MEZCO'S CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON!!!!!!

Straight from the depths of the good old Black Lagoon and the FINE folks at MEZCO comes one of the SUPER-SWEET-MEGA-BADASS-TOYS-EVER-TO-BE-CREATED!!!!!! It's 9 inches of pure awesomeness!!! Ultra stylistic and dynamic in his design The Gill Man has never looked cooler. I was able to snag one at my local F.Y.E. recently for 25 buckaroos. Honestly if I could have afforded it, I would have bought two of em. One for display in the box (which looks great that way), and another to rip open and play with! He is part of a 3 figure wave that includes The Mummy and Frankenstein's Monster. Universal Monsters at their finest and funnest here guys n gals get out there and getcha some!!!

Back From The Grave!!!

I wanna start for apologizing for the absence of activity here at the Doodlebook. It's been quite the rough patch here as of late. Life has been giving lemons as they say and someone stole my sugar and pitcher for making lemonade! But never fear guys n gals, who needs lemonade anyway! I say when life gives you lemons...throw them sumbitches back at life and aim for the nether regions!!! I truly hope that you guys know that I have been doing my best to battle through and get back to doing what I truly love which is drawing and posting about all things cool to me here at the Doodlebook. I recently submitted a piece of art for a book about zombies (but with a very FUN twist). I will post more on those details soon. But here is a sneak peek of the art in its early stages. I hope you guys like it. It's so good to be back and busy with the fun stuff again!!! I missed you guys n gals!!!!!

THANOS sketchcard...

One of the most wicked characters EVER is Thanos, The Mad Titan. The Infinity Gauntlet is CLASSIC. Anywho here's a try at the ol' chin grooves. Hope ya dig it.

Creator Conversation with THEjesusmarquez

     If you follow me here at the Doodlebook or on Twitter then you know that I love comic books and great artwork. It's a love and passion I have had since as long as I have memory. I love the feeling that I get when I see a piece of art that resonates with me. I can't exactly describe what that feeling is but I would liken it to a smile or giddiness that stirs my imagination. I know those of you that are fans of art know what I am talking about. Some art just speaks to you on an emotional and creative level. I've almost always bought comics based upon the artwork in them and follow my favorite illustrators wherever they pop up next. I have had the privilege of getting to know many great artists who happen to terrific people. They inspire me to be a better artist and have given me friendships that I am very grateful to have. This Creator Conversation is with one of those people...my friend and immense talent...

     I met Jesus in '03 at the Wizard East convention at Philadelphia. Right away I was taken with his artwork and personality. His work was still raw but I knew immediately he had that "IT" that made his work special and that he was going to grow into one helluva a illustrator. Over those brief days at the con I got to talk to him and get to know him more and we hit it off. I was able to see him again the very next year at the same convention and was blown away by the artistic growth he showed in his work. We again got to talk and spend some time together. He and I found that we have tons in common as far as our work and interests. I have not seen Jesus in person since those two cons but we have managed to reconnect through Twitter, and other social media. To say that he has grown since then would be a terrible understatement and disservice to Jesus and his work. He's a badass cartoonist and has a style ALL his own. I'm not hyping him because he's my friend, this is one talented fella. With a bombastic personality that exudes an energy of youthful excitement and a sense of humor that keeps a smile on all those he's near, Jesus is flat-out a great human being.
    

A sample of Jesus' "early" work around the time I met him...

     I was thrilled to learn from Jesus that he had put out an original creator own comic book recently. I saw preview pages from it and could'nt wait to get my hands on it. MAN OF THE HOUR was all that I hoped. A fun, offbeat superhero romp, with Jesus' personality oozing from the pages. Check out my review of MAN OF THE HOUR here at the Doodlebook if ya haven't yet! If you haven't read MAN OF THE HOUR yet then shame on you!!! Get yer ass in gear and get a copy!!! 

The cover art for MAN OF THE HOUR!

Recently Jesus took time from his busy life to converse with me about a few things. (Thanks buddy, I appreciate it!) He opened up his mind and mouth about his work and influences. So let's get into that conversation with Mr. Marquez, the one and only SEQUENTIAL ASSASSIN!

DB: Tell us a little about yourself Mr. Marquez.

