Phonogram 2 B-Side

"Whoah! What is THAT!?"

You'll have to buy issue 2 of the fantastic comic series Phonogram2 (IMAGE COMICS) to find out. It was written for me by the nicest bloke in England, Kieron Gillen.

I've told Kieron before that he writes the best stuff in the world for me to draw. It's his genetic super power. He's a 21st Century Writing Mutant, fear his powers of artistic collaboration.

Also is the cover to the issue, on sale in January. It's drawn by the incredibly talented Jamie McKelvie. His masterful use of economic line drives me crazy. In a gud way. yus.

My gf Jenn got all choked up by seeing my name on a Phonogram Comic. She's a big fan.

Vampirella Revamp

My Vampirella redesign for Project Rooftop.

This was a rough one. How do you redesign a character that IS her costume.

I started with the thing I hated most about her classic look. It's her Magic Grow Back Wings. Yee-eee-yuck.
I gave her more anthropomorphic arm-wings. When researching that, I was inspired by photos of bat wings that are back lit and appear to glow red. And from there I was off to the races.

When the wings grow, the full sleeve costume grows over it (Drakulonian Spandex is very stretchy). Since she no longer can wear bracelets without impeding her transformation, the anklets she now wears have a purpose. They are like the Kung Fu rings worn by the Shoalin on their wrists.

The costume zips up the front with the vamp logo becoming a zipper charm. She can now keep her breasts put away for those quieter character moments. Combined with the black shoulder panels, it evokes the classic costume when unzipped. The back is all black aside from the boy shorts. I love the way that the collar + wings creates a bat silhouette. That was an accident.

I think I might have a shot at winning this one.

Update on Friday, September 26, 2008 at 4:23PM by Daniel Heard

4th Place! That's F@*&ing Bull$#!t.

Just kidding it really amazing. Many thanks to the fantastic folks from Project: Rooftop who always come up with new and exciting challenges that eat at the inside of my brain and force me to draw. Special thanks go to Trina Robbins, Dan Bereton and Joe Jusko. The latter two are influences on my work and it's a real honor to have their critiques.

If you clicked here by way of the Contest please post a comment. Give your own a harsh as hell crit, shower me with praise, or just say HI. And click back soon for updates on my work.

The Mad Scientist Hall of Fame

So yeah, almost the entire last year was in one way or the other occupied with work on The Mad Scientist Hall of Fame, just published by Kensington/Citadel.

Written by the excellent Daniel Wilson and Anna Long, it's a very entertaining analysis of the Mad Scientist phenomenon. The majority of my work was creating portraits for each nutcase genius. 

That was Cap'n Nemo, Madame Curie, Dr. No, Dr. Frankenstein. and Nikola Tesla. I was getting paid to draw Dr Frankenstein and Nikola Tesla. Life is rough eh?

Today, Popular Mechanics ran some excerpts from the book with my Illustration featured very nicely.  Go check it out if you havn't already.

Spiderman Hate Windshield

 

Click To Make Biggins

So I'm Going to San Diego Comic Con. I am going there to hustle for work, and I realised that there are two big gaping holes in my Comic Book Portfolio. That is: Superhero Action and "Finish Pencils". "Finished Pencils" means the artwork that would be then sent to a inker and colorist. I've got lots of quiet dialogue moments and full color artwork. So these here will show the editors the breadth of my talents. I hope.

Spiderman. Best Superhero costume ever, BTW. 

Superman: Man of Style

My entry to the Project: Rooftop competition to redesign Big Blue.
The concept behind it is that THIS is the uniform that Martha Kent would sew for her son. She would not sew her only son a uniform out of vulcanized rubber and spandex. No she would sew it using only the finest raw heavy-weight selvedge denim. Later on, after he'd left Kansas, saved the world, gone to space, and learned about kryptonian technology would he adopt the traditional Stretchy material. But until then this is a uniform that a Kansan Mother would be proud to see her son wear. A hero to the working man.

The whole thing is constructed like hybrid coveralls/overalls. The top buttons on the chest attach the front "bib" and the cape, which is made of lightweight calf leather.
The Underoos are replaced with a weight lifting belt (well a mother would worry about her son
lifting trains the way he does).

 The judges at P:R were very kind to the design. The harshest criticism was that Clark would would be to instantly recognized in such a "smallville" outfit. Absolutely accurate too. Maybe I should do another illustration of the inevitable update to this costume Clark would have to make. I'll have to add that to "The List" of personal illustrations that I want to do. It's sooo long.