TheNextAmazingHero

Old Canary

2007-03-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

Old piece I found in my sketchbook the other day that hasn't been posted yet...

-J out.

New Year, New Opportunities

2007-01-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

I am extremely excited about 2007, and it seems as though every year (at least in my case) something new is just around the corner, and I can't wait to get started on it.

I can definitely say that I am grateful for the friends and family that will experience my side of 2007, and I wish each and every one of you the very best in all of your endeavors - even if they are not comic-related, lol.

I suppose I should at least let you all know exactly what I've been up to the past year and a half...but in another post.

Onward to '07!

-J out.

Merry Christmas!

2007-01-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas this year- regardless the size of your stockings. For me, the best part was watching my oldest boy (3 yrs old) get excited about Santa, his presents, etc.

Can't beat it with a stick!

-J out.

Goodness, USA!

2006-09-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

My contribution to the boys over in the Middle East...Go get 'em!

-J out.

Teaser

2006-09-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

Guess what..? Yep, you guessed it.

How's that for a teaser...

-J out

Sundown, sunset

2005-11-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

This has been a wild ride, and I have enjoyed every minute.

J out. Permanently.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2005-10-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

Just throwing some sketchbook work to move the blog along.

I apologize for not being as active on here as I would have liked; however, I am wrapping things up with Sundown so my frequency (or lack thereof) should change by the end of the week =)

J out.

Comin At'Cha

2005-10-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

Just another quick glimpse of Clay from issue 3 of Sundown: Arizona to keep the blog moving.

He's one bad - shut'cho'mouth!!

On another note, check out the latest NEWS.

J out.

Name that Baby!

2005-10-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

I had to mention this. It's rather hilarious.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage's wife of 14 months gave birth on Monday to the couple's first child together, a son they named Kal-el -- a moniker recognized by comic book fans as the birth name of Superman.

The child's delivery in New York City and his full name, Kal-el Coppola Cage, were confirmed by the actor's publicist, Annett Wolf, who said of the family, "They are healthy and happy and it's quite lovely."

No further details were released, including how the actor and his wife, Alice Kim Cage, were inspired to borrow from the mythology of Superman in naming their child.

Cage is known as an avid comic book devotee who once sold his personal collection, including a copy of Superman's 1938 pulp debut, at auction for more than $1.6 million.

The nephew of famed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, the actor adopted his own stage surname from the Marvel Comics superhero Luke Cage.

Cage also was at one time slated to star in a Superman movie under the direction of Tim Burton, a project that ultimately was scrapped and replaced by a newer Warner Bros. remake expected for release next summer.

J out.

Old Ways

2005-09-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

Been meaning to post this for about a week. I sketched it out on my lunch hour a few weeks ago and just got around to throwing down the inks about a week and a half ago.

One of my absolute favorite movies is “The Last Samurai”. The original one is cool, but the latest one is just uber-superb with all the rich landscapes, etc. I am not ashamed to say that I am a fan of Tom Cruise’s movies (note that I said his movies, not him, lol), and I think that he did a more than amazing job with this role and Ken Watanabe as a supporting actor truly rounded out the movie.

I’ve wanted to tackle a “full-on” samurai, complete with helmet, etc for a while, and don’t ask me why, but I decided to draw this sans the helmet. I think that it shows a but more personality with the character since we can see his face, but is not near as menacing as it could be if a helmet was attached. I ended up adding the tree to add a serene feel to it since we can see his face. Hopefully I will draw some more samurai-genre artwork when time permits.

It’s easy to compare comic book art with old Japanese art since both mediums use similar line work/brushwork techniques. It’s neat how something can be so detailed yet so uncluttered at the same time (I am referring to original Japanese artwork, not mine, lol).

J out.

Pocket Full Of...

2005-09-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

Currently I am working on a double-page spread for issue 3 of Sundown. When I first read the script, I was thinking to myself, “Holy guacamole, I am soooo screwed!” I have to admit, I was a tad apprehensive right up to when I started on it, but then something weird happened…I totally relaxed and so far IMHO it is looking like the best page(s) of the series (on my end at least).

My mind tends to wander when I am “in the zone” on a page, and all sorts of things bounce around the ol’ noggin. One of them was the fact that I had never attempted to draw the Man of Steel. Yeah, yeah, I know…you’re thinking, “WhaddayameanyouhaventdrawnSuperman?!?” Pretty sad, actually, lol

Anyhoo here is my feeble attempt at taking a stab at the last son of Krypton. I initially wanted to go for the “classic” look, thus the HUGE symbol on his chest a la John Byrne. It also had hardly any rendering and shadows done to it since it was, after all, just a sketch to say I’ve drawn Supes, but once I threw the first spot of black on the leg I was screwed, lol.

The ironic thing is that it took me three times as long to throw down the colors (a little over an hour) as it did the actual artwork…I guess you can now add the mouse as well as the sword in terms of falling prey to the pen. At least in my case =)

J out.

Antagonize Me

2005-09-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

So I’ll bet you’re all wondering…just who ARE the antagonists in Sundown: Arizona?!? Here’s a sneak peak at a shot from issue 3 of one of the many, many “bad guys” in the book. The main villain will be revealed at the end of issue 2, and when you find out who it is, there ain’t no way you won’t be picking up the final issue! Darn tootin’!

J out.

n1

2005-09-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned previously in another post, I’ve been warming up less and less before approaching a page due to time constraints. However, when I do stretch the old art muscles it’s typically been in the form of throwing down some pencils then following up with some quick inks the next night in order for me to have something worth keeping in the sketchpad. I guess I’m weird in the sense that I feel as though if a piece in my sketchbook isn’t inked then it’s not “keepable”. This is probably due to the fact that I am inking my own work and am not used to seeing it “unfinished” so to speak.

I had the idea for Nissa’s “arrow” pants and I thought they would look cooler on a chick than on a dude. I also want to incorporate some kind of sleek, non-abrasive (lol), samurai battle armor for her to wear when she’s decked out for a fight. Gotta have protection!

See post below for additional screw-ups on this character.

J out.

n2

2005-09-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

This sketch started out as an outline of Nissa’s body that I was planning on adding the “sleek samurai battle armor” to, but when I began to throw down the tech pens to the rough sketch I completely forgot about the armor! Ah well, I guess it warrants another drawing of this femme fatale!

I initially wanted to lay an ink wash over the finished “armor” piece to create some depth in terms of the raised portions of the armor, but since I dropped the ball on that one I decided to add some depth with the pencil. I went back and applied the same method to the above sketch as well. I suppose you could call it a “poor man’s wash” lol

J out.

Clay

2005-09-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

For Sundown I am leaning more towards a less refined and craggier look. The above pic is of one of the main characters, Clay, the town sheriff and all-around bad boy. It’s up to him to make the important decisions, and as we learned in issue 1 there is more to him than even his brother realized.

Jay has done an excellent job with character development, and the individuals presented in this book have personalities that really shine through. Unfortunately it has taken me until issue 3 to feel comfortable enough to say that I've caught my stride with them - and this is the final issue in the miniseries, lol.

For another great example of awesome character development, check out High Roads...every character brings something unique to the table be it dialogue, mannerisms, or simply the contrast in looks to other characters in the book. That WS creative team did a heckuva job on that title - action, intrigue, humor, you name it, this book has got it! Sure, I may be partial to my man Gerry Alanguilan, but all personal favs aside, it really is a wonderful book. And I can't mention his name without giving him (yet another) plug, Silent Dragon. Three words: Buy. It. Now.

Perhaps I will “spotlight” the other main characters in a later post.

J out.

100!!

2005-09-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

Been holding onto this sketch for a while with the intent of posting it on my 100th entry. It’s hard to believe that I’ve actually had that much to say, but then again, those that know me are well aware of my uncanny ability to ramble, lol

I originally intended on this being an exercise in foreshortening, but like most “exercises” I have in my sketchbook they end up being drawings of various heroes. So, Ms. Marvel, here’s to you and the wonderful assets you bring to a fight.

J out.

Revving Up for Exposure

2005-09-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to the latest INTERVIEW.

J out.

Settling In

2005-08-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

I definitely had an action-packed weekend! We are settling into our new house nicely, and my oldest son (will be 2 in September) has taken to it rather well =)

I managed to get the essentials of my office set up last night with plans to start hitting the drawing board tonight. After the weekend’s move and about 600 lbs of comics my arms didn’t quite feel like holding a pencil, at least not confidently, lol

Thankfully, the weather held out long enough so that nothing got wet (Google: Hurricane Katrina) in the process. We aren’t in any danger since we live in the Northeast corner of the boot state, but rain is inevitable.

