Fickle fingers of Dr Fate

 

I didn't think I had much affinity for the character, but he's tagged in other sketches, so I guess I do. Primarily, I just like this sketch. Also, you might be able to see how it started on a piece of lined scrap paper (far right). I liked what I started, cut it and pasted into the sketch book and proceeded from there!

Thom said "DJ Fate" I think.

We're in a drought!—conserve

Jay Scott Pike, known for his "Good Girl Art", created "Dolphin" for DC Comics in 1968.

If you're a native New Englander like me, you're probably not used to droughts or conserving water. New England tends to be pretty naturally ample in that regard...no crazy diversions from rivers hundreds of miles away or anything. The reservoirs just fill up. Clearly, I have not researched this.

But here we are in a drought now, and no judgements about you or your water use, but it's time to conserve as many towns are at dangerously low water levels.

Here are a few things you can do that will make a big difference:

1) Don't water your lawn or wash your car. This is an easy one for my city-dwelling friends who neither have a lawn nor own a car. But for those of you who don't, give it a rest. I still see people at the car washes. I want to picket!

2) Turn the water off while you brush your teeth. I think most people do this already, but there it is.

3) Don't use your garbage disposal. They're the worst. You take potable water, and ruin it by creating a garbage puree just so you don't have to scrape your plate into the garbage.

4) Shower European style. If you've stayed with friends or AirBnB in Europe, you know the hot water tanks don't hold much. So one rinses down, turns the water off, then lathers up, then water back on to rinse. And, quickly.

5) Shower less. You probably don't need to shower daily, or the 2-3x daily you might be showering. Read this article by TIME magazine if you don't believe me. It wasn't all that long ago that most people didn't shower daily. Try going retro.

Again, no judgements, but do what you can. Myself, I've done #s 1-3 for years, and started #4 during this drought. I'm not up to #5 yet.

Good luck!

Yes, I do work

Before I taught myself how to draw in a sketchbook, I did my best work on lined paper and meeting agendas. The blank page was too intimidating, or something.

As my bosses were really cool with me drawing during meetings and such, as I actually pay attention better. But with new bosses, and new VPs, I dropped the habit for some time.

Kick forward to new relationships forged with the aforementioned, and it seems I'm back in business! 

Here's another Black Canary on her hog (cut free from an agenda, away from the words), and an actual agenda from a few weeks ago, where the drawings really only are fun in the context of "this is a meeting agenda."

I love being back in the stage where I can do this stuff at work!!!

***UPDATE***

Yikes, it hit me that August 1 was my decade-versary at MIT!

I had worked there, but decided to quit and move back to Saint Louis to write and draw on the cheap, giving dream-pursuit my 100%. After many 15 hour days of building my portfolio, I decided I could slow down to fewer hours and pick up a part time job for some steady cash. But, on a trip back east, an old boss offered me a great full time position I couldn't say no to. I thought I'd do it for 2 years, refill my coffers, continue get my work out there, and see where I could go.

At the end of the two years, I was having fun at work, so I decided to stay until I stopped having fun. By the time the fun ended, the economy had tanked, the freelancing assignments stopped flowing in, and my book sales dried up. But I still held a good job, and after throwing in many personal-life-family factors, instead of returning to draw full time, I bought my loft instead. A bit locked in!

But what a decade in comics, at the office and at home!

I continued my comics work nearly full time "on the side" writing, drawing, publishing 5 trade paperback collections and 3 graphic novels. I was picked up by 3 foreign publishers, ran a newspaper weekly for 18 months, had original and repurposed work published by Marvel, Fantagraphics, Oni, Seven Stories Press, and a half dozen indie anthologies. 

At MIT, the team I manage has grown from me + 5 to me + 11, and our function has been expanded significantly. I've been promoted thrice. I've grown with each vice-presidential turnover. I treat each day with enough experience to know that I can't possibly know anything, and that I must continue to learn my industry. No absolutes, about anything, anytime, anywhere, anyone.

