3589 Results ( 1 through 50 shown)
Another stunning add to your FAR-too-cool-for-school Oeming collection (and mind-blowing gallery), Josh. :) This spread captures _the_ quintessential (and -really- fun) "crossover moment", where the primary Powers generation (Walker, Pilgrim, and Kutter) cross paths with the folks who'll be on the beat a quarter of a century later (both Moon and Kutter's daughter). An "Illuminati"-style retrofit that enriches the world of all that came before, and if they could have somehow shoehorned in the young Calista (Retro-Girl), you'd have shot the moon! :) Huge congrats, Josh - beautiful pick up!
I love this one, George, and thought I had already posted a comment here! The last time I watched Infinity War, I thought of this specific piece (and of your collection!) when these monsters burst onto the scene… :) Knowing this piece is out there (and in your gallery, specifically) infuses the movie with a real – world sense of genuine delight and wonder for me. Same with your Wiccan concept, and (as I think I said there) I think about Jim gifting us with these lovely and indelible slabs of his imagination to enrich and deepen these worlds of wonder that we all take such joy from... Amazing! Such a great piece, and a perfect entry in your impressive array of blisteringly cool concept designs! :) Big congrats, George!
Three cheers for Sam Keith! I really feel like Sam was the R2-D2 to Matt's hyperdrive, enabling Matt to explode in all the right, thrilling ways and propel his story into the heavens. So much of Mage is about the economy of storytelling, both visually and conceptually (I remember reading an interview of Matt's some time ago in which he said something along the lines of how he wanted the story to be "cut to the bone" as much as possible: all killer / no filler, and that always has stuck with me as a fundamental truth of the work) and Sam was the one who smoothed edges and gave the whole piece a slick, refined look that streamlined the visual storytelling to the degree that Matt wanted (and was able to learn from and utilize himself when he inked his own stuff after this point). I love the panel designs of tiers 2, 3, and 4 here, as Mirth and Edsel move right to left to gracefully counter the moves of the Beetle (and simultaneously open more of the panel real estate up to allow room for the vehicle). "Bulky" is not really a word that one associates with a VW Beetle, but imagine having to fit a Grac driving a Caddy on this page...!?! (A "Cadill-grac"?). And, yeah - Kevin, Mirth, Edsel, -AND- a Grackleflint on the same page?!? You won CAF today, good sir! Another superb add, Jim! Huge congrats!
Jim, your "oh, and by the way, let me tell you the story behind this one" tales -ALMOST- upstage these incredible posts you treat us to. ALMOST! :) You're like the Oliver Putnam of CAF! lol :) ❤️ If your recent Matt Wagner Mage posts lifted me up and stunned me (and oh, boy, did they ever), this one slams me down and finishes the job. One of the MANY magical things about this is that it feels a bit more like "Walt's Hela" than "Marvel's Hela" (if that makes sense) not only because, well, Walt was such an indelible force on the character (and leveraged such an undeniable pull) in his Marvel Thor run that these particular mainstream characters really all "feel" like his to me, but really because 2017 would put this right after his first run/volume of Ragnarok, and there's a looseness and sense of mischievous joy in this piece that feels like Walt is giggling and "crossing streams" a bit, making both things true (and both things truly his, as Ragnarok really did for me). Fantastic depth, weight, and drama here, in the stylistically excellent, graphically elegant (and completely unmistakable) powerhouse Simonson manner. What a pick up, Jim! Brilliant in every iteration of the word! (And I, for one, can't wait until you share your next story with us...! :) )
Oh! And ALSO!! How Matt structures the panels here, to "stack" Kevin so that he (Kevin) works his way from right to left as he walks on (rather than left to right), closer and closer to that left edge of the page, not only plays into the "internal logic" Matt had established about The Styx (down is up, left is right), but it also pulls the reader further and further from the literal page turn - there's more real estate for the viewer's eye to traverse and their hand to move - and it feels like we have to reeeeeeaaaaaach - before we can see what comes next (...and it's the triple-page reveal / foldout, right? Which I had never seen in a comic, before reading this...). A subtle (but titanic) "behind the curtain" storytelling flex that proves us all putty in Matt's hands. -SO- good. :) Amazing page, Jim. :)
