Kerry Callen's Blog!

Would Abraham Lincoln have been better-looking with a full beard?

2012-01-15T18:01:00.002-06:00

With those eyebrows, I'm assuming he could have grown a 'stache. I did a little Photoshop work, to see if he looked more suave, but still can't decide. Ladies?

An Aquaman shirt you will (hopefully) never see.

2012-01-08T13:01:00.000-06:00

Many of you have probably seen Ninja T-shirts like this one...

Should this also be a direction for Superhero shirts...?

I deeply apologize for showing that to you.

Wait! Here's another one...

Oh no, did I just post that out-loud?

I hope we can still be friends.

More Animated Comic Covers

2012-01-01T21:31:00.000-06:00

I've been incredibly busy over the Holidays, but I did manage to animate a couple of old comic covers.

First up, Nick Fury, Agent of Shield #4, from 1968. Original cover by groovy Jim Steranko. It feels like it should be accompanied by music...

Next, what's more fun than an old Lois Lane cover? Animating an old Lois Lane cover! Here's Lois Lane #29, from 1961. Original cover by Curt Swan/Stan Kaye. (And no, I didn't change any content in the situation.)

(And don't ask me what the situation is. I've never read the book!)

You better watch out!

2011-12-21T14:01:00.001-06:00

I've completed another Christmas parody cover, written by Chris Simms, for Comics Alliance. You can check out the finished version by clicking here! It's more exciting than my b&w version below...

If you don't follow comics, then the parody won't make much sense. It's a take-off of the recent, over-the-top comic, Suicide Squad.

(Oh! As I type this, I suddenly want to do an over-the-top comic called Suicide Squid! Okay. Nope. The moment's past. Thank goodness.)

The Avengers' Secret Santa

2011-12-13T20:21:00.001-06:00

Just finished some art for Comics Alliance this last weekend. It's a fake cover concepted and written by Chris Simms. Below is my B&W work. Can you find what I consider an error? (Well, aside from the fact I forgot to sign my name, and I made the swastikas backwards. [I did that because I really didn't want to draw real ones.]) I fixed it before it posted on CA. I'll tell you the answer in the comments section.

Now head on over to CA and check out the fully colored version..!

Why can't superheroes peacefully coexist?

2011-12-07T22:01:00.002-06:00

The parody below occurred to me, so I had to make it...

Animated Comic Covers!

2011-11-25T07:01:00.000-06:00

I'm not an animator, but I still thought it would be fun to animate some famous comic book covers. Amazing Spider-Man #33...

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1...

Okay, this next one isn't famous, but it was screaming to be animated. Justice League of America #6...

And finally, Iron Man #128...

Super Antics #3

2011-11-14T07:01:00.004-06:00

My commentary on the plight of super-speedsters. Click to enlarge.

What COULD have happened.

2011-10-24T07:01:00.007-05:00

Click to enlarge, if you wish.

Strange Going-Ons

2011-09-30T10:01:00.003-05:00

I hadn't recreated a cover for Covered Blog in a while, so when Josh Blair presented an interesting concept, I thought it sounded fun! He suggested four people interpret a different cover from Marvel Collector's Item #4.

Four of us did! The art was created by (clockwise from top left) Michael Nelsen, Anthony Vukojevich, Josh Blair and me! You can also see it officially over at the Covered Blog site. (Or right here...)

My little cover was a redo of Strange Tales #111.

Of course, I had to cover up most of it with this magical gentleman.

Look, his hands are saying "I love you," right before he wraps you up with the indestructible Crimson Bands of Cyttorak.

Axe Cop and Bat Warthog Man!

2011-09-20T07:01:00.005-05:00

If you don't read Axe Cop, you really should. It's drawn by Ethan Nicolle and written by his six-year-old brother, Malachai. It's tons of fun!

I just finished a pin-up for Dark Horse's Axe Cop Volume 3, a collection of the web episodes. (Releasing in early 2012.) My art is based on this particular story. Axe Cop doesn't normally wear a cat suit, but he's in stealth mode!

Cross Panel Comics #7

2011-09-12T07:01:00.007-05:00

For an explanation of Cross Panel Comics, click here. I begin this one with the strip starting with, "I think people are scared of me simply because I'm a cyclops." Click to enlarge...

By the way, Martin and I play this by penciling on a 12" x 18" pad of paper. I "inked" this on my new (small) Cintiq tablet. Think I'm going to like this!

Cross Panel Comics and the Internet

2011-09-11T10:11:00.008-05:00

Not my normal type of post, but I wanted to clear some things up concerning recent posts on Reddit. This and this.

Iamadoctor is a my son's friend and MartinCallen is my son.

I want to give a big thank you to Alex and Jason who both emailed me, letting me know something weird was going on on Reddit.

Coincidentally (or maybe not), Martin and I just finished a new Cross Panel Comic this weekend! We play in pencil and I always retrace them in ink for better readability. That's the reason all the art looks much the same. Look for it on Monday!

Super Antics #2

2011-07-05T07:01:00.010-05:00

Sometimes I wonder what life in Superman's universe must be like. When I wonder things, I often feel compelled to draw things. Click on each to enlarge...

I can't even imagine the chaos that must happen regularity at the optometrist's office.

Did you know that comics did this?!

2011-06-20T07:01:00.006-05:00

Comics often uses a question mark followed by an exclamation mark to show the "excitement" of the question. Such as this panel from Spider-Man...

Maybe comics could start combining other punctuation marks to better explain an emotion, such as combining a period and exclamation mark to show mediocre excitement.

More Cover Remixes

2011-06-18T10:01:00.001-05:00

I've completed a couple more Silver Age Remix Comics drawn for Comics Alliance, written by Chris Simms.

Please head over to CA's site to see these entire Superman and World's Finest covers.

By the way, as I drew the last one, I realized the Beatles were lucky they all had similar hair types. Think how different they would have looked if one had curly red hair, another was blond, etc. The marketers only had to make one Beatles wig to sell!

War of Light-- 60's Style!

2011-06-06T07:01:00.003-05:00

Whew. Been busy or otherwise occupied the last couple of months. If you're a weekly reader, sorry for the gap between updates.

The good folks at Comics Alliance asked if I would create a few mock covers to go with Chris Sim's "Silver Age Remix Comics" writing, and I said, "Sure!" I always enjoy their site. The below Green Lantern art posted a week ago, but I didn't want the tiny rumble of my blog to steal their thunder, so I waited before posting it here. You can read the whole article on CA's site.

