Tom Floyd's Captain Spectre and the Lightning Legion

overdue post

2012-01-06T10:36:00.000-06:00

Here are some of the things I have been slowly working on. These are a couple of additional pages for 'Pre-flight' - the stand alone Captain Spectre adventure I am currently working on. I don't want to give it all away as I want some surprizes left in the book. But I do like getting reactions to the storytelling and art from everyone so I will post as much as I can. Alot of it will be process stuff, from pencils to inks into the color process. I am trying to keep this story short and simple and that is tough to do as I want to pack all kinds of things into it. But I have to try and keep it manageable so I will finally finish one book at a time. ha. I want it to be action packed so keeping the speeches down is tough to get some ideas across. After all it's about the action for Captain Spectre.

Also a character piece for 'Number 13'. Here we have Virginia manning the Maxium machine gun mounted on the foredeck of the yacht, with the chinese cook bringing ammo to her as they strike back at the pirates.

And again apologies to all the loyal Legionnaires for the lack of posts. I have been having a very hard time with my physical and mental states lately. But I will leave all that up to my biographer when they write my pitiful life story.....ha.

Happy Holidays to one and all.

2011-12-23T20:32:00.000-06:00

To all the loyal Legionnaires in the world, have a Happy Holiday as we go towards the new year from me and the gang at Lightning Legion Headquarters.

I know it has been awhile again between updates, and I apologize yet once again for that. I am working on a couple of pieces, and finally felt well enough to throw this holiday greeting together, mainly hoping to get me into the holiday spirit. I don't have much holiday spirit from year to year. It is something I lost along time ago and never found it again. And I do apologize for that too. The day job is shutdown for awhile over the holidays, and I hope to get some work of my own done. That does include some things around the house, but mainly some serious drawing. So look for some things to pop up here soon. I hope.

I do wish all the loyal Legionnaires and their families a very Merry Christmas and a good New Year. I hope this message finds you all well and it carries over into the new year. May this New Year be a better year than the past one. And thank you all for looking in from time to time and hopefully enjoying Captain Spectre and the other projects I try to be a part of.

Thanks to each of you, you are what drives me to do the work, and I thank you.

tom

Dec 4 update

2011-12-04T22:09:00.001-06:00

Again sorry for a late update, but if I have nothing finished or even a good sketch I don't like bothering everyone with nothing. So anyway I have a couple of things more finished. First up is more coloring on the Number 13 cover art.

There are still a few things I want to refine in this coloring, but I do think it is finally getting there.

Also today was a pretty good day. Freezing outside and all the rain I got Saturday is all frozen in the ground or on top of it. Also got a dusting of snow pebbles on top of most everything. So saturday working on the story for 'Pre-flight' a little more. Pre-flight is the working title of the first Captain Spectre comic. As you remember the other stories I was in development on were turning into more novella's or graphic novel length. And I wanted to get something a bit shorter and cheaper out there first to get people looking at the material. So Pre-flight is the first story. I don't want to reveal alot of the story points yet. But today I banged out the first page of pencils. Enjoy Loyal Legionnaires.

Number 13 (Monster Men) progress

2011-11-20T19:06:00.001-06:00

Well Loyal Legionnaires, I was wanting to post this in a finished state, but it just didn't make the grade yet. But here are the inks progressing. I really have most of it finished, just need to put the jungle, the vines on the adobe walls and fix a couple of areas. Which will have to wait for a few more days. My hand just won't take anymore this weekend.

Just six months ago, I could have inked this piece in a day. This is close to two days work and looking at another one for the background. I really hate this stuff that is attacking me. It is getting worse all the time.

So anyway that is about it Legionnaires, I am sorry I wanted to post some Captain Spectre stuff, but nothing new has happened. That is nothing new in the art area. Even tho this stuff is slowing down my hands, it hasn't taken over my mind. So I am learning more about writing all the time. Hopefully all this behind the scenes work that I really can't show will improve the stories greatly. I can only hope. It is a complex thing to design and trim a story to get it into a comic. I think short story or novel might be easier. More room to get the points across. The comics have to be lean and mean, trimmed down to get you to want to turn the page.

Anyway, I am off to my big chair to watch a bit of tv and write some more, and rest my arm and hand.....

Swift, Sure and True.....Legionnaires.

Nov 13 update...

2011-11-13T18:38:00.001-06:00

Well folks, and of course Loyal Legionnaires from all over, it seems I just can't keep up. I have a couple of additions to throw at you so here goes.

The first are the finished pencils for a piece produced for the project 'Number 13'. An ERBurroughs adventure published in 1913, adapted by Martin Powell. Number 13 is the original name of 'the Monster men'. We are going to use the original tales' name to try to keep things straight.
This is a piece that I roughed out, sized up in photoshop and fixed a couple of things, then lightly printed out onto board, then I finished the pencils on the printed board. It is a great way to get things composed and organized on the page before committing to highly finished pencils or even inks.

The second piece is the finished cover design to 'PreFlight' which is taking over, kind of cutting in line in front of the promised 'Solo Flight' issue of Captain Spectre. Again the reason for this juggling of issues is that 'PreFlight' will be a short tale, and easier for me to get to. It will be an introductory tale to Captain Spectre....kind of setting the stage. But it isn't an origin story. It will have a taste of an origin to let new readers know who, what, why, and all that of the Captain Spectre story. But nothing long and drawn out. I have posted this before, but it didn't have the cover treatment done to it.

And if you want to know a bit more I will post this below the actual good stuff up top. The reason I haven't posted much, is I haven't been able to get much done. I have had many bad days lately and things just aren't moving along at a decent pace. I hate it, and I hate even writing about it. I feel like I am whining, and have never been know to whine much about myself, just about my day job and stupid things. ha. Anyway I will continue to post the medical stuff below the art so as you Loyal Legionnaires pass over the art, you can ignore the last paragraph of my posts. Here's to better days and more art which leads to more posts.

Busy weekend.

2011-10-23T13:04:00.000-05:00

Here is a quick edition update to the last entry I posted. I knew when I inked the Captain Spectre piece it was going to need color to clear it up some...so I couldn't rest til I saw it with some color on it. So thought I would post it sooner than later.

Also with more and more conventions starting up in the central plains/midwest area and with my new plan of starting to get to more of them and advertise a bit more, make some friends and fans, and actually get some work published ( the number 13 from Sequential Pulp/Dark Horse) and self publishing Captain Spectre...I figured it was time to look into a new banner. As I was looking around I found a place that has those roll up display banner things at a good price. Those things used to be so expensive I couldn't justify them, but now it seems they are cheaper and you can get two for less than just one of them used to be. So I decided to promote two things, my art - myself, and Captain Spectre and Action Science magazine. So here are a couple of designs I churned up.

Legionnaire Express update

2011-10-21T12:39:00.002-05:00

Well things are starting to shake loose and move forward again, even I have to exclaim, 'it's about time'!
Here are the inks to Virginia Maxon splashing in the water, as her new future friend 'number one' looks on. A true stalker before the term was used.

This piece was done with a bit of a new process, no the brush was still pulled across the bristol board and all that labor and sweat still prevails in the piece. But I did incorporate a bit of technology as I sketched it out until I was fairly happy with the drawing, then printed the pencil drawing in light blue on the bristol board, then inked that board. This was done with the help of a new printer. I haven't had a printer at home for about six years and sometimes it has been a real pain. So I finally sprung for a large format printer that can handle bristol board and most papers up to and including 13x19, for some reason but I have never seen 13x19 paper sized anywhere. Anyway it will print an 11x17 borderless and that is what I wanted. I hope it improves me drawing speed a bit since I can now sketch out panels for a page concentrating on just the panel image, then scan them all and composite them in photoshop to get the sizes and panel flow just right. I then print them out in a light blue or very light grey and I can ink them. It kind of skips the full blown pencils stage, but with me inking my own work full blown pencils are destroyed in the process anyway as after i ink them i erase all the pencils. So anyway experimenting with it all to get the best results with consideration of upping my production rate, which is very slow.

Also another 'concept' cover to Number 13. This one goes for the creepy got to grab the reader at the newstand kind of marketing. Plus I had fun doing it and like it alot. It is done totally in photoshop, so no original to sell. Alas the curse of a digital world.

Also I know I have neglected Captain Spectre a lot lately. With all my problems and jobs and things going on he never leaves my mind. I am planning several things which I will reveal in the future. But for now a little taste of some good ole' Captain Spectre.

Also this is one of those pieces that just screams 'finish me'! So expect to see some finished pencils and inks sometime very soon.

Yet another long overdue report!

2011-10-14T12:57:00.000-05:00

I am truly sorry for the lateness of this progress report, such as it is. More than a week ago I woke up with a leg that was throbbing with pain. It felt like that nano second when you get a super cramp. The problems were that it covered my entire leg, not just one muscle or muscle group. It went from my hip socket to my toes. It had that sharp cramping feeling, but the cramp never came, just the pain. And it lingered for a couple of days. I was still under the assumption that I had some form of cramp. I have had alot of cramps in my legs since I was a kid, but this was something new. So I gave it a day or too. Nothing changed so I got worried. Again thinking it was something to do with the fibromyalgia, which it did turn out to be. But before the doctor would own to that, I was checked for other things like blood clots and all that. Especially since all I do is sit. I drive to sit, then get up to drive to sit some more. I am a professional sitter, ha. Anyway I was scanned, poked, drained and prodded and it seems more nerve things are going on. Oh boy. I am still kind of down and out because of this. Even tho I am sitting 99.9 percent of the time, the pain is kind of distracting for sure. Anyway add that to the arthritis and the rest of the fibromyalgia I have and it makes for a great combo of pain and stiffness in the joints and muscles. So needless to say things have been moving slowly here at Lightning Legion secret HQ.

Here is another concept piece for Number 13, enjoy the pencils because I am gonna slop some ink on it soon.....

Also when I was in a late night pissed off at all the pain I started a impro kind of life strip that I will try to work on when the pain is too much to do any kind of quality work...ha.

I actually did two strips of this before the pain got too bad and my mind was traveling elsewhere with the doctor appointments and pain and tests and all....so enjoy both as the plot heats up....ha

And once again I will try harder to keep you loyal Legionnaires updated as much as possible. Just sometimes I haven't made much progress, and even I get tired of myself complaining about the pain....

thanks Legionnaires for baring with me.

Lightning Legion update....overdue

2011-09-11T13:16:00.001-05:00

Well Legionnaires, it is about time I posted an update. Sorry for the delay in postings, but as you know from past mentions, my home computer went down with a video card malfunction. So many dollars and days later I finally have it back and am up and running. Also there are some health issues, which is going to be a constant in my life from now on. So I am still getting used to all of that too. Then throw in the day job, domestic duties, and all normal things and life really zooms by. Also I am beginning the layout process for 'number 13', the adaptation of ERB's Monster Men novel.

Speaking of the 'number 13' project, I will be pimping it at the I-con convention in Des Moines Iowa this coming week. On Sept 17 I will be at the Adventure Land inn in Des Moines at this great little event. It is a one day con with tons of Iowa comic fans. Such a good group of people put on the con and attend it too. I haven't been to a con in quite awhile and really don't have anything to sell, other than myself, ha. But I need to get out more and will be there all day on Saturday, the day of the con. I will try to do as many sketches as I can for fans.....so if you are in the area please drop by and shoot the breeze as I try to get more people to join the Lightning Legion and look forward to the 'number 13' book.

Here is a bit of a teaser I am working on. Not final of course, I am working on the coloring and all, but I needed something quick to make a table sign out of, and don't have time to do a new piece, just enough time to finish this one up. So an in progress work for sure......

Also here are a couple of thumbnail layouts for the juicy fight scene between number 13 and number 1....

I am still working on costumes, and have actually asked a person that is a professional costume designer to pick some period costumes for me in this project. We are keeping the period the novel was set in which is around 1913, so that will be a challenge in itself.

Also so many little things have happened and are going on since the last update. I received my two action figures and they are more AWESOME than any photos can do justice too. Hence I don't really have photos of them to show other than the ones you have already seen here. But they will be making the journey to Iowa with me, so they will make their premiere at the Iowa I-con show at my table. It is what I got them for was to attract people to the table, so I can tell them all about the strip and stuff. ha.

Stay tuned....Loyal Lightning Legionnaires!!!

oooops....Legionnaires!

2011-08-24T17:03:00.001-05:00

My home computer has taken a dive! I think it is the video card, or memory, or motherboard.....but since it is an iMac and all in the screen I can't do anything about it, so it is in the shop. So no real update for awhile......but stay tuned Legionnaires!

Progress report for Aug 14

2011-08-14T20:18:00.002-05:00

First off another shot of Captain Spectre in the production line. Man I just can't wait to get my hands on these two figures that Jonathan over at packratstudios is producing. They will both be on display at my table at future comic cons that I can afford to go too. Looking good, and check out that Thompson!