At home, I've seen my grandmother pass and had to put poor Aggie to sleep. I've moved 4 times, finally settling after purchasing my loft. I've helped design and renovate my kitchen and storage areas; customized a half dozen pieces of furniture; designed and built 10 case pieces; refinished 4 "yard sale" pieces, 2 Pascoe chairs, 3 Aalto bookcases, and 9 McCobb case pieces.

Inside my noggin, the decade started kicking the old me in the balls. The pendulum swung too far the other way, and the "journey" I embarked on was enormously helpful in keeping me more in the center, more balanced. My face has the lines it didn't a decade ago, but they're here with good reason.

Though I haven't been drawing much lately, and I keep telling myself I should, I just can't keep pushing the way I did 10 years ago. You know how it goes.

 

Happy Independence Day!

This July 4th feels even more special, with such advancements in gay rights. It's nice to feel proud to be an American!

To celebrate, here are the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripsey from Earth-TF (Tim Fish).

If you're familiar with the pair from the Golden Age of comics, you know they were something like rival "mystery men" who ended up joining forces to kick some Nazi butt. Weak.

On Earth-TF, let's say Irish rugby-player type chauffeur/mechanic is hired to keep fruity Ivy-Leaguer out of trouble when he's home on break. Joke's on Sylvester Pemberton's parents though, since they've hired closet-case Pat Dougan as body-guard. So, one night, stumbling out of a "gentlemen's club" in a back alley they inadvertently stop some Nazi villainry. 

All jazzed up with the thrill of hero-dom, they get all patriotic and gay.

Better?

Ode to the Super-Sons

Last OSC-inspired super-sketch, this time a nod to the '70s "Super-Sons" tales featuring Superman Jr. and Batman Jr. I always liked those tales, and their hip clothes. They seemed like well-adjusted guys.

Take that, OSC

As promised, what I do well: indie hipster Superman a la Supergirl's '70s costume. 

So, uh, yes, this is what I had in mind for Comic Con. I have the 'S' patch, the T. Dog collar, cape, red Chucks, red square cuts, no problem. The belt, we'll see...

Aside from the Fd up (stoned?) eyes, this is not a bad rendition of Sups, apparently amidst a meteor storm (or something). I am Ok with the line art.

The coloring—ugh. 

I recently got my tablet functioning properly, so this is my first coloring in over a year. I was never a strong colorist, but wow, I'm rusty.

But, that is what practice is for.

A chilling apokolyptic future

If you haven't been following the controversy regarding DC Comics' decision to hire Orson Scott Card to write Superman comic books, please do catch up, and sign all the petitions you can. Long story short, he's anti-gay and fans and retailers are beginning to band together in opposition.

Sadly, I haven't read a Superman comic in years, so I can only voice my opinion rather than vote with my economic dollar.

I can also draw some fun sketches. Here's an OSC-inspired image of Superman saving his pal Jimmy Olsen, his girlfriend Lois Lane, and his boss, Perry White from gay pedophiles. 

Later I will share what I do best for your delight. And, perhaps preview my Superman outfit I will wear to Comic Con if I'm brave enough.

Vintage art: customego LSH box art

vignettes of Legionnaires for sides of boxes

Duo Damsel

Light Lass

Saturn Girl

Shadow Lass

Phantom Girl

Over the years, my parts collection grew (for making new customs) as my skill improved and my pace quickened. It was addictive to think, "oh, how would this character look as a custom Mego action figure? How would that one?"

By 2001, I was also drawing comics a lot as well, having decided to give it my all. The more serious I became about comics, the less time I had for customizing for fun. I knew when I began planning my Legion customs that I had gone too far. I got 5 deep when I pulled the plug. The Legion customs were the last I did for fun, and the first I sold to purge (up til then, I had sold my "first drafts" only and kept my better second drafts). As you know, the Legion by 1985 even had over 30 members...

I continued customizing until 2003, primarily for the income. Fans were willing to spend money on them, I wasn't bad at customizing, and it was more lucrative to make a custom of my spare parts than it was to sell off the raw parts. But as comics really kicked into high gear in 2004, the customizing ceased.

Vintage art: customego box art

I've revealed before that I used to create custom Mego action figures. It started in 1998 after I completed my vintage Mego collecting and I wanted to add the "essential" characters. I'd say realistically, that would have been Green Lantern, Flash (as true Mego oversights) and Black Canary and Scarlet Witch as "you need a better M/F balance."

