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.

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!

More pencils from ARMY@LOVE: THE ART OF WAR. Gary Erskine has been turning in the inks and they are dy-no-mite! Don’t forget to get your order in for issue #1 this month!

Here’s a page from what might be the most obscure Bissette/Veitch comic of all time. It’s from “WAR WIND”, a five pager written by Steve and illustrated and lettered by me that appeared under the ARCHIE Adventure Series imprint, of all places. If I remember correctly, even though the editor loved the job, there was some unpleasentness with the publisher concerning a panel where we showed a guy hanging by a noose. It took a while, but we finally got paid and the story rattled around in inventory up there until it appeared in the back of THE MIGHTY CRUSADERS #10, December 1984.

NATURE COMICS #2 has won a distinguished achievement award from the Association Of Educational Publishers. This is the second year in a row the free comic, based on WNET’s NATURE program, has been lauded by the AEP. You can find out about getting free print copies for your local school or museum, or just download the whole comic as a PDF at the PBS.org site.

Above is a page from NATURE #1, adapted by Mark Evanier, illustrated by myself and lettered by Todd Klein. Editor is David Reisman.

Here’s a sneak peak at a just-finished page of pencils to ARMY@LOVE: THE ART OF WAR #3. Can’t wait to see what Gary Erskine does with the inks. The new mini-series gets its initial solicitation in this month’s PREVIEWS, so don’t forget to check the box on the order form. As I mentioned in an earlier post, sales of ARMY@LOVE have been climbing, with the relist of the first trade coming in at 20% higher than the initial release. If this upward trend continues then there is a possibility Vertigo will opt to let me continue doing more min-series and collections. So if you are a fan of ARMY@LOVE, and want the sex, satire and mayhem to keep on coming, feel free to evangelize to friends and strangers alike.

Speaking of evangelizing, the ultra-hip culture magazine, TRESPASS, is running an extended excerpt of ARMY@LOVE in their latest “comics” themed issue. There’s also a new interview with Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbi on their LOST GIRLS graphic novel. More info here.

And Columbia University librarian Karen Green has just written a right-on-the-money piece about the literary roots and inspirations of ARMY@LOVE over on her ADVENTURES IN ACADEMIA column at Comixology.com.

When I was discussing putting up a link to WNET’s free NATURE Comics with editor David Reisman, he mentioned that there was another link to another science comic I worked on for those guys. Here’s the splash page to “The Secret Life Of The Brain”, a five pager that is included as part of a study guide meant to expand on the PBS mini-series of the same name, produced by David Grubin.  The adaption is scripted by Mark Evanier, with me on pencils and inks and boasts a drop dead gorgeous lettering job by Todd Klein.

David thought they were out of the printed copies, so to get the free comic you just download the study guide as a pdf.

Alan Moore fans (and we know there are a bazillion of you out there) take note. A long lost short story, written by Alan and illustrated by Steve Bissette and myself back in 1988, is finally available again. Originally done to raise awareness of England’s notorious Clause 28, THE MIRROR OF LOVE only appeared once, in Alan’s self published ARRGH (Artists Against Rampant Government Homophobia).

Little known outside of England and long out of print, THE MIRROR OF LOVE is now included in King Hell’s HEARTBURST AND OTHER PLEASURES, which should have hit your local comics emporium in the last week or two. If you missed getting a copy, fear not– the good folks at PanelToPanel.net are offering HEARTBURST AND OTHER PLEASURES with an exclusive signed print.

I’ve been really enjoying the new JACK KIRBY FOURTH WORLD OMNIBUS volumes. The original series, which I followed avidly back in the day, was anchored by the greatest villain in all of comics, DARKSEID. What was distinctive about this guy was how Jack often drew him in quiet repose; sitting in a chair, or with his hands resting easily. Here was a bad guy plotting to usurp all free will who was so powerful he didn’t have to posture or look threatening. He was the REAL thing.

By the time I started writing for DC Comics, Jack’s unfinished FOURTH WORLD masterpiece had been fifteen years canceled and DARKSEID was anchoring a toy line. Worse, he had been turned into a two dimensional cartoon of himself who routinely engaged in slugfests with SUPERMAN and the like. So the very first opportunity I had, which was as writer/penciler of SWAMP THING, I decided to bring DARKSEID’s original, deeply menacing self back as best I could. I also brought in METRON, who in his quest to penetrate the SOURCE had previously made a demon’s bargain with DARKSEID.

I think I caught him pretty good here in Swamp Thing #62, July 1987 with inks by Alfredo Alcala, color by Tatjana Wood and lettering by John Costanza.