F.M. :: PLOOG MIKE

Sludge Red X-Mas cover by Mike Ploog

Artist: Mike Ploog (All)

1 Comment - 3,728 Views - 5 Likes

Sludge Red X-Mas cover by Mike Ploog Comic Art

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Artwork Details

Title:	Sludge Red X-Mas cover by Mike Ploog
Artist:	Mike Ploog (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Cover
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	3,728
Likes on CAF:	5 6
Comments:	1
Added to Site:	2/18/2018
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Though not obvious from my gallery, Mike Ploog is an absolute favorite artist of mine. I wish I owned more original art from him but he shined a bit before my time and his art is (a bit) rare and often expensive.

Like Valiant comics, Dark Horse�s Comics Greatest World or Continuity comics, the Ultraverse was a fun different super-heroes universe that emerged during the 90s. If you liked super-heroes, that was a fun decade to go through as every publisher was trying to do different things and come up with upbeat concepts for new characters. I really liked the Ultraverse which was really trying to be original and offered fun stories and great art from many new artists who got their big break with them, established ones and even veteran artists.

Like his name implies, Sludge was the mucous monster of the Ultraverse, quite the perfect fit for Mike�s art who amazed us on his Man-Thing run. He drew this X-Mas special, cover and interior art included and it is a fun and beautiful story. Indeed perfect as Mike is not stranger to producing great work tied to that particular holiday ;)

I was delighted and nervous to see this cover surfaces during one of the numerous auctions last year. Delighted because I had never seen the original before and nervous because I was contemplating buying it but did not know how high it would go. I am even more delighted obviously that I was able to purchase it. My very first Mike Ploog cover!

Now no offense to Paul Mounts, a great colorist in his own right, but the art is so much better in b&w as often is the case but especially when it comes to Ploog whose mastery of brushy lush inks is undisputed.

The dripping monster is perfect here and I love the organic inks Mike used for the textures and for defining his muscles. He really looks like he is made of mucous that is dripping all over the place. The whimsical and overconfident boy detective is a fun touch. The fact that he actually drew the snowflakes gives a nice overall holiday mood as opposed to adding it digitally as often is the case these days.

A glorious cover from a splendid artist.

This ends my 2018 CAF celebration with a belated happy b-day to me.

2018 update: this cover has been published in glorious b&w as part of the second volume of M.Ploog by the fine folks at FPG ;)

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About the Owner

	F M Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	May 2005
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	BELGIUM
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Comments on this Artwork

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Bill J
Member Since 2009

1 - Posted on 3/24/2022

Nice Mike Ploog cover! I don't know the title, but I love the monster--it's so Mike-Ploog-like! And the dapper guy in the flashy trenchcoat is marvelously drawn and inked.

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