Next, a couple of warm up sketches from the past week. I must of had a reaction in my sub-con mind about all the huff about women in comics these past few weeks. So I figured I might develop a Jacqueline O'Brian back up feature for one of the comics. You see yet another reason to retire early, I have so many damned things I want to do, and I just can't get anything done it seems. Fighting medical conditions, the day job, time, freelance, domestic duties, and even yardwork it is a tough life just doing anything anymore it seems, oh and throw old age in there too. ha. I am even rethinking the first Captain Spectre comic. I was wanting it to be a novella and tell a good long story, but maybe it would be better to do a short and sweet little story to sell at the cons and get things going a bit more. Damn I hate not having all the time I need.

But speaking of 'Solo Flight' here is a redone page 8. The first one I did had some minor problems so this week I redid the lower tier of panels.

Production is about to start and ramp up on 'Number 13', the adaption of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Monster Men - written by Martin Powell with art by me. I have started receiving the first pages of the script and am looking forward to starting in. Since I only have a bit more than a year for this graphic novel it is going to be one hell of a year. So stay tuned Legionnaires believe me I am actually doing it so Captain Spectre can benefit from it getting published by Dark Horse. The more my name gets out there the more success Captain Spectre will have when it comes out. I know it is a messed up way to run a railroad, but this industry is running with alot of screws out of place.

Forging ahead, as always...

2011-08-07T19:07:00.000-05:00

As always during the week I produce tons more drawings than I post....it would be nuts to post them all. But I do like to pick a couple of warm up drawings from time to time. So that is what you see above. These of course are just drawings that end up with no thought process other than something snaps in the old brain and I sketch it out. Sometimes it is as I am working on a problem or a pose or something. You can never tell what the results will be.

Here is a bit of a teaser. I posted the title treatment before, now comes the ideas that are behind that title. I like doing these little teases for stories. So thought I would show this one off. Interested yet? ha.

Also knocked out this commission for an author of his character John Sterling. I needed to ink something today as I was getting rusty for lack of inking. Had trouble with deciding what to do as far as the pose, but think it came off well once I got going on it.

Also let me post that I am having a solo show at the Waterworks gallery in Salisbury N.C. coming soon. I hope I get to go to the opening. And I owe this show to my good friend Irene. So tune into their website, also managed by her for all the details. Waterworks Visual Art Gallery

the many Captains...

2011-07-31T16:18:00.001-05:00

Things have kind of been crazy lately, but here is some progress made on another page of Captain Spectre's 'Solo Flight'. I have changed the layout for this page several times, in an effort to try and get as much story as I can in these pages. So there are some fast scene changes, and some compressed story telling, which is sore point in new comics to me, is the decompression to the fact sometimes in an issue of a new comic.... nothing happens!. Anyway hope you enjoy, since it has been a bit tough. My pain problems have been an issue the last week or so.

Here is some great progress made on the secret Captain Spectre six inch action figure!....Wow is about the only word I can get out of my mouth as I look at each new picture of the work of Jonathan at PackRat Studios. He is doing some great stuff, and even casting the head. Man this is gonna be cool. Once finished it will have a great display base and in one of those glass domes for display at the con table when I start returning to those. Hopefully next year he and me will be making the rounds. Of course when not at a show, I will be playing with the figure......hey, we here at the Lightning Legion test all our products....that is the fun of it all.

So get over to Jonathan's site and check out the progress shots of Captain Spectre, and all the other cool stuff he does....amazing.

Ok, you win, I am officially eating my hat....as I said I would. I actually liked the Captain America movie. Oh sure there were parts I didn't like....but I thought the spirit of the character made it into the movie. The origin was the best parts of the movie. And Chris Evans pulled off the character nicely. It was sure nice to see a hero on the screen that wasn't wallowing in his own self pity.

During the war I admit Steve Rogers didn't have too many demons he wore on his sleeve. And many people gripe that Rogers is a flat character. I on the other hand don't think he is. He can be written as a good character without having demons hanging on his shoulder all the time, which is what people want it seems. But in the end Cap has one of the largest demons of any hero .....EVER (Superman has the same problems). He wakes up to find his whole world gone....not just his parents, or something. He has lost a world, a way of life and all he ever knew. And Chris Evans nails the last line of the movie showing this.

Going into the movie I hated the way Bucky and Steve's relationship was changed. But actually in the movie not much of that comes thru. And actually to me the Bucky character wasn't much at all. I just pretended he was a regular friend and member of the team, and it didn't phase me much at all. Even his death was toned down. The Bucky I know and like is the one from the rebirth stories in Tales of Suspense and the early Avengers. Bucky on the buzz bomb yelling to Cap that he sees the fuse and can stop the bomb, as Steve falls down into the water. The bomb blows up as Bucky is trying to save people's lives. Over the years writers have changed this alot. Hell even when they show it on the new Avengers cartoon show they change it too Bucky telling Cap to dive off the buzz bomb as Bucky's foot is stuck on the bomb. Not that he is trying to save people, just that he is stuck and can't get off so decides Steve is more important and needs to leave him behind. Sometimes Hollywood or modern writers forget what a hero is.

Then of course is the costume. I still don't like it, but I guess by the end of the movie it was growing on me. Actually it changes so much thru the film and even into the Avengers movie that it is kind of interesting to watch it's evolution.

Also just like an old comic, we figure Red Skull is in Asgard or one of the nine realms, and of course we didn't see Bucky go splat, so both can come back at a later date. I hope not, but they may.

Anyway it was an enjoyable movie, sure it had it's problems, like the lack of any story other than the origin. It also had it's good parts, and again the origin is the best part, that is who Steve Rogers is.

Still chewing on my hat, as I will buy the DVD....kind of wish I had seen Thor now. But will get the DVD's of them all. Actually looking forward to having a Tales of Suspense movie night.....Iron Man, then Captain America viewings in one night.

Lightning Legion progress on all fronts!

2011-07-23T12:31:00.000-05:00

There can be alot said with the title of a comic book story, I think. Sometimes as a kid just seeing a certain cadence of words on a comic cover got me to buy it. Because when we are kids, at least my experience was that I didn't have enough money to buy all the comics I would have wanted. The titles would attract me to certain books....especially in the silver age.....Challengers of the Unknown, Journey into Mystery, Tales of Suspense, The War that Time Forgot and on and on. Books had great titles back then. Then there were the great story titles too. So up at dawn, actually before dawn, and I started thinking of how many stories I have been working on. They are all in various stages of development and they all needed a title treatment. See if you Loyal Legionnaires can figure out the stories just from the titles. Of course 'Solo Flight' is the first Captain Spectre story.

Then some great news to share. And again let me say what a world it is with the internet. I had been following this blog for awhile; PackRat Studios. So I shot him, Jonathan, an email since he had posted he was doing commissions......and lo and behold look what has happened!!!! How cool is this Legionnaires!

Also I have been thinking about my childhood alot lately. For better or worse I remember the best times of it and consider my childhood a pretty good one. We didn't have much spare change laying around but things were good. I used to save up my money for comics, paperbacks, and going to the movies. Summers were filled with coming to Nebraska to stay at my grandparents house, the Rexall Drug store's comic spinner rack, black cherry soda, the town's swimming pool, ballgames and going to the movies. Of course there was that habit of trying to learn to draw, also.
So I guess with all of this I am still trying to talk myself into traveling to see the Captain America movie. As you all know I have a huge fan of the character. For a time I collected anything and everything with Captain America on it. I have Cap gumball machines, soap mits, cards, models, figures, toys, pencil boxes, and of course the comics. So the movie is getting some good reviews. So I am still trying to convince myself to drive over to Beatrice, one of the theaters close to me, and the town I was actually born in..... to feel like a kid again and catch the saturday matinee of Captain America.

I never had it as lucky as this kid......but in spirit I was probably a bigger fan. ha.

Solo Flight progress

2011-07-18T07:47:00.002-05:00

Well, Loyal Legionnaires, I have been down and out for some days with my medical problems, and pretty much confined to the house because of the heat wave here. But even being confined to the recliner with my swollen feet and all I have managed to finish some layouts or thumbnails for upcoming pages of 'solo flight'.

As you can see a bit on this page I wanted to keep the good Captain still somewhat mysterious to the police, so I only show him in pieces and bits, or from the back or in long shots. I am also planning on adding the advent of sound effects in this story. I don't know if anyone noticed but in the close to 100 pages or strips on the site there have not been any on screen sound effects. I am not very good at making up good sound effects or even using them. I feel sometimes they are overused in comics or underused. But I do plan to use them in 'solo flight' along with the thought balloon. Something I feel is missing in comics are the actual interworkings of the character. I find anymore in new comics they try to let the art tell all. Well it just can't do it all. I look at some comics and don't feel a connection to the character shown, or sometimes the art doesn't 'cut it' and I just don't know what is happening, or more precisely just what the hell I am supposed to get out of it. Maybe it is my age, maybe I am trying to get too much out of it, or maybe I am trying to make it too complex, but I just don't get it. I have always been the kind of guy that if I don't like a books art I don't buy it. Especially now a days with the high prices. But the words and connection to the characters have to be there too. I see so many comics now that have pages of six or seven panels that have a character doing something and maybe only one word balloon on it. I see alot of wasted storytelling time. I know some of the major companies have banned the evil thought balloon, but I think something is missing.
Also there is the 'new' reader problem. I want to get my books into hands of people that don't read comics on a normal basis. And I see and hear of so many adults that don't know how to read a comic. The thought blocks are confusing to people, they don't know who is talking, and I want my book clear and too the point and easy for lapsed readers or new readers to get into, just as much as I do regular comic readers. So get ready for sound effects and thought balloons in 'solo flight' when it gets finished.

Number One finally finished.

2011-07-10T23:33:00.003-05:00

Well, I finally got this thing inked. It took alot longer than I thought it would. Some of the problem was my hand, some was just time as all the weekend of the 4th I was trying to finish a project for work and just didn't have time to ink on this piece. So now I enter the ranks of Mark Schultz, William Stout, Frank Frazetta, St. John and others I am sure that I haven't seen yet - in presenting Number One and Miss Maxon traveling thru the jungle.

Also I finished a shirt that I always wanted, I kind of got the idea for it from a Lovecraft hoodie I have that has a logo for the expedition from the Mountains of Madness. So I have been working on this for awhile but just finally got it posted up to zazzle so I could order me one. So I made a shirt for the 1933 East Indies expedition of the S. S. Venture. Also as a tease on the front pocket area I put one of my favorite sayings from the film.....when Capt. Englehorn is talking about the east indies and the location of Skull Island he says a complete fantasy statement that means nothing but sounds cool....Due South, 90 East ...which makes no sense in relation to where they are or where they are going.... I was actually tempted to put my all time favorite line on it. But it doesn't pertain to the ship. It is when Jack looking at the wall and replying to the size of it.....'I was up at Angkor once, and it is bigger than this and nobody knows who built it...'

http://www.zazzle.com/s_s_venture_crew_shirt-235008786817627873

Science comic.

2011-07-04T11:25:00.000-05:00

Well this update will be short and not very sweet. At least not sweet to me. You see in receiving a salary, sometimes when the deadline falls you must obey! So this weekend I am putting the finishing touches on this science comic for work. Big Sigh! I should be doing another commission that I have to go, and working on some stuff for the upcoming Number 13, and most of all working on Captain Spectre!
But alas, I am here working on the last two panels of this science comic. I know there will be a couple more additions and changes so not going to get too worked up.
One thing to notice here is the richer colors of these pages. They are for digital release and not for print. So I thought richer colors would be better. Also these are just dark pencils and not inks. The powers that be discovered Arkham Asylum and wanted something like that.
I should also mow today as it has been awhile. So if it doesn't rain later today then that will be on the daily plan.

Sorry for the odd update. Hopefully this will be the last time for stuff like this.

ERB's Number One

2011-06-26T20:30:00.002-05:00

Well here is a stab at the most drawn scene from Edgar Rice Burroughs 'the Monster Men'. Bill Stout, Mark Schultz, Frank Frazetta, St. John have all done this scene. So I figured I would give it a try. I didn't even know Mark had done a version until this wednesday when I finally got a copy of his great sketchbook Vol. 5. I got it home and opened it up and bang there was a drawing of Number 13 and Number 1 fighting, which was something not done yet with it. Then a commission piece of this scene. I had previously drawn a version but when I saw Mark's I just tore mine up and threw it away. The pose was almost exactly the same.

So anyway here are the pencils. I am pretty sure it won't be the cover but it might be a splash page or something if I am lucky.

Here are the inks as they stand Sunday evening.....it is a very slow process right now. My hand is giving me fits lately. So anyway enjoy Loyal Legionnaires, and I promise more Captain Spectre very soon. I still have a couple of commissions to knock out from my friends fund drive I was working on. But Captain Spectre pages are boiling on my workbench to be done. And in my mind. Thanks for tuning in.