Another -SENSATIONAL- page in your brain-melting collection, Jim, that underscores a fundamental truth about Matt's masterwork: there's no such thing as a "slow" Mage page. This one shimmers and simmers like a slab of pitch blacktop on a hot Hades day, from the "heat haze" transition in panel 1 (as Kevin descends between regions / trial transitions of The Styx casino) to the stark, bare panel composition and backgrounds (which is really the visual equivalent of the silent part of a movie soundtrack, pre-jump scare), where the only adornment is the skulls of babes. Chilling, terrifyingly atmospheric stuff, and one of the things that makes Matt's Mage I work so damn potent is that it's impossible to separate Matt's journey as a storyteller from Kevin's journey as a hero: there's constant refinement and growth, and each issue is not a simple step forward, but a triple-jump LEAP forward (like a run of Beatles or XTC albums). At this point, Matt's hard-won powers are absolutely ~humming~ around him (filling the sky like hovering ravens) and he's gotten -SO- good that it feels like we, as viewers and readers, are no longer able to pay attention to his growth as a storyteller while in the moment of reading his work, because he has become invisible (as all great creators do while you're engaging with their work), because all that exists is "now" and "The Story". After reading issue 15 of the first Mage, it becomes clear to the reader that the TRUE plot of the book is really about a comic book writer / artist opening their eyes... then sitting up... then getting their feet under them... then standing... then (impossibly) running... then -FLYING-... then slaying DRAGONS. Y'know, autobiography. :)
This page also serves as a testament to how much the great Sam Keith allowed that to happen, too, as his thin lines, impeccable taste, and unerring storytelling instincts elevated Matt's work into the stratosphere.
Wishing you sincere (and -very- heartfelt!) "congratulations" at adding this mighty slab of pure graphic magic doesn't do the occasion justice, Jim, but I'll do so anyways. :) Another incredible, incredible add, sir! Scatchamagowza!!
Man, I think Gabriele's paintings contain more grit than a whole hardware store shelf full of sandpaper. A PHENOMENAL example of what Gabriele does so, so unbelievably right... The weight and drama, the tone and sense of menace, all operating under such gorgeous lighting... Just sheer bad-assery all around (compositionally and character-wise). That menacing color scheme was a perfect fit for the tone of this series (and artist), and really allows the color red to pop out so well... You get a brief taste of that on Domino's and Wolvie's belt buckles, but you know it's a frighteningly short amount of time before the innards of some unfortunate mook will reinforce the basic color theory at play here. The message is abundantly clear: you DO NOT mess with these characters. Fantastic pick up, JS, and HUGE (and well-deserved) congrats on achieving a long-time collecting goal and landing a personal Grail! Brilliant!
Ohhhh, yeahhhhhh!! Wow - GREAT grab, Eric!! Such a terrific "legacy" composition for May here, right? How many times have we seen Peter in a similar situation? Spider-Girl as a series was uniquely positioned to really leverage this type of storytelling, and Oliffe really went all-out on this one. And those Williamson inks? Oh, my Lord - yes, please. (Especially love the hatching between May's mask and the Spider-Senses in that upper right corner. It gives a great sense of space and depth.) Super cool pick up, Eric! Congrats on landing a corker of a Spider-Girl cover!
Well, if you're going to string us along and not wrap up the story quite yet, at least you're posting a GREAT storytelling example that can easily stand on its own (oops! poor choice of words, Mr. Weatherby!) as almost a done-in-one! Incredibly clean linework (as one would expect) with a beautiful telegraphing of the punchline that gets the reader cringing for the "SLAM" even before it happens... (And what's the deal with that door? Apparently Riverdale General uses self-closing saloon doors as cost-saving alternatives to the overrated full-frame, fastening/lockable models... You should see their patient gowns and changing screens!). Very cool page, Kavi!
Well, hey - just look at that! SERIOUS congrats on patiently assembling an incredibly sweet three-page sequence that features the arrival on the scene of everyone's favorite Atlantean. I love the consistent thread throughout the sequence of the flag that Namor is holding, letting us as readers know the focus of his ire. With that piece of info, it's probably safe to predict that there will be no misunderstandings, and this surface world visit of Namor's will go off without a hitch, right? ;) Lovely Immonen storytelling and illustrative muscle infusing this entire great sequence. Congrats on putting it together, J!
