Speaking of the passing of greats, I was not actively blogging last December when Richard Corben died unexpectedly, after heart surgery. Very sad loss—I was certain he had another ten years of great stuff in him. He was one of those artists whose work never really bowed to the passage of time.
Most people would only know his work because he did the iconic cover for Meat Loaf’s 1977 classic album Bat Out of Hell. And, sadly, a lot of those folks doubtless don’t even know his name.
I did this inking, which was lightboxed from Gil Kane’s pencils, back in 2018. My source for the pencils was Kevin Nowlan’s blog (this post specifically). I really like Kevin’s work but I wanted to try my own spin—which I think came out somewhere between Gil himself and Ralph Reese.
Anyhow, more recently, I found a version actually inked by Gil, too! So that’s an extra interest factor—there are four versions of this piece to look at here! Lemme know what you think!! 🙂
In order: Gil Kane’s pencils; Gil Kane’s own inks; Kevin Nowlan’s inks; my inks.
Written by Roy Thomas. Drawn by Gil Kane (w/assist by Alfredo Alcala). Lettered by John Costanza. Coloured by Jim Woodring. Edited by Andrew Helfer. Published in 1989-90 by DC Comics.
Summary: A squarebound, four-issue mini-series adapting Der Ring des Nibelungen, Richard Wagner’s epic musical drama, aka the Ring Cycle, based on Norse Legend and the German epic poem Nibelungenlied.
Read more about Der Ring des Nibelungen on Wikipedia. (Saves me writing a synopsis!)
The Ring has also notably been adapted in comics form, at much greater length and more faithfully to the Wagner source, by P Craig Russell in 2000; and of course, there is the two-part 1924 silent movie by the great Fritz Lang, Die Nibelungen. The Thomas & Kane version is perhaps not so different from their work on various Conan projects—it has an old school adventure comics feel. If you like those books as much as I do, you won’t see that as a drawback.
Epic Kane art from THE RING Book One.
Read More »The Ring Of The Nibelung (1989-90)
Having finally scanned a few things which needed scanning, here’s a portrait of Vincent from April.
“Between Hammer and Anvil”
THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS!
Written by Len Wein. Pencilled & Inked by Herb Trimpe. Lettered by John Costanza. Coloured by Glynis Wein. Edited by Roy Thomas. Published in 1974 by Marvel Comics.
Summary: Stanley Kramer Meets John Steinbeck via the Outer Limits.
Let’s talk about one of my favourite comics. There are a few reasons why this is so: the Hulk was the first comics character I really bonded with, for one thing, and it was by accident. My nan used to buy me random comics when I was a little kid, and one of them was a Marvel UK Hulk book—which I doubt my mom would have ever bought me—and I instantly liked him. I already loved the original King Kong (1933), as well as all the Universal Monsters—I was definitely a Monster Kid. The Hulk was somewhere between Frankenstein’s Monster and Kong… today, I also see a lot of Lennie Small (Of Mice and Men) in him. And I do mean the 1970s Hulk—there are a number of spins on him, but the ’70s one is IMO the best.
So I take one of me usual hiatuses, and what happens? The world goes to hell! Oh well. Hence the question—back to what? Not smoking ruins. Not just yet, anyway.
Read More »Back To What?!
Although this dates from last December, I had been meaning to post it. It’s a portrait of Peter Cushing as he appears in one the later Hammer Frankenstein movies. (I’m not even sure which one, offhand—anyone?)
EDIT: It’s from Dracula AD 1972. Thanks, Henry. Why didn’t I know that? I used a photo ref without looking up the source is why!!
Well, seeing as how a rather diminutive version of the Great One has appeared in some of my art (such as the previous post!)—I thought I ought to try and do a pic of Cthulhu where he looks a bit more awesome… a bit more like he might just be standing 200 feet high!
So, here you are.
Read More »Lord Cthulhu!
Well, in theory… as the comic is more or less an imaginary one!
In fact, this image is a reprise of a piece from 2016…
Read More »Halloween Comix #1 Cover
Have been working on some new Club Vamporama—an initial run of five pages. Some of this stuff has been scripted for quite a while!