The list of essentials grew and grew... I made and re-made them as I got better... JLA... JSA...Teen Titans... X-Men... Avengers... villains... obscure characters... it was really addictive. At first I would pull art from comic books for the custom boxes I made. But then I converted fully to my own art.

It was early days for me... still figuring out scanning, coloring, printing. Since the boxes are roughly 3" x 10", the "canvas" is set and since the art is supposed to show basically the character in a pose, it was fun  basic drawing. Here are among my earliest box art renditions of my customs.

A gay year for comics: Green Lantern

"Green Lantern is gay!" we heard earlier this year.

Well, not really. 

"Alan Scott [the Golden Age Green Lantern] is gay!" we heard.

Oh wow, being 30 years old in 1940, he's well into his 100s...could work, coming out really late in life. Or, was he retconned as gay (NOTE: in comics, when a character is given a new past history it's referred to as "retcon" or retro-active continuity). Well, no, not really either.

In the new DC Universe, the brand new never been seen before Earth-2 Green Lantern who happens to share the same name as the original Golden Age Green Lantern is gay.

Hrm, Ok. I'll take it.

But get this—regular super-heroes have a penchant for wearing skimpy spandex outfits...regular gay men have a penchant for wearing skimpy outfits of any fabric...and this dude shows up in his comic wearing a skimpy tight t-shirt (maybe I'll color it)...but his super-hero outfit is bulky armor. Not the skimpy green square cuts and red T I drew him in here. Instead of gay fan boys getting to oggle a hot gay hero in spandex, we'll have to keep oggling the straight ones. Oh well. 

Overall, this is a good thing. More soapbox talk later.

Old School Titans, Expanded

You may or may not recall the drawing of the early '70s Teen Titans from earlier posts. Along the way, I did commissions of Lilith & Gnaark, Mal & Bumblee, and Tula. With some fun time in Photoshop, they are all layered together for a full-team shot. Honestly, I know Tula guest-appeared, but I don’t know when she was waived in as a member.

FYI, I've made custom Mego action figures of the Titans, and in the recent past, remade their packaging. Let's see if I expand this image to include the Joker's Daughter, Bumblebee, Golden Eagle, or Flamebird—or Bat-Girl (I made them both). 

STAPLE! 2011 Report

Dear Monica was hyping Austin's indie comic show STAPLE! for the past several years. Her rec plus my free crash pad @ Scott's, plus the enjoyable company of them both was the inducement to go. Not to mention Austin itself—I love it there and hadn't been for 2 years.

The con itself was about half the size of SPX and had a very regional feel to it. Aside from Monica, I didn't recognize any exhibitors from SPX, MOCCA, or APE (though that may be unfair, I stopped going to APE several years ago).

Sales were low...Austin may be more of a hipster scene than a gay one...but I did have a few nice conversations with some fans of mine, who were surprised to see me in attendance.

One fan also creates comics, and I love her style. I suggested we do a sketchbook swap: I'd draw something in hers if she drew a hot guy in mine. She has started a "Sub-Mariner and Aquaman" sketch book for other people to draw in, so I happily complied.

Here is the result.

I'd never drawn Sub-Mariner before, but, um, he's kinda fun to draw! Just a built guy wearing some Aussiebums. Nice.

Filmation Aquaman

Happy New Year!

One of the few gifts of "entertainment" for me this xmas was a DVD of the Filmation Aquaman series from the late '60s.

For some reason, this was never aired as re-runs locally when I was a kid, unlike a lot of other cartoons from that era. So, I'd only seen snippets on Cartoon Network some years back, though they edited them horribly.

The series isn't quite as "bad" as the '70s Filmation Batman series, but still has its moments: Mera (despite being quite powerful in the comics) is pretty weak and useless, always needing to be saved; Aquaman and Aqualad rely heavily on their giant seahorses for transport; and the addition of Tusky the walrus is pretty absurd...I mean, the action takes place pretty deep, and the poor guy is never off camera long enough to get air...not sure how he survived.