I really, really like this one. Beautiful linework on the Supergirl figure, standing out among the simplified, highly stylized background. A positive symbol of hope and the unabashed belief in the arrival of brighter, better days. Fantastic piece, Miki - great pick up!
Wow... Perez revisits the "scene of the crime" and one of the most indelible and classic images in all of comics history... I really enjoy this take on it, isolating Superman and personalizing the loss more than the "public gathering" the original (classic!) cover was... Realky cool piece, Miki - congrats!
(Also, I can say without doubt or hesitation that I was absolutely -THE- target audience for your animated Defenders classic. Should you ever decide to finish it up (any chance for a Kickstarter or GoFundMe?) please consider my name added to your email notification list!! :) Wish our paths had crossed back then! Too, too cool, Paul!)
There was something-SO- special about this issue, right? I have a -very- distinct memory of a classmate bringing this issue into school when I was about 8. At that time, when I saw #15 for the first time, it was an old "back issue". I remember lobbying my parents pretty hard for a subscription to The Defenders when I must have been -SIX- (which is insane, but I remember the first issue I received was #45, so...?), and I loved it because the lineup of heroes was so WIERD. But #15 wasn't one I had seen before. The cover grabbed me, of course (just as it should have), and I remember thinking that, as an undisputed authority on the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (seeing as how I had just picked up Amazing Adventures #s 10 & 11 -which reprinted most of X-Men #s 4 & 5 :) ), I really should check this one out, too... And I remember it as being WEIRD! :) This is a great page from it. I love the wireframe of all our heroes, even as Magneto fully embraces his "Dark Helmet" phase. Seeing this lovely page now, the obvious killer is that fantastic third panel with the worm's eye POV (just as Magneto likes it) and the incredible textures and arcing, sparking electricity given to the tubed figure via the white paint and brushstrokes... SO cool! But I guess the big takeaway here, Paul, is... seriously, who lets their kid subscribe to Defenders at SIX?!? ;) GREAT page, sir! Congrats!
Wow - this is -SO- cool, Paul! A classic, historic page, to be sure, from the inception period of this whole medium! I can't confess to knowing anything about this character (besides the fact that he's, um... invincible?) but what's not to love about a 1940 C.C. Beck page?!? Wow! A fun and classic layout that must have been pretty thrilling at the time: where else could you possibly see a dude effortlessly vault a wall, or slide down telephone lines in pursuit of a wrong-doer? Super cool page, Paul - what a great pick up! Congrats!
A fitting "unwrapping" to wrap up this year's birthday celebration (we all knew it had to be a Pearson, right? ;) )! A fun, bold composition that is really striking, thanks to the solid black backgrounds (and you make a -FANTASTIC- point about the influence it may have had on (or Jason may have gotten from?) Coipel's lightning. Super observation, pal!). The fact that it's a riff on Superman Blue is charming and hilarious (even if you had to explain the context to me in order for me to get it :) ). A really fun piece, saved for the right festive occasion: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, F M!
Vulture may be the only guy to watch an Uber Eats ad and consider it an appropriate career pivot suggestion... "I know!! Flamin' hot WIIIIIIIIIIINGS!!" :) But seriously, which is more remarkable: the fact that Aunt May is still around or that The Vulture is still going strong, terrorizing our favorite wall-crawler with shenanigans like this? Don't get me wrong, I'm insanely grateful for -both- of them, just that you'd kind of expect the problem of a guy whose whole thing is flying to resolve itself pretty quickly when he goes around lighting his preferred method of transport aflame. Still though, love the cover, and, yeah, I'd still buy the damn book. :) It may now be the year of the Fire Horse, but Adrian here might offer an alternate suggestion... The Volatile Turkey Vulture! SUCH a fun, one-of-a-kind cover, Paul! Congrats!
Classic! Great early Shulkie cover featuring that terror of the airways, the, um, Grappler! (They really pulled out all the stops for Jennifer at the beginning, didn't they? ;) ). But a strong composition here, nicely inked (with the lighter line on the distant backgrounds) to make sure the drama isn't lost (nor the peril undercut!) as the two combatants battle it out over who gets the window seat... And I have to point out just how COOL this thing looks as a whole, with the trade dress and logo right there on the art. I honestly don't have a problem with modern art being "balloon-less", but it is fun and exciting to see all the elements of the whole beautiful cocktail working together when it really -works-! My 10-year old self would have been -all- over this had I seen it at the time! Congrats on adding a cool, early She-Hulk cover, Paul! Love it!