JM: "I'm a cartoonist from the Bronx and I've been working "Professionally" in comics since 2003. I married to my beatiful wife Jennifer and I have a scrappy little Yorki/Shih-tzu named PUKI. I love Jesus Christ, Pizza, Action Figures, and German Suplexes."

DB: First of all, I really am a fan of your artwork! When did you first start drawing and what was it that sparked your interest in it?

JM: "I don't really remember a time when I DIDN'T draw. It just seems to be something that I've always done. What really revved my engine was cartoons like Masters of the Universe & Thundercats. Those cartoons set my imagination and pencil on fire."

DB: What are some of your earliest memories of drawing?

JM: "Hahaha! I remember drawing Robocop & The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles A LOT in the 3rd & 4th grade...AND fire. I remember being really proud of the way I drew fire as a kid."

 Michelangelo and April of TMNT fame...

DB: Who/What are some of your influences?

JM: "My biggest INDIRECT influences in Comics like guys whose work I admire a lot like Joe Madureira, Art Adams, and Jack Kirby. Akira Toriyama was a HUGE influence on me in High School. I was obsessed with his work. I'm also influenced by Animation like Ralph Bakshi's WIZARDS and FIRE & ICE. DIRECTLY, my biggest influence is Joe Endres who has taken me under his wing since 2003 and pretty much taught me how to be a legit cartoonist. He's been a source of inspiration and support whenever I needed it...not just in comics but in life."

DB: Let's talk some about MAN OF THE HOUR. How in the world did you and Alluisi (the co-creator of the book) come with the book and the character of Minute Man?

JM: "I presented Dave with this idea I had for a book called MAN OF THE HOUR, about a guy who was a total loser who winds up having the most powerful super weapon in the galaxy grafted into his chest. I mentioned that I'd like to do something that was a throwback to the type of comics I grew up reading like the Silver and Bronze age books. Dave seemed to really like the concept and we went to work from there figuring out this universe and it's inhabitants."

DB: The book is so much fun. What was the creative process like working on it?

JM: "It's kinda like Marvel style. I'll have this idea and I present it to Dave and he'll write up a script and we mull over that until we have a version we're both comfortable with then I go and draw it."

 Pencil Art of FrankenCastle...

DB: Tell us about your teammates on the book, how did you get hooked up with them?

JM: "I've known Mark Melton (the colorist of MAN OF THE HOUR) for 10 years now and have witnessed his talent grow immensely. Without Mark MAN OF THE HOUR #1 would not have made it's deadline. He came with this "We can do this" attitude which was very motivating. He's an amazing person who I'm proud to call a friend. Brant Fowler who lettered the book was recommended to me by Ron Fortier. Brant did an amazing job and I absolutely love the work that he did on MAN OF THE HOUR, He really understands the language of Comics and that's what makes him great at what he does."

DB: Can we expect to see more MAN OF THE HOUR in the future?

JM: "Absolutely. right now the main thing that's holding us up is me mostly. I haven't had the time to go through the script for the second installment. Mark also has a TON on his plate as well; I thinl he's coloring 3-4 books. I refuse to work with anyone else. I'm proud of what we put together and I don't want to break up the band so to speak."

DB: Anyone that knows your work knows that you are a GIGANTIC pro-wrestling fan. Some of my favorite pieces of your artwork involve the personalities that are involved in the wrestling world. What is it about wrestling that inspires you to incorporate it into your work?

JM: "Pro wrestling, especially in the 80's when I was a kid was a live action Comic book. That's how I got hooked. I wound up having a deep appreciation and admiration for Wrestling as I grew older. Specifically the art of wrestling - weaving these holds together into this tapestry that is a match. It's fascinating to me."

DB: Who are your favorite wrestlers?

JM: "My absolute favorite wrestler is Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan). I've been following his career since 2002. I'm also a BIG fan of Puroresu (Japanese wrestling) and guys like Satoshi Kojima, The Great Muta/Keiji Mutoh, Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa, and a ton of other guys."

 Daniel Bryan of WWE... a personal favorite of Jesus' wrestling themed pieces.

DB: Let's talk comics. What are your faves?