I'll do a few more, but, again, I'll wait until they're on CA before posting them here.

Speaking of Green Lantern, he's about to become a well-known character with his movie debut. Here's a very early post of mine examining his name, just in case you know any moviegoers who might question it...

Star Wars Deleted Scene

2011-03-28T07:31:00.006-05:00

Okay-- This isn't really a deleted scene. It's an added scene. I drew this several years back and had mostly forgotten about it, until a friend reminded me. The original was only linework. I've added color to make it more blog-worthy...

If Bruce's Mood Had Been Different That Night...

2011-03-21T07:31:00.026-05:00

Yes, it's a bit silly, but I thought it would be fun to draw. Click to enlarge.

Tigra Strikes Again!

2011-03-14T10:00:00.003-05:00

Even though it embarrasses my son, I decided to draw another Tigra cover. It can be seen here at Covered Blog, or right here below. Click on any image to enlarge.

It's my recreation of this original...

Here's my original ink drawing, if you like that kind of thing.

Public Service Artwork

2011-02-28T21:02:00.001-06:00

I've been extremely busy the last few weeks. Today, a friend pointed out that I have no February blogs posts. But, it isn't too late if I upload something tonight! Challenge accepted.

Last week, my son told me he needed artwork for a Don Quixote sock puppet show he was doing at school. Due the next day! He wanted artwork with two sides, on a stick, so he could flip a windmill around to change it into a giant!

He looked on the internet, but couldn't find any suitable art. So, below, I present the fastest completed artwork I've ever created. Little planning. No erasing.

Click on each to enlarge. I'm posting these for use by anyone who might need them. The silhouettes match up. Just cut 'em out and glue them to each other. Here are some key words to help others find this site-- Don Quixote fights windmill. Windmill changes to Giant artwork. Technically incorrect windmill. Hairy armpit giant.

Shapes in nature that resemble faces.

2011-01-31T07:31:00.015-06:00

We've all seen combinations of shapes around us that could be roughly interpreted as a "face". I've thought about starting a website where artists can create their versions of "faces" they find. I had a dream about it, which ended like this series below. All photos are unretouched.

________________________________

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Invulnerability doesn't solve all problems.

2011-01-18T07:31:00.009-06:00

Here's a short comic based on a dream I had! Click to enlarge.

Rejection is fun!

2011-01-05T08:01:00.002-06:00

I wanted to post a link to Rejected by Covered. It's fun to see what art hasn't made it to the regular Covered site. Plus, today, it shows a cover of mine! Here's my original post when I first created it. I debated who should take the place of the Cowardly Lion. I recently discovered Action Comics #243. Had I known about it at the time, I might have made it an all DC parody...

Hmm, now that I type this, there might actually be a fun DC story in there somewhere...

DC "Cartoon Flips"

2010-12-13T07:31:00.011-06:00

I recently obtained a collection of over-sized DC comics from the 1970's. The group included Limited Collections' Edition #3, which contained a Golden Age feature titled "Cartoon Flips starring Superman."

The page had instructions for cutting out, stacking, and flipping the images, but with our magical computers of 2010, I decided to make animated GIFs instead.

Wow, it's like I'm standing in the same room with him! Too bad DC hasn't continued with such fun activities for the kids in the Modern Age.

Oh! I've got it! How about a Cartoon Flip starring Wonder Woman, repeatedly breaking Maxwell Lord's neck...

Monkey Ghost Rider bids you to obey.

2010-12-02T20:10:00.006-06:00

I've been meaning to do this...

I have a couple of friends who create web comics and I wanted to mention 'em...

First up, Chickenhare! By Chris Grine. A lot of you might already know about Chickenhare. High adventure. Wonderful art. What more could you want?

Next, The Blabbing Baboon! By Rich Marcej. I'm jealous that Rich manages to do a daily cartoon about his life. You never know what will appear. Plus, he sees lots of movies and shares his thoughts.

Please visit them. I'm certain you wouldn't want the Simian Of Vengeance coming after you.

What if DC published 1970's Marvel characters in the 1960's?

2010-11-29T07:31:00.009-06:00

As a follow-up to my recent post where I imagined DC published Marvel characters in the 60's, I thought I'd twist it up a bit and create fake covers using 1970's Marvel characters. Just for fun. Click on 'em to enlarge.

I'm sure this will confuse non-comic fans even more than my last post.

What if DC published Marvel characters in the 1960's?

2010-11-01T07:01:00.013-05:00

Have you ever noticed that early Marvel covers typically showcased a superhero fighting a villain, while during the same period, DC covers presented mostly outrageous, character scenarios? I started wondering what DC would have done with the Marvel characters back in the 60's.

Then, I felt compelled to create a couple. Click to enlarge.

Happy $#!@% Halloween!

2010-10-30T11:01:00.004-05:00

The good folks at Robot 6 are posting three articles this weekend entitled, "What comic scared the $#!@% out of you?" They were kind enough to ask me to contribute. I thought it would be fun to also post my answer here, along with pictures..!

When I was a kid, my older brother brought home an old, beat up copy of Ripley’s Believe It or Not #25.

I don’t know where he got it. The cover was a painting of “Spring-Heel Jack”. As far as I remember, I had never seen a comic with a painted cover. It hit me as something I might see in a grade school history book, which seemed to validate Jack’s possible existence.

The issue contained several stories, including one with a scary harpy/bat/witch...

...but Spring-Heel Jack had the most effect on me. The story contained only mystifying incidents with no real wrap-up. Plus, he apparently didn’t wear pants.

I found it all terrifying, and I couldn’t help but imagine him jumping over tombstones whenever I was in a cemetery. Brrrrr.

Cross Panel Comics #6

2010-10-04T07:31:00.002-05:00

Martin started this one of with, "Greetings." "Oh, hey, Killbot." Click to enlarge.

The see all Cross Panel Comics, click here. For an explanation of the process, read the oldest post.

Comic Panel Mischief

2010-09-27T08:01:00.009-05:00

I've enjoyed contributing to Covered Blog. It now has a sister site in Repaneled, where artists reinterpret comic panels, as opposed to comic covers. I've started contributing as of today.