Oh, I also added a blog roll over on the right side, down a bit....blogs I follow as they update will be at the top. As I installed this gadget there were 128 blogs I follow on my list...sheesh. But as they post they will drift up. So enjoy that small addition too. It's all about the links and traffic, Legionnaires.

Captain Spectre new store opening with new shirt with more coming

2011-06-21T14:17:00.003-05:00

Captain Spectre Rocket shirt by CaptainSpectre
Browse other Captain T-Shirts

Fathers Day...

2011-06-19T09:45:00.000-05:00

I had an idea for a WW2 era Captain America and Bucky drawing. I loved those Kirby issues where the acrobatics were part of their character. They worked as a team facing all obstructions. I also tried my hand at inking in solid bold strokes kind of like Chic Stone. His inking was so solid that Jacks figures just leapt off the page. I did this drawing on spec. Maybe someone will buy it, as I still have until the end of the month to hand over the money to my friend in need. Anyway it is inked, on 11x17 plate finish strathmore board.

This is a version of the above colored with the limited palette of the old comics industry. I have been playing with different ways to color my images in prep for deciding which way I want to color 'Solo Flight' when I get it all done.

I did this Creature on spec to start off the commissions, and it sold....thanks David....I had never drawn a creature before, except when I was a kid I tried it a few times after seeing the movies. My favorite Universal monster as when I was a kid I was a big fan of scuba diving. Loved all the shows like Sea Hunt, Aquanauts, and the movies like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. I ended up getting my aqua lung license and doing some diving in some off time in the service. Last real dive I made was in the East China Sea many years ago. Couldn't do any of it now a days, but I do fondly remember it. Deep sea adventures and space stuff were high on my list of kid dreams.

This was a commission I knocked out this past week also, from a friend who used to game with a small group I was part of a few years ago. He was rereading the first Burroughs' Mars books and wanted a shot of John Carter. When I was a kid I was always a bigger fan of the Tarzan stuff than the Mars stuff. And that has kind of carried over. I tend to not draw John Carter but this was one of the first I had ever done, and finished to this stage. I guess access as a kid is a big thing...there were the great Tarzan movies with Johnny Weissmuller, comic books, and the novels. I always enjoyed the mars books, just preferred the jungle adventures. I would think in todays world, off world adventures is the next frontier. When I was a kid Africa was still mysterious, not that it still isn't...just we have taken some of it away.

So on this father's day I would like to salute my dad. We had our differences for sure. But I never really got to know him. He died when I was young. But that made him more of a legend in my eyes than ever. He was a mystery to me, but he was my dad. I spent a good deal of my life as a diesel mechanic because of his ghost. I wanted to be as good a mechanic as him. Hell I wanted to be able to anything as good as he could. But I never made it. I was a good mechanic, but I was never a builder like him. I felt he could do anything. He built a swing set for me and my brother when we were kids, and that swing set still stands today. I imagine that when the world is finally blown apart in some horrific event that a chunk of earth will float off into the cosmos with that damned swing set still intact. So happy Father's Day to you dad...and happy father's day to my sons who are fathers and doing a better job at it than I ever did.

The Mucker commission

2011-06-12T13:58:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the late of updates lately....just busy as can be with things. Here is a very long overdue ERB commission that I finished up finally. I am sure the owner of the book will be glad to have it back. I am sure he thinks I ran off with it never to return it. ha. It's tough to draw right in a book, as I kid I never drew in books, or even dog eared the pages. So actually trying to draw in one it a tough mental thing to get over. Plus usually the paper is terrible for marker art at a con. So was glad to bring this one home and work with ink and brush on this one. Anyway will box it up tomorrow and send it on it's way.

Also I usually don't do any commissions or anything, just don't have the time with all that goes on. But I am opening up some time to do some commissions this coming week. I have a friend in need. He needs some money fast, like by the end of the month.
So I have some Spider art I could sell from the prose Moonstone Spider book. Or I could do original things, which I would prefer to do. Anyway you guys know my range of things. Adventure, pulp, early sci fi types of things. Please don't ask me to do 'odd' stuff, if you know what I mean. Anyway I am just going to give the money to my friend to help him out. I am trying to get my good karma built up I guess. Just seemed like the only thing I can do to help him out. I don't have savings or anything to pull from, just freeing up some time to do some drawing. So if you can help and get some art you like let me know, Legionnaires.

Prices start at $200 for:
11x17 original of your choice, within reason,
black and white
brush inked,
unframed piece.
includes shipping

Prices start at $35 for:
11x17 original head and shoulders
black and white
brush inked
unframed
includes shipping

Email me and let me know...we will talk about it.

Have a good Memorial Day....and remember....

2011-05-30T11:36:00.000-05:00

Have a good Memorial Day Loyal Legionnaires....but don't forget to remember our fallen, fallen in the fight to maintain our freedom.

I take World War 2 very seriously, but even at that I like the fantasy elements of it. I can imagine. To me the finest job in the world would be for me to draw a WW2 Captain America and Bucky story, and maybe even have a part time job with the plot or plots. I would be in earthly heaven to do such a job. Of course it would be without those stupid ammo pouches the insist on drawing on him now. It seems after all these years he doesn't look real enough....well Marvel, give him to me and he would be real. Anyway I won't rant on that.
I just wanted to help out on Memorial day with this drawing. I had another one but can't find it so thought this piece would do that I did for a charity auction in Iowa I believe.

And believe me I take it very seriously. I have always said, give a war and a Floyd will show up.
My dad was in the 93rd Seabees in the pacific in WW2. My brother in the Army Security Agency in the early days of Viet Nam. I was in the 101 airborne and the 9th Infantry as an combat and depot engineer. My youngest son was part of Operation IronHorse in Iraq. My mother's father even worked in the Navy ammunition depot in Nebraska because he was a career railroader. My mother worked in a 105 shell factory during WW2 waiting for my dad to come home. We all made it home from our conflicts in body. Of course our souls is another matter. So this Memorial Day remember the fallen, and keep your families and friends close.

Tarzan, and Memorial Day...

2011-05-29T23:06:00.000-05:00

One of the small projects I acquired at the DumDum last year was to do a small Tarzan image for a stamp cancellation postcard for when the Edgar Rice Burroughs stamp comes out. They are hoping, the Burroughs Society that is, that a ERB stamp will be done for the 100th anniversary of Tarzan coming up very soon. So the other day I started with some ideas of what to do for it. They seemed to like the one with Nkima, more than the one of the Tarzan yell. So I went with the Nkima one and started playing around with the design of it.

Next I pencilled and inked one. At the time I kind of liked it, but then started to sketch some more and decided I didn't like it very much. So I pencilled out another arrangement of the same subject.

I liked this one alot better. I focused a bit more on Tarzan by hiding Nkima behind him and brought his hand up with his knife in it. So I decided to ink it. I like inking, just sometimes the finished inks don't have the power or emotion of the pencilled piece. But I did the best I could.

I kind of think it held it's own with the finished inks. So I can consider this side project finished. I think it survived my inks.

Anyway Happy Memorial Day to all my Loyal Legionnaires. But that seems an odd thing to say a happy memorial day just doesn't seem right. So anyway just enjoy the day off if you have one coming. I know I will enjoy any day off I have from the day job. But tonight I am working on Captain Spectre, and hopefully tomorrow too, inbetween mowing and other duties around the secret HQ.

Now for a bit of news. I have accepted a project that will help things out. Let me explain a bit. The project will take me away from some time on Captain Spectre. Which isn't a good thing for me because I want this first issue out. But this new project is created by Sequential Pulp comics to be published by Dark Horse comics. So for one thing that means it is a high profile project published by a powerful comics company. It will be a full graphic novel, done in one type of story. So it will be alot of work for me as I will be handling all the art, letters and colors. But I hope with the added exposure from this project that will bring more attention to me and too Captain Spectre. The story is an Edgar Rice Burroughs one shot novel called 'the Monster Men'. The original title to the story was 'Number 13'. It has a bit of everything. It is kind of a frankenstein story mixed with pirates, a bit of jungle adventure, and some monsters....all with a burroughs twist. The official release hasn't been posted yet but should very soon. So it is going to be a tough year coming up for me trying to work on it and Captain Spectre. But I am hoping the combination of high profile and a great story will help out my other work. So I hope all you Loyal Legionnaires understand that I am trying to help out each project as best I can. So stay tuned to this blog for all the action and updates coming on both projects, as always.

New Captain Spectre page!

2011-05-22T23:33:00.001-05:00

Well Loyal Legionnaires, here is another page from 'Solo Flight' - my first comic novella in the works. This page follows the last one posted as I am working thru the story on a linear basis. I am too narrow focused of a person to try and do it any other way. And once again I hope posting this progress isn't going to affect the millions of sales I plan on having.......hahaha. Just joking you 'all. But you can see one of the bad guys going for a bit of a ride via Captain Spectre airlines, but oops that poor gal seems to be having a bit of trouble in the back of the truck. Maybe it's just a 1939 version of a bad hair day.
As before it takes me quite a while to plan out a page and get it all down. If you notice the pencils are somewhat less refined on this page. I started figuring since I was going to ink them, I didn't need to spend too much time worrying about totally finished pencils. I like doing tight pencils so I am trying to loosen up some on that area to help speed things up a little.

And speaking of speeding things up, I have actually agreed to do a project for a fresh starting company to be published thru Dark Horse Comics....and will have more news as it is released by the company. But I will throw out a tease for now......

finished pencils for page 6 of Solo Flight

2011-05-14T14:59:00.000-05:00

That panel from last week was just the top of this page. Here are the finished pencils for the whole page. On this page we see some of the fates of two criminals in our story. 'Solo Flight' is kind of a story about what happens to different breeds of criminals. Again I don't like giving away too much of a spoiler, but again I will say this book is pretty much all I am working on lately - other than the day job stuff, and that isn't any fun.

I wanted to make sure I got this post up and running, even if it is a bit early on the weekend. I have a few outside chores to tackle and with a chance of rain tomorrow I figured I better finish this up this morning and post it. Then after chores hopefully I will have time for some more pencils.

This is kind of an in and out page....Captain Spectre rockets into the page in the first panel and flies out in the last panel, of course with an added payload. And I am sure all you Loyal Legionnaires can tell what is going to happen to the passenger in the last panel. He is going for a bit of a high altitude sight-seeing tour.

Enjoy all you Loyal Legionnaires!

A tough one....

2011-05-08T07:29:00.001-05:00

As the title says, a tough one...this panel gave me a ton of trouble as far as the layout is concerned and also it proved my arthritis is getting to me more than I thought. This is the top panel of a page. And I just tried and tried but couldn't get the layout started right. So other than wearing out a piece of board, or comic paper, I drew the pieces one at a time, then lightboxed them together onto a new page. I discovered I don't have any control over my hand movements, well limited control when my arm is extended to the top of a page. In other words the more I reach the less control I have. This is making things tougher to work. But there are work arounds like the lightbox and other things. Getting old is not fun kids. Ha.

Also I hope viewers of any of the Commando Cody/Rocketman films don't think I am just ripping off one of the cool scenes in the movies. As most of you know I am heavily influenced by those great Republic cliffhangers. This scene is a tip of the hat to the first serial with Tris Coffin as Rocketman. But after alot of thought, there truly isn't alot of ways to land on a moving truck with your jetpack. So it actually helped using the lightbox. I drew the truck and all, then drew Captain Spectre at this angle, then lightboxed the truck and then placed Captain Spectre and lightboxed him. (The lightbox is a small box with frosted plexiglass as a drawing surface with a light source underneath. That way you can place a drawing on it and transfer, or trace the drawing onto a clean piece of paper.)

Isn't the internet a wonder. A place of unlimited reference for artists. I can't count how many times I use it to look up what something looks like. Especially like drawing the Captain Spectre strip. If I need a 1936 police cruiser, then I just type it in and wham there it is. Amazing to this day. And it sure saves alot of time in research and reference. It also yields great gems, like this photo of Kong on the mountain. Being a poor man's collector, I don't have many film books or things like that. I mostly buy comic collection books and things like artist collections, so I had never seen this photo before. And being a King Kong film fan, as I still consider it the greatest adventure movie made, when I saw this photo I just had to reach for the DVD and view it again. I can honestly say that I don't know how many times I have viewed this film. Hundreds for sure. It never fails to make me feel like a kid again.

Then of course the big news, and this is what I think one of the better cartoons of the event. Most had political sides taken but this one was more American so I liked it better. Of course it is copyright by the artist, I am just reposting because I liked it. As some of you know I have a personal stake. One of my sons served in the War on Terror in Iraq for almost two years, and made it back home from the frontlines.

Also some things stay the same as in enemies can only hide so long, either from Seal Team Six or Captain Spectre. As shown in one of the first Captain Spectre shirt designs I did when the strip started.

I wanted to get this update posted as I will be spending some time with the northern branch of the Floyd family today. They are coming out to the secret HQ for a cookout. So happy Mothers day to all the mothers out there. And to my mom, long gone, Thanks Mom.