JM: "Right now I'm really emjoying Mark Waid's run on Daredevil. Thanos Rising has been great and Superior Spider-Man has been fun. Some of my absolute favorite Comics are All Star Superman, Len Wein & Bernie Wrightson's Swamp Thing, Frank Miller's "Born Again" Daredevil, & The Dark Knight Returns, Cosmic Odyssey, Jack Kirby's O.M.A.C., pretty much anything Mike Mignola does and some other stuff I can't think of at the moment."

DB: If you were stranded on a desert island what comics would you HAVE to have with you?

JM: "The All Star Superman Omnibus, Dark Knight Returns, & (Walter) Simonson's complete Thor run."

 Thor meets Plastic Man

DB: Aside from MAN OF THE HOUR what other work do you have out there for fans to get their mitts on?

JM: "I'm working on a book that will debut at the Baltimore Comic-Con in September. Then I will make it available at my store. I'm writing and drawing for the first time in a LONG time. It's just a silly project that I've wanted to do some time."

Cover Art by Marquez

DB: What do you want people who aren't familiar with your work to know about it?

JM: "I love to play with emotions with my drawing. I get a kick out of pushing expression beyond it's limits. I think that helps to add a sense of energy to a drawign. I like for my work to POP right out at the reader. I want people to have fun reading my comics. Fun is the key word. FUN!" (MISSION ACCOMPLISHED MR. MARQUEZ!)

Joker COOLNESS.

DB: What are you goals as far as your art goes?

JM: "All I want is to parlay my talents into a career that will support my family. I need to wake up in the morning happy to go to work and for a long time I wasn't. I was miserable. That's no way to live."

DB: If anyone is interested in getting some original Jesus Marquez artwork, what should they do?

JM: "I have original art for sale at my HAZARAI store. From commissions & comic sized pieces down to sketch cards."

DB: One last question. If you had a choice, what superhero or villain would you wanna be?

JM: "I would like to be FOCUS-MAN, who has the uncanny ability to focus on and complete any task placed in front of him. He's impervious to distractions therefore he gets things done, ;)."

-Jesus Marquez is on Twitter @Thejesusmarquez, Deviantart at http://thejesusmarquez.deviantart.com/

-SOOPER COOL JESUS MARQUEZ STUFF IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT https://www.hazarai.com/stores/the-gimmick-table-original-art-comics-by-jesus-marquez

I'd like to thank Jesus Marquez again for his time and graciousness in doing this Creator Conversation with me. Thanks as well to his wife and pooch!!! All images used with permission from Jesus Marquez.

Tribute to George Romero

This one is dedicated to the Father of the Modern Zombie...George Romero. It stemmed from an idea I had for a comic that never panned out. I may go back to it some day if I can get it hammered out. Anywho here is a resident of this place inspired by the master, enjoying a cold one on a peaceful day.

FRAZETTA-MITE!!!

Frank Frazetta is just a flat out master of his craft. Like bazillions of others some of his work has been emblazoned into my pysche. His ICONIC Conan paintings are amongst my favorites. I have did a few sketches of random characters in Frank's BADASS Conan image. Probably the last character that belongs in one would be Napolean Dynamite...but I went there anyway. Mad respect and apologies to Mr. Frazetta!!! Sorry for the bad scan but it's all that I have of the artwork.

The Fight Before Christmas!

I used to do my own Christmas cards to give to all of my friends and family. Most of them weren't anything I ever was too happy with enough to hold onto. This one was my fave of all the ones I did. I may still end up doing some sort of mini comic or strip with the chracters on it. Happy Holidays everyone!!! (A bit early albeit...)

Grimes...Rick Grimes

One of my favorite comics and TV shows is THE WALKING DEAD. Here a go at some Rick Grimes art that I did  a while back. Not my best work but I had fun with it and certain aspects of it helped me learn a few more things that I am applying to my work. So here's Mr. Grimes looking a little rough after a bout a walker who got the business end of Rick's revolver...

CLOWNING AROUND...

Clowns...I like 'em. The nastier the better. This is another piece I did while rehabbing from ACL surgery. This one in particular has been a naughty clown and locked away for the sake of others...

HOLLOW...

This one started out as a stereotypical rotting zombie. I didn't like the eyes I had done so I erased them and just for goofs sketched in these big hollow sockets. The more I worked on it the more I liked it. I added some lumpy cyst looking things to it for added yucks... 