The panel I used is from Captain America's Bicentennial Battles, published in 1976. (Which I've actually written about before.) Here's the original panel, cropped in on a bit...

And here's my tacky reinterpretation...

Look at it here, or check it out on the Repaneled site!

Wonder Wonder used to have cool boots.

2010-09-20T10:01:00.005-05:00

...but this post isn't actually about her boots. I recently ran across the cover to Wonder Woman #33. I couldn't help but notice that none of the participates appeared to be putting much energy into it.

I wanted to capture the lack of drama by creating my own version. See it on Covered Blog, or merely look at it below.

See all my Covered covers here.

Drops of Jupiter in My Head

2010-09-13T07:31:00.003-05:00

I recently added the song Drops of Jupiter, by Train, to my ipod. I like the song, but I swear every time I hear it, this is the scenario that runs through my head...

Little Seen Marvel Comics Art

2010-09-05T19:45:00.003-05:00

Not a real exciting post this week. I've decided to sell a few things on ebay and wanted to share some of the vintage art I like.

First up, Hulk art by Michael Golden, from the month of March, in Marvel's 20th Anniversary Calendar, 1981. From my perspective, Golden brought a whole new feel to comics. It was a "cartoony realism", which would influenced a slew of artists to come.

Next is Dave Cockrum art from three Marvel Novels. This was 1979, so on the cover to the anthology book, Hulk, TV star, is seen in the foreground, while a fairly new character, Wolverine, is stuck in the background. It would have been different today. As a kid, I was always fascinated to see painted superhero art. There was very little of it.

Lastly is art by John Byrne, from December, in The Amazing Spider-Man Calendar, 1978 . It's sometimes interesting to see what characters were popular during any given year. And look how clever Mr. Byrne was by grouping the old/new X-Men with Cyclops in the bottom right corner.

If I wasn't sleepy, I'd try to do a witty wrap up.

Cross Panel Comics #5

2010-08-28T12:13:00.006-05:00

For an explanation of Cross Panel Comics, click here. I started this one with, "Wanna hear something funny?." Click to enlarge...

We're all making stew from the same garden.

2010-08-14T16:45:00.002-05:00

I tend to say, "We're all making stew from the same garden," whenever I see a similar creative idea coming from more than one person. Case in point, I noticed this post today on Fail Blog...

Several years ago, I wrote a few newspaper strips, for the Kansas City Star, called Scattered Thoughts. They were drawn by my friend, Rich Lapierre. The one below appeared on February 24, 2005...

I have to admit, it's a lot cooler to see it done in real life!

Greetings from DC Comics, 1978.

2010-07-26T07:31:00.007-05:00

Let's play a game!

Below are old DC Superhero birthday cards (printed by a company named Mark 1). I've included the cover, inside, and two fake insides on each one. Can you guess which ones are real? Remember, this was 1978. Click on each to enlarge.

Anyone who can identify the correct answer on each card will receive a warm feeling inside!

Correct answers in comments next Monday.

The Flash has weird thoughts.

2010-07-12T10:01:00.001-05:00

I love the cover to Flash #133 (1962). Flash thinks, "I got the strangest feeling I'm being turned into a puppet."

What exactly does that feel like? I had to emphasize how silly it is by creating my own version. He still thinks it, but he's wrong. What a goofball!

Check it out on Coveredblog.blogspot.com. Look at more covers while you're there. It's a great site.

Cross Panel Comics #4

2010-06-25T12:01:00.001-05:00

For an explanation of Cross Panel Comics, click here.

Typically, Martin and I sit down and do one of these in an single evening. We almost finished this one, and then he went off to camp. I rounded it out by adding a couple after he left. I started this one with, "I'm going to spend all my money." Click to enlarge...

Marvel and DC's Wizard of Oz!

2010-06-13T17:30:00.003-05:00

I recently ran across this Wizard of Oz comic from 1975...

Since it was published by both Marvel and DC, I couldn't stop myself from redrawing it with a few substitute characters. Click on it to enlarge...

You won't see this on on Covered Blog like some of my other recreations. It's too much of a parody/mash-up for the purpose of that site, if you're curious why.

When I first thought about what characters to use, I was surprised to realize that there are no Lion-based superheroes! And, very few villains.

Using Tin (who's awkwardly out of step, if you didn't notice) from Metal Men was an obvious choice. Using the Batman villain, Scarecrow, was also an obvious choice. I very, very briefly considered using the Marvel hero named Scarecrow. He was created in the 70's and maybe used only three times.

I debated about who to use for the Cowardly Lion. The most obvious choice would be Leo...

...from the Zodiac, a group of old Avengers villains...

...but he was too obscure, and boring to look at. I thought about the Griffin...

...but he was a griffin, not a lion. Marvel has a whole race of Cat People. I thought about using one of them, like this dude below...

...but, again, too obscure. Even though she's a girl and a tiger, I came close to using Tigra herself. However, my son told me I've already drawn her too much.

As I considered using Kraven, my other son reminded me that "craven" means "cowardly". A winner had emerged.

It's my fondest wish that my thoughtful examination of how to translate Wizard of Oz characters into Marvel or DC characters will be of great use to future generations.

This is slightly interesting!

2010-06-06T20:50:00.001-05:00

I've been relaxing lately by drawing Covered Blog covers. I've turned in a couple recently which should appear on the Covered site in the future. I considered drawing Strange Tales Annual #2. I really dig the multicolored title and all gray background. Plus, there's always something slightly weird about Jack Kirby's version of Spider-Man.

I started my version with only minor changes planned. On the original, there is no spider on Spider-Man's costume, so I added it crawling across the logo. I changed the wording a bit.

Sharp-eyed readers will notice that there is no Human Torch on my version. I never drew one I truly liked, and, overall, the cover was feeling too close to the original. I saw no reason to continue working on it. If I'm not liking what I'm doing, I shouldn't expect anyone else to like it either.

Okay, on a tangent, here comes the slightly interesting part...

I was flipping through Marvel Treasury Edition #1 from 1974.

On the inside back cover, it has reproductions of "famous" Spider-Man covers. It includes Strange Tales Annual #2.

However, it has extra dialog included!

It's a pretty crowded cover, so the decision must have been made to remove the word balloons. The file copy used on the Treasury page obviously doesn't reflect that.

And that, my friends, is slightly interesting.

