running dry--sketchbook running out of paper---looks like the odds are stacked against me!
But I won't let you down--all 5 of you --who keep checking back every day.(Or maybe those are just my own page views?)
So-head on over to Pulp Ink--and see what all this fuss---at least my fuss--is about!

Moon Prince page 48: A distant light.

The whole story (so far) is here.

Publish Post

Copying from the Masters; Week 2

Week 2 of my month-long "covered" marathon continues at Pulp Ink with a bit of romance in honor of St. Valentine!

13 days left! I'm feeling it in the arm, the prismacolors are beginning to run dry--I'm running out of comics! Is the tide beginning to turn? Are the odds stacked against me?
I'm beginning to wonder...

Moon Prince page 47: Things start getting fishy.

The whole story (so far) is here.

Third Time’s the POOD!

Don’t touch that back-button, pood #3 is hurtling toward Earth and landing on your fave comic store April 20! Give your local comic-agent these free secret passwords:

pood # 3

Big If Comics

Diamond item code: FEB110807

(Page 246 of the catalog, Page 17 of the order form)

...and it will help guarantee that North America gets its supply of surreal elliptical adventure and gag humor for generations to come! (sample sneak-peek from Paolo Leandri’s drawingboard above.) Order THIS MONTH and tell your friends, Friends, foes and even-strangers!!

Copying from the Masters: Week 1

 Hey Gang--just for shits & giggles: week one of my marathon "covered" session is  complete & I'm finishing up with a Frazetta-style bang!! So head on over to Pulp Ink and check it out for laughs!
6 covers down, and....22!!! to go! Aaagh! & I thought February was the short month! The question is--will I be able to make it?  28 covers? Holy Sh!t, Batman! What have I let myself in for?

Fantastic Life Wins a Xeric

poodtributor Kevin Mutch just won a Xeric for his graphic novel Fantastic Life!

Moon Prince page 46: Fssss!

The whole story (so far) is here.