CHUBBS & FRIEND

Not too long ago while I was recuperating from ACL replacement surgery I did this piece. Mostly just to try some new things with my style and to knock the rust off of the lack of doing art for a bit of time. I'm mostly ok with how it turned out and enjoyed doing it. Enjoy!

MAN OF THE HOUR REVIEW!!!

     

MAN OF THE HOUR comes forth from David Alluisi and Jesus Marquez. The pair co-created this 21 page, full color, COMIC BOOK. Why did I emphasize COMIC BOOK? (see I did it again) Well I did because MAN OF THE HOUR is a COMIC BOOK and it is damn proud of it! 

     David Alluisi provides the dialogue along with co-creator details. His script is smart and funny. He knows exactly what kind of story he wants to tell and succeeds fantastically. 

     Jesus Marquez handles the artwork along with the co-creator duties. Marquez has a unique and bold style that brings this comic to life. His characters pop from the pages with tons and tons of personality. 

     Mark Melton is the color man on the art team. He takes Marquez's art and cranks the volume on it up to MAXIMUM. This is one awesome looking book. 

     Brant Fowler lettered the book and fits right in the mix. His word balloons and sound FX further enhance what's on the pages. Great stuff abounds on all creative fronts. These gents have chemistry and it really shows on the pages.

     

      MAN OF THE HOUR introduces Wilbur Walters, a man whom has a date with cosmic destiny. A man who as the promo art above states is an "Unlikely" choice as "Earth's Only Hope Against Annihilation". Wilbur isn't dashing and daring. Not even gifted with a vast intellect. This fella is the last person anyone would want as their hero...and that's where the fun starts. Chosen to bear the COSMIC CRANK which gives him super powers for an hour at a time, Walters dons a costume (complete with underwear on the outside) and takes on the mantle of "MINUTE MAN". Wait, what the hell is a "COSMIC CRANK"?!? Imagine if you will the arc reactor in the chest of Tony Stark from the Iron Man flicks. Now imagine that concept but with a wind-up dial like on a cooking timer. Strange? Silly? Yeppers to both. That's the kind of book this is. Did I mention there is GIANT MONSTER and he's made of snot? How can this Menacing Mound of Mucous be stopped? Can Minute Man handle the task at hand? NO SPOILERS here, but I promise that it's a HELLUVA good time. 

 

     MAN OF THE HOUR is a big ol' love letter to Silver Age Comics. The kind of comics where nothing was impossible and everything was big and bombastic. It's a celebration of all of the things that are wacky and weird and to blazes with comics that take themselves way too seriously. It's these things and yet it's more. The fellas have created something here that stands on it's own as well. They've made a universe that lives and breathes and personally made me feel like a kid again...sitting beside my bed with a stack of my faves or sitting in front of the tube with a bowl of cereal waiting on Saturday Morning Cartoons to start. There aren't too many books that I can find that feeling in anymore. Thank goodness for MAN OF THE HOUR!

     

     So far this is the sole chapter of MAN OF THE HOUR but more is to come I hope! It scores on all levels and I urge anyone that loves FUN COMICS to get em a copy. A group of talented fellows put their hearts and souls into this project and boy did they shine. I know I'm gushing and need to reel it in a bit...so I will leave it with this. MAN OF THE HOUR DELIVERS!!!!!!!!

GET YOUR COPY OF MAN OF THE HOUR HERE!!! https://www.hazarai.com/stores/the-gimmick-table-original-art-comics-by-jesus-marquez

Check out http://www.jesusmarquez.com/ for more from Mr. Marquez

Hit him up on Twitter: @THEjesusmarquez

Heroes, Villains, and Moloids...Oh My!!!

So here we are again with another batch of Sketchcards I did over the last coupl'a days. First up on the top Right is the Hero from Jesus Marquez' comic "MAN OF THE HOUR" ( and it just so happens that I have My Review of this particular Comic coming soon!!! ) To the Left is Joe Martino's villain "TRENCHMOUTH" from his comic "THE MIGHTY TITAN" ( Check out my review of issue one as well as my Creator Conversation with Mr. Martino RIGHT HERE on the Doodlebook! ). Last and center on the bottom is a "Moloid" of Marvel Comics fame. So as usual I hope these guys are enjoyed!

