DOGS AND CATS LIVING TOGETHER!

Hey, during this quarantine, I've been doing a bunch of commissions, including (for the first time ever), PET PORTRAITURE! Which actually, it turns out, is kind of fun to do. As you can see from the various images below (belonging to various friends), I have a format: 5x5", straight on, face only. Also, I'm much better at cats than dogs. Which makes sense if you know me. 

Springtime for Batman No.1

This drawing of Lewis Wilson as the first live-action Batman in the 1943 Columbia Pictures serial was originally done in 2015 for an installment of Prince Street News about the history of the Caped Crusader's outfits, newly hand-colored in non-traditional hues. 

The All-New Adventures of Batman with Batgirl

This Covid-Commission combined elements from a number of 1960s Batman products (including one of many crazy-cool Japanese Batmobiles) along with my own tweaks. 

Go, Dad, GO!

Based on the cover for Sonny Criss' 1956 album, GO MAN!

Count Chocula reads Richie Rich

Another Covid-Commission, this mashup of 1970s icons was requested by my friend Robyn, who thought she was asking for a still life of a bowl of Count Chocula and a stack of Richie Rich comics. What's the fun in that? I love drawing this character (here's a link to a 2013 piece of the chocolate vampire, along with Boo Berry and Frankenberry), and doing comic book cover recreations is rapidly becoming more of a thing. 

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #66 Cover and Splash Recreations

Two more Covid-Commissions of Spider-Man recreations (for a different person!). My pal Jon Ames (no, not that one) and I enjoy debating the merits and lack of same on different versions of ol' Webhead (his favorite live-action Spidey is Tom Holland... mine is, let's just say, NOT). A big fan of Mysterio, Jon asked me to re-do the cover and final splash page from THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #66 (1968), original art by John Romita (Sr., of course), with assist by Don Heck on the splash. It's fun doing these recreations, tweaking them just enough to make them my own (plus, you know, I'm a fraction of the artist John Romita is, so a 100% faithful repro not only isn't possible, but really, what would be the point?). More coming soon! 

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 & 6 cover recreations

My very first comic book pal was my friend Allan, whom I met in fourth grade. For years, we engaged in that now-extinct fanboy kid ritual of trading comics (over the phone!). Al was more of a Marvel kid, while I was a DC guy (although not exclusively). Recently, as I'm quarantined and furloughed, he commissioned me to do a couple of Spider-Man cover recreations, for The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1964) by Spidey's co-creator, Steve Ditko, and The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #6 (1969) by Ditko's successor, John Romita. Both covers feature The Sinister Six, a super-team of Spidey foes! And you know who's really hard to draw? Spider-Man's rogues gallery, that's who!!! Okay, The Sandman's pretty easy, but Kraven, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Electro, and The Vulture all have costumes that can drive ya batty! Still these were really fun to do, and led to two more Spider-Man recreations for another friend that I will post tomorrow (or, before this post if you're looking at this any time after today, so why the heck am I writing this in a time-sensitive context, that makes zero sense!). 

The Wienermobile!

The Grady Twins

While furloughed from work (I pay the bills as a bartender) and locked down in quarantine, I've been doing some commission work and will be posting some of those pieces here (with the kind permission of the people for whom I did the work). First up! Those oh-so-adorable and popular Grady Twins! The original version of this had a hand-drawn background that just didn't work out, so it became a collaged piece, giving me the opportunity to bust out the ol' rubber stamps for the nigh-mandatory accompanying quote.

Art + Autonomy Salon Presents...

I was hired to design a retro 1980's style punk show flyer for imaginary bands to be used by NYC's Art + Autonomy Salon on merchandise. You can check out this (and much more fun stuff) at their Threadless store. The style of the girl was inspired by Diane Lane in Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains, a 1982 movie that I have never seen! Thanks to Haven and everyone at A+A for asking me to do this really fun job. 

Romel Hits 50 (postponed)

Hey, cats & kittens & punks! So, a few months back, my pal Romel asked me to put together a rock-themed invite for his 50th birthday party, which was supposed to be held today at Jersey City's fantastic Low Fidelity bar... sadly, of course, thanks to the current pandemic, ain't no bars and ain't no parties. Hopefully, Romel will get to reschedule this milestone celebration sooner rather than later, but in the meantime, here's the invite, obviously (hopefully anyway) based on the artwork for The Clash's debut album.

Prince Street News: Eternal Costume Conundrums

The new BACK ISSUE! (#119) is an in-depth look at The Guardians of the Galaxy! Characters for whom I have no affinity! So the PSN in this issue is what we call "off-topic" (there will be more of these going forward)...

In this issue, I take a look at Eternal Costume Conundrums, examining some ongoing head-scratchers such as, "how does Spider-Man's wall climbing power work through boots and gloves?" or "Why can you see every single hint of muscle through costumes but no sign whatsoever of any genitalia?" This is one of those strips for which you don't need to have deep fanboy knowledge, so enjoy, normal humans!