Oh ya, the above sketch is really old, but it’s the only thing I had on my pc that hasn’t been shown before…I’ve been procrastinating in regards to scanning any newer stuff, and I need to get some more things onto the pc (I have the “conclusion” of the warm-up sessions a.k.a. El Patron collecting dust in my sketchbook).

J out.

See Ya Later

2005-08-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

We are moving houses this weekend, and I’ve been packing things from my office throughout the week. I had been meaning to take some shots of my “studio” prior to the packing but completely forgot so what you see here is a stripped-down version of my work space, complete with about 8 boxes of miscellaneous stuff in the middle of the floor (which I tried to conceal as best I could). The office measures approx. 10’x15’ which I find pretty ironic due to what I spend most of my time doing in there (those of you who are comic artists will get it) although for some reason in these shots it looks tiny, lol.

The cool thing about my comic collection other than a couple of short stacks of newer issues they are already “packed” in boxes for ease of transport =)

Pictured here in my makeshift panorama is my entertainment center (sans entertainment, lol), road bike, mountain bike, art table, tools of the trade (in two separate containers w/three drawers each – which you cannot see because of the angle :P), pc, and the entry/exit into/out of the office. I haven’t managed to take down my Jim Lee posters yet as they will be the last thing to leave the old office and the first thing to be set up in my new one…gotta have some inspiration from somewhere =)

I added the sepia toning to the pic because it gives it that “so long, old friend” feel, lol.

This shot was taken @ 2:36 a.m. this morning after I decided that the pencils I layed down were adequate enough to constitute going to bed. It’s going to be a long weekend…

J out.

My First Time

2005-08-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of nostalgia (and Dadicus’s most recent blog entry) here is a shot of the first ever comic book I ever owned – and I didn’t even purchase it myself.

The year was 1989. It was a typical Saturday afternoon and my family and I was visiting the local mall as we always did on Saturdays. My aunt was with us that weekend from out of town (not sure of the occasion), and as she and I were en route to meet my parents at the food court we (at my request) passed through CardCo, the tiny kiosk that housed comics, baseball cards, and (in a few months) boxes of Batman™ cards from the original movie ::drool::

As I was looking at the new releases rack, she said she would buy me a comic book, but nothing over 75 cents. As I scanned the rack for something that fell into that price range my eyes fell on “Solo Avengers Starring Hawkeye #14”, a must have for any serious collector, lol. I distinctly remember picking it up never realizing that I would someday try to emulate the things that my eyes were seeing.

I wish I could say that I had been hooked and spent all of my allowance on comics from then on, but it wasn’t until around the time of Jim Lee’s X-Men that I truly started taking the idea of comics “seriously.” Like Dadicus, it was the 7th grade, and I met another who shared the same passion…but that is another post altogether and I am working on getting the newspaper clipping from that story as we speak =)

Quick stats on the aforementioned comic:
Solo Avengers #14
Cover Date: January 1989
Writer(s): Tom DeFalco; Chris Claremont
Artist(s): Al Milgrom; Alan Davis
Inker(s): Jose Marzan; Joe Rubinstein
Colorist(s): Janet Jackson; Paul Becton
Letterer(s): Jack Morelli; Tom Orzechowski
Story Title(s): When the Widow Calls; Court Costs
Appearances By: Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Black Widow; She-Hulk, Titania

Alas, it now sports a nice tear on the cover thanks to my younger brother, lol.

J out.

Sundown

2005-08-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned prior to this posting, Sundown has been a stretch for me artistically in that I have jumped head-first into very unfamiliar territory. Here I was thinking that I would specialize in the post-modern, high-tech, superhero settings in the comic book realm and I get a story set in 1880 instead =)

Just goes to show that expecting the unexpected is always a good adage to live by.

This is a panel from Sundown: Arizona issue 2. Here we find one of our main characters (along with a group of others) plunging deep into the heart of one of Sobrante’s mineshafts with nothing but a torch, a pistol, and his wits. The reason for all of this? You’ll just have to pick up issue 2 to find out! I would have posted a shot with the colors and lettering, but I wanted to give a “behind the scenes” type of image as you will be able to check out all of the cool effects, etc when the book comes out this September.

I may post up some images of another of the main characters, Clay (the roughneck sheriff and brother to the guy in the above panel) some other time. I must add that Jay did a really nice job with coming up with the different characters and giving them their own voice =) I only hope that my artwork will add that extra dimension to the story.

J out.

Hospital Woes

2005-08-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, was spent at the hospital due to my wife and mine’s decision not to have any more children – snip, snip, lol. Needless to say, I brought my sketchbook with me and got quite a bit of tinkering accomplished as the doctor was performing surgery on my wife. I was this close (holds finger and thumb approx. 1/8 inch apart) to lugging the latest page of Sundown up to the room with me to work on, but decided against it since my wife was priority number one, and I should probably see to it that she was comfortable, not me =)

Anyway, I found myself revisiting some of my favorite characters and came up with a couple of sketches of the Venger (yes I am THAT egotistical to say that he is one of my favorite characters of all time, lol). I ended up drawing a total of three Vengers, Psylocke, a random superhero, and …Chuck Norris?!? Not too shabby for a few hours of waiting.

I took off the rest of the week to cater to my wife and watch the young’ens. I did, however, get to work on Sundown a little =)

J out.

Getting iNTiMATE

2005-08-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

One of my fav books right now is the Intimates (even tho my excitement has dwindled a bit since Cammo left). At last year’s Wizard World Texas DC did a panel showcasing the book, and I picked up a couple of “exclusive variant covers” of issue 1 (complete w/Jim and Cammo’s sig). This title is as close to manga as I’ll get to, and in a way it’s sort of like the American version of the ever-so-popular Japanese style of comics.

On another note, all’s I got left are the inks to page 24 and issue #2 of Sundown: Arizona is complete on my end! The vacation I took last week was a much needed one, and I managed to get seven pages completed in a span of four days – whew! But its onto issue 3 now…=)

J out.

Video Killed the...Comic Book Star?

2005-08-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

It seems I missed the boat regarding the Tuesday/Thursday “warm-up sketch sessions” as I cannot seem to remember to bring my sketchbook with me to scan the rest of the pages. Oh well, you are probably sick of seeing El Patron anyway =)

On a brighter note, follow this link to check out a blogger surprise I created using extremely high-tech equipment, lol. When you get to the page, simply download the link (dial-up users beware as it is a whopping 10 mb file!).

The artwork for Issue 2 of Sundown: Arizona is almost complete, and when I get the word from Arcana I plan on posting a couple of images from the book. This book is truly going to put the Western genre (long overdue) back on the map!

I will say this: this has definitely been the most challenging artwork I have ever been a part of, but a definite learning experience. The “hands-on” experience I am desperately trying to grab from this is improvement on my storytelling. It’s amazing how the little things that comic readers take for granted (or don’t even notice!) are often the reasons that certain books contain that specific “feel” to them. For instance, the size of the gutters, even the color of the gutters can affect a story tremendously. With Sundown, the story revolves around suspense. Mix that up with a generous dose of horror, and it’s no wonder that all the gutters tend to end up being black, and it’s amazing the effect it creates.

Hopefully, Sean (Arcana’s President/EIC) will shoot me over some sample colored pages soon to whet your appetite.

In the meantime, go have yourself a nice oatmeal and raisin cookie – they’re the coolest =)

J out.

Warming Up: Part VIII

2005-07-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

Well, suffice to say I have been working pretty hard on Sundown due to the stringent deadlines set before me. On a typical night, I spend anywhere from 6 ½ to 8 hours at the drawing table – and I log in about 20+ hours on weekends. My elbows/forearms are achy, as is my back and neck, lol. But it’s ALL worth it because, hey, yours truly is going to be in the August edition of Previews =)

This warm-up page needs no text/translation because a.) the dude in the foreground is obviously a bad guy and b.) El Patron is about to smash his head with a friggin’ chair.

Have a nice friggin’ day.

J friggin’ out.

OMAC, Anyone?

2005-07-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

This is really neat: EYE IN THE SKY

Also, 50 kudos to the person that can tell me what this building is.

J out.

Warming Up: Part VII

2005-07-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

I have been taking part in a two-person interview (Matt Spatola and myself) from Silver Bullet Comics for the past couple of days, and it has been really fun! There have been quite a few questions that I’m glad were asked, and some things that I have been wanting to say, but never had the platform to do so. Look for it soon and of course I will post a link when it is up =)

Oh yeah, translation: “My last assignment…evoked too many emotions”

J out.

