Designing a 50th Anniversary

I've been working on some different designs to help celebrate Spider-man's 50th Anniversary. The top and bottom sketches have a strong Steve Ditko influnce that I wanted to use.

This one is a classic head shot influnced by John Romita Sr. In my opinion this is the way Spideys' eyelets should ALWAYS look.

I've always liked using this font from the old Letraset design book. It's called "Buster" and it has a great dramatic look that goes great super-hero designs.

I'm also working some other designs for other Marvel Heroes whose 50 Anniversay is this year.

Stay 'Tooned!

Zombie Number One

Above is Bill Hinzman. He was the first Zombie to appear in a George Romero movie, his classic first, "Night of the Living Dead".

Among us Romero fans he is known as "Zombie Number One".

Mr. Hinzman pasted away from cancer Sunday at the age of 75. He came to all the ZombieFest and Horror Realm Conventions we've had here in Pittsburgh in recent years he was always kind and courteous and very appreciative of his fans. He would always pose for a picture with you, ready to eat your brains no questions asked. He was a great guy and lots of fun to be around.

He will be missed.

Guess who's going to be 50 this year?

Yep the Ol' Web-Headed Wonder is turning 50! This summer will be a half century that Spider-man made his first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15.

Above is a pencil sketch I found in one of my old fan magazines of Spidey drawn by his co-creator, Steve Ditko. I inked it last night and and very happy with the results.

I'll post some more Spider-man art I've done throughout the year.

70 Years of Archie

Ever wish you could remain a teenager forever? Archie Andrews did!

This month marks the 70th Anniversary of Archie and his Pals and Gals and the whole line of Archie Comics. Making his first appearance in Pep Comics #22, Archie, Betty and Jughead were around thirteen years old when they first appeared but by the time "Archie Comics #1" would hit the newsstands a year later the gang would be around sixteen as we know them today.

Archie and his Friends have lasted almost as long as the super-hero genre that dominates the the comic book industry. Even though these characters never grow old, they do change with the times and that makes them as popular today as they were with your parents.

To think that the gang from Riverdale High School lived through the Big Band Era, Rock and Roll, Psychedelic Music, Disco, New Wave, Punk, Grunge, Hip-Hop and on and on.
And not to mention Radio (which Archie had a successful series that lasted for ten years), Television (with numerous successful animated series) Film, Internet, etc.
And let's not forget the very successful rock group (spun off of the Animated TV series of the 60's) "The Archies"with their number #1 smash, "Sugar, Sugar".

Archie Comics and IDW Publishing are putting out some wonderful books celebrating these great characters and the people who have worked on these comics. I suggest you check them out, they are GREAT reading.

Happy 70 Years to Archie and his Friends, and especially my favorite member of the gang Jughead.

50 years of the Fantastic Four

This month marks the 50 anniversary of the First Family of Super-heroes, Marvel's Fantastic Four.

In the first issue we were introduced to Reed Richards, the stretchable Mr. Fantastic, his girl friend Susan Storm, who became the Invisible Girl. We also meet Sue's hot-headed little brother Johnny who becomes The Human Torch and of course Ben Grimm, The Everlovin' rockbound Thing. These four individuals, changed by Cosmic Rays set the stage for Marvel's revolutionary comics that would change super-hero comics forever!

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby gave the world super-heroes who acted like you and me and just because they had extraordinary powers didn't mean they didn't ordinary problems.

In the few years that followed, Stan and Jack (and a whole other stable of talented writers and artists) gave us a brand new universe that looked familiar but was populated with Marvels that protected our world. And the special part of these Marvels (and who they were as individuals) is that they could be you or me.

I love the Fantastic Four and even though they only exist in the "Funny Books", I feel close to these characters because they are so real and that I could be a part of their family in some small way. The Fantastic Four ARE a Family first and a team of heroes second. THAT'S what makes them special.

Or should I say "Marvelous"?

NAH! Make that FANTASTIC!

Happy 70th Birthday Plastic Man!

This month marks the 70th Anniversary of the first appearance of Plastic Man in Police Comics #1.

Created by Jack Cole, Plas was former small time hood Eel O'Brian who during a heist was shot and bathed in experimental acid. O'Brian fled into the woods and passed out only to awaken days later in a monastery. The monks who lived there had treated the Eel's wounds and brought him back to life.

While recouperating O'Brian discovered that the strange acid had affected his body and he could now strecth his body great lengths and change into different shapes.

Being moved by the kindly monks unselfish act, O'Brain swore to use his new incredible powers to fight crime and make up for his past misdeeds.

Eel O'Brian was no more and so was born the strechable super-hero, Plastic Man!

Plas was created by Jack Cole who had a background in gag cartooning and used this talent and his great sense of comic timing to tell the hilarious tales of Plastic Man's fight against crime.

Cole's run on Plas is one of the great highlights of the Golden Age of Comic Books and have been reprinted in the DC Comics Archive series of books. I highly reccommend them.

Plas is still going strong today. He is a member of the Justice League of America and has been recently featured in the Batman The Brave and the Bold animated series on Cartoon Network.

I love Plas and he is one of my favorite super-heroes. Anytime I want a fun and entertaining read, I pick up a Plastic Man Comic Book and enjoy the ride.

Happy Birthday, Plas!!!

A Green Movie

Waiting for the "Green Lantern" movie. The previews look soooooo good!

I hope Ch'p is in it.

Movie for the Gods

I loved the "Thor" movie! It was great adaption and really captured the spirit of the God of Thunders comics. I think Jack Kirby would have been very pleased.
Asgard looked breath taking!

Eatin' of the Green

Uh- Oh! Here we go again!

Daffy Duck in a familiar pose.