Commissions, Comissions

 If you're one of my two readers, is it better for me to have my artwork in individuals posts, or should I group a few together? Like this--

I was asked to create Power Girl and Firestorm as a "flirty buddy cop duo." Tried my best.

Batman vs. Killer Moth, inspired by Dick Sprang's art style. It's nice that Killer Moth shows Batman what a cool animal costume can look like!

Here's (a version of) my take on the original Phantom Lady #17 cover, from 1948. It is well known to comic book historians. First of all, the cover is by Matt Baker, a fantastic artist who was one of the few black comic creators back in the day. Second, the provocative image is one of the things that helped the US government crack down on comics in the 50’s, leading to the formation of the Comics Code Authority.

Here's the type of commission I always enjoy drawing-- Taking a fairly obscure character and creating a vintage pin-up, pretending they were popular! Black ink on Bristol board, plus digital color. If you're interested in a commission, please shoot me an email, seen in the right column.

Oh! And I've also recently created a portrait of a couple! 😁

It's Giant Aquaman Annual #1! Or IS it?

Is this a very hard-to-find issue from the 60’s? The one where most copies were destroyed after the printer discover hidden hippy symbols inside? Or, is it my newest artwork commission? Who can say for sure--

Wonder Woman and the JSA Commissions

My latest commission was a request to draw a Wonder Woman based on Barry Windsor-Smith's Conan #1 cover. I drew it in my own style, but tried to keep a similar color feel. Black ink on 11x17 Bristol board, with digital colors. Here's the original cover--

Hey! I just realized I never posted the commission I did before the above one! I was asked to "draw my three favorite JSA characters." After checking with the requester, I went a little different direction. You see A LOT of group comic covers that are perfectly timed as the characters run towards you. I wanted to draw one that wasn't. Btw, the Golden Age Atom is my favorite JSA member. I LOVE his oddball costume!

Remember Reader's Digest?

I was looking for some things, and found an Reader's Digest issue from December 1985. I had a story printed in CAMPUS COMEDY! I think I got $400 for it. Back then, that was amazing!

 

Captain America vs Batman, by Jack Kirby

Sometimes I see pencils by Jack Kirby and I have to ink and color them. I HAVE TO!! I've inked Kirby a couple of times for fun and always stuck exactly to his pencils. But, this time I took tiny little liberties that I felt spiffied it up, such as with Cap's shield. Here's his original pencils--

Commissions - Kid Flash and Alfred E. Neuman!

 

You may not recognize the lady in this first image. It's Lilith, an old Teen Titans member, from back in the 70's! Ha! You thought it was Jean Grey, didn't you? I actually drew this one twice. The first version looked like this--

In my initial sketch, I had shown Lilith's face, but as I drew it, it seemed funnier to cover it. The person receiving the art said he missed her face. So-- light-table and new inks to the rescue! He didn't ask me to redo it, but it seemed like the right thing to do.

This next piece involves Alfred E. Neuman and Sylvester P. Symthe, mascot of MAD and Cracked magazines, respectfully. (Hmm, maybe I should say "disrespectfully.) 

Alfred has always been missing a tooth, so he took Sylvester's! They also switched clothes. Who knows why. They're MAD, CRACKED in the head, I tells ya!

Supergirl vs. Mary Marvel!

My latest commission was redrawing a "Superman vs. Shazam" cover, but with Supergirl and Mary Marvel in front! The art is 11" x 17", a different shape than the original. It gave me extra room for the background characters! Black ink on Bristol Board + digital color.

Here's the original--

cover.