Lucky Number 7even

2005-07-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to THE man of the hour, Mr. Lance Armstrong! After a battle with cancer (testicular, stomach, lung, and brain) he came back to win 7, yes that's right 7 Tour De France titles.

J out.

Warming Up: Part VI

2005-07-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

This is the last page of part 1 in the El Patron Warm-ups. Part 2 will pick up next tuesday.

Translation: "...when you are safe..."
"...when we are alone..."

J out.

Warming Up: Part V

2005-07-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

Part five of the “sketchbook warm-up chronicles”…We find El Patron leaving the favelas, or slums, of Bairro dos Prazeres (Borough of Pleasures). Now I know what some of you are thinking – Brasilians don’t speak Spanish, but this is my story, and later you will see why they are speaking Spanish in a Portuguese-speaking nation.

The car, of course, is all-American, lol.

Translation: "...in another place..."

J out.

Warming Up: Part IV

2005-07-14T07:02:00.000-07:00

In Part 3 of the “warm-up sessions” we found that there may be more to El Patron than simply putting bullets through people’s heads…

Translation:

“Soon…”

“…in another time…”

J out.

The All-Stars Have Come Out Swinging!

2005-07-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

I’m sure as you’re all keenly aware by now; I am a glorified, teary-eyed schoolgirl when it comes to Jim Lee. I just couldn’t pass this opportunity of stating my thoughts on All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder #1.

Lately I have been turned off of Frank Miller’s stuff simply because it seemed that nothing “new” had come out of the guy – almost as if the lines in his books were becoming too repetitive, and too predictable. However, after reading ASB&R for the third time, I can easily say that I am totally enjoying the direction of the series. It seems as if Miller has had a breath of fresh air, and I really enjoy the multiple character narrations and how he really gave their personalities some uniqueness (I loved the fact that Bruce refers to Dick as a “brat”, lol). I thought that the Loeb/Lee team was a match made in heaven (don’t get me started on Azzarello – he’s good, just not when it comes to superheroes IMHO), and I think that if ASB&R continues in the unique direction it’s heading towards that this could be THE ONE…

Onto the art.

What can I really say that hasn’t been thought or said by some fanboy…it’s just that dang good. Period. The opening splash is something that I spent no less than ten minutes staring at before I realized there were 20-something more pages to go, lol. Jim’s style has definitely progressed into something beyond great, and beyond anything I could ever imagine.

I haven’t been this anxious since Hush…

J out.

Warming Up: Part III

2005-07-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

Third installment of the “El Patron” warm-ups. The chick actually DOES serve a purpose…no, not THAT purpose. There may be more to “El Patron” than you think…

Dialogue translates to: "El Patron...Have you forgotten about me?"

J out.

Take Care O' Yourself!

2005-07-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

I start every morning off just about the same way: shower, shave(most of the time), fix a glass of water, take my vitamins (aside from a multi-vitamin, I also take vitamins C, B6, B12, Ginko Biloba, Omega-3 Fish Oils, Calcium, Glucosamine/Chondroitin, and various others), eat a bowl of Cheerios™, brush my teeth, and I’m off! Oh yeah, and I also get dressed (even tho it’s really humid here in Louisiana).

J out.

WIP

2005-07-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

Been really busy with working on pages for “Sundown: Arizona” the last few days (note the “WIP” link on the right). Here’s the low-down: the mini-series was scheduled for three issues from Arcana Studio, and the first one was completed albeit minor hiccups from the artist. Basically, it came past time for pages from issue 2 to be sent in, and no one from Arcana could get a hold of him. They needed to work fast, and that’s when EIC Sean O’Reilly contacted me asking if I would be interested in completing the miniseries (2 issues). The opportunity presented itself and I took it, no more, no less. The above cover was done by the original series artist.

This does not mean I am halting all work on the Venger. Matt and I discussed having the Venger being released quarterly if need be, and for now this does not create any problems regarding deadlines, so issue 2 will be hitting your face in October/November – so get ready!

I will refrain from posting anything Sundown-related for the time being for legal reasons, so you’ll just have to wait until it’s out to see anything here. For the time being, you can do some stretches and warm-ups while awaiting #2 of “Sundown: Arizona” to hit your LCBS.

There’s always the next installment of “El Patron”…fair enough, I think.

J out.

How Does it Feel to Be No 1

2005-07-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

It always feels good to win something, regardless of the magnitude of the prize. I recently participated in a contest on the Art of Jim Lee site on MSN, and these are my spoils of war. So, a HUGE shout-out to the guys over there (especially Eddy Choi) for hooking me up with these suh-weeet posters done by the man himself.

J out.

Warming Up: Part II

2005-07-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s Thursday and we know what that means, boys and girls?!? More senseless violence! Hurray for guns, lol!

Page 2 (or dos, lol) of my warm-ups. Special thanks to J. Antonio for translating the script.

I didn’t want to re-post page 1 simply because of repetition’s sake, and besides, the fourth comment under the post gives you the dialogue anyway.

For those of you just joining us, we find our anti-hero, "El Patron" in the midst of a job. See post below for explanations on what is going on with this series and why it exists. Oh, and the above image does not need any explanation, or at least I don't think it does, lol.

BTW the orange letters on the top right of this blog aren't there for cosmetics. And while yer at it, check out the WIP link beneath my sig - it stands for Work In Progress, which means that yours truly has yet another book coming out. More info to come on this project for Arcana. So go ahead, click 'em...

J out.

Warming-Up: Part I

2005-07-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

I always make it a point to warm-up before doing any “major” drawing (i.e. pages). Some people don’t require this, but I do. Not only does it get your hand muscles loosened up, but this process also allows anything on your mind to dissolve – sort of a “winding down” so that by the time you are onto the “real drawing” you’re not worrying about a test coming up, or how much it’s going to cost to take your child to the doctor, lol.

I usually like to take 15-30 minutes to loosen up, and what you see here is a result of one of these warm-up sessions (okay, the lettering was done on the computer, lol). In fact, I have quite the collection of “el Patron” sequentials in my sketchbook. So many that I will be posting them every Tuesday and Thursday (at least it will move the blog along, heh). So you’re probably thinking, “Why is this is Spanish?!?” Because it fits. Oh, and J. Antonio please email me if the grammar is incorrect. For the rest of you, you’ll just have to CLICK ME for translations. For a better shot, HIT ME!

This should be fun =)

J out.

If the Shoe Fits...

2005-07-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

Original character designs have always been fun and challenging to me. I have always felt that not only is it important for your favorite superhero (or villain) to look cool, but their costume(s) should be functional as well. A prime example of this is Black Mercy’s original costume design. Initially, it consisted of a “form-fitting” mini-skirt, but for the series, I changed it so that she’s wearing more of a “hot pant” sort of thing. It just makes more sense to me that wearing something a little more flexible and, er, a little less-revealing would be less of a hindrance when jumping through skylights or maneuvering a whip, lol. And for those of you who are scratching your heads, all of this was in issue #1 of The Venger: Dead Man Rising – go pick it up!

J out.

Modern Design

2005-06-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

This is a typical “design sheet” that’s done in my sketchbook when I’m in the process of designing a new character(s). This particular one of Dusk dates back several months ago, and for clarification purposes of his costume design I ended up drawing another pose of him – which is posted several posts down.

About 99% of the stuff you will see here is all from my sketchbook and tends to be a lot looser than what will actually end up in an issue of Venger. But that’s okay IMO since I wouldn’t want to spoil anything by posting a lot of pages from the actual comic up anyway…

J out.

New Addition

2005-06-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I won’t be around for at least a week or so since my wife is being induced into labor tomorrow morning at 5:30 am meaning that by tomorrow afternoon I will be the proud father of two boys!

I dug this (and the sketch above) out just to have something new on the ol’ blog. This one of Black Mercy was done along with the previous BM sketch when I was still toying around with different costume designs. Matt’s description of her was basically a “goth chick meets assassin type”, so I had used several different elements before deciding on the final costume. Hopefully, I chose well enough =)

It’s hard to see it in this scan, but originally I had penciled in a motorcycle – never finished going over it w/inks because I think I lost interest…lol.

J out.

Fashionably Early

2005-06-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

This shot was taken immediately after being asked to go on a mission to destroy the mutant liberation front. I think it went something like, “Hey Jason, feel like taking on the entire axis of evil? It’s going to require you putting on your tights again…”

Uhhh, sure. Why not. I mean, if folks can wear different colored bracelets for good causes, why not go all out and put on a friggin’ superhero costume for a good cause? Am I right, or am I right?