I have stupid dreams. (Pt. 2)

2010-05-21T22:25:00.006-05:00

I dreamt of a lumberjack who loved the movies The Nightmare Before Christmas and Big Fish.

Every time he cut down a tree, he'd yell, "TIM BURton!"

I apologize for sharing.

Monkey feet are harder to draw than they should be.

2010-05-18T20:33:00.011-05:00

I had the urge to draw a chimpanzee holding a skull wearing a hat. It was pretty easy, but I redrew the feet 4 or 5 times before inking it.

I like that there's a few different ways to interpret this image. Is it a parody of two things put together? Is it a tragic end to a well-known children's book series? Is it merely a small monkey finding an odd item after a Day of the Dead celebration, wondering what the heck that was all about?

Cross Panel Comics #3

2010-05-07T20:20:00.001-05:00

For an explanation of Cross Panel Comics, click here.

This is the last of the original three we created. I think we were getting tired as we did it. I accidentally drew eleven squares across, plus a couple of the jokes seem to duplicate each other, and the space isn't filled very well. Nonetheless, there are things about this one I like. Martin kicked it off with the strip starting with, "One small step for man." Click to enlarge...

I'm attempting to keep Tigra covered.

2010-05-03T10:01:00.006-05:00

Just for kicks, I decided to recreate another Tigra cover for Covered Blog. Here's all my covers. This time I picked Marvel Chillers #4. (The bonus is I also got to also draw Kraven!) (And yes, I consider that a bonus.)

Check out my version at the above mentioned coveredblog.blogspot.com, or merely look at it right below!

Something you can't see at Covered Blog, however, is my pre-sliced version...

Cross Panel Comics #2

2010-05-02T16:25:00.001-05:00

Cross Panel Comics is a game my son and I play. There's a bit more info about it in my last post. It's more like improv than an actual game.

Martin kicked this one off with the strip starting with, "What's that smell?" Click to enlarge...

Cross Panel Comics

2010-04-27T21:25:00.003-05:00

I recently had a dream about a comic strip that was configured like a crossword puzzle. I found it really interesting and told my son, Martin, about it. He said, "Let's make one!"

I drew a grid on an 12" x 18" piece of paper and decided we would play a game like Scrabble. I would draw a strip, and he would draw an intersecting one. Then it would be my turn, and we would continue until the page was somewhat full.

It was actually easier than I thought it would be! We completed three. I've traced off, and cleaned up, one of them. Here is it below. I've indicated the panels I drew with blue. Martin's are in green. The first strip drawn was the middle horizontal one, starting with, "What are you doing?" Click to enlarge...

Like Scrabble, the tough areas were where something had to work when two squares inconveniently touched, such as the "Love is the solution." touching "What about overpopulation?" There's a joke there, but it doesn't jump out at you.

I'm thinking this has the potential to be a fun challenge for cartoonists, much in the same way a "24 hour comic" is!

(Update! See our other Cross Panel Comics here.)

Batgirl Flaunts It

2010-04-05T07:30:00.002-05:00

This isn't my normal kind of post. Usually, I rewrite dialog or such, but I found the following coincidence to be interesting...

Last week, I mentioned my old Merciless Destroyer character. Her only "super power'" was her ability to distract men as she fought crime. It seemed like a novel idea when I wrote it in the 80's.

A few days ago, I read Detective Comics #371 (1968). I had recently picked it up at a local comic convention. After seeing the cover, I was curious about the story. (Wow! The cover actually did its job!)

In the story, Batgirl's "feminine traits" kept leading to her crime fighting failure. She would get concerned about her appearance, or she would scream at the wrong time. In the end however, her striking a sexy pose is what helped Batman and Robin defeat the bad guys!

They don't write 'em like that anymore.

1968, Folks.

The Merciless Destroyer!

2010-03-29T07:31:00.002-05:00

In last week's The Marvels Project #7, we saw the appearence of an old, Golden Age character called The Destroyer.

Back in the mid-80's, I had no idea this character existed when I created a character called The Merciless Destroyer. Like the Marvel hero, he had his origin set in World War II. His daughter later took up the mantle, as seen below on a page from my Directory to a Nonexistent Universe comic. (Read more about the Directory here.) Click on it to enlarge and read.

When I created this, Buffy the Vampire Slayer didn't exist. I named my character "Buffy" because the name was connected with traits of being very girly and delicate. It's probably why Josh Whedon also picked it for his movie, which later spawned the TV show. The title itself had an ironic hook. Today, I suspect many people connect the name with being tough! (Which kinda makes sense since it has the word "buff" in it.)

Anyway, I read somewhere that The Marvels Project writer Ed Brubaker wanted to bring the Destroyer back as a mainstream Marvel character existing today. I hope he does it exactly like I did.

What's Your Brotherhood Quotient?

2010-03-22T07:31:00.004-05:00

(I almost didn't make this post. I've always been caught between "ignoring old attitudes of the past" and "never ignoring old attitudes of the past.")

I recently bought an issue of The Brave and the Bold #65, from 1966.

I enjoy old comics partly because of the ads, but I didn't expect to find anything like the following "public service" page. Click to enlarge, if you wish...

The most astounding section has got to be Section A.

Got give 'em credit for trying, I suppose. Still, something in me really wants to make fun of how random it feels...

Driving and Hand Signals

2010-03-15T07:31:00.003-05:00

Several years ago, I was toying with the idea of doing a comic which would consist of short stories about random subjects. I drew a two-page ditty about driving, using myself as the main character. I really didn't enjoy drawing myself. I eventually decided that a comic with a more interesting character, or characters, would have more appeal. Soon, Halo and Sprocket was born. If you're a reader of H&S, you may recognize this story. I eventually redrew it with Katie as the main character. Click on images to enlarge.

Spectrum Fantastic Art

2010-02-28T22:31:00.006-06:00

This weekend, I was honored to be one of the five judges on the Spectrum 17 jury, along with illustrators Iain McCaig, Rebecca Guay, Bill Carman , and publisher John Fleskes. It was a great group, both in the quality of judges and the content of entries. If you don't already know, Spectrum is an annual of the very best in contemporary fantastic art. We had some really tough decisions to make, but it was a joy to hang out with such fun, talented, and experienced people. I want to give a big thanks to Arnie and Cathy Fenner for inviting me to be a part of it all. This Spectrum link has more about the jury process. This link shows the winners!