Throttles at full....!

2011-04-24T15:16:00.000-05:00

Well as before, I don't know how much I want to show of the Captain Spectre novella, but since that is the main thing I am working on in all my spare time it is all I have to show. So Loyal Legionnaires, here is another full page of pencils, page 5, showing a bit of the set up and Captain Spectre ready to go into high flying action! At least the words aren't included, so that will be the surprize when you read the full issue. This thing is going to clock in about 48+ pages so that is why I am calling it a 'novella'. It is a complete story also, no continued stuff here. Enjoy...

A quick update, and long overdue.

2011-04-19T06:57:00.000-05:00

Here is a quick update to prove I am working on 'Solo Flight', the first Captain Spectre novella length comic. This is just a rough unfinished piece of a panel. Remember I wasn't going to show alot from now on in it's full form, since I don't want to spoil anything about the plot or lack of plots. As I have said many a time, I am not a writer ... I just pretend to be one on the web. Ha.

Anyway to keep all you Loyal Legionnaires up to date with things, I seem to be dealing with this new drug they are giving me for the nerve problems I am having in my arms and hands. They are working on the nerve part but have seemed to let the arthritis part slip thru their fingers. So am still dealing with that too, with these people it seems to be one problem at a time, and that isn't helping with my production at all. This nerve med is making me sleep, which is something I don't really normally do a lot of. Also it is making me be really lax in my production. Making it very hard to do what I feel I need to do. It is an odd thing and I do need to have another talk with these people. I appreciate them wanting to cure it all long term, but when I don't do my work, sometimes I don't know if the cure or the pain is worse.

So stay tuned Legionnaires to the slow updates, I will try to produce more and update more, and the adventures of the sick artist that is trying to just hold a pencil and push it around.....!

thanks....

Captain Spectre preview, and yes another film rant

2011-04-09T12:37:00.000-05:00

Well I guess I will have to post more product than I had thought I would. Mainly because it is all I am working on lately, of course except the product I slap out for the day job, and this blog isn't about that stuff. Anyway, here is the opening page to the actual story of the book. This will be page 4 since the intro I posted is three pages long. I wanted this page to end up on the left of the spread so that it is facing page 5. Since I seem to spend quite a bit of time on the actual visual design of the story, and panels and pages. I hope it will show in this book. I am still trying to put my best foot forward as the saying goes.

Again sorry for the long time between updates lately....I am still dealing with these new meds for my neuralgia and my production time is more limited lately. I hope soon my production time will speed back up.

I also wanted to go ahead and post something because of this new type editor and stuff on the blog's backend. Also you might notice a couple of subtle tweeks here and there on this site. I thought it would be neat to add that globe thing showing where all you Loyal Legionnaires are from. If it creeps you out let me know and I can take it down, but I thought it was swell.

Ok, here I go again with ranting about the new Marvel movies. Altho I am liking the Captain America film more lately, except for the costume, and the whole Bucky story being changed. I told a friend the other day I will just pretend his real costume is in for repair or something, and will just think the film Bucky is another Howler and not actually Bucky.
But this rant is a short one about the Thor movie. One is those 'people' with Thor - the two girls or women or whatever are really annoying for sure to me, especially that youngest one - the one that Tasers Thor. And there we have the main point of the rant. I have seen two clips from this movie, in one the God of Thunder and Lightning gets Tased and he goes down for the count. Am I the only one that finds that wrong? And in the second clip just released the other day, Thor is fighting the emergency room people and someone sticks a needle in him and he instantly goes down. I find this so wrong too. Think about it here....a medical person with a knock out hypo seeing a big guy would administer a dose for a 'big guy', not a dose for a Norse god.
So in two clips so far we have the God of Lightning knocked out by weak electricity and then knocked out by a human dose of some knock out drug.
That isn't my vision of Thor, the Norse god of Thunder!!

Another sneak preview page.

2011-03-28T17:35:00.003-05:00

I planned on posting this the other night, just didn't get to it, and actually just noticed I need to change one thing. In that bottom split panel young Chris is holding a biplane toy. Ha, I need to erase that and either replace it or just will probably leave his hand empty. As with Chris being born at the turn of the century I don't think at this age there would be bi-plane models or toys yet. I guess I was just trying too hard to get the symbol of flying or him wishing to fly over too much. Oh well.

Anyway I am posting this as a full page preview, it is the end of the 'intro' piece at the front of the comic. Remember I had mentioned this intro to get people who know nothing of the character or time or place into the comic. To make the story more accessible to a wider audience if you will.

So in other words the sneaks from now on will be panels or sketches, so as to not spoil anything for you. Also as a bit of torture too. ha. Not really. Well there may be parts I could post as things move along. We will see.

Anyway this proves I am still working at it. Again just a very slow process.

A blast from the past!

2011-03-21T01:00:00.004-05:00

I spent part of the day digging thru old storage boxes for art from years ago in search of a series of litho prints I did ages ago. I was amazed at some of the stuff I found, also saddened by some of it as when I did some of my more fine art stuff it was a tough time in my life. But also found some things that brought back some ideas and characters and also stories. The top one is one of the series of lithos I did about the war. The dog was not amused at all the time I spent digging thru the boxes, since I wasn't attending to him, so he just said to hell with it and went to sleep. Also found some old stories. This one was going to be Lone Star's breakout story. I never finished it so it didn't get published before Elite Comics fell. This story was going to be a turning point in my art and life, sad to think of sometimes. Maybe I will revisit it some time. Lone Star was my favorite character I created, until I created Captain Spectre.

part 3, that's it for this week.

2011-03-19T12:42:00.001-05:00

part 2

2011-03-19T12:41:00.002-05:00

Image, or Sketch dump....part 1

2011-03-19T12:34:00.002-05:00

I just discovered you can only upload five images at a posting. Weird. Oh well this will be a many part update then. I produce tons of sketches in warm ups, character designs, layouts, thumbnails, and all aspects of drawing a comic. So I rounded up a bunch of them from my piled up table and scanned them in. Most of these were done in just the past couple of weeks.

the process.....the warm ups

2011-03-14T19:54:00.003-05:00

I thought I would post a bit about 'the process' as it were. I had some people ask here and also email me about this little known part of the drawing process.

The first thing when I sit down to draw is the 'warm up'. I guess like most things involving controlled parts of the body, ha, like a baseball pitcher or something is the 'warm up'. Same in drawing. The 'warm up' gets the arm moving so you can work on control, movement, and just generally working the kinks out. And of course the older you get the more kinks you have to work out. I find it also gets some of the images out of your brain you may have stored while watching tv or reading or whatever from the night before. It also serves as kind of an 'idea factory' for poses and other stuff.

Also after doing this I usually scan them with my 11x17 scanner and save most of them. I usually scan all my work. Even pencilled pages before inking. Sketches I like, finished work and all. My scanner is one of my most important pieces on my computer table. I paid a ton for it, but it has been worth every penny. I used to have a small scanner, and when I started doing Captain Spectre I had to scan each half of a page and put them back together in photoshop. What a pain that was week after week. Or whenever I got a page done. Now I can scan a full size comic page, they are draw bigger than the print size, if you don't know. The drawing field on a full size comic page is about 10 x 15.25 inches.

Anyway you can see the simple sketch of the Captain Spectre drawing I posted last week, in the lower right corner of the top page of sketches. That is where it started, and I thought it was a cool pose so I finished it up on the bigger paper of a comic page.

warm up drawing goes crazy!

2011-03-05T15:09:00.002-06:00

Usually as a warm up drawing I try to do poses for Captain Spectre flying or fighting. Mainly because they are more fluid and have some energy, and for warm up drawings that is kind of what you want to either get into, or out of your system. Also lately because of my hands I have been using large paper so I can kind of get all the joints and things going in the same direction. Well this morning started with a couple of very quick roughs sketches then this one just struck a cord. My arm felt ok, and things were going good so I just stuck with it. Also must of the time if I do a pin-up type thing it is or can be used for a couple of different things. I figure this could be a splash page sometime, or a cover, or poster or banner or something. Anyway now I have something nice to ink and warm up my inking someday, maybe tomorrow....we shall see. Sometimes a drawing gets under your skin and you just have to finish it - strike while the iron is hot kind of thing.

'Solo Flight' update - I don't have any more finished pencilled pages yet, I went back to working out some problems I saw on my thumbnails and layouts. Fight scenes are not as easy as they look to do the choreography for. And especially to make some sense out of. I don't like those fight scenes that don't move right. Anyway hope I can make them all work.

On the medical front, it seems that I had a couple of pains that just won't fade at all with all the different meds I have been taking. So my local doc tried something different, and it seems to be working some....it is a nerve med that attacks the way your pain receptors receive signals from your nerves. So it is a combo of neuralgia and arthritis...so more meds and more time to sort things out. But more on all that as it develops.

Again thanks to all who tune in....I do appreciate it more than you know. thanks.

A quick update

2011-03-02T06:37:00.002-06:00

Legionnaires....sorry once again for a long pause between updates. I will explain as things develop on that, with good news hopefully.

But until then here is the pencils for page 2 of the 'who are they' part of the intro to 'Solo Flight' -the first full length Captain Spectre comic!

I finished these off last night, after having a couple of bad nights with my arm and hands. So I guess you could say, 'equipment failure' was the reason for the long pause between page 1 pencils and this page 2.

thanks for understanding Loyal Legionnaires.....I do appreciate it alot.

...and so it begins.

2011-02-20T17:31:00.003-06:00

Believe me I have said it all to myself....about damn time, time to get to work, get off my butt and do some work, just do it, and most anything else you can think of to get me going.

Sure I have to tighten up the script, iron a few more things out along the way, but the good news is....it has begun.

What you see here is the first pencilled page of a very short intro to the world of Captain Spectre. I decided to add this to the first of the book for people who aren't used to the story, or even comics in general.

I recently listed to a couple of podcasts about comics from part time or non-comics readers. One of the more interesting things about it all are a couple of questions us regular comic readers take for standard practice. Like the big question, who are all these people I am seeing and where did all the stuff come from?

As comics, I feel, need to spread out since we don't seem to be getting new readers just mainly comic readers trying something different. I thought I would add a intro bit for people who haven't see the on line strip, I can always point them there with something in the book, or in person if they buy a copy. Also this sets the stage for the era and feeling of the book, rather than people thinking it is a modern day book and helps get them in the mood for what they are about to see and read. At least I hope it is a good idea. I will post all of this intro online as I get the pages done and we can talk about the idea and if it works or not.

It does add some pages, but this first one is gonna be a whooper anyway. I really don't have a official page count yet as I am still working out some layout problems and storytelling things. I want this book to be as clear as possible to readers and non-comic readers alike.

So stick with me Loyal Legionnaires, it is going to be a long slow road getting this book finished, but I am hoping it will be worth it in the long run.

I will post as much as I feel I can to not give away too much, but since this is mostly what I am working on from here on out, after the day job of course, then I feel I have to post somethings.

thanks.......and away we go!!!!!!

I am not a doctor, but I play one in a comic book....

2011-02-18T18:02:00.002-06:00

Just had to post this concept idea. Not going to tell where it is from or when he will appear. Just mainly wanted to get it posted before someone else hits on such a simple idea for a character. He does plan on being a part of the Captain Spectre galaxy of characters.

From the past....into the Future....

2011-02-13T11:58:00.004-06:00

Well here is an odd update. As I progress with this medical problem, and kept trying to find some comfort as I worked....I have discovered that those ratings for pencil lead, you know like HB - 2H - etc. also has something to do with age. ha. I kept trying to sketch and draw thru all this even though I wasn't getting much done. With the new meds I am taking I am also getting hand tremors or shakes. So this is all kind of like learning to draw again. I also found the lead in the pencils I have used for decades was driving me crazy as I would place a line down on even the smoothest bond paper I use for roughs and sketching out ideas. The HB which is a middle ground was driving me nuts. So in the last few days I have tried out all the different leads I have around here, which is quite a backlog of lead types. Oh I know some people will think I am crazy and can't tell the difference in the feel, but I can. Hell I even have paper on my computer tablet because I can't stand the feel of the plastic on the stylus against the plastic on the Wacom tablet. I know it is a small thing, or it should be. But it happens. So bare with me as I work thru some of this and come out on the other side. It's like learning to draw all over again in some aspects.

Also the paintings above are ancient history. Back when I thought I was going to chase a fine art career I painted. These paintings represent a period I was going thru as I dealt with some issues from being a veteran. Well I have dug these paintings out to take some photos of them to actually enter into a show....veterans doing art about the war, specifically VietNam. But more on all that as it progresses.

Just be kind when you look at them, they are probably close to thirty years old now, and are huge.....three by six feet is the average. Hell I even used to build my own canvases. Also the lighting on these are kind of weird as I was experimenting with some really shiny paint to bring in metal since they are about the war.

slow going....