Okay, I’ll start posting artwork again later this week, lol.

J out.

Know When to Hold "Em

2005-06-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

I had a pretty fun conversation with DADICUS last Friday night about artistic influences, what our likes (and dislikes) are when it comes to artists, and various styles of music. We both came to the realization that both of us have a rather large range of musical (and artistic) tastes. However, while I have preferred to work in total silence as of late, he likes to crank the music up while he draws.

DADICUS’s favorite band is the Backstreet Boys, and he aspires to one day be in his own “boy band” – JUST KIDDING>

Anyway, I just had to post this picture up, lol. My mother-in-law left this painting on my doorstep as a practical joke. Yeah, I have a weird family, but then again, who doesn't ;)

J out.

I Am Linked to the Batmobile

2005-06-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

I have never much cared for the idea of making movies out of comic books simply because comics are a very genre-specific medium. It’s easy to flip through a comic and not think twice about people running around in brightly-colored tights, etc, but when seen in “real-life” the concept loses its appeal somewhat. Also I’m not a big fan of certain companies trying to crank out as many comic-related movies as they can while the whole “comic book fad” is in full swing because the quality diminishes with each film (at least that’s my opinion).

That being said, there are a few movies that were done very well – some staying in step with the comics. The following list corresponds more with my enjoyment rather than how true they were to the comics. IMO Spiderman (1 & 2) has captured the essence of not straying too far from the origin, and was a great movie to boot. The Superman movies were great for their time (my fingers are crossed for the newest adaptation). X-Men was tricky because unless you were familiar with the characters you were pretty lost. There was no way they could cover every character’s origin and still have time for action, and I enjoyed X2 even more than the first. Hellboy: good stuff =) The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was neat as well. The Punisher was cool up to the point when Travolta was shown – that guy just plain sucks.

Which brings me to Batman Begins. I have only two words for this movie: Marvel who?

I’m not going to give a play-by-play breakdown of what worked and what didn’t - you can find that on someone else’s blog. The whole movie simply rocked. Period.

What’s really cool is that a company we partner with frequently (located in Rayne, Louisiana) for events, tires for our vehicles, etc supplied those 44” tires on the Batmobile. Still trying to get some free stuff, lol…

J out.

Heritage

2005-06-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, certain people (ahem, DADICUS) have mentioned the term “Dead Blog” (on more than one occasion, lol) so I figured I would post a sketch of a random character I threw down in the sketchpad a month or so ago.

Her name is Tala which in Native American translates into “stalking wolf”. The inspiration came from my wife who is something like 1/8 Indian (Native American). Thus the bow and arrows, feathers, etc.

But of course I had to throw in the high-tech weapons, sunglasses, comm-link, and grenade, lol. It’s easier to blow stuff up with that kind of arsenal =)

J out.

Spare Some "Change"?

2005-06-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I find myself toying around with “variant” editions of characters’ costumes. If you think about it, wouldn’t it get kinda old wearing the same costume every day? I have always wanted to incorporate this concept into a comic book – not necessarily completely changing the costume (as in the above pic), but adding subtle variants depending on the time of day or mission they are on. You see it all the time at toy stores with “Arctic Strike Batman” or “Telepathic Link Energy Blast Wolverine w/Retractable Claws” lol.

The above concept of Black Mercy is called “Secret Hunter Shadow Sleek Black Mercy w/Removable Body Armor” – LOL!

J out.

7 out of 10 Experts Agree...

2005-06-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

Please check out the great review we received over at the 4th Rail!

REVIEW!

J out.

And the Winner Is...

2005-06-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all those who participated in the Venger Contest v1.0! IMO it was a great success, and I hope everyone who joined in had a little fun!

Congratulations to Diana Greenhalgh who clinched the grand prize and won herself a “Venger Dead Pack”. Props to David J. Hansen who picked up a copy of issue #1.

J out.

Let The Games Begin!

2005-06-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

Okay folks here’s the deal: I am a fan of western movies (and the time period when tough guys ruled the good ol’ USA) so the Venger v1.0 contest is coming to you via Internet Scavenger Hunt – old west style.

The rules are simple: the first one to EMAIL me all of the correct answers lands themselves a Venger “Dead Pack” (contents are listed three posts below) and second place gets a free copy of Venger Issue #1.

My email address is: jason.ossman@gmail.com Winner will be posted tomorrow!
What are ya waitin’ for?!? Get to crackin!

1) Clavera was the name of a bandit leader in what movie?

2) “Not that it matters, but most of it is true” is the tagline for what popular western film?

3) In what movie was John Wayne’s first credited appearance?
4) What 1940 classic paired John Wayne and Roy Rogers?

5) John Wayne's co-star in Rio Bravo and The Sons of Katie Elder was an established comedian/singer. What is his name?

6) The character Liberty Valance from the 1962 film titled The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was played by a) John Wayne b) James Stewart c) Lee Marvin

J out.

A Simpler Time

2005-06-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

Here is the original Venger (Alexander Cabot) via concept design in my sketchbook.

Matt and I threw a couple of ideas around for his costume, and using cues from the Golden Age (thus the goofy, pre-modern day goggles) this is what I came up with. Matt wanted to take design elements from characters like the Shadow and the original Sandman. The golden age Venger has a fedora hat and a ray gun (j/j about the ray gun), but is not included in this sketch.

Every time we see Alexander in costume it is via flashback sequences which allowed me to incorporate ink washing in the series (Matt custom-tailored this for me BTW), and the overall effect is a nostalgic tone which helps to convey the fact that this hero is from a much different and simpler time.

J out.

The Force is Strong With This One...

2005-05-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at any of the Star Wars™ characters. This was done this weekend for a very close friend of mine who happens to be Darth Vader’s biggest fan, lol.

Hopefully, he won’t see it posted here before I actually give it to him…

J out.

Venger Contest v1.0

2005-05-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

This is a piece submitted by Lionel Edward C. Yumul via the Ronin message boards. I think this is an exceptionally strong image design-wise, and the overall feeling of the piece is nice and violent, lol. The cover price is incorrect, but who really cares about that...

Major kudos for contributing our alternate cover for Ultimate Venger, lol!

*****IMPORTANT*****
While I’m on the subject of pimping, er, marketing, please note that the Venger Contest v1.0 will be scheduled for:

• Thursday, June 2nd
• 5:00 pm CENTRAL TIME (adjust your biological clocks to Louisiana time!)
• Contest promptly ends at Midnight

The details of this contest will be stated the day of the contest, and be prepared to use your broadband connection to the fullest! (hint hint)

*Note: This contest is not open to those who contributed to issue #1, so all three of you (lol) will have to take a backseat…

Grand Prize consists of:
• A copy of The Venger: Dead Man Rising issue #1
• A Venger poster
• A Venger postcard
• An eComic of The Venger: Dead Man Rising issue #1
• A “special bonus” prize

2nd Place receives:
• A copy of The Venger: Dead Man Rising issue #1

J out.

Antagonist Part Deux

2005-05-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

Ezra Heller’s wingman so to speak, Dusk is the final element that makes up the “triumvirate of doom” (no that is not a name we are using, lol) in the Venger’s rogue’s gallery.

This is him only in conceptual state as we will not see him until the second issue (right around the corner!). I felt we needed a “silent, bad boy-type”, at least in looks. He’s the guy with literally no conscience and would kidnap your children if it meant any personal gain for himself. This is based off of Matt’s character sheet, and I think that he will add that extra bit of action to the overall series – plus, it allows me to get to draw more things blowing up! LOL!

But keep in mind that his overall appearance may be altered slightly (very similar to what occurred with Black Mercy) for the actual series to better suit the story.

J out.

Antagonist Part Uno

2005-05-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

A design concept for the main villain, Ezra Heller. He is the only one in the book with any sort of “powers” – similar to the way Watchmen was handled regarding Dr. Manhattan.

I wanted him to have a mask, but nothing that completely hid his facial movements, so I came up with a thin, rubbery type of mask that could move with his expressions, but yet conceal his true face. Gotta maintain that sense of mystery!

After discussions with Matt, we both agreed that since Ezra personifies a sense of immortality, his costume should incorporate something from a different century altogether, but with a slight modern twist. The colonial garb was Matt’s idea, and I fell in love with the notion as soon as I heard it. Ezra Heller will remain pretty shrouded in mystery for the time being (no spoilers here!), but expect to see more of his background in the near future.

