My 2025 Ink Recreation of GIL KANE’s pencil rough for the cover of CONAN THE BARBARIAN #128

I INK. THEREFORE, I AM…AN INKER (as Descartes never said): Translating the PENCIL LINES of the COMIC GREATS into INK…just for FUN (and for sale--see below)!

Here’s my newly-inked version (left), with the original pencil rough by the legendary Gil Kane (right). I used the logo and trade dress from the Kane-inked printed cover to make my new, inked version—so I was aware of how Gil had tackled the inks before I began my version. But I did try to just follow the pencil rough for the most part and do my own thing on the inks.

With apologies and respect to all the original artists whose pencils I’ve ‘borrowed’ for these inking exercises. No original pencils were harmed in the making of these pieces. Long live the humble inker!