2011-02-04T10:29:00.003-06:00

Well this week is almost a total loss. Inking the buildings and finishing this up is ALL I have been able to get done this week. Great production speed, huh.

Pardon my french, but it just amazes me that I have to wait so long to get to this new doctor, and even at that the steroid shots they gave me didn't do shit, and she refuses to give me any pain medication. Amazing, I thought doctors were supposed to make life easier.

Well I go in tuesday to get all the test results and grizzly news. Then I am sure her and I will go round and round. I have taken a full week of sick time because of my hand and arm. I am sure that isn't playing well with the people I work for. Hell if you only knew how typing this is going. It may look fine in it's published form, but I think on average I miss hit a key in every word I even type anymore.

So anyway, I may try to throw some color on this piece this weekend. But then again maybe I won't.

So until this is kind of cleared up or I find yet another doctor, I am at least going to find out what some of these test results are, hell I am paying for them so I might as well, don't expect too much production from me.

sorry, Loyal Legionnaires.........

Stuff and Junk.....

2011-01-25T19:11:00.002-06:00

Sorry to all you Loyal Legionnaires out there, but again sorry for not posting. Honestly I just haven't had anything to post. I was working on some things, but again honestly to use an old phrase, I have hit the wall. My rheumatioid Arthritis is really driving me crazy. What little work I am doing is at about quarter speed. Which, pardon my french, really pisses me off! My mind is rattled with this all. I can't get going. I have finally been to the new specialist, and I just don't know what is going to happen from all that. Again honestly, not much hope in some areas.

I just don't know how much money and time this is all going to take.

Anyway enough whining, I will just suck it up for now I guess. So I offer yet another cover idea in process for 'Solo Flight'. I pasted in a photo background to get some reference. It won't look like that too much when finished. It is just to give kind of an idea and placement for the buildings. I started taking a look at covers lately, and kind of got tired of the fact most of them don't have a damned thing to do with the comic other than some fancy mood shot of a brooding hero. And I found out I was trying to do the same damned thing. So I decided to do something about it. And yes this scene kind of appears in the comic so it gives a taste of things to come.

So with slow going things, including this blog, I will try harder to keep all informed as to what is happening. We all just have to keep the faith as they say.

Legionnaire Roundup and happenings...

2011-01-15T06:41:00.002-06:00

Here at Lightning Legion Secret HQ on Saturday morning while waiting for the pain meds to kick in so I can get some work done, I thought I would post an update from the drawing table.

First off, above you will see the project cover to the science comics I have been working on lately at the day job. See there that 'Action Science' tag line isn't a bunch of whooie, I actually have been doing science comics. This piece contains one of the 'virus' characters from each of the stories that Martin Powell has written.

Below that is a concept for a lady character. I started this as just a warm up drawing earlier in the week. You know one of those throw away kind of drawings to get the joints working and the brain cob webs cleared out. Well then it evolved into an idea for a character with kind of a pun for a name. 'Liberty Girl' is what I wanted to call her, but then realized someone already used that name. I don't know if they named their character because of the term or what. You see a 'Liberty Girl' during WW2 was kind of a bar-fly/hooker/gold digger type that hung around the army/navy bases and tried to hook up with soldiers or sailors. Anyway once I remembered that name was taken, the idea kind of fell apart. I can just use the costume idea for another character or something.

One thing I would like to mention is I like more functional looking women's costumes. Oh don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with sexy outfits....they just have to be used at the right time and on the right person. Maybe this could be another outfit for Jack since she is mostly all business when she flies her plane. But, probably at a later date, this looks more 40's to me. More like a WW2 pilot or WASP type flying outfit.

Then as always I pound away in the spare time, what little I have, to move forward on the ever present KiGor 11 page story. So here is a progress shot of page 6. And yes someday I will get this little story done.

And with all of that, I am still working on the layouts for Captain Spectre's first issue. Which I am afraid is turning into a larger story than I thought it would. After all there are no limits when I do it all myself.

Thanks for tuning in for your Legionnaire update all you Loyal members.....

thanks.......

Letting off a little steam....or the new Captain America movie is not for me.

2011-01-12T19:52:00.004-06:00

Forgive me a bit while I let off some steam.

Ever since I heard about the new Captain America movie I have been going up and down about even setting foot in the theater, or just watching it for that matter since I don't go to the movies anymore.

The casting rumors when they first started worried me. Also I should mention in this rant there will be good things and bad things I think, or thought they are doing. But when Chris Evans was picked to play Cap/Steve I was thinking well that is a good thing. I liked Evans as the Torch, yes I finally saw those FF movies. Yikes I thought but one of the only things I liked about those was Evans as the Torch. So to me Evans is a good choice for Steve.

Also I understand why they do the Hydra during WW2 thing. Because you can't have Nazis in a movie showing overseas in some places. It still amazes me on this point, it is like comics with Nazi bad guys in them aren't sold in Germany. It is one of those things like on the Avengers animated series that just started up, WW2 was fought between the Allies and Hydra....I don't know if Hydra invaded Poland but I guess they did to help fuel WW2's beginnings. Of course when you think about it why would Hydra want Poland?

So I assume that the mention of Germany and Nazis will be at an all time low in the new Captain America movie.

I guess I could live with that, knowing that they want the movie to play overseas, I am just sad we can't admit to our past and get over it. It's just a movie after all.

The costume is my next rant....I HATE IT. I have read many many forums and boards lately on or about the movie and I am totally sick of people saying it looks cool and like it is more WW2 looking than Jack Kirby's original design. That costume looks like NOTHING that ever came out of the 40's. I know it is based on the Ultimate universe Cap costume. I have actually never read any of the Ultimate universe stories. And once again I am going to say that for a fighter like Steve/Cap is all those pouches....and ammo pouches at that hanging all over a costume would make it harder to fight. Cap is a acrobatic style fighter and a metal helmet, belts, buckles, and pouches flopping all around doesn't seem like reality to me. Reality is the reason most of these things were added as I understand it in the Ultimate comics stories.

I like that they set the first movie in the time period of the World War 2. I think that was maybe one way to get me to see it. But all these other things are going to keep me away.

Believe me I could go on and on about all this....but I just read the clincher for me.

In an interview with the guy playing Bucky he stated that Bucky and Steve are both orphans so they have that bond.

Well that did it for me. One of the strong points of Steve's character in my mind is his parents. Or a family of some kind. I think it takes a piss poor writer to have to change a character like that just to make a bond between two people. I know it is probably a minor thing to most people, but it is kind of like getting divorced...people state problems like not putting the top back on the toothpaste as a reason when there are deeper problems they don't realize, like being feed up. Well this was the top on the toothpaste for me with this movie.

I was hoping that this movie would at least capture the flavor of the strip, but I just don't know anymore. I thought the Iron Man movie did a good job of capturing what I thought Iron Man was about. Hell I even thought the Xmen movie did a decent job of that. I am not really a X fan I quit buying that book with X men number 10 in the sixties when Jack Kirby quit drawing it.

I just wish they could have done a bit better with some of the character details on the Cap movie. I have been a Captain America fan all my life, well since I bought a copy of Avengers #4 and was totally hooked when Sgt Fury 13 hit the stands. I quit when they recently killed Steve off, I figured it was a good time too. I wasn't enjoying the book except for the art. Hell really that book hasn't been good since they split Tales of Suspense up. But I was a fan and have every issue of Cap, except those Liefield pieces of dung.

Sorry for the rants, and I don't expect anyone to read it all or agree with me. It is just my two cents, and the fact I am feed up with it all. At least they didn't make the Red Skull italian like they did the last one....ha.

deadlines make my head hurt!

2011-01-11T18:00:00.005-06:00

Well, one of my day job projects is reaching a way-point. The HIV science comic written by Martin Powell, and 'the committee', is almost finished. With a meeting tomorrow I am sure there will be more changes, but for the most part it is finished. At least the print version. It will need some tweeking for the Ipad version I am sure.

And I am glad, and sad. Glad because it has been a long drawn out process. And sad because I have been able to work on it from home. It has been so great to not have to drive into work, which if I haven't mentioned is 52 miles one way. With rising gas prices and no raise in over two years it is getting tough. Also the dog has loved having me around all day.

Another good thing is I have another one to do starting next month so maybe I will get to work from home some more. Which is great since we got nine inches of snow the other day.

Also I am going to a new doctor, a specialist, on the 25th. Hope some good comes from it. My arm, wrist and hands have been getting worse by the week.

Work has slowed on all side projects because of this, which I hate!!!!! This has got to stop for sure.

Anyway thought I should update all the loyal Legionnaires out there.

With this big project out from under my belt, maybe now I can get back to the old schedule and be able to turn out more night work.

Also point to notice in the above piece is that except for some pencils this piece is all digital. Digital inks, some digital pencils, and of course color. I am a horrible colorist for sure so please forgive that part of it. I try to do my best on coloring but it is my weakest process. Hopefully I can do better when the Captain Spectre title is ready to be colored. Wish I could afford a colorist, but with medical bills lately and stuff there is no way.

Research, sketching, daydreaming, writing...

2010-12-31T07:03:00.003-06:00

Things are coming together for all you Loyal Legionnaires. This past week I have been pounding the pavement, or rather the great research tool - the internet, getting together images for reference, costumes, vehicles, buildings and all things needed for the first issue of Captain Spectre.

As prep work, as you all know, I need to get comfortable with all the characters in the book. No matter how little they have to do with the story. Mainly because visually I want this book to be the best thing I have ever done. So I went back to the 'Mary' the waitress character to do a bit better design work than before. Also found a better truck that I needed. This two and half ton ford cab-over from 1939 is a better fit for what I wanted. So as I mentioned the process begins. How do I draw these vehicles, what kind of inking do I want on them. What style or degree of contrast in the inking. So I did a rough with a new pen brush I bought. Served two purposes, tested the brush, and gave me some vehicle inking practice for the book.

It seems more and more I try to make things, drawings, sketches, and the like to do double duty - as time is always a factor.

So my plans for New Years are to continue with this process, as this morning the ice is coming down already. The sidewalk is slick.....the dog was even sliding around as he went out for his morning bathroom adventure, I have food in the icebox, the power hasn't gone off, and I have no plans.....other than working on the book today. It is going to be a very good day I think.

So Happy New Year to all you Loyal Legionnaires! Stay safe, don't drink and drive, try not to drink too much......and get rid of this year and let's make this new year a much better one!!

And again thanks for tuning in...... oh and also, I finally have my main villain for issue one. I am trying to figure out if I should post it, or keep it a deep dark science secret.

Merry Christmas Legionnaires!!!

2010-12-25T15:33:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone is having a very merry Christmas!!!

Well...Somebody had to do it!!

2010-12-18T12:02:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas Loyal Legionnaires, and readers of Action Science Adventures Magazine!

This very well could have hit the local news stand in December of 1939!

Who's to say it couldn't have been done. Ha. I was thinking about doing something for Christmas again this year, and just couldn't come up with anything. I sure am not feeling the Christmas spirit...I usually don't.... the holiday is totally wasted on me. The only thing I like it for is the time off, and I won't even get much of that this year. I have a deadline at work and it is taking me more time on the project than I guessed. Just one of those things that happens way too often.

Then this thing sprang full blown into my mind late last night. I hadn't actually inked anything in a bit...the job I am doing for work is being inked 'digitally'. And I am not a fan of working that way, but the job calls for it. Anyway, I wanted to kill two birds with one stone....so I did a Christmas thing and inked it....then threw some digital coloring at it, and here you go Loyal Legionnaires! I would assume that Captain Spectre would give up his feature story once a year for a new Kringle: the Avenger - Super Science story. I can only imagine aliens landing at the north pole to steal all the toys. This of course would result in a world wide disaster that only Kringle: the Avenger could deal with....maybe with a bit of help from Captain Spectre! ha.

Enjoy Loyal Legionnaires......Merry Christmas and happy holidays!!!!!

I apologize for the lack of updates lately.....sorry.

2010-12-12T07:25:00.002-06:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. Things are just nuts right now. With so many things going on. Then the holiday season is always a trying time for me. How to spread what little money I have between my two sons and their families. It is more of a depression with me. Hell, my two sons are way better heads of families than I ever was. They are more successful with it all. I am very proud of them. Of course I consider myself the prime example of what NOT to be or do.

Also with the cold weather the arthritis is worse. I am going to move up the food chain of doctors, mine is sending me off to a specialist.....oh boy is that probably going to turn out bad. Well I guess my doctor is right, I shouldn't rely on just pain meds for it all. I just don't think they understand tho.....I will not let them cut on my hand....hell, took 57 years just to draw as bad as I do.....I don't want to relearn it all over again.

Anyway enough of my depression......above is the cover for the HIV comic I am working on. This thing has a tight deadline and is keeping my very busy. I am finding a bit of time to continue work on the KiGor short story. And of course time to work on the story for the Captain Spectre first issue.

I really want the first issue of Captain Spectre to make a hit. So I am working extra hard on the story. I hope everyone will be happy with it.