SWEET page, Paul!! Boy, oh, boy - Humberto and Olazaba haven't lost a step, have they? A great layout that features a sequence of "one upping" panels (each one bumping the intensity up from the previous one) building to that final -glorious- panel! Ramos's Thing is awesome (we very well may need to add his name to the list of definitive artists of the character before he's done) and the glee that The Wizard is exuding here is worthy of a sinister cackle. That final panel is cacophonous and uncontrolled in all the right ways for a battle, but my favorite my be panel 4: a -perfectly- drawn Reed, brow furrowed in concentration, with an expression showcasing a man lost in thought. Beautiful inking at every point, too! Really fantastic work here, Paul - congrats on another great Ramos add!
What an absolute SCORCHER of a piece, Eric! It's a phenomenal and weighty composition that is a tantalizing hint of this specific story without spoiling -anything- (it makes me want to re-read the series as I look at it right now!) that also serves as a meta-observation on the historical relationship between these two characters. The main figures look -FANTASTIC- here, illustrated with a smooth and fluid, almost animation-style line (that reminds me a tiny bit of Pasqual Ferry?), and stand strong in front of a -gorgeously- detailed debris background that serves as the perfect backdrop: a historical tally of the planet-sized wake of destruction that is ultimately left behind when Lex gets a wild hair (so to speak). The compositional masterstroke is the "fissure" of white space that cracks this thing down the middle: a perfect vehicle to pop the central figures in front of, to be sure, but it also serves as a thematic reminder of the symbolic gulf between these two powerhouses, and what would need to be overcome or set aside to move forward. SO good. THEN! The juxtaposition of their "usual" expressions (Luthor's grin and Kal's scowl) helps the viewer see what this moment truly is: This is a devil's pact. Phenomenal storytelling and composition (and truly breathtaking art) on this cover here, Eric, that reinforces the old adage of "two sides to every story" at ~every~ level. Quite possibly (probably?) the "perfect" Superman and Luthor image...? ENORMOUS congrats on adding this masterpiece, Eric! Scatchamagowza!
Happy Valentine's Day, Marcus! Super cool cel showcasing the simple, classic, and elegant design of HQ, with the bold colors popping perfectly out of the backgrounds... Joker and Harley's... "relationship" has always been a challenging one to accept, but let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediment. Love's not love that alters when it alteration finds, nor bends with the remover to remove. No, it is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken (etc., etc.). Mad Love, indeed!! Congrats, Marcus!
F M's 2026 birthday - splash page! Fun to kick things off with your first Stanton, and it's a beauty! A super strong, design-oriented composition: Hal looks great here, and it's brilliant to use his force field to pop out his form from that background (which is the true highlight here, imho). Spectacular use of line weight to designate the storm, and Hal's navigation of same... Jusy as you say, a JR, Jr-level execution. It's so good that everything reads perfectly even looking at the tiny thumbnail image of the piece (and I love the fact that Hal, always the bold flyboy, is unconcernedly weaving his way through a storm, as bolts of lightning barely miss him). Really fun splash with phenomenal inking! Congrats, F M, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
What a super cool piece! Love the extended/additional depth and texture that the (fantastic) washes subtly wring out of the bold shadows and heavyweight image. A powerhouse offering, F M; your birthday should be a CAF national holiday, as we all excitedly await the next and newest treasures you post... :) What a day two!! Huge congrats on this special piece, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, F M!
Marcus, as always, your comment is a wonder and delight (CAF is 23?!? And this is your 100K-th comment?!?!?). I can't say that I'm worthy of such an honor as your 100,000th comment, but Immonen and von Grawbadger obviously are, so thank you, sir, for funneling an -enormous- amount of your time, energy, and knowledge into the collections of EVERYONE here on CAF (from first-time posters to old, grizzled collectors alike!). We have -ALL- benefited from the IMMEASURABLE good cheer and indelible, special atmosphere and tone you set and share with us all here on CAF. Thank you. 🙏
SPECTACULAR page, F M! Those first three panels are -wonderful- (the tones and rain effects are incredible, and panel 3's spelunking POV is super cool), but the way Ploog snaps those bottom 3 images together (in the perfect narrative "z-shaped" flow) is absolutely masterful. The exquisite tones Mike uses here are a very telling barometer of how invested and excited he was about this project. What an incredibly gorgeous page, F M! Huge congrats!
