No. 12

I was looking for some drawings at the request of a fan looking to purchase some art. sadly, both pieces he was looking for were well integrated into my sketchbooks. But, what fun to discover the drawings I did 3 years ago of this Tomboy. I recall having ideas to do a comic with her, but like so many other projects, this sat idle.

with love

for the she-bitch from last night.

a study of Titan boys

Gearing up for a Titans fan's request, I have been sketching away, and you get to see a few. First, a standing around shot of Beast Boy, Golden Eagle, Gnaark, and Mal. Next, Robin finds a clue with Speedy and Lilith behind. Lastly, a thumbnail of a Titans beach party: Speedy tosses Kid Flash a frisbee while Gnaark noogies Robin and Golden Eagle is surfing (tough to see here). below is larger renderings of GE surfing and Speedy tossing the frisbee.

the range

My work's all fairly cartoony... rarely have I dipped into realistic or life drawing. Here's a sample range from my work from the top:

• Straight up super-hero style Blockbuster (with Batman and Robin)
• More Tim Fish-ized hero Cannonball from my story published by Marvel Comics
• Classic Tim Fish cute boy
• Stylized from my unfinished OGN
• A hint of manga
  
  

The Goth Queen

I feel like this pin-up has been years in the making! My comics pal Lynx Delirium—and lead colorist for my YBIL book—had asked me so long ago for a pin-up of one of his characters. I agreed in my usual "I'm too busy" fashion. Then I think Lynx delayed his plans for the pin-ups, and perhaps even changed his mind which of his creations to feature. Tick the clock forward, to a request for the Goth Queen. This time, I did not hesitate with my consent, and after a spell Lynx shared the bio and design sketches with me. And—to my surprise—I actually followed thorough. And, promptly! So here we have the Goth Queen in her tattered prom dress, sitting on some grimey floor. Her legs look a little weird, but overall, I am happy with it. Lynx will color her for an upcoming publication of his. As Lynx loves to say: "Meow!"

Arbeit Macht Frei

Knowing how to party on vacation, I took a day tour of Austwitz. It was a very powerful experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to go. By the end of the day, I was emotionally drained. When I got back to Krakow, I tried to read in the park. However, sitting there in the Planty with my book, all I could do was stare off into space contemplating the horror, and feeling thankful for my life and circumstances. Then I realized large very smushy spiders were crawling on me. Freaking out, I went to my tourist apartment and did a full body search, finding spiders under my shirt, and one in my underwear. I reiterate "freaking out." Perhaps a fitting end to the day?

The final sketch page has some misc. stuff... my frightening taxi experiences in Prague and Krakow, and the woman I saw in the Planty. She caught my eye because her neck was so fat. A second look showed her huge gut. But other than her fat neck and huge gut, she was not a large woman. I mean, she wasn't svelte or anything, but definitely disproportionately fat in the neck and gut areas.

Planty

By this stage of the trip, I'd spent ~ 2 weeks in Germany, 4 days in Czech Republic, and had transferred to Poland. I liked Krakow very much, but the travel was wearing on me, and you can see it in the moody sketches. On the left, "trappings" illustrating how I feel my life is boxed in by 4 key reasons. On the right is a lovely sketch I made of the Planty (green ring aroiund Krakow's medieval city center). The sketch was the inspiration for the setting of Michael's BF's lakeside cottage in CAVALCADE. The page is a TPB exclusive, so you won't see it until the book hits the shelves in December. If I'm lucky!