Here’s a Q for you: early in your career, you seemed to have had a gravitation towards “top-heavy” costumes and gauntlets in your character designs. Case in point: Azrael, Azbat, Ninjak and Ash. Can you recall what influences you had at the time that contributed to this?
The amount of storytelling a cover needs to do, plus leaving room for all that text...! It's no wonder covers aren't always the most honest advertising. At this point, I don't expect what's happening on the cover to literally happen inside the comic. It just has to feeeeeel the same. My incredibly imaginative approach to designing a cover is just to look at the works of much better artists and see what ideas I can "steal" (while modifying it quite a bit, of course).
I have a question after following you a bit and started reading the (awesome!) newsletter from today. I saw the cartoon you made of yourself for said letter, but I don't think it does you much justice. Ms. Cohen would agree.
Imagine yourself as - like - the most incredibly kick-ass person or hero... What would that look like? There would maybe be mechanical pencils flying around, but how would you translate the creativity flowing through your thoughts? Into a cartoon? I bet it wouldn't fit on a 3x4 by far. And I bet you've already thought of 5 different concepts from the end of last sentence. Hope I'm not disturbing you too much, and greetings from the Netherlands! ~ Wendeline
Wendeline, thanks for the suggestion. The illustration that I use was actually created by the brilliant Jimmy Cheung and I've been using it for years so I'm a little hesitant to because it has a level or recognizability for a lot of fans. But, perhaps someday.
All the drawings are incredible. Logan with Canadian flag on his face. Batman and catwoman fighting. Last but not least batman with the monitors with joker on them. And joker ventriloquist dummy. I would put you as one of the best batman artists. Neal Adam's would be impressed. Enjoy the Canada 🍁 con
IIRC, the art boards were reduced in the 1960s. I want to date at least Marvel’s switch to ca. early 1967.
Not-Secret Origin-time: Murphy Anderson did a Spectre story in the mid 60s and discovered that the current-sized board greatly reduced the expense for printing the comics; again IIRC, it reduced the costs for making the printing plates by a lot. Took a few years for all the jefes to get on board but a few years later, it became the thing.
I said that I put Marvel’s rollover to early 67. However, I would put DC’s about a year earlier. Here’s why I say that: not all artists adjusted to working. Some just kept drawing the same way they did with the larger boards. One example was Frank Thorne. Another was Infantino. Compare his last year of his first run (I know) on the Flash to his work a year three earlier. There were of course others but you, uh, get the picture.
Here’s a Q for you: early in your career, you seemed to have had a gravitation towards “top-heavy” costumes and gauntlets in your character designs. Case in point: Azrael, Azbat, Ninjak and Ash. Can you recall what influences you had at the time that contributed to this?
Just aesthetics. I was simply designing from the POV of what looked cool to me.
The amount of storytelling a cover needs to do, plus leaving room for all that text...! It's no wonder covers aren't always the most honest advertising. At this point, I don't expect what's happening on the cover to literally happen inside the comic. It just has to feeeeeel the same. My incredibly imaginative approach to designing a cover is just to look at the works of much better artists and see what ideas I can "steal" (while modifying it quite a bit, of course).
Thanks for the great post!
Hannah, check out those early 60s and 70s Marvel covers with all the text. They were the original click bait!
IN TODAY'S ISSUE: EVERYONE TOTALLY DIES FOREVER PROBABLY????
What?!? I need to buy that comic!
This was really interesting to read!
Thanks, Jezz!
I have a question after following you a bit and started reading the (awesome!) newsletter from today. I saw the cartoon you made of yourself for said letter, but I don't think it does you much justice. Ms. Cohen would agree.
Imagine yourself as - like - the most incredibly kick-ass person or hero... What would that look like? There would maybe be mechanical pencils flying around, but how would you translate the creativity flowing through your thoughts? Into a cartoon? I bet it wouldn't fit on a 3x4 by far. And I bet you've already thought of 5 different concepts from the end of last sentence. Hope I'm not disturbing you too much, and greetings from the Netherlands! ~ Wendeline
Wendeline, thanks for the suggestion. The illustration that I use was actually created by the brilliant Jimmy Cheung and I've been using it for years so I'm a little hesitant to because it has a level or recognizability for a lot of fans. But, perhaps someday.
Ofcourse! Understood and respected! But still I would be very curious about your selfportrait!
Great post. 👍
CMP, thanks as always.
Thanks for the response.
This is so cool!
I'm missing something or the email link doesn't work? Got a couple of caption ideas.
Again, a great entry Joe, love seeing the process. What type of pencil do you use for hand drawing? (I usually have a mechanical pencil with a 2h)
Gyorgy, yeah, something is up with the link. But if you just reply the emailed newsletter, you should be able to enter your submission.
I use a mechanical pencil as well. for years I used a hard lead (4H). Recently I've decided to switch over to a softer H lead for sylistic reasons.
All the drawings are incredible. Logan with Canadian flag on his face. Batman and catwoman fighting. Last but not least batman with the monitors with joker on them. And joker ventriloquist dummy. I would put you as one of the best batman artists. Neal Adam's would be impressed. Enjoy the Canada 🍁 con
Kevin, that's high praise. Thank you.
IIRC, the art boards were reduced in the 1960s. I want to date at least Marvel’s switch to ca. early 1967.
Not-Secret Origin-time: Murphy Anderson did a Spectre story in the mid 60s and discovered that the current-sized board greatly reduced the expense for printing the comics; again IIRC, it reduced the costs for making the printing plates by a lot. Took a few years for all the jefes to get on board but a few years later, it became the thing.
I said that I put Marvel’s rollover to early 67. However, I would put DC’s about a year earlier. Here’s why I say that: not all artists adjusted to working. Some just kept drawing the same way they did with the larger boards. One example was Frank Thorne. Another was Infantino. Compare his last year of his first run (I know) on the Flash to his work a year three earlier. There were of course others but you, uh, get the picture.
Manqueman, this is awesome and I stand corrected. Thanks for sharing this info.
Thank *you* for all the entertainment over the years.
Awesome. Loved the detailed glimpse into your process and design. Thank you.
J, thanks again.