I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback from the covers to ARMY@LOVE: THE ART OF WAR miniseries. Here are the pencils to the Nighthawks parody on #2. You can see the fully inked and colored version here.

And don’t forget: the second issue of ARMY@LOVE: THE ART OF WAR is solicited in this month’s PREVIEWS.

Here’s one of my favorite pages from SWAMP THING. It’s from #37, the issue in which ABBY and ALEC first meet JOHN CONSTANTINE. For that whole issue, SWAMP THING is pretty much a head of cabbage, growing out of the ground. On this page, writer Alan Moore was looking for a way to show SWAMPY existing both in the reality of the forest and the mystical realm of The Green and this layout was my solution.

Inker John Totleben knocked my pencils out of the park, of course, with his insanely detailed and truly creepy organic textures. If I remember correctly, there was supposed to be even more Totleben detail added with a color surprint which for some reason didn’t make it into the final book. But it still came out pretty darn good. Script, Alan Moore. Pencils, Rick Veitch. Inks, John Totleben. Lettering, John Costanza. Color by Tatjana Wood. Editor, Karen Berger. 1985.

Happy Fourth everyone!

Just out of Kubert School, EPIC Magazine editor Archie Goodwin asked if I’d color a Basil Wolverton SPACEHAWK story. Like Archie, I’ve always loved Wolverton’s work and recommend it to any of the younger generation who are Fletcher Hanks fans. Basil might be quite as far out as Fletcher, but he’s in the same zone.

Here’s a page of my colors from that story. Inks and dyes on photostat paper, 1989.

Marker in sketchbook, 1996.

Another illustration from that long forgotten fantasy encyclopedia; this one from deep inside some sort of alien ruins. Pen, ink, Craftint and Zipatone.

Here’s the second page I’ve donated to the Diamond charity auction (see previous post for information on where, when and which charities). This is from SUPREME #47 and features SUPREME and PROFESSOR NIGHT. Script, Alan Moore. Pencils and inks, Rick Veitch. Lettering by Todd Klein. Sorry about the wonky scan; the original looks much nicer.

Meanwhile, the market for original comic book art is exploding according to this article in today’s New York Times.

Diamond Comics Distributors and Alliance Games Distributors are organizing two charity auctions at their 2008 Retailer Summits this year. I’ve donated two signed pieces of SUPREME original retro art that will go on the block at Bally’s Las Vegas, September 7-9. Here’s the first, page 15 from SUPREME, THE RETURN #3, in which DIANA DANE gives the evil BAXTER FRONT a kick to the family jewels. There are appearances by SUPREME, his great-great grandson, SUPREMAX and FIGHTING AMERICAN IV and SPEEDGIRL, all in my best faux-Kirby style. Script by Alan Moore, pencils and inks by Rick Veitch and lettering (on the board) by Todd Klein.

The auctions are for some good causes, such as the CBLDF, ProLiteracy and the Hero Initiative, so bid early and often!

Not my home, but a cabin we were staying in at Crystal Lake, Vermont. Marker in sketchbook, 1996.