Hansen, Neil :: Neil Hansen, Spyder, Bannen original art

Untamed #1 Back Cover Pinup

Artist: Neil Hansen (All)

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Artwork Details

Title:	Untamed #1 Back Cover Pinup
Artist:	Neil Hansen (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Pin Up
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	79
Likes on CAF:	3 4
Comments:	2
Added to Site:	10/9/2025
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Peaceful pic:

Another illo from my Untamed 3-part series with Marvel/Epic. This is the pinup used on the back cover of Untamed #1, published in June 1993.

I was living in one city, but visiting my parents in their city, which I did a few times a year. While I was visiting them, I was sketching out this pinup. I needed a good model for the pose -- this was before the internet days where a model reference in any position was instantly at hand -- so I asked my dad to sit in this position on the edge of the steep hill (almost a cliff) on our property.

It was also before the days of digital cameras, so I couldn't just take a quick pic of him and scoot back up the hill. I balanced below him, sketching as quickly as I could to get his position right, all the while trying to keep my balance and not slide/fall down the steep hill.

I finished my sketch, and after I returned to my own city I finished this pinup.

Ten or fifteen years later, after I'd left comics behind for many years, we were talking about some of my original pages and how I had no idea where they were. My dad asked about this one; he felt very special since I'd used him as the model for it, and he really wanted this pinup.

I told him that I'd given it to my martial arts sensei years ago. It was a martial arts character and my sensei liked art. And I felt so awful! Back then, I was handing my art out left and right, not ever remembering who I gave most of it to. It didn't mean anything to me... and I hadn't even considered that it would mean anything to Dad. Throughout the years, I'd think about this piece once in a while. But I no longer lived in that city, and the internet showed the dojo was shut down and no sign of my old sensei to contact him about this pinup.

Fast forward another fifteen or twenty years, and my friend Carl Potts (used to be editor in chief at Marvel Comics) recently returned to me a small stack of my originals that I'd given to him back then in my Marvel days. He kept a few that he loved, but sent me the rest.

Imagine my surprise when I saw this pinup in the batch! For more than 30 years I'd thought my sensei had it. I dug out an old comic issue, and realized that I'd given my sensei a different pinup, the frontspiece pinup from Untamed #1. It was another illo of the same martial arts character.

Shows you how mixed up my memory is about where all my old originals went. When I showed this pinup to my dad, he got the biggest smile on his face. He was so happy to see it! I gave it to him right away. He'll probably frame it and hang it in his bedroom.

My dad said, "Yes, I've still got a body like that!"
I had to endure the heartbroken look on his face when I told him, "Dad, you've NEVER had a body like that."

Sometimes you just have to give your parents tough-love.

So thrilled to have this one back, and thanks to Carl for the return!

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About the Owner

	Neil Hansen
Joined:	June 2006
Last Login:	January 2026
Country:	CANADA
On CAF:	Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Danny Kiihnl
Member Since 2022

Posted on 10/9/2025

What a cool piece of art and an even better story

F M
Member Since 2005

Posted on 10/10/2025

I remember this one well. Great pin up.

All
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	Dean Juliette 1/24/2026 7:22:00 AM
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	Patrick Le Cerf 1/24/2026 7:15:00 AM
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