Again sorry for the lack of updates, I will try harder to keep everyone in the loop. Thanks for tuning in all you Loyal Legionnaires!

Happy Turkey Day.....

2010-11-25T17:09:00.002-06:00

Well, ok I know I am behind on this story. And if you are keeping track, I actually am doing the pages out of sequence since I am relying on my thumbnails for the story telling. Also I was never happy with this page layout from the first time I did it. So I reworked it a couple of times, now I am fairly happy with it as far as moving the story forward and not messing around too much. So I polished it off today, at least the pencils for it. Now I can move on a bit. Which I am sure you are as happy as I am about it. I want to finish this up as soon as I can. Well let me clear that up. I want to get it done, but I still want it to be one of the best things I have done. So it will take some time. I have to settle for some below grade work on some projects but this one I am not doing that way. I want this to be a piece I can showcase some storytelling and jungle story stuff.

Also on the Captain Spectre front. Or rather the scripting of the first issue. I have canned the idea I had for the first issue and reworked it ....yet again. I promise it is a better story this way, and one that will showcase Captain Spectre and his world. I am proud of the way it is going, so I sure hope it is worth the wait. Being excited about it, makes me want to turn out a better product for you guys. So patience Legionnaires, I think it will be worth it all.

And have a safe and happy Thanksgiving....from me, chopper, and Captain Spectre.

Veteran's Day....

2010-11-11T19:45:00.003-06:00

Odd thing, when I started this piece for the auction at the Iowa Comic con that I was planning on attending, I didn't really think about Veteran's Day. If you know me, as a kid all I ever wanted out of life was to grow up and draw the Captain America strip. Well I know that will never happen. And to be frank with all the changes in the strip and character I don't know if I would want too. Unless they would let me do an old school WW2 adventure.

Anyway I am not going to get to make it to the Iowa con. But I did finish inking this piece for them. I will mail it over there when I get the chance.

I hope everyone has a great time. I was really wanting to go. Just can't. Deadlines and other factors.

Anyway, Good Veteran's day to all the vets, service men and women serving, and the past vets - we are all brothers in arms.

teaser.....

2010-11-07T10:40:00.006-06:00

I just couldn't resist this. I know it is way early and this is a very long way from being done. But, hey a guy can dream can't he. I needed something to get my blood pumping. And working on this is all that seems to be keeping me going lately.

In this process of working on this first issue, I am working really hard on trying to write a good issue/story. I also was the art on this to be top notch, or at least the best I can do at the time.

The story is refining itself....that may sound weird to people who are real writers, but I tend to write with alot of visuals. So I tend to wander around in the story. I have learned to chop things that really don't belong. Sometimes I will come up with a scene and think it is really good for along time. Then I wake up one morning and think - what the hell was I thinking, that scene doesn't move the story or help the characters any. So it gets cut.

I am still learning, and teaching myself in all aspects of storytelling. So please bare with me on all this. It is a very long process when something like this is creator owned. Or a better term for it is 'it's my baby'. ha. If I screw this up, I screw up everything. I have that feeling. I really want this issue to do alot.

So, I just want to see if I can get people interested in the story by making some good teaser pieces for it.

I know I am pumped to work on it....now if time will allow me too.

Also I guess I was proud of myself since I finally came up with a title for the story I could live with............ Solo Flight.

what da ya think????

educational comics....

2010-11-03T21:16:00.003-05:00

Well I am deep into working on an educational comic at work. I have worked on a couple of these for this project over the last couple of years. This new one is kind of a sci fi take on a virus story. Actually with tinges of an old EC comics story thrown in for good measure. Of course it is only ten pages long, but since I am doing it all - except the writing, it is going to take awhile. The story was originally written by Martin Powell, but then savaged by political correctness and scientists that have no imagination. So we are lucky it even has a bit of story left tucked in behind the science.

I am just posting this too keep you loyal Legionnaires up on what is happening. Of course this is the day job. So not to worry things are still progressing on the first issue of Captain Spectre, and working toward pages on the KiGor story too. I know this is taking ages, but I am slow and old - so bare with me in my old age, please. I will post some prelims of things to the Captain Spectre book in a day or two.

So stay tuned Legionnaires. Thanks.

Watch this great video, if you are a monster movie fan!

2010-10-26T19:53:00.000-05:00

Going toe to toe with the blues.....

2010-10-25T20:01:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone writing to me about curing the blues, beating the slump, or whatever you want to call it. Again it happens all too often anymore....but I am duking it out with the muse.

So sometimes you just have to go back to the beginning and start from scratch. So I thought I would work on some concept sketches. All characters start with the concept. So here are a few I have going at the moment. As it stands right now most of these characters will be in Issue one. Not all will make the cut as I tend to rewrite a few hundred times it seems. Just thought I would keep all you very loyal Legionnaires up to date, in the battle with the blues. Also think I finally am happy with the 'Jack' character. She has been kind of nebulous to me for awhile. But now she is pretty much set in stone. The pic of her is from a full sheet of face studies. Since one of the problems with creating characters, especially in a strip where not everyone has a costume on all the time, is trying to make them look the same from all angles and each time you redraw them. But I am happy with her appearance now.

I will keep all informed on the on going battle. And once again thanks to all who write and post on the site.....I do appreciate it. It keeps me going. Thanks.

The word is SLUMP....

2010-10-23T20:00:00.002-05:00

We all get them, whether you call them the Blues, a Slump, Creative Void, The give a shits, whatever you want to call them we all get them.

Well I guess the reason I have been a bit lazy in my posting is I have dealing with a case of it all right now. I know this may seem like a broken record to regular readers, but it happens more often than people like to admit. The piece above I had had pencilled awhile back, just never got around to inking it. Well it seems I can even ink fairly well when in a depression or slump. Since it is more of a mechanical process for me. I guess what I need to do is have a backlog of pencilled pieces around for these times. Which by the way, I have even noticed are coming more often, or time is flying by faster in my later years. I think it is some of both of those reasons. Also so many other factors are in play right now too, the same old stuff really, the day job, the shorter daylight hours (ever since I totaled my truck hitting that deer last november, I have been a bit gun-shy about driving at night.), my arthritis, a few personal things, and as always that no money in the bank thing. Nothing out of the ordinary as most people have problems and deal with them. Just sometimes it all piles up and seems to heap onto you all at once.

Again not whining or making excuses, just letting you all know what is happening. It will pass. Just takes a big jolt. An idea would help to get my mind excited again about anything. Oh, sure I want to get beyond the half way mark of the KiGor story, finish the second half of the Captain Spectre script, and do a hundred other things laying around. I just have to find the fire again.

On the other hand, I think that piece above of Cap rocketing off the rooftop will probably be the cover drawing to the first issue of Captain Spectre. So I guess some work gets done even in the throws of the slump.

Hang with me, it will be over soon....I promise.

chipping away at it all....

2010-10-10T10:22:00.003-05:00

Again, just a typical weekend. I am chipping away at all projects on all fronts it seems. Here is page 5 of the KiGor story. Man, this one took awhile. It was a real challenge for sure. I especially had fun designing and inking the 'batman' shaman. I had been watching a lot of jungle adventure movies lately, or should I say as always, since I like jungle stories. And thought about the scarification stuff alot. So why wouldn't a shaman or witchdoctor use it like this, to add things to his body to make him seem more like a totem animal or something. Just a thought. Anyway it also gives the audience a view of what is to come in KiGors Africa. The 'dino' again is like the great old movie dinos of the 50's and 60's which were just big lizards with plates and stuff glued onto them. I loved those faux-dinos alot.

I also got interviewed by the All Pulp site. So here is a link to that if you care to read any of my rantings and ravings on the questions they posed for me. So click to read.

Also if you need a print of the Captain Spectre Serial Lobby card from the previous post just click to download it and print it out. It is 11 x 17 so you can print it full size if you like, or if you can't just tell your printer to size it down some. If you need me to size it down, just ask and I can do that and post it at a later time. Just say the word Legionnaires.

Progress on all fronts.....

2010-10-03T20:08:00.006-05:00

Well, not gonna let you see the whole KiGor page yet, as it isn't quite done. But just thought I would show this page....after all I do want people to buy the book it is going to be in. ha. Anyway just wanted to mention once again....all brush work on this story so far. And this panel is only four and half inches by seven and a half. I am not much good at drawing small anymore....hence the photoshop comps I have shown here. But I still need to ink the figures no matter how small they come out in the comps. It was a tough one with my slowly failing eyesight...ha.

Also like a dog with a bone. I couldn't resist putting in a couple of hours finishing off the Captain Spectre serial Lobby card. Some things just have to be done, as all creative people understand. I kept thinking about this piece and that was bothering me. So to free up my mind I just had to finish up a version of it. Not by all means a final, but I kind of liked it, so will keep this as a version anyway. Also I included some names for the stars. Thought about the casting of the characters and came up with this selection. Let me know what you think.

I hope everyone had a good weekend. I think my was good. Of course always too short, but I did get some much needed work done on KiGor. And the serial card is going to be used in issue one, so actually that was work on the first issue, a bit. I will try in the next week or so to post the serial card as a .pdf on the site so people can download and print one if they like. OK.

Well back to the old salt mines tomorrow.....or maybe it should be the radium mines as in Flash Gordon......I like that better.

Looking forward to a productive and enjoyable weekend....

2010-10-02T09:10:00.004-05:00

Well, as most of you Loyal Legionnaires, and Jungle Pals know....I always have several things going at one time....probably one of my more self-annoying habits. I seem to always have big plans and projects eating away at the back of my brain. Some of those projects have included collecting sound effects for a internet radio show of Captain Spectre to post on the site, another is what would the Captain Spectre serial look like, and yet another would be a Fleisher like studio cartoon adventure series of Captain Spectre.

Some nights when I get home after a long day at the job there just isn't enough time to get my mind focused on writing or doing something really detailed and small - like panels on a comic page.....so I always have something big and mindless to work on so I can say I did something.

Anything to move things forward.

Friday night was one of those nights. Good Hammer vampire movies on TCM, and the dog was acting up after being alone all day, also some domestic chores to check up on.....so I inked a few lines between all that and finished this drawing that has been around for months.

Captain Spectre ala Republic pictures serial.

Ha, it could be a fun serial for sure.....so enjoy all you Legionnaires and enjoy your weekend. I plan to get some work done. Since the yard doesn't need a weekly mowing because of the cooling temps.

Now I need to make a lobby card out of this image.....see more stuff to do. sigh.

Moving ahead....at the speed of a snail....

2010-09-27T12:28:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately.... I have been trying to reclaim my mind. Lately I have had trouble with focus and just plain old fatigue of the body and brain. So during my working vacation I have been trying to get back into the groove. Of course this medical thing seems to flair up from time to time more frequently, and that sure doesn't help. But as you can see the working vacation wasn't a totally unproductive one.

Among the many things I have tried to accomplish, is working on the script to the first issue of Captain Spectre. To help my mind get into the character again and try and come up with a good story I worked on one of the cover concepts I have kicking around for the first issue. The title is just a place holder for now. I don't want to give anything away just yet. Also working on KiGor was a priority, so another page of layouts, and a large battle page to tempt everyone into buying the story when we get it done.

I also have to content with going back to the day job. Which I have been really hating lately. But I do have to wrap my mind around going back with the focus of getting some work done there. I have a couple of large projects on the desk and they do need my attention. I just have to get back into keeping the day job and the night job separate. It has always been tough for me to do. But I really have to do it this time. And not get emotionally involved in the day job. Just do the work, and don't worry about it. I know that sounds kind of like I am giving up, and in a sense I am. First you must understand the job. Everything is done by committee now. I, as a designer, don't really design anything. Oh, maybe the first time around I do, but with all the changes and opinions that get thrown at a project...they never end up looking like I think they ought too. So anymore I just push the pixels around til someone in charge likes it. This used to really bother me. For years, I tried fighting for what I thought and believed in. Well no more. I am tired of giving up good ideas, and they never get used. Good designs that get totally changed. With a planned early retirement four or five years away, I just can't see worrying about it all anymore. I know with that statement my parents are probably spinning in their graves. But, the fight is all gone. I will gladly do what I am told, no matter how stupid I think it is. They are the bosses, and I just the pixel monkey.

So I hope letting go of all that helps me produce more work at night and on the weekends. All I can do is forge ahead.

Various things in the production line....

2010-09-14T18:09:00.002-05:00

Well, I felt I needed to post a few things that are in the production pipeline.

The Helene sketch is just a hair-do concept. I realized as I started drawing her, I didn't have a good handle on how her hair was to look. You know the basic forms of the hair, as I draw it I block in the major building blocks, and as I started the strip her hair was all over the place. Ha. So I had to figure it out. Seems kind of odd to do something like that, but I am trying to really nail this strip and wanted her to have the same hair from panel to panel.

The other piece is revision of one of the panels on an upcoming page. Just trying different layouts and storytelling forms, and can always use the practice drawing odd angles like the slightly down angle of two guys.