It occurred to me that even though my full-time occupation is a Design Studio Manager (which involves developing concepts, art directing & evaluation, etc.), my web presence consists mostly of me just clowning around or goofing off. I thought I'd note that, just so you know my life doesn't only consist of things like noting how much Galactus's helmet looks like a frog.

A Cover With Impact

2010-02-22T07:31:00.002-06:00

I recently ran across the cover to Lois Lane #119. It caught my eye because of the nice energy in the characters' poses.

Of course, after seeing it, I had to change Superman's dialog.

When you care enough to send the obscure.

2010-02-14T07:31:00.003-06:00

I got some vintage DC Superhero Valentines (from 1982) for Valentine's Day. I created the above image from one of them. Below are others...

Pretty recognizable characters, huh? Can anyone out there explain Mister You-make-me-feel-like-a-hero? We don't even get a power-related pun to go with him!

Is it some type of Thanagarian lingerie perhaps?

Vintage Top Cat Toys

2010-02-08T07:31:00.002-06:00

I own a set of Top Cat toys from the 1960's. I believe they compose a game consisting of setting up the figures and then trying to knock them over with the accompanying shoes. Usually, when I come across an old book/toy/object, I can find it on the internet. It's fun to see the original packaging, or approximate value, etc. I can't find these anywhere!

I'm hoping someone who sees this might know more about them...

I want to change my dog's name, without him realizing it.

2010-02-01T07:31:00.007-06:00

We have a cocker spaniel named Magoo. He smells like a corn chip (unless he's been freshly bathed). He's roughly the same color of a corn chip. I want to rename him Corn Chip.

He doesn't speak English very well, so I'm thinking I can do it without him knowing it. I would alter his name a tiny bit every month.

I believe this would also work with very young children.

Batman only seems tough because comics stopped using thought balloons.

2010-01-25T07:31:00.004-06:00

Narrative blocks have long taken the place of thought balloons in comics. It's not the same. They're like cleaned-up journal entries. Actual thought balloons expose the real truth. Case in point, the below panel is from The Brave and the Bold #64 (1966). Batman looks tough as he crumples a hastily scribbled note, but on the inside...

Who indeed.

I'm pretty sure he still thinks like this, but "the man" won't let us see it!

I can't explain this.

2010-01-18T07:31:00.002-06:00

I was looking through some old drawings and found this...

I don't know why I drew it.

Proof That I Have Too Many Comics.

2009-12-21T07:31:00.003-06:00

While sorting through my comics, I found Amazing Spider-Man #124 (1973)...

...Marvel Tales #101 (1978)...

...and Power Records #10 (1974).

It's the same freakin' story!

A Blooper, Indeed.

2009-12-14T07:31:00.014-06:00

I recently ran across this book, printed in 1969, The Dictionary of Bloopers & Boners.

Before you get the wrong idea around what the book is about, let me show you a couple of excerpts from the book's forward.

It goes on to examine how such things can occur.

In the body of the book, some of the entries have an accompanying cartoon.

It's a fun read highlighting misused words or ideas from various sources. The dedication page has a single statement on it...

A nice sentiment. It could only be better if it had a cartoon to go with it.

It isn't easy being green.

2009-12-07T07:31:00.002-06:00

She-Hulk has green blood. It drove me a little crazy when Greg Horn painted many She-Hulk covers, during Dan Slott's great run, that gave her red-rimmed eyes. To me, she merely looked like a red-blooded girl painted green.

That may be why the green-skinned woman in the newest Star Trek movie looks merely painted to me too.

I'm just saying.

Weird Marvel Comics Ad - Ricochet Racers!

2009-11-30T07:31:00.005-06:00

I recently ran across Marvel Spotlight #32 (1976) in my basement. The bottom blurb states "Positively the most shocking ending you'll read this month!"

Well, I flipped through the story and wasn't very shocked. I think the blurb might be referring to the actual last page in the book, an ad. It shocked me in its oddness. Click to enlarge.

I don't know how you feel about it, but in my head, it reads something like this...

Random Moments from Old Comics, #2

2009-11-23T07:31:00.002-06:00

I'm still organizing the comics in my basement. I'm going through the Marvels first. Here's a few things I've run across....

Those Aren't Enhanced? Really?
There was a fad in the early 90's of using "enhanced" covers to help sell comics. There were covers cut into shapes, covers with shiny inks or foils, covers with embossed images, and combinations of each.

Below is She-Hulk #50 (1993). The logo and "50" broach are embossed and printed in silver foil. She-Hulk's flesh is printed in green foil, but not embossed.

The layout of the cover has never made sense to me. Why would a big, blank area be the center of focus, unless the original plan was to also use emboss? I Photoshopped a version of what, I think, someone must have chickened out of doing...

John Byrne purposefully did a fun-loving, cheesecake book. I'm not sure if the above picture was the original intent or not, but it doesn't seem much tackier than what DC did with embossed silver foil in 1993 on Lobo #1.

Unreasonable request + Deadline = Short Cut
Marvel Team Annual # 4 is a light-hearted story written by Frank Miller and penciled by Herb Trimpe. It contains a full page image where Spider-Man says, "Look at them! Hundreds-- thousands of people, all screaming for our deaths!"

If Mr. Miller planned this as an entire page, I suspect he wasn't expecting to see a giant Spider-Man head filling it! Instead of showing thousands of people attacking, drawing the horror on Spider-Man's face is an effective time saver. Too bad he wears a mask.

Things We Should Never See, Part 3.
Here's Modok as seen in Marvel Team-Up #104 (1981).

Below is how we see him later in the book. Modok shouldn't have a body. Even if he's smashed out of his equipment, he just shouldn't.

It's like seeing Galactus without his helmet.

I always feel like somebody's watching me.

2009-11-16T07:31:00.003-06:00

I bought the recently-released Watcher figurine. He's been making his way around our house. He is consistently being placed in rather inconspicuous places, waiting for someone to notice his piercing gaze. That person then moves him. He has even shown up in our bathroom!

I guess we should stop. It's kinda creepy.

Art 102

2009-11-09T07:31:00.010-06:00

There's a story behind this very old, sketchbook cartoon of mine. Read it, then decide if you care to read below it.

(Click to enlarge.)