The interaction between Aquaman and Aqualad is fun: Aquaman calls his junior partner "tadpole," "minnow," and "squirt." Aw.

The series also was the innovator (I think) of the sound effect of Aquaman's telepathic commands used in Super-Friends and even today in Batman: Brave and the Bold.

Each episode is like 7 minutes long, so you can enjoy in small chunks...so, do!

Lilith & Gnaark

Here's another commission I did a little while ago for a fellow early '70s Teen Titans fan. After I finished the line art, the commissioner added some nice colors, appropriate from the series. I was then inspired to play with Painter and add chalk-y colors. I try to purist but I still prefer these alternate colors for Lilith and Gnaark. The original Titans' jumpsuits were grey for the boys and Lilith sometimes wore green or pink. I think not until the series was revived in 1977 did Mal wear an orange jumpsuit. Anyway, Lilith and Gnaark are among my favorites, and I liked my brushwork on the figures.

I've sketched Mal with his girlfriend, Bumblebee, but nothing I am yet happy with. Maybe someday I will capture their relationship as well as I have captured Lilith and Gnaark's here. Time will tell.

Filmation Batman

I was recently given on loan a copy of Filmation's 1977 masterpiece "The New Adventures of Batman" which for some odd reason I'd not really seen before. I mean, I knew it existed and specifically recall watching one episode as a kid at my grandmother's house. But considering my super-hero fanaticism at an early age, it's odd I didn't follow it. Perhaps it was on too late in the morning.

It's really pretty awful. They spent extra money on fancy use of a mutliplane camera, and many of their stock backgrounds are quite nice. However, the stock animation used repeatedly, even when it didn't make sense (e.g. Batgirl running looking over her shoulder, frightened, even when nothing is chasing her) is tough to watch.

The writing is bad but also funny. There's actually sexual inuendo between not Batman and Robin—but Bruce and Dick. Maybe Dick's name doesn't help, and neither do their matching leisure jumpsuits or gym outfits as they play video games or with their toy race track. Or maybe I have a dirty mind.

The character design and characterization (noted above) further mystifies with with District Attorney Barbara Gordon always deferring to her father, the Police Comissioner Gordon who has NO idea she's Batgirl. The villains are mostly voiced by the same actor, except Catwoman who is voice by the same actress who voices Batgirl.

And of course there's Bat-Mite. With his catchphrase "All I wanted to do is help!" whenever he gets in the way, he annoyingly pops in, does nothing (despite his powers) and then pops out. He may have been the reason I didn't watch as a kid. He made the show too juvenile for 7 year old me.

Funny because these days I love Bat-Mite—rather, the comic book version who idolized and tested Batman's abilities rather than bungling a case.

Here's my version of the Filmation Batman Family cast!

Killed DC Heroes: Pre CRISIS

Call me old-fashioned if you will! But with the latest bounties and murder storyline in JUSTICE SOCIETY, I must say it: comic book murder is overdone to the point that it's no longer dramatic or powerful. It used to be a real event when something like this happened. Now, it's body parts, entrails and blood everywhere. And, often, there was purpose beyond "death." Take Mister Terrific's murder; the whole suspense point was that no one was on the satellite but the JLA and JSA... so whoever murdered Mr. T was a good guy. Of course, that's not how the story turned out. Go read JLA 171-172 for that. :-) Before I go on, enjoy this sketch of 3 dead heroes (Golden Age Batman, Silver Age Batwoman, and Golden Age Mister Terrific).

Now, I will look at killed-off heroes in the DC Universe from 1935-1985 (up until the CRISIS series). I may need your help, but here we go:

• Ferro Lad (Legion—30th century, died saving galaxy from the Sun-Eater, 1967)
• Doom Patrol (Chief, Negative Man, Elasti-Girl; sacrificed selves; 1968)
• Larry Lance (Golden Age, Earth-2, died saving Black Canary, 1969)
• Wing (Golden Age, Earth-2, announced dead from battle with the Nebula Man, 1972)
• Invisible Kid (Legion—30th century, crushed by Validus, 1974; tho he came back in 1983 I think)
• Chemical King (Legion—30th century, died preventing the outbreak of a world war, 1977)
• Batman (Golden Age, Earth-2, dying of cancer, fights Felix Faust to the death, 1979)
• Mister Terrific (Golden Age, Earth-2, murdered by the Spirit King, 1979)
• Batwoman (Silver Age, Earth-1, murdered by the Bronze Tiger, 1980)
• Air Wave (announced killed by an escaped convict, 1981)
• Crimson Avenger (Golden Age, Earth-2, died saving city, 1981)
• Terra (Earth-1, killed in rock slide using own powers, 1984)
• Karate Kid (Legion—30th century, killed by Nemesis Kid, 1984)

So...15 over the course of DC's first 50 years. Happy to update with your edits. In the meantime visit the Wikipedia article of DC's dead heroes for an EXHAUSTING look at the 200+ DC characters (most "brutally slain") in the past 24 years.

Sign of the times, or weak story-telling? Or, I'm old fashioned.

Dr. Fate

Drew this for no particular reason, and ended up inking it. I think I was bored in some staff meeting or something.

It's DC's "Dr. Fate" and his wife Inza, and the Salem, Massachusetts tower they reside in. In the mid-late 40s (DC geeks can correct me here) suddenly he started wearing a half-helmet. It's the full helmet that transforms Kent Nelson to the doctor. I don't know if they ever explained the reason why he went to the half-helmet. Kent, in his own right can fly, is stronger than the typical man, and can cast simple spells. So during this period, he was merely posing as the doctor, and was much weaker. Just when the nation needed him most! Bummer!

Later, he mysteriously got his helmet back. I remember from all the JLA/JSA team-ups in the 70s and 80s when I first started reading comics, Dr. Fate's powers were visually represented by the Ahnk symbol (he'd shoot them out and they could do anything from trap villains to heal the Huntress' burns).

Today is SPX. If you're in the DC/Baltimore area, stop by the hotel bar, where I will be hanging around!

Wonder Woman Week: Wondergirl

Sorry for fizzling out on the "whole week" of WW; my day job and book production got in the way.

Long story short on Wondergirl: she originally appeared in the pages of WW's comic as simply WW as a girl (in non-continuity stories). The editors of the Teen Titans series was asleep at the wheel and made her a member (in continuity stories), creating a long history of trying to explain her existance.

My drawing is after Gil Kane's famous revamp of her in the early '70s. Her costume was a marvelous blend of practical (pants! no cleavage on display! low-heeled boots!) and impractical (magic lasso as her belt! necklace and medallion! and matching wrist bracelet—not pictured). I love the field of gold, silver, and black stars wrapping around her body.

I had drawn a similar one for a fan @ NYCC which turned out horribly, so I had to do it right. Looks like I need another silver star on her hip though.

I'll also use this when I re-make my packaging for my custom Mego Wondergirl. If you're not familiar with Mego action figures, or the fervor for customizing them, I really can't get into that here and now. It would probably require a whole blog devoted to it.

Wonder Woman Week: bullets and bracelets

Drew this @ Comic Con during a signing, which helps attract attention.

Wonder Woman Week: transform

While I think the twirl-change from the TV show is great, this sketch is inspired by the way WW would transform herself in comics in the late 70s.

Looping her lasso around herself, or leaping through it would complete the transformation from Diana Prince to WW. I liked always seeing part of each outfit, as you can here.

Otherwise, the sketch is inspired by the 50s bathing beauty WW (original series #s101-104).

In the 40s, even with the bad art, WW had an in-style hair-do and a costume that said "I'm not going to stay at home and cook for you".

Just when she was feeling dated in the 50s, she began looking more and more like a bathing beauty. Starting with #84, and reaching a pinacle with #s 101-104, she looked quite nice.

But with #105, even with the same artist, she was instantly transformed into an ugly, stern prison matron, and remained so for most of the 60s. She was so far out of fashion for the period, it's fascinatingly ridiculous. I'd love to know the editorial decision behind that.

Sure, the de-powered mod WW from the late 60s isn't quite my scene, but at least it was a modern take on the character. And, I do love Mike Sekowsky!

Anyway, practice leaping through a lasso at home if you get tired of twirling.