Art For Art’s Sake #236: The Secret Lives of Joe Kubert

Art For Art’s Sake, our Comicon weekly look-see at all* of that wonderful art to be found on the Internet…

(* Okay, strictly speaking, ‘all’ the art is a bit of false advertising. But hey, we’re up to 226 of these things now, and there’s about 20-30 pieces of art each week, so that’s got to be over 5,000 pieces by now. Seriously, how big can the Internet possibly be?)

Okay, enough, let’s start with a bit of Brian Bolland and Mick McMahon for a classic Dredd ad…

And while we’re on a 2000 AD kick, a little celebrating the comic’s 46th birthday – first from Chris Weston –

And these from John McCrea…

David Roach really does find some of the most amazing artwork, highlighting so many artists new to me, new to you… case in point, this from Alessandro Biffignandi –

‘A great early cover by Alessandro Biffignandi from Battle 70. Just like the Schoolgirl’s Picture Library I posted yesterday this has a think black outline around the main figure- inspired by Mario Tempesti- but it was an affectation Biffignandi didn’t use for very long. He was by some way the most prolific Italian picture library cover artist and produced many of the most memorable cover images, as you can see here.’

And of course, David Roach is a fine, fine artist in his own right… here’s a Dr Who triptych – the details are just superb…

Here’s a closer look at Dr Who commission #3– ‘and I think my favourite of the three. This just took forever- all those fiddly Gallifreyan cogs in the background- sheesh! This is my favourite Leela drawing I must say (She is so hard to capture) and I had a lot of fun putting on all those spongy textures. Tom Baker is so much fun to draw, but tricky to capture. I put on a lot of tiny lines, then took them off again with white paint until it looked just right. Of course I’ll hate it tomorrow (I always do)- but for now I’m happy. Just who are those three eyed weirdoes….?’

And another Dr Who piece by David Roach – ‘Someone said the other day that I should do some covers for Dr Who paperbacks. In fact, I did…almost. A few years ago there was an trial run to see if re-releasing all the original Target books with new covers (in the Chris Achilleos mould) was viable, and I was asked to do a cover. Apparently it “tested well” (with exactly who, I never knew) but that was the last I heard. Very frustrating.’

Fabulous commission by Bernie Mireault – ‘This is my latest commission, another Brian Li Sung from the second story cycle of Matt Wagner’s Grendel.’

And another Mireault commission… The Jam… ‘I have a black and white collection of the first five issues of The Jam available at thejam.aboutcomics.com.’

Abc Warriors commission by Kev Crossley –

Erik Larson – a rather good Batman…

Jonathan Edwards – ‘Just for fun I decided to redraw the cover to Fantastic Four 16 by Jack Kirby. It’s good to learn from the masters!’

John K Snyder – Captain America commission

Bo Hampton – something a little strange…

Colleen Doran – Bats…

Terry Moore – Parker Girls study

Enrico Marini 

Joelle Jones – Catwoman

Bill Sienkiewicz – Thor

Doctor Strange by Alan Davis and Mark Farmer

 

Alex Toth – Conan

 

‘Through the window can be seen an awful, hunched figure… of the man!! His only companion is an ever-playing radio (which he no longer even hears!) and the moths that circle his lamp… Uncontrollably, the man begins to mutter and mumble to himself– listen! You can almost hear the incantation–’

Joe Kubert’s autobiographical story in DC Special (1968) #5