Check out an exclusive INTERVIEW with Matt Spatola, the series creator!

J out.

Blogger Jam 2005

2005-05-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

Well, the Blogger Jam has finally come to a close – and here is the final product. I think it goes without saying that everyone had a great time doing this, and it’s always cool to see the finished product of something you are a part of.

Well done, GNF, and well done DADCUS! Next year’s will be even better!

J out.

Fanart

2005-05-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning out some files today and ran across a couple of scans that others have sent me over the past few months. This one in particular is neat because it features both of the main characters that have fueled this blog since its inception. The artist is Nathan Gilmer, and I think that the style, although extremely unfinished, is pretty nice. Maybe I’ll print it off in blue and ink it when I find some free time (in the next year or so!)

It’s altogether flattering and exciting to see an “outsider’s” take on characters you’ve developed – especially when the drawings come in unexpected, heh. I know that I’m not the only one who draws other comic creator’s characters for fun!

J out.

The Silver Bullet

2005-05-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

Below is what is posted on Silver Bullet Comics:

PULP FRICTION IN PHILLY

The Venger: Dead Man Rising, a new Ronin Studios title premieres at Wizard World Philly.

Visitors to the Wizard World Philly comic book convention June 3-5 will be able to purchase the first issue of The Venger: Dead Man Rising, a new comic from Ronin Studios by writer Matt Spatola and artist Jason Ossman.

The Venger: Dead Man Rising boldly combines modern comic action styles, cinematic pacing and beautiful ink wash images. The title, written with a nod to the action and suspense of the ‘pulp style’, promises to turn heads with readers, making the excitement of the Wizard convention the perfect place for the creators to unveil their unique vision.

Set in a modern day metropolis, The Venger: Dead Man Rising tells the dark and intriguing story of Alexander Cabot, a former hero of the ‘golden age’. He was the Venger, a grim protector of the city’s innocent citizens. Now he is an old man whose exploits as the Venger have been long forgotten. When a series of unsolved murders plague the city he believes that his greatest enemy has returned from the dead. But who would believe him? Now he must convince his police detective grandson, Michael Cabot, that only a new Venger will be able to stop the killings. Ultimately though will his drive to destroy his greatest enemy destroy his family in the process?

“I really want to focus this series on the choices these characters make and the outcomes, both good and bad, from those choices,” says series creator and writer Matt Spatola.

“The two of them are coming at the same problem from very different perspectives. Michael is a cop. His job is the law and we are going to learn through the series that his life is the law too. Alexander was a vigilant of sorts. When he was ‘working’ he wasn’t worried about the law. He was concerned about punishing the guilty. How do these opposites connect, or will they connect, to stop the killings? How far is either of them willing to go towards meeting the other,” added Spatola.

“But trust me; this isn’t a series with page after page of exposition. Things will move along quickly and with plenty of action.”

He added that “there will be quite a few flashbacks as we lead readers through understanding who Alexander is as a person and who he was as a hero. This is where we will see those fabulous ink wash pages. Series artist Jason Ossman is really doing great things with the book; people are going to be blown away by his stuff. I can’t say enough about him. He’s been a true partner throughout the development and design of the book. He really pushed me as a writer to be sure my level of writing was matching up with his level of artwork.”

According to Spatola the seven issue miniseries will take readers through many twists and turns. Future issues of the series will continue the exploration of both characters as they strive to stop the killings and will include a family tragedy, the return of the Venger, the discovery of the identity of the killer and a revelation of a secret that could destroy them both.

The Venger: Dead Man Rising #1 will be available at the Ronin Studios booth at Wizard World Philly and at all the major conventions this year. The book can also be ordered online at www.comixpress.com and www.ronin-studios.com or by emailing vengercomics@aol.com

The Venger: Dead Man Rising #1: written by Matthew Spatola, cover and interior art by Jason Ossman, grayscale by Derrick West; 32 black & white pages, full color covers, retail price $2.00

Tha Netwerk

2005-05-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

This is my contribution to the “2005 Bloggers Jam”. The basic premise was including our own ‘blogger studio’ of artists (DADICUS, GNF, and yours truly) to do a jam that featured existing DC characters, but revamped a tad for kicks. Once they are completed, they will be merged into one image for a pinup of epic proportions! LOL!

This was colored in practically no time, and the colors aren’t permanent by any means. Once DADICUS gets his finished (hint hint) I am sure that he will do a better job of converging the colors so that the image looks unified.
N fact, once the characters are merged into one piece, whoever wants to participate in the coloring just drop me a line at jason.ossman@gmail.com and you too could be a star, LOL!

**ANNOUNCEMENT: Keep your mouse pointed in this direction because in a couple of weeks there will be a Venger: Dead Man Rising Contest in which the winner will receive a straight-up wicked cool Venger “pack” (including a bonus prize).

I can’t believe I just said “straight-up wicked cool”…

J out.

Hardy-Har-Har!

2005-05-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

I dunno why today seems like a “Marvel” day (maybe it has to do with it being Friday the 13th!) but here’s my interpretation of Black Cat, with her costume tweaked a tad. Really it’s just a sketch that was done this morning at school while I was waiting around for one of my professors to get out of a class. And to answer your question, yes, I do carry around pencils, pens, and an art pad…lol!

I somewhat enjoyed Millar and Dodson’s run on MK Spiderman, however I feel as though Dodson kinda skimped out a little on the art…oh well, it’s still better than I can do! Millar’s writing is always top-notch in my book (except for Wanted – do ya think he could’ve put MORE f-words in that book?!?)

J out.

White About Now...

2005-05-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in prior posts, I am a fan of the late 80’s era of X-Men. I think that the overall mood of that entire era of mutants was a little darker and really deep as far as characters/plots. That’s not to say that the current stuff is not good, but I really wouldn’t know as I don’t collect any of the new X-Men comics…maybe I should.

“So why did you post a picture of the White Queen in her new costume instead of her old one if you are a fan of the older stuff?” you ask.

“Because it looks cool” is my reply…

J out.

Kudos

2005-05-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

Well, this year marks some short-term goals being completed:

1) I finally have a comic book published
2) I trained for, and completed a triathlon
3) I am graduating college (actually this became more of a long-term goal!)

It’s such a great feeling for me to be able to sit back and put check marks next to things that I have “set out to do before I die”, and the feeling of satisfaction of knowing that I stuck through the tough times in order to appreciate the completion of these tasks.

The whole process with the Venger issue #1 was literally a whirlwind of steps that were completed in what I felt was a record time, and I have many people to thank for their contributions to this thrilling first issue. Please keep in mind that the demanding deadline we were facing was a result of wanting to release this issue in time for Wizard World Philly. First off, Matt, whose 7-page snippet of the story captured my attention right off the bat, did more than his share behind the scenes. He was the main reason we were able to offer this issue at such a low price, and still give the reader a poster and a CD with the entire comic on it (limited to first 50 purchases). He did such a good job as “coordinator” that this whole thing would not have been possible without his hard work, so give your props to my brutha-man! I knew he was the real deal whenever I wanted to find out “what happens next?” after my initial reading/rereading of the script. Issue #1 will definitely keep you wanting for more! Secondly, DADICUS colored practically the entire book in a matter of a weekend – literally. I was pulling my hair out wondering if the pages were going to be sent to me in time for the lettering (done by yours truly) and in enough time to be sent to the printers. He told me that I should expect to be impressed…impressed I was! Dude, you so rock! Thirdly, GNF’s last minute contribution caught me by a pleasant surprise – he really pulled through for us, and for that he’s at the top of my list of coolest people I know. His pinup his top-notch, to say the least…Lastly (but by no means least!) my wife, Angela, who allowed me the time to only say hello to her and my 19-month old son after coming home from school/work and head straight to my office and start drawing until time to go to bed for the last three weeks. In my defense, she is just as excited as I that this issue is coming out; at least that’s what I try to keep telling myself…

On a side note, I would also like to personally thank you, my peers that keep coming back to this blog (even though I keep it updated about every other week) and have shared your input, thoughts, and critiques in order that we could produce a higher quality book for you to read. This includes professionals (you know who you are) and also people like me who still get giddy as Christmas whenever Wednesday rolls around and the latest batch of comics are delivered to my local comic shops. My hat goes off to you all!

This is gonna be one heckuva series (7 issues), and I hope that by the end you will all agree.

J out.

That Covers It...

