Leigh, Margaret :: Barry Kitson's Legion Alphabet

Barry Kitson's Legion Alphabet - P for Phantom Girl

Artist: Barry Kitson (All)

2 Comments - 86 Views - 10 Likes

Barry Kitson's Legion Alphabet - P for Phantom Girl Comic Art

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Pencil Prelim

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Artwork Details

Title:	Barry Kitson's Legion Alphabet - P for Phantom Girl
Artist:	Barry Kitson (All)
Media Type:	Paint - Watercolor
Art Type:	Illustration
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	86
Likes on CAF:	10 11
Comments:	2
Added to Site:	7/15/2025
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Buckle up, because I have a LOT to say about this one! Voting for "P" was nearly neck and neck between Polar Boy and Phantom Girl (thought Proty I and Proty II did get their honourable mentions!). I suggested Phantom Girl since I think she's one of the characters Barry does supremely well, but I wasn't sure if he would pick her, since he was hoping to use the alphabet series to focus on characters and costumes he hadn't drawn as often. I remember feeling more hopeful about it when he replied to my comment and mentioned that, of course, he'd drawn Phantom Girl as Phase during his run on L.E.G.I.O.N., too. I absolutely would have asked for Phase if I'd thought Barry would be down to draw her, but I figured he'd drawn Phase more than any other version of Phantom Girl...

Nothing could have prepared me for this, though! I think it's the most elaborate of all the alphabet pieces, and definitely the most unique. I'd already made up my mind that I wanted to claim whatever Phantom Girl piece Barry did, but I actually had to just sit and stare at this one for a bit. Barry told me after the fact he'd decided "P is for Phantom Girl, pictures, posing, planes and pretentiousness", but his official description for the piece (screenshotted in additional images) reads as follows: "And so we arrive at P in our LSH alphabet. I really had a lot of fun with this one... though you may think it Perhaps Precocious Possibly Pretentious, Presenting Phantom Girl Portrayed Precariously Posing with Placards, Pictures, Profile Portrait, Plynth and Poster".

Wow. Where to even start with this one? It's so detailed I wasn't at all surprised to learn that Barry had done a prelim for it (which I also picked up, see additional images). I think it's amazing that Barry was able to come up with a single composition that could incorporate all those P ideas. I like that it's mostly a two-tone colour palette with the black and white, but that there are still little bits of colour that keep the piece grounded and make it feel like a real setting. My favourite part, though - other than actually owning a bellbottoms Phantom Girl piece by Barry Kitson himself - is that the profile portrait on the left features none other than Phase!!! Barry says his favourite bit is the Vienna Secession-style poster on the right.

Which brings me to something else I love about this piece: how truly "artistic" it feels. Obviously, it's piece of comic art, but what I mean is that I feel like this piece could be hung in a museum and someone who's never heard of comic art before would appreciate it just as much as we all do. Barry has quite the habit of dabbling in different styles of art - he does a lot of gorgeous Art Deco style pieces, and even just in this series you've seen he has a bit of a flare for calligraphy and lettering. I think he really dug deep and drew on his vast knowledge of different kinds of art for this one.

With regards to the setting, Barry didn't mention any particular context, so I guess I'll give my first impression, which is still the best interpretation I've been able to come up with: Tinya's found herself in the Phantom Girl section of a Legion museum, and decided to give a demonstration of her powers as part of the exhibit. The "P" placards she's phasing through even match the design of her original Silver Age uniform! Definitely feel free to share your interpretations if this strikes you differently, though. I think it's a piece that's worth thinking about!

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About the Owner

	Margaret Leigh ( 6 ) Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	May 2021
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	CANADA
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Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

1 - Posted on 7/15/2025

Phantom Girl is making herself part of the art installation in this one and it's all phabulous.

Kavi H
Member Since 2018

1 - Posted on 7/15/2025

It's like Kitson made a gumbo soup out of proper P's! Very innovative design and concept, certainly stands apart from all the other Alphabet series pieces you've posted so far and it is incredibly cool! congrats.

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