Both characters represent me. I drew this in college, when I was 19-ish. I grew up in rural Arkansas and never had an art class until college. I sketched this cartoon immediately after leaving a class one day. It was a direct reaction to my struggle with which art was truly good and which art was not. A teacher had told me to be more "intellectual", a phrase I use in the cartoon. It may be the only time in my life that someone has accused me of under-thinking anything. (If you actually know me, that last sentence will make more sense.)

I stand by the writing in this, although the art's rather, um, crappy.

Random Moments from Old Comics

2009-11-03T20:50:00.002-06:00

I've started alphabetizing the many comics in my basement. It is, of course, impossible to organize old comics without flipping through them. I thought I'd share interesting things as I run across them. Here's a few in no particular order...

Look what Nightcrawler did in 1979!
From Marvel Team-Up #89...

Please no longer give Spider-Man the credit for inventing cool upside-down lip locking.

Something We Should Never See, Part 1.
This is the Vision. He's an android.

In Avengers #137 (1975), we see him in a bathing suit!

There's something weird about it. I didn't even know his "costume" came off!

Something We Should Never See, Part 2.
Galactus is an awesome, near-incomprehensible force of cosmic proportions.

In the first Hercules limited series, issue #4 (1982), we see the Big G with his helmet off!

It's like looking inside someone's underwear drawn. It just feels wrong.

Truth in Advertising (for once)!
I found the below ad in Machine Man #6 (1978). I'm showing it because the hype actually turned out to actually be true! The "best" was yet to come. This was right before the book's most famous years. (Click on it if you'd like to enlarge it.)

Plus , it's a great image if you like the original New X-Men.

Captain America Original Art

2009-10-24T18:25:00.002-05:00

I've decided to ebay a piece of John Byrne/Joe Rubinstein art from Captain American #234. Before I sell it, however, I thought I'd list some of the things I enjoy about it. (Edit: No longer on ebay. Sold.) Click on it below if you'd like to see a larger view.

First of all, the inks are truly beautiful. If Joe Rubinstein was never a fan favorite, he should have been.

Second, the cool thing about owning original art, is that you'll notice mistakes that you'd never notice by merely looking at the printed book. For example...

The first panel has been whited out at the top. It was apparently drawn too high on the page. (A lettering issue, perhaps?) In the printed comic, the panel is lower, but slightly crooked. It must have been copied and placed a bit carelessly. (Yes. It's subtle. Have I ever mentioned I art direct for a living?)

Also, one of the panels has the lines of the door frame drawn through Cap's shoulder. When I first compared it to the printed page, I was surprised to find it there too! I shouldn't have been.

Original work, as an artifact, tells a story by itself. You can often see the history of decision-making told by white out, blue lines, or unerased pencils. You can see the "hand of the artist" in the variation of the black inks. The page above has Zip-A-Tone applied to it, which was a cool fad for a while.

I'm going to miss seeing original art, as more and more work is created solely on the computer.

"Nighttime secrets"

2009-10-05T07:31:00.005-05:00

A doodle from one of my sketchbooks.

Batman vs Spectre!

2009-09-25T21:31:00.003-05:00

I'd forgotten I had drawn this. My last post reminded me. You can see how my art style has changed, if you look at the two Spectres.

Right before creating Halo and Sprocket, I submitted a story idea to DC Comics. It was about Batman's first encounter with the Spectre. I won't take you through the entire plot, but it was basically about how Batman was grounded in "real life," while the Spectre was a purely metaphysical character. I wanted Batman to win against impossible odds as circumstance pits him directly against the Spectre. Toward the end of the story, Batman uses Bible verses, from Genesis, quoting how Jacob wrestles with an angel/God. Batman challenges the Spectre in the same way. Jacob wins in the original story, so guess who wins in mine!

I've got Spectre covered.

2009-09-23T10:40:00.000-05:00

I picked up Showcase #61 at a recent, local comic convention. The cover has always interested me. Just look at it...!

After buying it, I decided to do my own version of it for Covered Blog. (A blog I always enjoy.) I also recently did a Tigra one. See my newest entry here, or simply look at it below. Click to enlarge.

I gave "Shathan" a hairy chest because he has one in the interior pages. The cover's only a metaphor for the inside story. No one actually gets hit on the head with any planets. (I must admit I was a little disappointed.)

Doodle on my new Wacom tablet

2009-09-18T21:59:00.008-05:00

As an artist, I should be embarrassed to admit this, but I've only had a mouse for my computer these many years. I finally broke down and got a very cheap Wacom tablet. Nothing fancy, just a "Bamboo". I doodled something that recently occurred to me. When we consider people attractive, we take a portrait of their heads, don't we?

That Wacky Billy!

2009-08-25T07:31:00.005-05:00

I came across this item recently. Back in '90 I used to work with an individual who was quite gullible. At some point, I wondered just how gullible the person was, so I altered a panel in the newspaper comic section and said, "Have you seen today's Family Circus!?! I Xeroxed it!"

The person's response was sincere. "Oh wow. I wonder why he would do that? Do you think he's having trouble at home?"

I later confessed what I did. I'm a softy at heart. Sort of.

The Tigra You Never Saw

2009-08-16T09:31:00.002-05:00

I've admitted I'm a Tigra fan on this site. Apparently, in current Marvel continuity, she has been abused with all sorts of unfortunate circumstances. In the early 90's I had submitted a 6 page Tigra idea to What the..?. Marvel showed interest in it and then What the..? was canceled. End of that story. This was during the time period when John Byrne was doing She-Hulk and Tigra wasn't being used in any comic.

I find the ending of my proposed story a bit interesting, considering Tigra's current situations. Below are my old roughs, so judge them kindly. (Yes, I'm too lazy to actually draw the whole thing just for the benefit of my 8 readers. I did give the first panel, above, the finished treatment...) Click to enlarge.

The fourth panel below was supposed to be a boob joke.

I remember being disappointed in myself for making the obvious hairball joke, but I felt it was obligatory.

At the time, everyone was making Wolverine rip-offs, so I had to do one.

Deadman should stop solving murders...

2009-08-03T07:31:00.003-05:00

...and spend all his time possessing slow people who clog traffic by driving in the %&$@# fast lane! Make 'em move over, Boston!!!

I've got Tigra covered.

2009-07-27T13:01:00.001-05:00

If you've never checked out Covered Blog, it's an enjoyable site. Artists do their own interpretations of comic covers. Being the Tigra fan that I am, I decided to send one in. You can see it there here, or look at it below. Click to enlarge, if you like.