2005-05-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

Well, folks it is almost countdown time! I have been busy working on pages and file preparation the past few days for the printers. Still waiting on DADICUS, though…lol. I figured that it was only right that I should post a pic of the cover (sans issue #1, price, etc) since everyone that visits this blog is probably thinking that I am no longer alive!

Our plans for this 7 issue miniseries are to incorporate the same theme for the covers. All will feature a prominent character in that issue, and each one will be a different shade of color (i.e. issue #2 will have a “blue” themed cover). This will help differentiate the issues, and it also keeps a constant, overall “look” to the series.

This is actually the front of one the 1000 postcards that will be handed out at Wizard World Philly on June 3rd. The back features a brief overview of the series and info on where to purchase, etc.

J out.

Jam-Packed

2005-04-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

It’s been a little while since my last post….

This is a headshot sketch of the one and only Venger, a.k.a. Michael Cabot. This particular pair of goggles are courtesy of Oakley, even though he has an extended contract with Rudy Project…lol.

We have six advertisers, a letter’s page, and a sorta “special features section” in issue #1, for a grand total of 32 whopping pages. Not to mention all the goodies that will be accessible at Wizard World Philly with the purchase of the spectacular first issue. Oh, and there’s still that “extra-special surprise” that is limited to 50 people…

I am having a blast…

J out.

Goggle.com

2005-04-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

Been extremely busy w/pages for the Venger the past week and with school as well. Thought I’d post a pic instead of a sketch to change things up a bit.
The triathlon is in 16 days, and although I am confident on finishing, a place on the podium is probably unlikely...

More on the comic: I’m only getting to work on it a couple of hours a night so the time constraints are a real hindrance, but such is life. This is the main reason why I haven’t been sketching as much. When I do draw, it’s on 11”x17” Bristol board, not the Wal-Mart special I got for $3.88! However, the pages are turning out nicely, and working with a detailed writer such as Matt (breaks down every panel practically!) has been a real pleasure. I am anxious to see the pages with color (grayscale) and text.

J out.

Plagiarism

2005-04-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

Yeah...it is...Some people use real life for reference, others use comics...

This was done for my boss who is a huge Cap fan and has bought me too many lunches to count.

J out.

One More Try...

2005-04-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Received several mixed comments (here and on various message boards) on the previous Wonder Woman sketch I did (see “We Are the World” post), so I decided to take another stab at the Amazonian Princess. The old school bottoms are courtesy of inspiration from Linda Carter, the quintessential Wonder Woman IMO – however campy the actual episodes are…

Things are progressing slowly, but surely on Venger. I’m almost 20% finished with the interior artwork. How do I know this? Because I excel at math.

In other news, I have finally tackled the GMAT (that’s the test to get into grad school for an MBA (Master of Business Administration)). I will find out within the next couple of weeks if I got in or not. “Why are you trying to pursue a Master’s degree on top of a Marketing degree if your passion is drawing comics?” you ask. Because it puts bread on the table…and bread is good for ya.

J out.

'Cause This is Thriller...

2005-04-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

I received this email, and was asked if I would pass it on to any of you who may be horror-comic fans...

ComicMonsters.com, (www.comicmonsters.com) the internets leading news and information site for horror and monster comics announces its April contest.
ComicMonsters.com and Chanting Monks Press president and horror writer Joe Monks are joining forces for a month long promotion that features an exclusive interview, special project announcements, and a month of giveaways of Chanting Monks Press prizes.

Week 1: Signed copies of Roadkills & The Night Terrors and a copy of Zacherley's Midnite Terrors #1

Week 2: Signed copies of Roadkills, Stuff Out'a My Head paperback and ZMT #2

Week 3: Roadkills, Stuff Paperback, and copies of Night Terrors and ZMT 1 & 2

Week 4: Roadkills, Stuff, ZMT 1 & 2 and Night Terrors with tee shirt

Week 5: ZMT 1, 2, and 3 signed, Stuff Out'a My Head paperback and copy of the Flowers on the Razorwire DVD.

For a chance to win any of the cool prizes involved in this promotion, all you will need to do is go to ComicMonsters.com and register, its free. A winner will be picked each Saturday. Use this link below to register for a chance to win: You will get an email confirmation of your registration that you will have to click to activate your membership.

ACTIVATE

J out.

Lagniappe

2005-03-30T08:56:00.000-08:00

A piece from the "l'accumulazione del seduction" of my sketchbook...

I've been diligently working on pages for Venger and tending to family and school stuff here recently, and not to mention training for my triathlon in May. All in all, another typical week(s) in the life of...

Cool news concerning Venger: a very prominent artist in the comics industry (who also happens to be a great pal o' mine) has agreed to contribute a pinup for issue #1. His name will remain anonymous for the time being, so check back here from time to time for more updates concerning this and other Venger news. Also, issue #1 will include some extras that have never been done before in comics...a little lagniappe if you will (google if you are unfamiliar with the term).

J out.

Fringe Benefits

2005-03-21T08:56:00.000-08:00

Still waiting on my Bristol board to arrive. Decided to shake things up a bit and put Black Mercy in a cowgirl getup for the heck of it (no, Matt, this is not a new concept for the book, LOL!).

Things are getting rather hectic at the storefront with two tests and a case due this week, and not to mention the fact that I will be taking the GMAT on the 31st. So if the posting gets a little sparse, that’s the reason…

J out.

V is for Venger

2005-03-16T09:26:00.000-08:00

Being the world’s finest at procrastination I realized I was out of Bristol board yesterday when I reached into my poly-bag of non-existent paper. So, with only half an hour ‘til bedtime, I found myself putting pen to paper in my sketchbook again. It’s funny how the subconscious works – the Venger was the first thing that came to mind. Go figure…

J out.

Have Mercy!

2005-03-16T09:24:00.000-08:00

Concept for Black Mercy, the first villain Michael Cabot (a.k.a. the Venger) encounters in issue numero uno. Featured here without knife, gun, or whip…sunglasses by Prada, and tank by Valentino.

J out.

Flash Playa v.2

2005-03-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

And with a little color a la Joel Harris of the Geoff Johns Forum...

J out.

Flash Playa

2005-03-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

Sketch for an artist jam on the Geoff Johns Forum. I think the idea is great to get a bunch of aspiring talent to jump in and collaborate on a little project like this one. Gives us wannabes something to make us feel important, lol!

J out.

Back in '86

2005-03-10T09:09:00.000-08:00

Just about every person I know who reads comics mentions Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" as "the book that changed comics" or "the comic that changed my life", etc. I concur.

Back in the late 80's and early 90's, my family and I would make our weekly visit to the mall on Saturdays. With my trusty Casio calculator watch and cash in pocket I would set off to the tiny kiosk about fifty yards from the food court - Cardco. The kiosk's dimensions were probably no greater than 15" x 10", but that place seemed huge to me as a boy. There were more comics in there than I could count, and this neo-punk, dressed in shredded acid-washed jeans and combat boots (Wayne Harris) was my role model. Still is, lol!

I distinctly remember seeing TDKR in trade paperback, and costing way more than I could afford - a whopping $12.95. Something drew me into it, maybe the lightning striking behind the silhouette of a leaping Batman, or maybe my notion that this comic was different than the others. But every Saturday I would always check to see if it was there in the long, white box of back issues and trades. I saved up for several weeks and purchased it.

I remember opening it for the first time in our Ford Aerostar at a gas station with Rod Stewart's "Rhythm of My Heart" playing in the background - must have been around '91. Every time I hear that song I think of TDKR...

Needless to say, I was changed. For good. I've read and reread that book more times than I can count, and certainly more times than any other comic. A couple years ago I made it a personal mission to locate one of the rare "artist proofs" with Frank's signature. In fact, I signed up for an eBay account specifically for this. With a little patience and a lot of luck I finally found a copy and purchased it. It remains my most prized comic to this day.

I'm sure that Frank Miller is sick and tired of hearing how his rendition of Batman has changed so many comic readers' lives, etc, but if I ever get the chance to meet him or drop him a line, I'll be sure to tell him the same.

So will all that being said, the above pic is my personal tribute to the man who contributed so much to my interest in comics. Thanks, Frank. If you only knew...

J out.

All-American (Page 3)

2005-03-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

Well, here's the final page. I hope you have enjoyed viewing half as much as I've enjoyed drawing these. It was fun to do a sequential of an existing character.As usual, please feel free to give comments.

J out.

All-American (Page2)

2005-03-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

Finally was able to post this image. I apologize to those of you who saw only a red "x" instead of an image. Anyhoo, I live by by motto, "Constructive criticism is accepted, but not enforced". Enjoy, and please give any input you deem necessary.

