Steve Rude, Badger issue 32 cover (1987)

Steve only two Badger covers, as he was busy in his day job penciling Nexus, this one and the cover to issue 3). Steve did draw Badger many times in crossovers in Nexus, especially in the famous (infamous) bowl-shaped world issues. (He also did rough pencils for the Badger issue 1 cover, which was then inked and painted by Jeff Butler, as told to me by Jeff).

Issue 32 was an ending of sorts for the Badger comic, as after it came the graphic novel "Hexbreaker," and after that Badger had different artists and went in different directions in its stories. 32 was really the last monthly issue of Badger Volume 1. This is the cover to the story "Showdown in the South China Sea," written by Mike Baron.

This particular painting was gifted by Steve to Bill Reinhold, who was the regular Badger series penciller from issue 6 through Hexbreaker. It was a wedding present for Bill and Linda, his new wife who was also the color artist on many of Bill's penciled issues.

I acquired this from Bill earlier this year. Steve's painted covers are fantastic, and this one is no exception, showing Badger in action from two different angles.