Here's the original 1975 cover by Howard Chaykin and Bernie Wrightson.

I've always wanted Tigra to be a fun-loving character whose cat-like curiosity gets her into interesting predicaments (including fighting monsters). I'm not sure what Marvel's take on her is. Bad-luck slut, maybe? I haven't truly kept up with what's happening with her lately. I suspect I don't want to know.

An Awesome Comic-Con Sketch! (Not Really.)

2009-07-26T21:21:00.003-05:00

On my road trip to San Diego, I ended up in a doctor's office, in Oklahoma City. (I'm fine. Thank you for your moment of curiosity.) The doctor explained things to me as he drew on the rolling paper that covers the examination table. I asked if I could keep it. He said, "Sure," as he graciously torn it out and signed it. It's pretty big. 10.5" x 10.5".

The story gets more complex. I didn't make it to San Diego, but it doesn't end sadly. I ended up having a great vacation in the Palo Duro Canyon, Texas, and the Rocky Mountains, Colorado! Here's a couple of pictures from it...

The Cookie Monster Diet

2009-07-13T21:31:00.002-05:00

Have you ever noticed that when Cookie Monster eats, very little food gets into his mouth?

This would be a great approach for a new diet! Super models could start eating like the C. Monster to keep their svelte figures!

I'm hoping this starts a fad.

A New Facebook Group!

2009-07-07T20:33:00.002-05:00

A gentleman from France, Jean-François Virey, has created a Halo and Sprocket Group on Facebook. I think I'll go join right after I post this...

I have stupid dreams.

2009-06-28T17:01:00.006-05:00

Last night I dreamt of a new TV show. It was a spin-off from two, old sit coms. It starred the goofy farmhand from Green Acres and the "kiss my grits" waitress from Alice. The show was titled Eb & Flo. (Of course.)

Not only is "ebb and flow" a phrase I rarely use, but if you were to ask me the names of these characters during my waking hours, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to think of them.

What a great use of my subconscious mind.

A Totally Uncalled For Aquaman Joke

2009-06-22T21:31:00.005-05:00

It's just a joke, Matt.

2009-06-15T21:31:00.004-05:00

As you may know, the radioactive isotope that blinded Daredevil also gave him other heightened abilities. I found a segment, in Daredevil #167, that talks about his "hyper-senses". (Though I'm not sure how anyone can taste a number.)

Have you ever wondered if his super hypersensitivity extends to his temperament? I like to think it would...

Fair Fairy Fight

2009-06-07T17:03:00.006-05:00

I found an old, unpublished pin-up I had mostly forgotten about. Several years ago, I had sat at a con by Christopher Rich-McKelvey, who was currently doing a self-published comic called Footman 15. It was a bit of a cheesecake book, starring a lady who worked for the government(?) and went around destroying evidence of mythical creatures. She was always shooting up fairies. I wanted to draw something that looked as though the fairies had a fighting chance (sort of). Chris stopped doing the book before it saw print. That makes it perfect blog fodder..

SOrry.

2009-06-06T00:25:00.003-05:00

I recently received an email from a friend who needed to cancel our lunch plans. It started with "SOrry." I thought he had created a clever way of saying, "So sorry." It turns out it was merely a typo.

Too bad. It would have been cool.

My blog. And a drawing.

2009-05-25T07:31:00.004-05:00

After I finished my last Halo and Sprocket collection, I'd thought it'd be fun to try my hand at blogging for a year. I had no purpose in mind, I wanted to do it just for kicks & grins. Well, I've had my kicks & grins and now it's time to stop my regular, Monday entries and concentrate on my next comic project.

I'll still be posting, but it's about to become more random.

That being said, here's a sketch I cleaned up a bit for posting. I've always thought it would be fun to present Halo & Sprocket as if other artists had created them. I still might eventually do it. Here's a taste...

Little Seen 1974 Spider-Man Comic!

2009-05-18T07:31:00.001-05:00

I'm amazed at what I'm finding in my basement. First, I found some Marvel See-A-Show comics and then a Captain Action DC/Marvel/Msc. comic. I should go down there more often.

This week, I'm sharing a 1974 comic that came with the Spider-Man Aurora Comic Scenes model kit. Unlike the other short comics I've posted, there's nothing particularly weird about this one. It's just nice to see John Romita Sr. artwork along with a short story scribed by Len Wein, probably my favorite writer from the 70's.

The book is nice because it's not printed on newsprint. It's not nice because it doesn't have a glossy cover. I've included the first two pages, of instructions, merely so you can see what the (very simple) model looks like. Click on any page to enlarge.

You can tell you're reading an older comic when a teenager thinks thoughts like, "Somewhere below lurks Kraven the Hunter and his animal hordes."

The small print at the bottom of the following page reads, "Place your completed Spider-Man model in front of this exciting action backdrop, for and outstanding 3-D effect!"

Ha! I made fun of the beginning of this story for using words like "lurks" and "hordes". The first two panels of the last page uses the words "dude" and "awesome", neither of which was in fashion in 1974. Mr. Wein, you were ahead of your time. Pretty awesome, dude.

Your cooperation is appreciated

2009-05-11T07:31:00.010-05:00

While in a bathroom at a medical facility, I noticed a small door for patients to pass along urine samples. I took a picture of it with my phone.

I think it's hilarious that the word "tightly" is underlined AND highlighted!

Too tacky?

2009-04-27T07:31:00.020-05:00

I was doodling while talking on the phone, and I accidentally drew what looked like an elegant symbol for flipping the bird. I thought, "Hmm, that could be a T-shirt." So, I made it, and am selling it on Zazzle.com. Just trying new things.

I'm not sure I'd wear it, though. I would wear my Wash Me shirt.

I would also wear the Dead Parrot I'm selling on Printfection.com. Printfection isn't as famous as Zazzle, but the print area of the shirt is larger. Perfect for this bird. (And the Wash Me above.)

The Origin of Sleep

2009-04-20T07:31:00.003-05:00

Time for another Scattered Thoughts. The first one I shared is here. Click to enlarge.

Is There a Hole in My Logic?

2009-04-13T07:31:00.004-05:00

It's my understanding that an apostrophe stands in for a missing letter. The apostrophe in "it's" takes the place of the missing "i" in "it is". Ol' actually means "old", etc.