Prince Street News: The Replacements!

Hey! In the hectic rush of the holidays, I neglected to post the latest Prince Street News upon release of BACK ISSUE! #117, so here it is a bit late! The theme of this issue is Superhero Stand-Ins, featuring a phenomenal Beta Ray Bill cover by the great Walt Simonson (rumor has it that Bill may be popping up in the next Thor movie, we'll have to wait and see).

For this issue, I take a look at the various kinds of "Replacements," using song titles from the band of the same name (but you knew that, right?). There's some fanboy inside gags here, some that work for the layperson, and a super self-indulgent inclusion of a 2012 submission to the late, lamented Covered blog, utilizing character designs from a childhood update of the Justice League of America (most of which are silly, a few of which I still think aren't that bad, mostly the Atom and the Flash). As always, any questions can be asked and answered in the comments section.

Next up! A look at the inherent ridiculousness of superhero outfits and some Eternal Costume Conundrums (such as, why isn't the Incredible Hulk naked all the time?).

No. 824,376 in a Series

I was asked to contribute a piece to BEHIND BARS, a collection of stories about the drink slinger's life and lifestyle put together by my friend, Audrey Ryan. Audrey is one of the most amazing artists I've ever had the privilege to know, so I was humbled to be asked. As the only cartoonist contributor, my piece is an anomaly, but I hope it works. BEHIND BARS was published by Potatoe Press, a project by another great artist (and fellow bartender) pal of mine, Laura "Tornado" Byrne. Give both of these women some attention, won't ya? Cheers.

More Dell Monster Superheroes!

In the mid 1960s, seemingly every comic book publisher rushed to take advantage of Batmania and get some superheroes on the stands, regardless of whether or not they had any experience in that genre. One of the more bizarre attempts was Dell Comics' FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, and WEREWOLF, superhero / superspy versions of classic monsters made famous by Universal Studios. This series of faux-comic book covers (detail from an installment of Prince Street News in BACK ISSUE! #116) speculates as to what it might have looked like if Dell took on a few more characters from the classic horror oeuvre, The Bride of Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, and the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Comic Characters' Favorite Scary Movies

First I let you know what comic book and cartoon characters liked to listen to, then I gave hints on some of their favorite drinks, now I'm letting in on what some of their favorite scary movies might be! Again, some of them are obvious (depending on your level of geekdom), some less so. If any truly stump you, either GTS, or leave a comment below, I'll try to answer it.
This is a detail from the Monster Mash episode of Prince Street News as seen in BACK ISSUE! #115.

The She-Hulk Creature

Detail from the MONSTER MASH episode of PRINCE STREET NEWS from BACK ISSUE! #116, adapting the poster from the 1956 sci-fi movie, THE SHE-CREATURE to feature Marvel Comics' She-Hulk.

Cat People (Comic Book Version)

Detail from the MONSTER MASH episode of PRINCE STREET NEWS from BACK ISSUE! #116, adapting the poster from the 1942 classic, CAT PEOPLE to feature a host of feline comic book characters.

Night of the Living Dead (Comic Book Version)

Detail from the MONSTER MASH episode of PRINCE STREET NEWS from BACK ISSUE! #116, adapting the poster from George Romero's classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD to feature a host of departed comic book characters, including The Spectre, Spawn, Kid Eternity, Solomon Grundy, and more.

Prince Street News: Monster Mash!

I think my favorite issues of BACK ISSUE! are the annual Halloween editions. They certainly are the most fun for which to do Prince Street News. For this year's issue (#116, available now!), the theme is Superheroes vs. Monsters, something which happened a lot in the Bronze Age, as the Comics Code relaxed to allow vampires, ghouls, and zombies once again (take THAT, Wertham!).

This 31st installment of PSN is a mish-mash of monster / superhero themed gags, so I really had no choice but to call it "Monster Mash." Right? I mean, I know it's obvious and overused and that song is really annoying, but COME ON, WHAT ELSE WAS I GOING TO DO?!?!?

The movie poster parodies should be (mostly) obvious, while some of the jokes in the "Comic Characters' Favorite Scary Movies" segment might take a minute (as with my "Comic Characters' Favorite Musical Artists" strips). As for the Dell Comics covers, if you're unfamiliar with that publisher's Silver Age attempts to make superheroes out of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman (or, Werewolf, the comic's vernacular), you are missing out on some campy goodness, my friends. Might I suggest you pick up Michael Eury's ridiculously entertaining HERO-A-GO-GO, which highlights these books and much more goofy and glorious pop culture of the Camp Era.

Next up in PSN: THE REPLACEMENTS! (No, it has nothing to do with football)