This was a color portfolio piece I whipped up about the time I graduated from Kubert School. Still teaching myself airbrush and working, I think, from a book of electron scanning photographs.

This was part of an assignment for one of Joe Kubert’s classes at Kubert School in 1978. Joe had shown us how to use brush, ink and grease pencil on a pebble board and this was one of my samples.

An unused illustration for an article I wrote about the Lucca, Italy comics festival for Heavy Metal back in 1981.

Even the Elder Ones get a little sappy at Christmas.

A marker sketch of a photo showing a volcanic explosion from space. I dug the way it sort of bubbled up on top.

The new issue of ROYAL FLUSH is out and it’s got an incredible interview Jeff Newelt recorded with Ahmet Zappa about the friendship his dad, Frank, struck up with Jack Kirby! When I was asked to do an illustration for the piece, my mind was completely blown that two of my early cultural heroes hung out back in the day. If only they’d had a chance to collaborate!

Above, is the finished piece; my imaginary portrait of Frank Zappa as if drawn by Jack Kirby in his NEW GODS period. Hope you like!

UPDATE:  The LA TIMES blog, HERO COMPLEX, has jumped on the Kirby/Zappa story!

The Smith Magazine folks have organized a mind-bending birthday tribute to Harvey Pekar, getting over ninety artists to contribute original head shots of that famous mug. Here’s mine (with a tip of the hat to fellow collage fiend, Jack Kirby).

Pencils to the cover of ARMY@LOVE #6.

The business end of the eyeless Star-Nosed Mole. Marker in sketchbook from photo.