ONE BADA$$ TOY!!!!!!

 bloody-disgusting.com is a favorite haunt of mine. This morning I ran across this sweet little tid-bit. NECA is releasing a MOHAWK in SPIDER-GREMLIN form!!!! In case you forgot this is the mega wicked nasty that appears in GREMLINS 2:THE NEW BATCH. Check the following link for the full deal!!!
http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3239489/toys-necas-spider-gremlin-will-give-you-a-toy-hard-on/

SKETCHCARDS . . .

Here's a couple more for the sketchcard files.To the left we have a quickie sketch of the Chestburster from the ALIEN movies. I know he's not 100% design accurate but I did him from memory. Nasty and fun little creatures to draw! To the right a quick sketch of Raphael from the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES. Hope ya like!

Creator Conversation with "MIGHTY" JOE MARTINO

Recently I had the pleasure of reviewing issue #1 of JGM Comics "The Mighty Titan". To say that I enjoyed it would be an understatement. It's a great read. I've spoken with Mr. Martino here and there on Twitter and he's one helluva nice fella. He was gracious enough to donate some of his time to do this conversation with me so that I could learn more about him and share it with you. So without further delay lets get to it!

DDB: Thanks so much for the time you're giving to do this! It's the first of many ( I hope ) creator conversations I plan to do here at the "Doodlebook". Tell us a little about yourself.

JM: "I am a tattooed IT guy from New Jersey. I have three awesome kids, an awesome fiance, and two cool cats. I am also a two time cancer survivor and comic creator. I've been published by Arcana, Coscom Entertainment, Main Enterprises and a few others. I am the creator of Shadowflame, Ripperman, and now The Mighty Titan."

DDB: How did you discover comic books and what were your early influences?

JM: "My cousin was a collector. He is five years older than me. I always wanted to read his comics but I wasn't allowed. When I was nine or ten my  mother got me a subscription to Amazing Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk. I was hooked. I started "collecting" comics at 13. I loved John Byrne, George Perez, Mike Zeck, Jerry Ordway and so many others. I would just draw for hours."

             - (Jerry Ordway did cover art for the first issue of THE MIGHTY TITAN!!!)

DDB: When did you decide you wanted to create them in some capacity?

JM: "I am not really sure. . .probably 8th grade."

DDB: Who are some of you favorite creators?

JM: "I said some of them above. I am a huge Ivan Reis and Bryan Hitch fan. The list is so long. I can't even think about it. It is like asking what my favorite food is."

DDB: "What gets Joe Martino fired up to create?

JM: "Music! I listen to Slayer or Iron Maiden and I write or draw. Also seeing, seeing other people doing great work is very inspiring. Sometimes when I leave a great movie I can get a rush of inspiration."

DDB: You and I talked about our mutual love of music, specifically the Metal genre. Talk a little about that and what role it plays in your creative process.

JM: "Well, as I said I am a music fan and Metal is my favorite. The first album I ever bought on my own was AC/DC's Back In Black. Shortly after that it was all Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer, and Iron Maiden. I am a big Van Halen fan from back in those days too. I am a bass player and tried to be a rock-star for about five years. It is amazing the similarities between the music business and the comic business. Very similar."

DDB: The Mighty Titan is a great comic. What led you to his creation?

JM: " Well, Thank you. I was home on disability from my first cancer in 2004. I started to think about how we all feel a little immortal and invulnerable at times in our lives. Until one day with one diagnosis you never feel like that again. That was me. I thought what would it be like if an invulnerable hero got a terminal disease. Titan was born."

DDB: At the end of the day what do you hope people get out of your work?

JM: "I want them to be entertained. On some level I want people to know what someone with a cancer diagnosis goes through. It is a very scary time. Not only for the person, but for their family as well."

DDB: What's next after Titan?

JM: "I am working on a few things now. The Mighty Titan is first and foremost but I have another crossover with the Wraith and Shadowflame that is in the inking phase. I am working on a one-shot with Bob Sodaro of my character Cyberine. . .and of course more Ripperman. There are only so many hours in a day. I have a full time job as well!"

Joe Martino's RIPPERMAN

DDB: What would you say to those who may be new to The Mighty Titan or on the fence about picking it up?

JM: "What's the matter with you?! No, I would say that if you are a fan of Marvel or DC, you won't be disappointed. My comics are geared toward people who like comic books. I am not trying to reinvent anything. Fun comics with serious situations. Escapism. The reason we all started reading them in the first place!"

