PIN-UP ART _ The Coma!

I had the great fortune to meet cartoonist Javier Hernandez when he did a pin-up for FEEDING GROUND. His art and creations (El Muerto, Weapon Tex Mex, and now, The Coma) are wild and poppy; Silver Age superheroes set in the modern day. His work is like Steve Ditko by way of Southern California.

(art by Javier Hernandez)

Recently, I had a chance to return the favor by doing a pin-up for The Coma. Check below for a first pass, the rough sketch, and final color. You can learn more about Javier and order books, including a premiere art set, HERE.

(a little dull but I liked the vascular system as "spidey-sense")

(with a dreamy character, I started thinking of pulpy nightmares like snakes & fire)

(finish off by complimenting the fire with the veins)

FEEDING GROUND #6 _ Pin-Ups!

Today, after 2+ years of gestation and creation, the sixth and final issue of FEEDING GROUND goes on sale.  Along the way, we've had the great boon of meeting so many other talented comic people, some of whom were cool enough to contribute art based on our creation.  Pin-ups and articles can be found throughout the mini-series (5, 4, 3) and the floppy comics are the only way you'll be able to read/collect the story as a bi-lingual English/Spanish flip book.

Here's a look at some of the art and artists in this issue.

TIM HAMILTON http://hamilton-tim.pair.com/CUTBLEED/

I first discovered Tim's artwork hanging on the walls of Bergen Street Comics in Brooklyn; inked pages for his creator-owned work ADVENTURES OF THE FLOATING ELEPHANT and I was glued to them. Tim's inks are a daunting play of light and dark and he's equally adept at noodling gag strips as he is at lush illustrations.  Even his warm up sketches on Drawbridge so more smarts and style than many finished pieces.

NOTE: It was also Tim who suggested that I start a blog in the first place.

JAVIER HERNANDEZ http://javiersblog.blogspot.com/
Javier is one of those creators that I was able to meet due to the book.  Creator of El Muerto and Weapon Tex Mex, Javier is a comic creator and entrepreneur whose works have the crackling innovation and energy of the Silver Age.  He also co-founded the first annual Latino Comics Expo this year.

GB TRAN http://gbtran.blogspot.com/
GB and I met years back through mutual friends and he was one of a few guys who I knew to be doing comics for real and who inspired me to give it a shot myself.  An accomplished illustrator, designer, and cartoonist, GB's talents and voice all came together in his beautifully observed and rendered autobiographical graphic novel VIETNAMERICA. For FEEDING GROUND, he went much lighter and actually contributed the one humorous pin-up for the book and we're glad to have him close things out.  Bonus: HERE are his process pics for the illustration.

And, double bonus, here's a rough pin-up/ cover concept by yours truly that never found its way into the series.