Patreon Reward: The Amazon

So I usually try not to mention my Patreon supporters by name, even though I know them all because there are so few of them, and they are all my friends (Hi Joe, Jorell, Jim, and Jephanie!)!

SUPPORT ME ON PATREON!

So anyhoo, Jim Purcell asked for something a little different this month. This sketch is based on a story idea he’s working on – a Sci-Fi/Superhero/Slasher. Part Teen Titans, Part Brat Pack, Part Alien, Part Friday the 13th. I quite liked his outline. It’s very very Slashery, and works better than most Superhero horror books I’ve read or seen. This is one of his characters.

Patreon Reward: Frozone

I always worry about drawing characters so intrinsically linked to a particular style. I don’t wanna ape the style, but I do want it to be instantly recognizable as that character. So, a little, I was intimidated by Frozone. But also, had a lot of fun drawing this. Could be my very deep-set love for Iceman.

I miss Iceman. I wish he wasn’t dead. I wish Marvel still published X-Men comics. I wish they continued making Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.

Oh well, maybe someday.

Patreon reward, by the way.

Super Freaked

A little over 10 years ago, my friend Jim asked me for advice/help on getting started with a podcast. I gave him what little advice I could (which, after podcasting for almost 14 years, is still very little and useless). Then I offered him a URL and hosting space on my server, and I started The Gutter Trash Podcasting Network. Which basically has mostly consisted of 2 podcasts at all times. The constant being The Savage FINcast, a popular and enduring show dedicated to Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon comic series.

Last year, Jim asked if I’d like to participate in a little self-published fanzine (FINzine?) organized by him and his FINcast Cohorts to celebrate their 10 year anniversary. Despite having long dropped off as a Savage Dragon reader, that book and Erik Larsen will always have a fond place in my heart, and I happily contributed a pin-up.

Shortly after I submitted my piece, Jim informed me that upon being given a review copy, Erik Larsen decided to publish the ‘zine as an official Image Comic.

That book is now officially solicited for Pre-Order from your Local Comic Shop, or wherever it is you buy your funny books.

Wanna know what I drew? Buy the book!

Daredevil

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from the palest, gingeriest, Irishiest, Catholic guiltiest superhero of all time, Matty Murdock, the Dare Devil.

Patreon Reward: Captain Universe

Patreon Reward: Captain Universe

Patron requested the new female Captain Universe, which sent me down a weird rabbit hole of Captain Universe lore. Apparently this isn’t Captain Universe anymore, Eddie Brock/Venom is? I hate comics.

Red Bee vs. Two-Face

In 2016, most likely during an episode of The View Masters, I mentioned to Joe Grunenwald that I could draw Two-Face and any golden age superheroes all day and be content. Within days, I had a script. Within days of that, I had made some changes and drawn the 1st page!

Then, nothing.

I sat on this thing so long, Joe and his wife moved to Seattle for 5 years, and have now moved back to Ohio.

Over on my Patreon page, I had been slowly working on a comic project and posting my (again, slow) progress. I had completed roughly 5 full pages as if 2021. I had let that fall to the wayside for a bit, and was looking to focus on it a bit more strongly in 2022.

Then I discovered that I had lost the entire project. Toward the end of last year, I had been doing some file reorganization and cleanup. During that process, I must have accidentally deleted it. Everything. Gone. Irretrievable.

Soooooooo…

After a bit of fretting and wailing, I decided to work on something new. But that is when I discovered a folder named RBvTF01. I opened it up to discover this six year old dumb comic that Joe had written and I started. I decided that I will finish it.

Page 1 drawn in 2016. Page 2 drawn in 2022. I can definitely feel the differences. Page 1 had been drawn when I was JUST learning how to use ClipStudio (then called MangaStudio) and trying to impose a “this is how I draw on paper” method into the work. Page 2 is me still not knowing how to use ClipStudio properly, but also not giving a damn about consistency or quality. Page 2 also leans closer to how I want to draw (but still can’t figure it out, and still drawing in a way I dislike, like barnacles in my brain).

As for the lettering… well. I hope you can read it fine. Joe wrote a fun script, and I ruined that too, by removing a panel of Two-Face wildly firing guns at bees.

And for the record, yes, I posted this on 2/22/22 at 2:22am.

Thank you.

Patreon Reward: MacGruber

How much do I like and support my Patrons? When one asks me to a) draw a likeness of b) a character from a movie I fucking loathe, I grin and bear it and doodle something I hope is acceptable.

MacGruber. Oy.

Belated Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day, a few days late. I wanted to make sure my Valentine received this before posting. I hope she liked it.

If you like it, you can get it as a T-Shirt, friends!

Patreon Reward: Rocky

Happy Valentine’s Day to my favorite Patron. Sorry, other Patrons.

This is a character from a novel called Project: Hail Mary. The patron sent me the following description of Rocky the Alien and left it up to me figure it out. It was fun. I initially drew it with a head that had no face or features, but further investigation led me to discover that Rocky has no head. His rock shell was inspired by Benji Grimm.

I’ve since read the book. It’s pretty excellent. There are finer details to Rocky that I didn’t get right. For one thing, he wears clothes sometimes. But he really is an unforgettable character and I kinda love him.

Also, congrats to my hometown football team, the Cincinnati Bengals on their fantastic victory at this year’s Super Bowl!

Also, condolences to my hometown football team, the Cincinnati Bengals on their crushing defeat at this year’s Super Bowl!

[Editor’s note: Remember to remove one of those lines before posting, pending game results.]

Columbo

Been watching a lot of Columbo lately and finding to be absolutely delightful. Terrible at likenesses as always, but wanted to take a crack. First phone sketch in a long, long time.