J out.

All-American (Page 1)

2005-03-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

I’m sure some of you who log onto this blog often wonder, “Does this guy do anything except pinups and sketches?” The answer is yes and no. I primarily set this blog up with intentions of mainly posting pinups, etc. However, by request of a very well-known comic artist an exception will be made the following weeks (hopefully sooner!).

The mission, should I choose to accept it, is to show examples of my sequential work. I actually enjoy drawing sequential pages more than sketching or doing pinups, but with my schedule if I had chose to showcase pages instead of quick drawings on this blog, there would probably be only a couple posts!

I chose Captain America to give a general idea of my style of work because he’s a sort of your all-around meat and potatoes superhero. The pages (total of 3) are finished, but this is the only one inked so far.

I recorded a two hour show on the History Channel about comics and Cap was always shown fighting Nazis, Japanese, etc corresponding with the wars the U.S. was involved in. I figured that showing him in a conflict with terrorists would be appropriate in today’s time. As silly as it may sound, I really felt a sense of American pride while drawing these pages. I can imagine what people like Kirby felt while doing their part to keep the spirits of Americans lifted.

So Mike, please enjoy and feel free to drop me a few comments as I post these pages.

J out.

Venger Concept no 3

2005-02-28T08:54:00.000-08:00

A shot of the Venger in action. The pants/boots are a bit different from the previous two concepts. Not sure if I like the “one-piece” pant-boot or a separate boot…

I’ve tried to maintain the same background feel throughout the sketches for consistency purposes.

J out.

Power to the People

2005-02-28T08:53:00.000-08:00

Physical fitness has always been a daily regimen for me, and up until a few months ago I was heavy into weightlifting. I had been cycling (mountain bikes, not steroids) throughout the summer and since complacency has never been my thing, I decided a few months ago I would compete in my first triathlon. Training for this has been really fun, and my Incredible Hulk weight of almost 230 lbs. quickly descended to just shy of 200 lbs. within a couple months. Sure I can no longer bench press 350 lbs, but I’ll bet I can outrun you, lol!

p.s. Power Girl does not compete in triathlons…but she can bench press 350 lbs with one finger while eating a tuna wrap…

J out.

Venger Concept no 2

2005-02-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

Here is concept No. 2. It’s not a huge variation from the first, but it’s the little things that count…

The bo is made of titanium with a carbon fiber handle that has a button on the side to spring it open to full length. What, you were expecting plain old aluminum?!?

J out.

Venger: Dead Man Rising

2005-02-23T09:25:00.000-08:00

I am in the beginnings of producing the pages for a comic called Venger: Dead Man Rising, hopefully due out by spring of this year by way of Ronin Studios. Together with my script-proficient pal Matt Spatola, we hope to produce the independent blockbuster of the summer. The plot involves twists, turns, alley-oops, and downright smack-yo-momma action!

Creating a character from scratch is always a challenge, and many different variations will hopefully lead you to the right path. I have found that the best way to approach this is to draw several renditions and pick and choose the elements from each sketch that I like the best.

Since Democracy is cool, as more sketches, tweaking, and concepts are added, I would like to post them and let people vote on their favorite. And although Dictatorship generally wins over matters like this, input from fellow comic and non-comic readers would be interesting…you gotta know your consumer, after all!

A little on the costume: I wanted to incorporate elements of easy movement and sleekness to his suit. Although masks are cool, I thought it more appropriate to limit him to light-enhancing goggles since in most cases action generally happens at night, and it’s hard to make out a guy’s face in the shadows anyway. His undershirt is made up of a sweat wicking material (similar to Nike’s Dri-Fit™ clothing) because it’s flexible, lightweight, and keeps him cool/warm depending on the situation. His vest is a thin, Kevlar-rubber compound that flexes easily, and has a clasp (similar to a backpack) that attaches on the upper portions of his back. The boots have an athletic sole to them, and he has shin protectors in case midgets attack him, LOL!

J out.

Rogue's Gallery

2005-02-21T08:43:00.000-08:00

I honestly haven’t read an X-Men comic since Jim Lee’s run, and my favorite mutant era has always been Silvestri’s for some reason. I can’t tell you what Rogue’s current costume looks like, but with all the “Ultimate” this and “MK” that, I decided I would try my hand at an update of what I could picture her as. No “battle armor” or anything fancy like that, just newer clothes…and the same white streak in her hair.

Once again I used markers for the heavy blacks. I’m finding this to be a real time saver for my sketchbook entries, and I can save the real stuff for the 11x17 Bristol…

J out.

The Cowboy Way

2005-02-21T08:42:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy watching westerns – especially the older ones. So why didn’t I just draw a cowboy? Because Logan is one of the few remaining “cowboys” in the comics universe, that’s why…and I also wanted to take a stab at drawing him.

I think it would be neat to bring back the Western genre to mainstream comics. We need a dose of non-politically correct dialogue and actions; kind of a “quit trying not to step on everyone’s toes” type of feel, lol.

Say your prayers, sucker…

J out.

Wreaking Havoc

2005-02-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

I realized last night that it’s been a few days since I had posted anything. I’ve been working on a few sequentials per request, and with the busy life I lead, they have been taking up the few hours a week I have to spare. I was running extremely short on time, but I had to throw down a sketch or two.

In the tradition of the Iron Chef Challenges on Gelatometti, I decided I would try to complete a sketch in an hour or less. It ended up being less – a lot less. 00:18:57 to be exact! I wanted to choose a character without a lot of detail because I was afraid that the time would pass by too quickly if I focused too much on detailed work, thus the sketch of the old school Havoc. I loved Marc Silvestri’s run on Uncanny and I especially loved his rendition of Havoc, who I’ve always thought was way cooler than his brother Cyclops. The guy can turn mountains into powder, for Pete’s sake!

I chose to work with a big fat marker for the blacks to save time. Besides, it’s just a sketch, not a finished page. I must say that I enjoyed working under small time constraints because the action of the page IMO is captured better as a result of not tweaking every little detail and erasing, adding, erasing, and so on.

J out.

Big Fat Black Marker

2005-02-18T07:05:00.000-08:00

This started as a warm-up sketch of Black Widow, but I ended up adding inks to experiment with a marker. I found that some of the same effects used with a brush can be done with a thick marker - and in a lot less time!

One of the infinite joys of having kids is watching their expressions. My son gives you that "Uh oh, I'm in trouble" look whenever you tell him to "Come here!" So I thought maybe he would respond better if Natasha told him to "Get over here right now!" LOL

A better look.

J out.

We Are the World

2005-02-17T12:33:00.000-08:00

I’ve noticed that a few of you logging onto this blog are from other parts of the world. I’ve received a few hits from Italy, even from China. To that I say, welcome, and I hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen so far. I feel that comics can transcend any language and/or culture barriers – always have, always will.

One half of my family is from Greece, so I thought it appropriate as a welcome to those outside the U.S. and a tribute to my roots to post a sketch of the Amazonian Princess hiking up one of the treacherous cliffs that are prevalent in Greece. Although experimenting with ink wash is fun, nothing beats the classic contrast of black and white, IMO.

J out.

Cover Story (part II)

2005-02-08T11:11:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are about 50% of the inks for the cover of Johnny Justice. The figure in the background will be inked differently, with no shadows so that Johnny Justice pops out in the foreground. Once the inks are completed, the image will be rendered slightly in Photoshop – there are a few elements from the story that will look better on the cover if done digitally.

I chose to go with my classic inking style for the cover versus the ink wash because I think the contrasts of black and white have more punch.

J out.

Let Freedom Ring!

2005-02-08T11:09:00.000-08:00

In the tradition of drawing existing characters, I thought I would take a stab at Captain America. This sketch is actually only 50% finished, as I have not added the ink wash yet. For aesthetic purposes I colored his shield, and I will probably continue this theme (leaving only his shield in color) after the sketch is completed.

This gives you a glimpse at not only a work in progress, but also as to how detailed (mainly spotting blacks) I generally get in preparation for inks. The scanner did not pick up the background pencils which depict the wall he is leaning against, an American flag, silhouettes of three fighter jets, and a New York skyline pre-9/11. I added the imagery purely for symbolic purposes – because Cap is the embodiment of America.

J out.

Fantastic Sketch

2005-02-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

I’ve been told my art style has retro elements to it (you know who you are!), and so I decided to tap into that with a sketch of Sue Richards a.k.a. the Invisible Woman from the Fantastic Four. I purposely tried to use the rudiments of the classic Silver Age for this sketch, therefore the hairdo and dated costume.