This means that the word "don't" could actually mean "donut"! Yum.

I wonder if I should open my own store using this cute way of spelling doughnut?

Hmm, probably not.

Ideal's Captain Action Mini-Comic, Part 3

2009-04-07T21:31:00.000-05:00

Part 1 here.
Part 2 here.

Click on any image to enlarge.

Let's see. Aquaman harpooned an alien in the chest, Captain America, Green Hornet, and the Lone Ranger all blatantly shoot them. Tonto merely drops a limb on one?! You would think if anyone took unkindly to unwelcomed settlers, it would be Tonto.

Captain America uses a gun, and Spider-Man strikes fear into evil-doers. I wonder if the writer had actually read any of the books from that upstart company Marvel. (Captain Action could also turn into Sgt. Fury, the only character that didn't make it into this comic.)

If you had heat vision, super-strength, super-speed, flight, ice-breath, etc, what would you do to stop an alien invasion? See Superboy's solution below...

Ha! They'll not come back anytime soon. Not with Aqua Lad and his canoe-tipping powers awaiting them!

Yes, the end!

Ideal's Captain Action Mini-Comic, Part 2

2009-04-07T07:31:00.010-05:00

Part 1 here.

Click on any image to enlarge.

Is it just me, or do none of these folks in the next panel look trust-worthy?

Why don't superheroes give bystanders guns and knives anymore? Oh, look, apparently he had a pistol left over. Unfortunately, Captain America wasn't accustomed to using a gun. I suppose it explains why he misses shooting the alien directly in the crotch.

Isn't giving Aquaman flippers a bit like giving Superman a bullet-proof vest?

Concluded in Part 3 with Spider-Man and Action Boy!

Ideal's Captain Action Mini-Comic, Part 1

2009-04-06T07:31:00.005-05:00

I have a lot of stuff in my basement. I found a Captain Action & Action Boy comic that came with the action figures in 1967. It's wacky seeing them change into well-known heroes. I'll post it in three parts over the next three days.

The book is a long, skinny one. It's essentially a regular-sized comic cut into thirds, which is no doubt how they printed it. Hope you like the expressions on the aliens faces. It's the only one they have the entire 32 pages.

Click on any image to enlarge. I've taken the liberty of stacking the even/odd pages together.

It doesn't identify the "World's tallest mountain." I like it when comics don't try to teach me anything.

This was the 60's, so Batman (TV star) gets the first superhero appearance, and more pages than the other charaters.

Check out Part 2 for Superman, Captain America, knives, and guns...

Look at all the robots!

2009-03-30T07:31:00.005-05:00

I was a guest at Plant Comicon this last weekend. It was a great show. I wouldn't be surprised if it beat its own attendance records. It was nice to visit with fans of Halo and Sprocket and with friends I don't often see.

Oddly for me, a robot theme emerged.

First, we have the exclusive Sprocket T-shirt I was offering....

Next, shortly after I set up my space, R2D2 (?!?) approached my table. An actual size, working robot!

Then, my friend Chris Grine (creator of the awesome Chickenhare) drew the quick sketch seen below. It's a takeoff of his 165 Bots With Stuff, as seen on the always entertaining Shoebox blog.

I also sat by artist Rob Davis. If his last name was "Ot," my con experience would have been complete.

The United States of Lazy

2009-03-23T07:31:00.003-05:00

(Not a political statement.)

Have you ever noticed that the states get bigger and bigger, basically in the order that they were created?

The original thirteen are rather small and the others gradually grow, generally speaking, as they progress down and over to the west.

It's a lot like if I were drawing a pattern of stars and got tired of creating all that detail. (I'm right-handed, so it goes left.)

Did the early settlers also think, "What a pain. We'll just make 'em bigger as we go..."

Art by George Perez (and Kerry Callen)

2009-03-16T07:31:00.005-05:00

I was flipping through some of my childhood comics and was shocked to see a rectangle cut out of a page in Avengers #155!

I then realized I had used a coupon on the opposite side. I grew up in Rural Arkansas, so if I wanted any comics-related material, I had to mail off for it. Occasionally, cut my precious comics. I must have ordered Bring on the Bad Guys from this one.

I then noticed I had used a pen and colored pencils to draw on the page across from it.

I have absolutely no memory of doing this, but I know I always hated to lose any comic story to coupons. Voila.

Why Moore created the Watchmen. Hurm.

2009-03-09T07:31:00.003-05:00

If I remember correctly, DC Comics obtained the rights to all the Charlton Comics characters. Alan Moore then proposed a mini-series which used all these characters; superheroes such as Blue Beetle and The Question.

After reviewing Moore's proposal, DC asked him to create new characters for his story. So, Blue Beetle became Night Owl, The Question became Rorschach, and so forth...

The reasoning behind it was to allow the Charlton characters to continue to be used, instead of destroyed. Let's take a quick look at how things turned out for Blue Beetle and The Question in the DC universe...

Hurm.

Planet Sitting

2009-03-02T07:31:00.001-06:00

I posted pieces Thursday and Sunday night, which messed up my normal rhythm of posting every Monday morning. So, today, I'll merely mention that Ill be a guest at Kansas City's upcoming Planet Comicon, March 28 & 29!

It's always a great show! Stop by and say "hi."

Mugg!

2009-03-01T19:30:00.005-06:00

I had thirty minutes to kill as I was waiting on someone, so I pulled a blank Mighty Mugg pic and Photoshopped a quick Sprocket, just for kicks.

The Offenders! Ah, the memories...

2009-02-26T19:44:00.010-06:00

This week's Hulk featured the "Offenders".

My very first, nationally published work was the Offenders!

Yes, it's tacky. I was young. I needed the exposure. Unfortunately, the magazine's index page credited the art to "Terry Callen."

(Btw, the unfortunately-placed sword and hilt wasn't positioned there intentionally. Ah, the ignorance of youth.)

The year was 1981. My art was a "Silly Cover" in the now long-defunct comic magazine Amazing Heroes. I had submitted the "Offenders" to the Comic Journal, as they used to print fan art in the letter pages. An editor named Peppy White wrote me stating they were starting a brand new comic magazine called Amazing Heroes. My art had given him the idea to begin a regular feature called Silly Covers. Mine would be the very first one. I was thrilled to see in printed AH #4.