Then a Captain Spectre cover concept done a while back, but just got around to scanning it the other day. See I am working toward the day when a Captain Spectre comic is a real thing.

Also I had mentioned the doctor visits lately, well one of my slight fears has come true. Seems I having these pains in my hand and arm when I drew too long or worked too hard. Well seems I have rheumatoid arthritis. I am working with the doctor to take some of the pain away so I can sleep and draw more. I am taking a few things, that they are trying on me. So we shall see. The steroids he is giving me in burst form seem to be helping knock the pains down a bit. So when I mention the hand being tired or sore you Loyal Legionnaires and Jungle pals will know what I am talking about. So forgive me if sometimes my production slows down a bit. thanks.

Joining the Influence Map club....everyone seems to be doing it.

2010-09-10T12:24:00.004-05:00

Well it seems everyone around is doing these things. I started on this one the other day, actually a week or so ago, but finished it the other night ....and on a lunch time break, I thought I would go ahead and post it.

I could of filled up many more of these things. But I tried to stick to the raw beginnings of all my influences. I could have put more illustrators in there like Greg Manchess and all, but knowledge of those guys came later. I focused on the stuff of kids and my youth a bit. Also many of these have double or triple meanings. Like the Sgt. Fury #13 is for Captain America, Jack Kirby, and all the great Marvel comics of the silver age, it also represents the odd DC stories I loved like Challengers of the Unknown and just comics in general.

The same way with Milton Caniff. I admired the man, and his works. So look, or think about double meanings for alot of these images.

New Ki-Gor page inked.....

2010-09-07T21:57:00.003-05:00

Well, with a day and a half of hard work, here is the page I posted yesterday morning - inked and ready to roll. I hope it still works in this stage. I took extra pains to ink this. I might add that except for the straight lines breaking the panels....It is all brush! No quill was used.

As I posted at the end of the last comments I do appreciate your posting and feedback. I sure hope I am not spoiling the excitement of the story by posting pages. After all it is what I do, is draw....so I just hope it isn't spoiling a purchase. The KiGor back up story will need all the help it can get to keep going. As before Jungle stories are a hard sell to people. I love them, but most people other than pulp fans, don't even care for them. But they are really fun to draw with all the animals and the organic nature of the jungle and backgrounds.

Anyway I just wanted to post this, it has been a long day for sure. I had a doctor's appointment this afternoon, so took a sick day to fix myself mentally by inking the page. But more on the doctor thing later.

Laboring on Labor Day....as always

2010-09-06T10:08:00.002-05:00

Hello Loyal Legionnaires and Jungle pals....well it is Labor Day, and I am laboring. I am working on one of the strangest layouts I have ever tried to do. I hope it shows a bit, but I have put in alot of time on this one. It is so complex in the layout that I had to do it several times and even redraw some of the panels and lightbox them so I could get it all in. Ha, and I just realized as I posted it that KiGor is in every panel. Anyway I will tell you this might be a bit of a spoiler, but mainly I wanted to post it to talk about the art.

I needed to show the passage of time, that it takes KiGor to track Helene, and I also wanted to show that his sense are so perfected that he can almost see the people he tracks - like a vision or something. Along with the passage of time, is the distance traveled and how KiGor travels in the jungle. The reason the pencils look alot cleaner than my normal pencils is because I had to lightbox so much of it. Also the figures are rather small in each panel and the paper I use doesn't take much punishment, so if I want to use a quill to do the details I have to be careful using my eraser. I tend to pencil pretty heavy so I tend to cut into the paper a bit much, which makes my quill line bleed into the fibers.

Also I talked Martin Powell, the writer of the story to work like the old Marvel way. So the layouts and choices are all mine. If it doesn't work in the final story, blame me. Don't blame Martin since I talked him into it. Martin is the best writer I know and his story really rockets along, so I was on task to get this page with as much visual info as I could get into it.

I hope it works, now the rest of the day is touching up the pencils, spotting my blacks, and doing some really fine line inking as I can do. I hope it works out in the end.

Because I have to put my best foot forward here, KiGor is a unknown character to most of the comic public. Pulp fans know of his exploits and that will bring in a few people. Jungle stories are a hard sell, I love them but most people just let them go by. But I think if I can do a good enough job on the art, and people read Martin's story, I think we can make people look at jungle stories with the adventure of a little kid again. I hope.

Happy Birthday Mr. Burroughs....

2010-09-01T19:36:00.004-05:00

Edgar Rice Burroughs was born in Chicago on Sept. 1, 1875....he died March 19, 1950. I only meet the man through his many novels and stories. He died before I was born but he lives on by giving us his mighty heroes and wonderful worlds. Happy Birthday Mr. Burroughs and I owe you alot. I owe part of my imagination to you, I owe you for helping me when my father died as I usedyour heroes for a guide to the ways of right and wrong. And now I owe you for one of the greatest nights of my life.

New Ki-Gor promo art....and other stuff

2010-08-29T18:50:00.002-05:00

Well new KiGor art as in I haven't shown them yet to anyone, so as always Jungle pals you are the first - along with the Loyal Legionnaires who I hope are hanging in there.....waiting.

I should be working on new KiGor pages, well I did work on some layouts this weekend.

Ok here is the real story....as any of you who know me know that I have had pain developing in my right hand for years now. Well I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to see if there is some other pain meds they can give me. Nothing over the counter works on it anymore. Thursday night was the worst in years I can remember. It felt like someone had shoved a two foot needle inbetween my fingers and up into my forearm between the bones. And honestly it is still sore to the touch, much less trying to draw or have a brain cell that works without feeling it. I just hope this doctor believes me as years ago I had one look at it and he said there was nothing wrong. Anyway I apologize for not turning out the work fast enough lately, believe me I am the most disappointed in my production rate. But things just can't be helped.

Sorry for whining, just thought you loyal Legionnaires and Jungle pals should know.

Chicago Dum Dum report....one of the greatest nights of my life....

2010-08-23T22:48:00.004-05:00

What an awesome week it has been for me.....not only did I get invited to be the artist guest of honor at the Chicago Dum Dum, I won one of the two Golden Lion awards awarded this year. I might add it was the first time two Golden Lion awards were presented. I am still in a state of shock! I never dreamed anything like this could happen to me. But, as you can see, there it is. Awesome looking isn't it. I just can't figure out where to hang it, as I don't ever want it to leave my sight. It was one of the greatest moments of my entire life! I will never forget it, ever.

Also I have finally been to enough of these Dum Dum's, which to all who don't know is the council of the ape tribe in the Tarzan novels, that it has become like a family reunion. What a great bunch of people. Also as promised here is the speech I stammered thru.

I want to thank Joan for all the great work she has done on the book, and her taxi service. Thanks to all the Muckers for the event, and the Burroughs Bibliophiles. Also thanks to the members of the Burroughs family, and Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. And thanks to all here.

I do question the sanity of the group that wants me to make a speech. Which reminds me a of a saying from Groucho Marx, and I take liberties with it, ‘ I should be suspect of any group that would have me as a member.’

My reason for thinking of that was mainly the question in my mind of what could I possibly have to speak about to Burroughs collectors, scholars, and even members of the Burroughs family. Since I consider myself a fan - a rookie collector- probably never with as great a collection as some I know of and now seen, like Jerry’s. But, I am just mostly an artist who’s early imagination springs in a large part from the words and works of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

So I sat down once again in front of the dreaded blank white page. It is a common problem with artists. We tend to face it often but, rarely with the intent of making a speech.

So I approached the problem like a drawing. With a drawing I try to let all my visual influences and visual memories guide me. But, this time it was for a speech.

My mind raced back to my childhood, and to my discovery of the works of ERB. And what a joy that was. Then I realized that the one thing we all have in common is our discovery of the stories that Edgar Rice Burroughs gave to each of us.

No matter if you prefer the the mist shrouded jungles of Africa, the ancient cities of Mars, the tall trees of Venus, the strangeness of the Earth’s Core, or worlds beyond the farthest stars - we have all discover these tales in our own way - and they have stuck in our imaginations.

This is our common ground, the thing that makes this a personal journey, and it is the thing that makes us a community.

So I thought about the Burroughs events I have attended. It seemed as though each time I saw two Burroughs fans meet, somewhere in the conversation, one or the other always referred to their own discovery of the stories, and characters of ERB. Even though each experience of discovery is slightly different, each one is very personal. Each story seems to have the same elements sort of like a good formula for pulp novel.

But I believe this is what makes us a community with a common ground. And this excitement of discovery is what we carry with us through the years.

For myself, I felt like many of Burroughs’s heroes - split between two worlds.

My parents lived in a small rural town in Nebraska, so small there was no hospital and only one doctor. This resulted in my birth in the closest town with a hospital - Beatrice Nebraska. I later discover that this was also the birthplace of Barney and Victoria Custer, which seemed to give me an even more personal connection to one of ERB’s heroes.

And yes to all the Burroughs scholars out there it is pronounced Be-at-ris to the citizens.

My father’s job carried us to another location in Nebraska before moving us to the wilds of west Texas. With each move we also found ourselves farther from the nearest town - while we continued to live in company houses at the compressor stations. While rural Nebraska was farmland and wooded areas, West Texas proved to be another world. I had expected cowboys and indians, and landscapes like in the movies. What I found was something more like the surface of Mars. Red sand, a straight line horizon in every direction and the night sky filled with millions of visible stars. Then of course the relentless sun, which seemed even larger.

About this time I discover the Weissmuller Tarzan movies that were shown on one of the two tv stations we could tune in. Going to town to see a movie was a logistical nightmare, as we lived 35 miles from the closest town.

So books became my main source of entertainment. The school library had a few Tarzan books but I wanted more.

Throughout the years we retained our connection to Nebraska. Each year when school was out my brother and I were transported back to Nebraska to my grandparents from the summer. Luckily once each summer we journeyed into Beatrice, where I had found a bookstore. This bookstore became my ultimate goal each year. The owner must of been a Burroughs reader or a fan and kept a full line of the Ace pocket books. Either that or I was the only Burroughs reader to enter his shop each year. I would save what little money I could scrape together with doing summer jobs and saving my money all year long to make that journey once a year. As my parents thought it was a waste of time and money I had to sort of sneak around and pretend I only had a few Burroughs books and I was just reading the same ones over and over.

A few years after our move to texas my father passed on. I was still very young so books and the heroes found in them became even more important. Also with my father’s passing, we were ousted from the life of living in company houses in the middle of nowhere. We moved into town and I now had access to more books and the movies.

The stories of ERB also gave me a wanderlust that has taken me around the world several times. I have landed on the shores of Africa, walked in the Cambodian jungles, set foot on the steppes of Russia, and fought the cold of Arctic winds.

The heroes and worlds of the tales of ERB fired my imagination, took me to lost worlds, and other worlds, and taught me honor and duty…..but most of all made my world liveable.

Thank you…….

Off to the DumDum.....in Chicago

2010-08-17T12:51:00.003-05:00

That's right Jungle Pals, and Loyal Legionnaires....I am off to Chi-town tomorrow at the butt crack of dawn, to attend the annual meeting of the apes....better known as the DumDum. This year it is being held by the Muckers....a rebel offshoot of the Burroughs Society. I have the posters of the Mucker cover signed, along with the Tarzan posters that I previously previewed here on the blog. I am sure I will have some of each left on my return, so if you would like one I will post the price and all when I return. I would like the Burroughs folks that invited me the first shot at them, of course.

I am looking forward to the trip and meeting up with all the great people at the Burroughs event. Not looking forward to the speech I have to make though. But I will post it here when I get back next week.

Also I would like to make it over to wizard world chicago con, which is being held this weekend also. But money and time will tell that story when I get to it. Not a big fan of finding my way alone in Chicago traffic, but I guess if I was to go Sunday would be the day. Of course I also have to think about getting back home to all the work that is piling up on the drawing table.

So if you are around Hillside Ill. this weekend, drop by and see what's up in the Burroughs fan world. It is always a fun time.

New KiGor page....

2010-08-08T22:13:00.003-05:00

As promised....a peek into all things around here. Here is the second page of the KiGor short. This will serve as the only splash in the strip, since space is very limited in a short story like this even the splash gets two panels. But I do like the short form story telling. I am so tired of those 'big two' giant events that go on and on. I prefer the short formats. At this time mainly since I just don't have time to do long stories. And also the fact that some I have seen and even read some of, just go on with talking head pages and movie dialog in which nothing happens.

Anyway here is the page, finished just moments ago and it is a bit after ten on Sunday. It has been along day for sure. And a hot one ... outside anyway.

Also some of you may know. I am also getting ready to journey to Chicago for the Burroughs Society meeting...me as a guest of honor....and what an honor it is. I have to prepare a speech, of which I have an idea for. Just have to flesh it out, then trim it down ....cause who the hell wants to hear me drone on about something. ha. But more on that a bit later in the week.