A -wonderfully- fun, cover (and birthday!)-worthy piece that (in this era of relaunched company crossovers) also serves as a super cool reminder that the Beyonder was even a member of the Omegas for a stretch there (as evidenced by his appearance in the front center :) )! The comprehensive lineup of characters is special in and of itself, but the floating headshots are the cherries on top of this incredible, packed-to-the-gills hunk of birthday cake. (I'd equate them to "candles", but there would need to be, like, five times the number of characters and headshots to pull even with your real cake, right? ;) ) Great pick up - fun piece! Congrats, F M, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Obviously the airport code for the Genoshan airport would be "GEN" (it's even available!), but what do you think their lost bags / flight ratio might be? Currency exchange rates? Parking structures and hourly fees? Claremont expanded the X-World an incalculable amount during his run, of course, and the Genoshan airport is a signature move, grounding the comic elements in reality (while still distinguishing them as fantastic). Oh, yeah, and beautiful art by Leonardi and Russell, too. :) I honestly -love- panel 2 and the storytelling in those last 4 panels. Fantastic layout, and the lighting effect in panel 4 is incredible (although, even as cool as it is, it's mighty hard to top the superb POV in panel 5...)! And for the record, I will be asking my kid to refer to me as "Papa Whuppawhuppas!" from here on out... :) SWEET page! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, F M!
Another Pacheco corker in your incredible collection, F M! A gorgeous snapshot of power, grace, majesty, and serenity, taken over the top by Merino's -INCREDIBLE- inking here (that starfield is just unbelievable). Superman and Sentinel are obviously counting all the stars here in the hopes that the tally might approach the number of years you're celebrating this birthday season, right? ;) Sincerely, happy birthday, buddy, and thanks for posting such a superb Pacheco / Marino example for us all to drool over. Beautiful!
A page almost as old as you are! Happy Burthday! 😜 What a stunning beauty, dripping with atmosphere thanks to the KILLER brushwork (SO sublime, whether you're talking fur, bricks, shadows, clothing, or... boils! Eeeew!) and thrilling / fun POVs here (hitting a high gear right off the bat in the wordless panel 3, and knocking it out of the park in panel after panel all down the rest of the page)! The element that puts it all over the top in my aged and addled brain (and I'm sure you can now relate) is the wavy-edged dialogue boxes, locking in that retro-horror feel. Gorgeous Werewolf example, F M! So, SO cool! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Wow - an incredible pile of beautiful Thorne detail here, F M, with characters and textures galore! Especially love the Big Bad's gloved right hand and sword (as well as the scaled lizard on its helmet), but just as much attention was obviously given to the other characters and weapons... and (of course :) ) our heroine herself (with her hair and lower leg coverings)... So many detailed elements to draw the viewer's eye, and then gently funnel it all up and to the right. And oversized, too? Fantastic! Huge congrats, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, F M! :)
This is an absolutely -perfect- commission, F M. Like, it's everything you could possibly want: huge, full-page dollops of webs, swinging, ferocity, and compositional balance. Just like with your terrific write-up, it's a beautiful tribute to Sal. Congrats, pal - fabulous piece!
Beautiful! Just as you say, Paul, a testament to the crazy mad genius of Kirby's storytelling, with the action and tension and imagination simply EXPLODING off this page... but still not as fast and powerful as Barda in that last panel! Gadzooks!! Glorious Kirby madness in many of its forms, and personally, Royer's inks are always the deal-dealers for me. Congrats on yet another treasure, Paul! Fantastic!
Gorgeous piece, James! Mssrs. Cheung and Livesay are conjuring up some -SERIOUS- magic here with fantastic renditions of everyone, as the tension is ratcheting up exponentially, pre-scuffle. I love how the heroes are lined up and facing off, too, with Cap standing strong in the face of Cyclops's heated opinion, Colossus staring down Iron Man, and Ms. Marvel (Warbird here? Captain Marvel?) sizing up Emma (with a spicy dash of Magneto to add some sizzle). As a fanboy, I -SO- want negotiations to falter and for them to just start slugging it out, but I know it's not meant to be, and calm heads and even tempers will prevail. NOT! Just a beautiful, beautiful page from a very fun moment in both these teams' (and fandom's) history! Congrats, James! Sensational pick up!
