Hyperion & Nighthawk
Whizzer & Doctor Spectrum
From my Squadron Supreme piece for The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Reduxe Edition.
Go look at all the entries, and check out my other contributions.
Squadron Supreme
Today my final contribution to Calamity Jon’s Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Redux is posted. Click on the image above to check out the full post. At this point it has been over 2 years since my previous contribution went up over there. I feel bad that it took so long, as there was no real excuse. But there it is, all 24 characters from The Squadron Supreme!
While you’re looking there, don’t forget to check out my other contributions. And of course, check out the rest of the blog, too. It’s fantastic!
351. Clark
I feel like there isn’t enough love for Clark Kent in the world. I blame everyone, but mostly SMALLVILLE.
349. Thomas Jerome Newton
David Bowie passed away a few days ago. It was an absolute shock. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a celebrity death so universally powerful. And to be fair, I feel that the popular theory was that Bowie – Alien Sex God that he was – was unable to die.
Unpopular opinion: I am not the biggest fan of his work. I certainly don’t dislike his work, but I don’t absolutely love it, either. He is not an influence of mine, but certainly influenced some of my influences. I do like a fair bit of his music, but most of it I can do without.
But I will never deny he was a genius. It’s a term that gets thrown around pretty loosely, but feel it is absolutely true in Bowie’s case.
The thing about geniuses is that their successes are usually spectacular, but their failures are usually just as spectacular. Bowie had his grand successes (Ziggy Stardust, his dick in Labyrinth) and his massive failures (Dancin’ in the Streets duet with Mick Jagger, his cameo in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me).
But even when a genius fails, it sticks with you. Case in point, The Man Who Fell to Earth. I hate this movie. It’s just terrible wankery. But, I’ve also never forgotten it. The visuals, the story, Bowie himself as Thomas Jerome Newton. It has always remained in my head. While the movie is mostly awful, there are good ideas at play, but of course, the documentary part of the film rings truest. Bowie as the Alien Sex God.
So I drew Bowie in his true form as he ascends back to the stars, having forever blown our minds and left an impact on our modern world far greater than any other living being has, artist or otherwise.
348. Jonah Hex
In honor of Jonah Hex’s near-future return to live-action media. Plus, yknow, I’m obsessed with drawing split-faced people.
347. Alien
So, it may not seem like it, but this is actually a tribute to David Bowie.
I don’t talk about this too much, publicly, but for the last 4 or 5 months, I’ve spent my Tuesday evenings volunteering at a center that helps the developmentally disabled create art. The day I do it is a special class called Art Cafe, and while at first it was kind of rough, it quickly became the one thing I look forward to most every week. I usually work with one of two kids who are non-verbal and severe in their disabilities, but after about two weeks, I loved doing it and they’re my favorite clients.
So anyway, last night, the teacher was trying to think of a project and asked if I had any ideas. I did not. But, while talking, I joked that maybe we should do something in honor of David Bowie. Immediately inspired, she decided on a spaceman/alien theme. So, for the two clients, I drew giant space aliens that they then colored and decorated. Sadly, I was not able to get a picture of either of those, and due to helping both of them at the same time, I was not able to do one on my own (I usually like to participate in the projects when I can). But during the break, I drew this on my phone (the ones I drew for the clients were much better though, and much cooler after they colored ’em). All the while, a David Bowie playlist was our soundtrack.
I have more to say about Bowie, but it can wait.
