Sonu Kumar :: The Rogue's Gallery

Mr. Freeze By Shawn Crystal

Artist: Shawn Crystal (Penciller)

3 Comments - 484 Views - 8 Likes

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Artwork Details

Title:	Mr. Freeze By Shawn Crystal
Artist:	Shawn Crystal (Penciller)
Media Type:	Mixed Media
Art Type:	Interior Page
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	484
Likes on CAF:	8 9
Comments:	3
Added to Site:	2/19/2023
Comic Art Archive:

Description

I call this one “The Commission That Almost Didn’t Happen”.

I first discovered Shawn Crystal’s (aka Inkpulp) work on Facebook back in May, 2020. I saw a post highlighting a commission he had worked on with Kraven (the Spider-Man villain) jumping out of the jungle. The unique art style and colors caught my eye, which was surprising, since I normally gravitate towards black and white pieces with deep inks. I found it impressive that he could use his techniques to convey a hazy and humid jungle. I reached out to him on instagram, thinking that his style would lend well to drawing Mr. Freeze. Although his commission list wasn’t quite open yet, it seemed like he was already getting to work. He had some posing ideas in his head, and even went as far as discussing what his color palette would be. His responsiveness and enthusiasm had me equally as excited for it. When the time came and his list opened however, I ultimately passed. It wasn’t Shawn’s fault at all. I had committed to so many things between the time I reached out and his list opening that when the dust settled, I had exceeded my art budget for the year. Since then, I began following Shawn’s work closely. I’d watch his WIP videos (which he does for almost every commission), and tune into the live streams that Jason, his art rep, hosted. On two occasions, I was close to winning a Robin, and a Calvin and Hobbes piece he created, but hesitated and got outbid in the end.

Fast forward two years to Terrificon 2022. I had zero commissions lined up and went to the show with a game plan to help my friend Chris add to his Spider-man jam piece. We were only there for one day, and I wanted to ensure we got to everyone on his list. After tackling most of what he had planned and waiting for the last artist’s contribution, I found the opportunity to make my way to the Essential Sequential section. Shawn was there, working on a sketch cover. He greeted me, but my eyes were laser focused on his portfolio, which was opened to a beautiful 11x17 Juggernaut; one that he had posted the WIP videos for. It was amazing in person…crisp lines, colors that were popping…I always thought that instagram embellished pictures, but this was exceedingly impressive in person. The art had a note on the sleeve indicating that it was already spoken for. While I perused other art portfolios at the booth, I noticed that Shawn was stopping what he was working on and greeting EVERY person that visited the booth. Whether it was to buy a print, a pin, or look at art, he was making small talk and thanking everyone for stopping by. I was so surprised by his humility that I had to set up a commission with him. Our exchange was a quick one. Shawn hadn’t forgotten our discussion from two years ago, and I was in no rush to have it completed. There was zero art direction given (I knew Shawn was also a fan of the BTAS version of freeze). I wanted the signature “inkpulp” workup, something that we both agreed could not be done at Terrificon. We settled on a size, a price, and timeline for completion (NYCC 2022).

By the time NYCC rolled around, I already knew what the piece would look like. Shawn posted videos on his social media, detailing the creation process from preliminary composition to the finished piece. His art is distinctively dynamic and expressive. He uses thick, bold linework, giving his art a raw and almost visceral feel. Both his commissions and published work incorporate heavy shadows and high contrast, further adding to the intensity. In this piece, the exaggerated and dynamic perspective of Nora also adds a sense of movement and energy to it. The color scheme really draws the viewer in. Greens and yellows coming to life; electrified and manipulated by the different shades of blue, purple and magenta all making Nora the focus of the artwork. Shawn was able to capture the personality and emotion of Mr. Freeze; stoic, torn, and with a heart of ice.

I’m very happy to add this to my collection. From my discussion with Shawn at NYCC, it looked like others were soliciting its’ availability. We talked briefly about continuing the “villains line”, something I look forward to doing later this year. A special thanks to Jason for his magic behind the scenes, and to Shawn for not only crushing it, but showing the fans love. I echoed this sentiment at NYCC. If you are interested in any aspect of the creating process, I suggest you give him a follow on instagram.

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About the Owner

	Sonu Kumar Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	November 2018
Last Login:	September 2025
Ebay Id:	Sonukumar21
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Sonu's Want List Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Comments on this Artwork

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Hobby Halbert
Member Since 2022

1 - Posted on 2/19/2023

This is very cool!

Jared Michalski
Member Since 2004

1 - Posted on 2/19/2023

The colors here are next level amazing. That said, I'm most impressed by his choice to cover one eye with Nora's reflection. Not only does it add a wonderful story element to the piece, but it also makes the one eye grab your gaze in a way two eyes showing would not have.

Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

1 - Posted on 2/20/2023

Amazingly colored. The green reflection in not only the image of Nora, but the outline of the glass dome is very nice. It's like when a glass cup is turned upside down and the light hits the imperfections.

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