A peek into my sketch(digital)book.

Again, its not a lot but I just want you guys to know that I am working on the book (Broken Legacy). I’m trying to get a lot of the design work out of the way. I’d thought I’d share it.

Its not much but the penciling of Broken Legacy has commenced. I am going to get this book penciled come hell or high water.

-Jesse

I’m not so much catching up as staying steadily 2 or 3 weeks behind schedule at this point. And yes, I know I skipped Broken Legacy, but that piece is coming down the pipeline.

Until the New 52, the only Swamp Thing I’d read were 3 issues of the Andy Diggle series which I bought for the Richard Corben art and any of his appearances in Hellblazer over the years (most of which I’ve read). I am reading the new series, but I tend to dislike as many issues of that book as I like. I’m having a real problem figuring out what kind of a book and what kind of a character Swamp Thing is supposed to be. In the New 52 it seems as though Scott Snyder and company are trying to turn him into a superhero, which I don’t believe he was ever intended to be. Personally, I prefer him as the bizarre, mythical figure who just pops up from time to time when he’s needed or disturbed in the Hellblazer universe. Y’know…before DC snatched John Constantine away from Vertigo to turn him into a superhero.

*shakes head*

Anyway, I like Swamp Thing on paper, but I know very little about him other than he looks cool. About 20% of me would like to go back and read the acclaimed Alan Moore era Swamp Thing series, but the other 80% of me knows that it’ll be trippy with lots of over-wordy caption boxes going on at length about the inner turmoil that poor Swampy must endure on a daily basis, which is not a brand of comics that I have historically enjoyed (see: Sandman, Marvel/Miracleman, etc.). So I’ll make due with the current New 52 series until I grow tired of it (aaaany day now…) and that’ll be that.

…I would like to revisit the live-action Swamp Thing movie, though.

So, this sketch is noteworthy for being the first thing I’ve ever drawn that I’m at least marginally happy with which I didn’t pencil before going in with the inks. That’s right, I went straight from a blank piece of paper to my Pitt Pens, and I even used a brush pen! Look at me facing my artistic fears and insecurities all at once. The fact that there’s even a semblance of a decent composition is a miracle of the modern day world. As for Swampy himself, I didn’t bother referencing him at all. I knew that I wanted to make him creepy and less human-like than he normally appears, so I just kept that weird A-shaped thing that goes around his mouth and made up the rest on the fly.

It could be better, but I kind of like it.

Drawn on 8.5x11” bristol, inked with Pitt Pens and Sharpies, touched up with a white gel pen, and turned green in Photoshop for that murky, swamp-ish look we all so desire.

- Rian

Contrary to popular opinion, I am not dead. I’ve just felt the weight of life and other obligations weighing on my shoulders lately. Here, a full 4 weeks late, is my Blueberry piece.

I wish I could say when I first became aware of Moebius’ work, but those details are lost to time and space, surely pushed out of my head to make room for the minutiae of an episode of LOST or some such useless knowledge. However, at some point it became clear to me that not only was Moebius’ work important, but that I needed to own it all. Immediately. And thus, my obsession with Moebius began.

I collected volumes 0 through 9 of the square-bound “Moebius” series from Epic a few years ago at the expense of the contents of my savings account and enjoyed them all vastly. I also obtained a sub-par reprint of some Blueberry stories put out by Mojo Press some time ago, but it wasn’t until Jean Giraud’s untimely passing a few weeks past that I put myself on the fast track to owning all of the English-language reprints of Blueberry known to man. I now have all but the 2 or 3 volumes which can’t be acquired for less than $150 on Ebay or the Amazon Marketplace (or which I’ve yet to be able to locate online at all). Someday…

Anyway, Blueberry was the obvious choice for my most recent sketch subject pick. I debated on numerous layouts for this piece before choosing this somber image. I didn’t go for the full-on Gir style that Jesse did (incredibly well, I might add), but I certainly added more hatching and such than I normally would. I hope I did the man proud.

Drawn on 8.5x11” bristol, inked with a quill pen, and…that’s about it, really.

- Rian

week 18 “Destroyer” 

Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker’s Destroyer, One of my favorite comics that marvel has put out in the last couple of years. I wish that the boys had somehow managed to make this book through image, so they could go back to it once and awhile like they do with science dog or showing up in invincible. 

Love this book, If you haven’t checked it out, you really should. 

-Joel- 

Consider this legacy broken!<smug arm crossing>

-JerkCrub

So this is my Blueberry. It looks nothing like him, but it’s an artist’s rendition of an artist’s rendition, so what are you gonna do. I wanted to go further, but the paper was starting to give way and had to end it.

Jesse’s is scary good. 

-Jaicyub

Boston comic con was an amazing time, big thanks to everyone who stopped by the table, bought a book,took a postcard or just had something nice to say about our art/projects.

Here’s the  picture we took on sunday Joined by Brian Weiner who helped man the S*P booth and Tony and Dax, from thedrawbox. com ( go buy their new book!)

we’ll see you at SPX in september and Hopefully Boston comic con next year! 

(from left to right: Dax, Rian, Brian, Joel and Tony)

Swamp Thing.

-Jesse