(and I really love the framing motif that was used here - very elegant. It feels a bit like a 70's album cover (in a good way), prepping you for a special journey into the realms of the fantastic. Great piece!)
I'm more of a Hufflepuff guy myself, but I think my wife -TOTALLY- would have been in Ravenloft.
(But seriously, another absolute TREASURE of a gem from an all-time classic gaming set! Beautiful touch by Fabian here, with rich, luscious shadows and superb lighting, as though the woman is being lit by the ruins behind her. Fantastic and ethereal, and those TREES! Just gorgeous. Another amazing add, Steve! Where did you find this one? Huge congrats!)
Beautiful "repurposing" of that classic and indelible Buscema cover! Your write-up is fantastic (as usual) and sincere congrats on reeling this one in for a really nice price! Beautiful, clean Cho lines here that don't skimp on the detail or regal carriage that Namor simply must have. Great "royal portrait" (and I love the way Namor is staring down the barrel). I wonder at what stage the thought of its use as toy packaging came in, because that scepter looks pretty toy-ey to me. But, hey! Double-double it is! A great Cho add is a great Cho add; congrats on your patience and being in the right place at the right time. It's a tried and true formula for success that works as well in art collecting as it does in, y'know, fishing! :) This is an excellent pick up, Eric - big congrats!
Nice pick up, Eric. This one really has that Klaus Janson 'Daredevil' 196 cover vibe to me, with the stance and worm's eye POV (and the Millerian style of claws doesn't hurt, either). Beautiful hand-drawn logo - wow! Sounds like you got it for a song - awesome! Big congrats, Eric - those are always really fun pick ups! :)
Super strong image of the Surfer here (and I really dig the Krackley black arm pattern designs) but the real wowsers here are the backgrounds; from the planet to the energy cloud (more Krackle!) to the stars to (ESPECIALLY!) that awesome lens flare as the sun peeks around, it's a superb rendition of a cosmic shot, launching a new Surfer with a style and panache worthy of Norrin himself. Great page, Miki!
Beautifully rendered, heroic shot of Kara here! Wow - Phil's line is so clean and elegant, and he fills everything in with such detail! The folds of cloth, the texture of her hair, the shadows in the cape... but my very favorite has to be the boots: FANTASTIC shading and texture there, with all the laces accounted for and cinched down properly to make sure a revue trip doesn't turn into, well, a rescue trip? Beautiful rendition of the Woman of Tomorrow by Phil here, Miki! Great pick up - congrats!
Fantastic! Oh, man - do I love that third panel! Such a great POV, illustrated to perfection by Don. And then Hawkeye pops in, running on a tightrope-thin fence top, easy as pie... Such a cool and fun early Hawkeye page, Miki! Bullseye! :) Big congrats!
Ben Grimm - ORANGE?!? Whatta revoltin'... oh, no - wait. That's right. :) It's also pretty thematic as Ben is the glue that holds the FF together, so it all fits (and what a terrific shot of Ben's mug it is, too!!). Such superb and melodramatic storytelling by Big John, too: rarely, if ever, has the act of an exhausted man trying to sit up and roll out of a hospital bed been rendered so dramatically and excitingly, and I love the way he drew Reed's hand is reaching towards the edge of the page in panel 6, as though he's trying to turn it himself to catch a sneak peek of whether he makes it or not... Always one to think outside the box, our Reed! (As an aside, I wonder how many eager fanboys back in the day read this issue, arrived at this page, and subconsciously put their thumb RIGHT THERE when flipping the page, to literally make contact with Reed and help him in his quest... I -know- I would have! :) ). A beautiful storytelling page, with fantastic facial expressions and body language - awesome pick up, Paul!