DDB: What's the toughest thing about creating comics?

JM: "Just like in a band, working with a team is tough. Especially when it is your book and you have certain things in mind. That and promotion. It is so difficult to break through the wall of noise that is the Internet and get my work to the people that may like it. I couldn't go viral if I was the Ebola virus."

DDB: I love that Titan has REAL problems. Here's a guy that constantly does the fantastic but at the end of the day humanity has come knocking at his door.

JM: "The same reason we love Peter Parker. At day's end he is human with real problems. Titan has to worry about paying the rent just like you or I do."

DDB: " Joe, I gotta ask you. . . where did Trenchmouth ( Titan's villain ) come from? He is just deliciously nasty and vile!

JM: "I don't even know! I tried to come with a name that was equally as disgusting as the man. He is just a foul disgusting man and he always has been. I asked my friend and artist John Orlando to help visualize him. No one does ugly like John!"

DDB: Without spoiling anything, what can fans expect from the book in upcoming issues?

JM: "Each issue has it's own reveal. Issue two is more of an alter-ego issue. There is some cool action. Trenchmouth never rests but now Titan knows something is wrong with him and he is trying to figure out what and how to deal with it. I think some of this will be gut wrenching if I do my job right. I know it was affecting me as I was writing it and that is how I try to measure it. We will learn about where he ( Titan ) got his powers and why there is a Cyclops that wants to take the power away. Little tid-bits here and there."

DDB: Joe thanks again for your time! I am looking forward as I have said to The Mighty Titan as it continues and sincerely wish you all the best with it!

JM: "Thanks for coming up with these awesome questions!"

-Interested in more? Check out www.jgmcomics.com/‎

-Joe Martino is also on TWITTER @jgmcomics

-THE MIGHTY TITAN needs YOU!!! Check out Joe's Kickstarter campaign. He makes it WAAAAY worth your help!!! Some really AWESOME stuff available to those who back the book. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jgmcomics/the-mighty-titan-2

The End Is Totally Nigh PINUP...

"The End Is Totally Nigh" from Alterna Comics is a an awesome comic about demons and demon hunters. I recommend checking it out if your into that kind of thing! Anywho I did this pin-up for an issue of the book. Not sure if it saw print or not but here it is for you. The concept spins from a possessed little girl from one of the comics. She's amidst a mess as you can see and has been a very bad little hell-child...

ALIEN

H.R. Giger's Alien design is so wicked. Just a perfect nightmare. I love the creature and the first film. Although Aliens is a good movie I am not a fan of the whole HIVE concept that James Cameron introduced. It to me made the creature less scary and more of a giant killer bug. Here is my take on the ALIEN with all apologies to Mr. Giger. . .

The Bride. . .

Since I posted ol Frank's Monster recently I figured he would be lonely...so here is his bride!

Thanks to ALL OF YOU!!!

Just wanted to say a GIANT HEARTFELT THANK YOU to everyone who has visited DEDNECK'S DOODLEBOOK and to those that hopefully will! It means a lot that someone is interested enough in what I'm doing here enough to take the time to see. I hope at least something has been cool or of interest! Please come again and spread the word!!! I've got some pretty cool stuff in the works that's soon to come. I'm always happy to help spread word for creators in getting their stuff out to a bigger audience so if you or someone you know wants to contact me about a review for or perhaps a press release for a project GIVE ME A YELL!!! I'm on Twitter @hat_mike or Email me at mykaiju@aol.com or mykaiju@gmail.com. Again thanks so much!!!  Cheers!    -Mike Hatfield

Sketchcards RETURN!!!

Here are a few more of my recent Sketchcard doodles. Top Left is A HORROR variation on Iron Man's armor. I thought what if someone like Jason Voorhees had the armor. Top Right is another doodle of my psychotic teddy bear. Bottom Left is Poison Ivy of Batman fame (not too happy with this one but here she is anywho). Bottom Right is Sam from the terrific movie Trick R Treat (If you haven't watched it then I highly recommend it! It's tons of fun!!!