I used the cover from Amazing Spiderman #1 for reference, but try as I must, I could not bring myself to give her those giant hips…

J out.

Vacation Gone Awry

2005-02-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

Using references for comic art is an invaluable thing. Nowadays it’s easy to just google any topic and, bada-bing, you have a reference point. It makes the piece much more believable to the viewer, and it also serves as a good exercise for the artist.

I have always viewed the Punisher as sort of a man’s man, kind of like the guy at school that deep down every guy wants to be like, but they are too afraid to talk to. I chose this particular bike because it’s nothing too fancy or nice to look at, but gets the job done.

I thought the Hawaiian shirt would give the sketch a little extra personality, and the colors contrasted to the grey of the ink wash make the image pop off the page. And who’s to say that Frank has no sense of humor? All in all, I am relatively happy with the way this sketch turned out; although at the time I wished the drawing space was a little bigger (8.5” x 11” restricts quite a bit when I’m used to 11” x 17”.

J out.

The Punishment Continues

2005-02-02T11:14:00.000-08:00

And with a little rendering in photoshop...

J out.

Punishment

2005-02-02T07:33:00.000-08:00

I honestly cannot remember the last time I sketched other characters besides my own. I had an urge to draw the Punisher last night for some reason, and it proved to be a lot of fun. Hopefully, this will be one of many sketches done of other characters; one can learn a lot from drawing various body types, movements, etc.

This sketch took about an hour and a half, from inception to completion. Done in my new $3.48 Sketchbook.

J out.

Oil Change

2005-02-02T07:31:00.000-08:00

Where do superheroes go when they need the oil changed in their “super-vehicles?” I doubt they drive up to the local Snappy Lube and say, “Give me a full service check, and don’t forget to reload the Tommy gun on the passenger side door.” I’m pretty positive they provide the maintenance themselves, or get their butlers to do it.

This is a sketch of Johnny Justice running a diagnostic on the spring-release tension for the glider wings. One can never be too careful. Or too prepared.

J out.

Props to the Lady

2005-01-31T08:15:00.000-08:00

This is a “Friday night” pinup done of LP9. I managed to find a couple pieces of sketch paper although it definitely is not the right type for ink washes, as it tended to curl and warp every time I added another shot of watered down ink =)

I named the sniper rifle “Bolt-Action Betty” because it adds a little femininity and personalization to LP9’s character. Also, she can nickname it “BABS”, lol. I am enjoying the usage of simple lines on characters because it allows for the details to be rendered in washes, yet highlighting the creases, seams, etc. This is a hard technique to pull off at times because you have to find the balance between too many and too few lines. Too many, and the drawing can look like overkill with the washes; too few, and the piece looks too sparse. At least this is what I have found.

J out.

Grey Matters

2005-01-28T08:09:00.000-08:00

The fun thing about being a college student and supporting a family is that you learn to use what you have. I ran out of sketch paper last week, and this grey paper is all I could find. So I attempted a pinup using techniques similar to a very famous top-notch comic artist (If I have to tell you who it is, maybe you don’t know me as well as you think) utilizing the ink wash style I have grown fond of and incorporating a white paint pen. It’s really cool how the white makes things pop off the page, especially on the grey.

This is a pinup of Johnny Justice as he’s getting ready to leap out of some sort of abandoned building. One quick push of the “GO” button on his strap and the glider wings snap out. KSHAK! Rock and roll!

J out.

Senior VP of Sales and Marketing

2005-01-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

DC Comics has announced the hiring of a newly created Senior VP of Sales and Marketing.

CLICK ME for an interview with new hire Stephanie Fierman and VP of Sales and Marketing Bob Wayne.

J out.

Sole Provider

2005-01-26T13:22:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me when I was designing Johnny Justice’s costume that the typical boots found on most other superheroes would not work if I wanted to maintain a sense of practicality. It struck me as odd that just about every tread pattern on a superhero’s boots were that of a regular work boot. I understand the need for durability, but it makes no sense as far as maneuverability goes.

I designed the soles of the boots to have a tread pattern similar to those found in running shoes. If you are chasing bad guys or jumping around wouldn’t you want something lightweight and flexible versus clunky and cumbersome? Johnny Justice has (as most other superheroes should) good agility and his entire costume was designed around the notion that he would be moving around a lot and needed flexibility. Thus the “hyper-soles” were born.

The upper boot is kangaroo – a type of leather found on most top level soccer shoes. Once again, flexible and lightweight. And no, there is no Nike swoosh on the sides =)

I also incorporated this into LP9’s shoes as well because it just makes sense, darn it.

This is a shot from the actual book – sorry for the quality (no access to a scanner). I generally work off of pretty rough pencils since I ink the pages myself. CLICK ME for a larger version.

J out.

A Story's Worth a Thousand Words

2005-01-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

No matter how great the art is in a comic, if the story is lacking the book overall will suffer tremendously. Having a writer that is able to play off the strengths of the artist is important as well. This doesn’t mean that the story should lack in content just because the artist doesn’t want to be challenged – it means that if a writer knows an artist excels at drawing huge splash pages, the writer can (and should) accommodate this.

I have known Corey for roughly five years, and no one is more loyal to getting a job done than he is. This is his story.

What got you interested in writing a comic book even though (to my knowledge) you have never attempted anything like this before?

I thought it would be something fun to do. I would rather dwell in a fantasy world than my world.

What is it like to be considered an “outsider” to the comic book community?

I have been an “outsider” my entire life. So now I’m a “new outsider” in a “new place.”

Was the transition to create a story in a visual medium difficult for you?

I would say comic book writing is challenging. The only writing experience I have is short stories. Short stories are easier to write because there is more text. The amount of text you write relates to how vivid you want the visual to be in the reader’s mind. Comics have very little text so the sentences and phrases have to be more concise. The pictures tell as much or more of the story than the text does. Adjusting from short story to comic writing is an ongoing process. I still have to remind myself that the pictures pick up the slack of the missing text.

Aside from “Johnny Justice: Part I” what other titles are you currently working on?

Killing Rebel Scum: A Guide to Star Wars Battlefront. Just kidding. There are no other titles in the works.

You’re writing a story that may or may not be read by many people, most of them comic book critics. Scared? Excited? Or a little bit of both?

I would have to say that I am curious about its reception. I have entered into this with the belief that we are doing JJ for our own pleasure. I have had a great time writing and I know Jason has had an equally great time with the artwork and design. Everyone is a critic and I hope those that actually read JJ like it. If not, we like the book and that is the most important thing to me.

Most writers mention having a muse to inspire the story. What is your muse?

Jason is actually my muse. He has always wanted to do a comic book but needed a story. We talked about doing a book in Dr Hart’s American Lit class in College two years ago. He wanted the book to be about a character named Johnny Justice. The two main characters are actually “stock characters” that he had drawn in different Art classes in High School. I thought it would be neat to include one of his female stock characters in the story with Johnny as a supporting character.

J out.

The Man Behind the Man

2005-01-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

Some people post pics of their family/loved ones, some post pics of their (eek!) pets. We do it differently here at AmazingSensation Studios. We post pics only if they include ourselves – because we’re THAT arrogant. Behind me is Don Alejandro, my personal bodyguard. This still was taken as my $19.99 digital camera/webcam did its thing.

Marketing is really a blast. No other “corporate” profession gives someone the ability to use their creative noggins to the utmost to make money for the big man. And when I say big man, I really mean big man.

J out.

Department of Transportation

2005-01-21T08:51:00.000-08:00

Every hero needs a cool ride. Superman has his ability of flight, Spiderman has his web-slinging, and Batman has the Batmobile. Imagine being caught in the middle of Times Square freezing in your tights and having to catch the bus to get the bad guy – not going to work very efficiently!

This is a final rendering of Johnny Justice’s SUPERBIKE. It is unlike his other bike (which has joysticks replacing the handlebars) in that he is able to sit in it similar to a car, and it has mega-horsepower to boot. It is a two-wheeled vehicle and the tires are a sort of hybrid off-road/street tire (you never know if the action may take you off the pavement!). The controls are similar to a sport bike, but instead of leaning over them, the handlebars are positioned directly in front of him like a steering wheel. The glass is a low-light intensity polycarbonate lens that enhances visibility at night. The glass was rendered in photoshop. The wheels are beadlock rims that are found on extreme off-road vehicles that enable him to drop the psi in the tire and not worry about it coming off the rim (each bolt around the rim is actually going into the tire) at higher speeds or dangerous situations.

J out.