YES. Just yesyesyesyesyes. An indelible piece of Pope history (I remember exactly where I was when my copy of this issue arrived and my eyes saw this image for the first time) that is -SO- completely striking with it's odd purple background and the armpit... :) It felt like such a huge gap between issues at the time (which was, of course, NOTHING compared to the wait getting a reprint collection :) ), and I remember feeling a bit shocked by the vibrant energy that was coursing off the cover when I first saw it (thanks to Paul's "cutie pie" style). Just so different from everything else on the stands at the time. It took a bit for my brain to dive into and dig and process it all, but it was fun feeling Paul pushing me around like that with this cover. A beautiful add to your gallery, Mark, and YES, FINALLY, a long-overdue THB reprint book! Such an incredible add: a published THB piece!! Really, really special - so cool! Huge congrats, Mark!
Gorgeous piece, Mark! The amount of work that has to go into the creation of a sweeping scene of pandemonium in such an elegant and spare (and incredibly lovely) black and white style must be tremendous. Composing the page with the intent of keeping everything clear, yet chaotic - gracefully anarchic - can surely unravel so easily... but the way Lee lays this out has _such_ a beautiful flow... All of the blacks on the left page pull and anchor the reader's focus, and then Cannon's flowing apron allows an escape route that stretches up the chair, then is turned back around by the bird on the far right, through Trish's black shirt, and thrown into a swirl with the two large birds on the left (which start the process all over again). It's such an amazing design to achieve such an incredible sense of motion! Utterly beautiful choreography. I hadn't heard of this work or artist before now, Mark (oops!), but yours is one of the galleries I know I can always count on to expose me to something new, awesome, and exciting. :) I'll have to check this one out! Thank you! :)
Another smorgasbord of awesomeness from this gorgeous and fantastic run! Here on the final stretch of issues, Mike seemed to get even -more- inspired and dedicated himself to throwing everything he had onto the page - brushwork and ink wash and white paint alike - to craft art that took Ram V's forward-thinking story and dialed it up to 11. Two titans tussling in front of a crackling cinematic skyscape, a fallen interstellar, hyper-intelligent cactus pod, a beautiful portrait of another major player (still neutral, but looking for a side)... this page is just dripping with one big idea after another, and Mike sticks the landing on all of it (much better than the cactus's landing, it would seem...). Beautiful page, Rick! Huge congrats!
ROM-beck! A great rendition of the spaceknight by Fred! Love the icy blue sheen and quirky little Hembeck grin (which really was the only thing missing from the original classic design, right? Imagine how much more dire those wraiths would be as they got banished to Limbo by an arch-enemy who has a sweet and charming, effortless little grin on his helmet... Talk about winning the battle -and- the war...!). Great pick up, Rick!
God Loves; Aardvarks Kill! Super cool to get an Anderson Wolverine, but even rarer is to score a Wolvie commission where you -know- that he's going to get his ass handed to him! :) Great pick up, Rick!
You nailed it in your perfect write-up, Newell; an incredible depth and grace to Jeremy's execution here, with his dizzying application of all the different line weights complimenting each other perfectly and allowing this remarkable artist the chance to craft a -very- special piece. Stingray's wings are gorgeous and fantastically impressive, with all those smooth and long, unbroken lines. WOW. Sensational pick up, Newell! Huge congrats!
REALLY nice depth and richness on a sketch card! Shawn was obviously dialed in and more than willing to really invest some serious time and effort into showing his gratitude to his backers - this is lovely! Really cool, Newell - congrats!
Complete and utter bad-assery is right... and that's just taking the gift-giving aspect of this piece into account! :) What a -FANTASTIC- present! But, yes - this is a spectacular and imposing image of Stingray as Sentinel of the Sealanes, and the strong sense of "the set up" to the storytelling here (with Stingray standing strong, looking out to the waves... and what do we have here...?) is really fun and sends a sweet charge of excitement through it. A fun moment posing on the rocks, to be sure, but an equal thrill in feeling the pull of the upcoming adventure that will inevitably and undoubtedly get Stingray to abandon his perch. Sweet work by Paul Davidson here, and even sweeter work by your mates, Newell! Congrats!
Whoolf! Looks like Wolvie is in for one Savage Landing! Great composition, with the thick black shading of the tree trunk and T-Rex pulling the eye to the left and down (and giving Logan's jump extra velocity and motion due to the viewer's own act of looking at the piece)! I -love- that Celso took a storytelling approach to the commission request, rather than the well-trod "pin-uppy shot of bloodied Wolverine standing over fallen dino"; it really makes this one fresh and exciting, and allows Celso the chance to really strut his stuff! Sweet pick up, ML!