Character Creation for Simple Prepping.com

I was comissioned to do some artwork for a webpage about Outdoor Living and Prepping. I was asked to come up with a very simple character to be used throughout the page. The character would be a mascot of sorts and easily used in various situations revolving the outdoors. I came up with this guy whom I named "Ed of the world"...Pun Intended. I based this sketch on the movie poster from the film I AM LEGEND.

Venom Sketch

An older sketch I did of Venom from Spider-Man infamy. Fun to draw but sadly not always fun to read...lol

Berserker...

A little self portrait of sorts...perhaps a little too much Wolverine in my diet that day!

Campers BEWARE!

In honor of Jason's birthday I am reposting this old Jason drawing. He was based off of Jason from F13 Part 4 which is my fave of the Jason flicks. Happy birthday ya ugly bastich.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Not sure what's got this little hamster so freaked out...but he sure was fun to draw!

Liberator Issue #1 Review

     From the mind of Matt Miner and publisher Black Mask Studios (Occupy Comics, 12 Reason to Die) comes issue #1 of "Liberator". I recently sat down with the book to check it out. What I found left me sitting with mixed emotions but I will get to that in a little bit. First let me talk about the team behind the book...
     Out of the gate comes the aforementioned Matt Miner. Mr. Miner is the writer/creator of Liberator. Mr. Miner is also a self described "dedicated dog rescuer". Familiar with Scott Snyder of American Vampire and Batman fame? Well guess what, Matt Miner has understudied with Mr. Snyder...a damn fine person to learn from for sure!
     Pencils and Inks on Liberator are by Javier Sanchez Aranda. His style is a nice fit for the tone of the book. It's tough and street level grittiness bring Miner's world onto the pages effectively. This isn't a capes and power rings world here. It's a real world with real people. It's a dirty and ugly place where ugly things happen. Javier absolutely handles his job and then some. There is one sequence in particular that left me feeling really uncomfortable after I read it. It's not exploitative but to be honest it's the one page of the book that really sold it for me. If you read it and this page doesn't strike a chord with you...then you got some issues my friend.
     Colors are provided by Joaquin Pereyra. Like I said this isn't a bright and shiny world here and Pereyra continues setting that tone. The tones are dirty and dank. If I could compare it to anything I would say it has the tone of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original). Not a literal comparison but it captures that atmosphere of despair and uncomfortableness.  His colors are another piece of the creative puzzle that slips perfectly into place.
     The Letterer and Editor of Liberator are one and the same. Vito Delsante is your man here. He keeps the script a going without obscuring the artwork. Cheers sir. As always here at the Doodlebook no part of the creative team is unimportant! Shame on those who fail to give credit to the whole team...writers and pencilers a comic do not make!!!!!!!!!!!
     Now that I have intro'd the creative team let's talk about the book. Mr. Miner I have a confession to make. When I first glanced through the book I wasn't a fan. I thought to myself "oh boy, here's a book that's not gonna be too enjoyable..." I thought it was gonna be preachy and come off just silly. Mr. Miner I offer up my apologies and I stand corrected. I sat down and I read Liberator and I processed it overnight. I thought about what I had read and how uncomfortable it made me and that it made me a little angry even.
     Liberator issue one introduces to a world that we may not think about. A world that if we see it on television we may hit the channel button with haste. It's not a far off planet, or a sprawling metropolis where heroes fly and good triumphs over evil. Liberator exists in our world. Where heroes are regular people "and sometimes evil is simply doing nothing in the face of an atrocity." What atrocity? Like I spoke of before Matt Miner is a dog rescuer, a man with the heart and courage to help out where others (like myself) change the channel or turn their heads. It's also a really good comic book with some kick ass artwork. It also has a cover by Tim Seeley and Rod Reis!  Not that it needs it but that an added bonus. This is the comic book equivalent of Heavy Metal music. It's nasty and dark and it's tough.
     -Matt Miner is also donating ALL of his share of the profits to dog rescue work. Cheers Matt.
     -Liberator Issue #1 is being released on June 19th 2013.
     -Wanna know more about Matt Miner? Go to mattminer.net or facebook.com/mattminercomics or find him on Twitter at @MattMinerXVX
     -Interested in Black Mask Studios? Hit 'em up

Black Mask

@blackmaskstudio

Bringing the punk rock ethic to comics c/o @steveniles @brettgurewitz @pizzolo supporting creators telling awesome & important stories