Stay tuned Legionnaires, and Jungle pals....more to come soon.

Time Marches On.....Production continues....

2010-08-01T12:22:00.002-05:00

Well Jungle Pals, and of course you Loyal Legionnaires....I am posting a sneak peek at the first page of the KiGor short story for Moonstone...written by the great pulp/wordsmith Martin Powell. And of course art by yours truly. I know production on my end is always so slow, but I think I turned this page around in a goodly amount of time. I wish I could make a living at this so I could really produce pages on a timely basis. But Monday, and going back to the day job, comes tomorrow. And I am sure there are some piled up things to take care of on my desk at work.

Along with work things starting up again. I have to work on my speech for the Burroughs Society dinner. I actually thought I would work on it while driving to Texas, along with details of the first issue of Captain Spectre. Well, it seems the older I get the less I can do two things at one time. When I drive it seems anymore, all I can do is drive. Bad roads and Bad Drivers tend to worry me a bit more than they used too. I had a couple close calls on the trip, probably because of cell phone use on the part of others. Hell, I took books on disc with me, and didn't listen to a one of them. ha. I am getting old it seems.

So my list of things grows.

Speech for Burroughs Society dinner.

Getting files for Tarzan and Mucker prints to the printer. And covering the cost.

Working on KiGor sequential pages.

Finishing touches on all the KiGor widevision pieces.

Finish writing the Captain Spectre first issue.

So stay tuned Legionnaires.....as this is a strange time of year for me. I used to get into a funk this time of year, then someone pointed out to me that it was the 3rd of August in the year 1971 that I found myself at Fort Polk Louisiana at 3:30 in the morning standing in my underwear as a Sargent searched thru my personal item for things like knives, drugs, and things. Then about 5 a.m. I found myself guarding a wooden bridge, that went nowhere I could find. The start of an short stint in the US Army. Funny how it still effects me to this day. It always reminds me of those great lines in the movie 'the Best years of our Lives' when Virginia Mayo tells Dana Andrews, 'well just get over it, the war is over.' I wish it was so very simple.

The return of the dead.....or back from my trip.

2010-07-28T12:37:00.003-05:00

At the 40th Andrews High School reunion, with me on the left, Danny Smith (owner of D group design and advertising firm out of Dallas Texas) and Eugene Solomon. Some friendships never change, and I am glad for that. Also I took these photos from a friends facebook page...since I didn't have my camera. So photo credit to Dorothy Coon Blanks.
Me, in profile...and again with Danny Smith, also at the table best friends Cheryl and Don McDonald. Again the great friendships never change. I hadn't seen Don and his wife for probably close to thirty years....and it seemed like we fit back together like a puzzle. Good times. We partied til 5:30 one morning. We just might be a bit old for that!!!! yikes. We knew we were in trouble when we went outside for a smoke and a gin pole truck driver staying at the same hotel exited his room and in good old West Texas fashion grunted 'morning' as he passed us. Don looked at his watch and said it was 5:30....ha. Amazing.
Also not all play. Worked some on the KiGor sequential story for Moonstone. Does the tune 'Running thru the Jungle' come to mind. ha.
Also a sketch for a new Lightning Legionnaire. He wrote me while I was out of touch. So as my mother's guilt always lives with me. He will receive this sketch when I mail his package out today.

When I was a kid, my dad would drive the Andrews Tx to Wymore Ne. trip in a day. My youngest son has done it a couple of times. Well my return trip I did it. Whew, it took me sixteen hours. I don't see well at night anymore so after the sun set I had to slow down. Plus I still don't like driving at night since I hit that deer last year. Shell-shocked I guess.

Well after driving all that time and way, I pulled around the house and in my headlights was Misty....one of the horses. All of them were out and enjoying the grass in the yard. They had pushed thru the corral and gotten out. I think they were out most of the day, but I don't know for sure. Anyway, with my landlords help we got them back in the corral after a couple of hours since they went across the road onto other property and we had to find them in the dark.

So yesterday was a day of rest and recoop. Today I am moving around a bit faster and getting a few things done.

So like a zombie movie, I am recovering from driving over 2000 miles, sleeping in terrible hotels, getting plastered at the reunion, taking the grandkids to the Confederate Air Force museum, sorry I just can't call it the Commemorative Air Force, and visiting with my eldest son and his family.....I am beat.

But I had a fantastic time. Still don't look at it as a vacation. Seemed I was always on the go and no time for much of anything like thinking or writing or drawing.

It was great to see the old town and school....and all my friends from then. They even have my name carved in stone on a war memorial of all who served from the town. Even my older brother showed up. I thought about ' this is where my imagination comes from'. And that gave me alot to think about. Especially on the road back.

If you have never experienced west Texas, it is a strange place. I mean that in a landscape kind of thing. The horizon is as flat as a drawing board and there is an amazing amount of sky overhead. Especially the part of west texas that are on what is know as the Caprock. This is a prehistoric plateau which was a huge coral reef like during the devonian age. As a kid once I found this out it gave the place a magic quality. And being a plateau, altho not very high, I always felt with just a thought away I was on a place like Challenger's Lost World. To me it was a place filled with monsters and demons. The surface rock was pure white, the soil nothing but bright red sand like the sands of Burrough's Mars. Outside the reach of town's lights we lived and at night the millions of stars were a sight to see. It was amazing.

It may take me awhile to process all that again. But it fuels my imagination as no other place on earth. There are rifts as strange as Angor Wat, sands as red as Mars, and a night sky that would set any science fiction writers description of the galaxy to shame.

Final KiGor, and a journey into adventure...

2010-07-18T18:37:00.002-05:00

Well Legionnaires, and Jungle pals, here is the last of the KiGor widevision pieces. I was a bit rushed on this one but felt I had to get it done before my journey begins tomorrow. I am headed to the great state of Texas for a visit with my eldest son and his family, and to attend my 40th high school reunion. It will be an adventure for sure. Tinged with the questions of 'will my truck make it', 'who will be around the reunion', and many other questions.

But I am confident that all will be well and fun no matter what. After all they do call it a vacation! Altho today has been filled with laundry, working on KiGor, doing a bit of cleaning, trying to pack, and all the fun things that make you ask yourself - 'this is vacation?'

So I will be out of pocket, as they say, for a bit over a week.

See ya soon, Legionnaires and Jungle pals.

Trying to get it in the bag.....

2010-07-12T22:08:00.002-05:00

Well Loyal Legionnaires and Jungle fans....another late night at the drawing table. I need to get this piece in the bag....finished this week as I am leaving for a week next monday. A visit to some of the texas side of my kids and grandkids, and a weekend of high school reunion stuff. The 40th so this will be the last big one probably.

Anyway wanted to scan this layout and get it out to you for a peek, before I add the background and finishes to it. This one will seal the finish to the widevision story, then on to the pages for 11 pager.

Hopefully traveling to texas will give me some time to think, and rethink the first issue of Captain Spectre so I can finish up the writing of that soon too. Then I can get started on the pencils and pages.

Thanks again for all who visit here, I do appreciate you stopping by. Tune in for a bit more on this piece later in the week. Thanks...

It's been a long day...

2010-07-11T22:21:00.003-05:00

Well, Loyal Legionnaires, it was such a long day that my dog was even feeling neglected. That is until I bought him a new rawhide bone at the market. My day started this morning at three thirty....a clap of thunder signaled the oncoming storm. And with my last lightning strike costing me a bit of money and trouble, I didn't want that to happen this time. So I got up and ran around unplugging electronic stuff. And since one of those things is satellite tv, I put in a good stormy weather dvd.....the one and only King Kong. I watched about half and then decided it was time to get to work..... finished the Phantom for the second time, finally late in the day. And also did some prelim work for another KiGor piece. Then I remembered I needed to grayscale this piece for the KiGor story. So just another busy, and productive day at Lightning Legion Secret HQ.

Dancing is hard to do....

2010-07-10T20:30:00.005-05:00

....but drawing it is even harder.

I know this isn't right, but it is a start. I don't think I have ever drawn two people slow dancing before. It is tough for sure. But with resizing pages and lettering for the second issue of the Phantom today....and six hours of mowing and yardwork, the day has been a tough one. So I settled in for a little bit of sketch time before more page sizing. And officially I guess this could be classified as a sneak peek to the first issue. Captain Spectre out on the town with some lucky lady.....or is she really lucky? We shall see.

I also feel compelled to update here more often with whatever I have, since the strip isn't being updated. I feel guilty about all of that. Just too many irons in the fire....so back to work for me.

Time is the enemy.....

2010-07-08T23:10:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the rant, but isn't that what blogs are for sometimes? It sure seems that way. Anyway, as reported earlier the Phantom Mini series was done being lettered. Well that isn't the case. And that brings me to a larger issue in my life. An issue I am sure all freelancers are used to. But is isn't always freelancers. And again please excuse my rant here.

I just wish sometimes I had the time back from going down the wrong road with projects. Spending time coming up with a design or an image only to find out it isn't what the client had in mind. Goddamn I wish I could get all that wasted time back. It seems so useless to travel down the wrong road all the time, just because the client doesn't have any kind of idea what they want, or my pet peeve, can't visualize something. Most clients have very limited imaginations, that tend to rely on what they have seen...."oh, I want it like that, or this thing, because it is supposed to be cool" kind of mentality. It is so frustrating.

I just wish I could have that lost time back. Wasted time because of ignorant people. This rant isn't directed at anyone specific ....just at all clients in general. I am sure we would all like to have that creative time back. That special time that we spend on art for hire. Also we bid on jobs and then find out they entail many more hours than we have bid on. It is amazing to think that no one wants to pay for a skill like art, or trust the skill of years of producing art.... they would pay a plumber any amount to stop a messed up crapper, but they don't want to pay an artist anything to do what it took many many years to learn. Knowledge is nothing, but shit backing up in your pipes is worth any amount to stop.

I will be glad when I take early retirement and try to just do my own comics as a extra income. It is truly amazing what artists go thru for just the feeling of producing art. Amazing. So don't wish art on anyone....it is a curse not a savior!!!!

Progress report....

2010-07-07T19:46:00.002-05:00

Well, Loyal Legionnaires....as promised I will keep you appraised of the work and situations around the Secret Headquarters. Issue 2 of the Phantom Unmasked mini series is lettered and delivered. You will want to pick up both issues, it is a short but quality Phantom story. Written by my good friend Martin Powell, these might be the last Phantom issues from Moonstone (I don't know that for sure but the Phantom goes to the Ross factory next) but what a great ending.

So with that job done I am back on the widevision KiGor story, also written by Martin Powell....Hey what can I say the guy can write the kind of stories I like to be involved with. So as before I got the word the widevision books of Moonstone are greyscaled. So I am going back and shading the pieces I thought were done. Then two more to create and I will post progress and finals on those here too.

Then on to the KiGor ten page story to be published in one of Moonstones' pulp books coming up. If you haven't heard Moonstone is doing a line of pulp influenced books and calling them the 'Originals'. I think it is great, especially since the Spider is one of the books and looks to be a real winner with the team that is in charge. Finally Spider comics, altho Martin and I did a Spider Christmas story a couple of years back.

I am almost finished writing the first draft of the first stand alone Capt. Spectre comic. As voted on here at the blog, it will be a pulp action slobberknocker.

So stay tuned Legionnaires, for updates, concept art, and sneak peeks ..... thanks.... after all it is all for you.

Happy Birthday America....

2010-07-03T23:28:00.005-05:00

Happy Birthday America! I hope all my Loyal Legionnaires have a safe and happy fourth of July. To me it brings back memories of summer, baseball games in the local ballpark, fireworks displays after the ballgames, hotdogs and potato salad.

I remember coming back to Nebraska as a kid, we lived in Texas then, and spending the fourth watching a legion (not Lightning Legion) ballgame and then the fireworks display...which was then one of the best in the area. What great memories those are.

I won't go into any kind of politics, because if you know me you know my politics...but bottom line I am a veteran, a patriot, and a old fashioned American that still believes in the American dream.

But this isn't the time for politics, it is a time for celebration of our freedoms, and remembering the people that fought for it and paid the ultimate sacrifice. At least it is to me. I paid a price for freedom, and saw alot of guys that paid the high price. I see their faces everyday and night, I hear their voices as the fireworks go off as I watch from my backyard...I hear the concussion of the mortar and rocket fire inside the beautiful flowering fireworks...I hear the ache of young boys paying a high price for freedom, individual freedom, to live a life they dreamed of...to save the things they believed in...

...and then it is over and we go back to our daily lives enjoying freedom but not thinking of the price that freedom costs. It is a high price, for a high ideal...enjoy it because there are people that will fight for it no matter what the price. I am one of those people. I did it, and I would do it again.

Not for the politics, but for the American dream...it may not be the same dream as others, but the dream I have for America. The spirit of America.

in the works....

2010-06-27T16:41:00.004-05:00

Well Loyal Legionnaires, here are a couple of things I am working on....Prints for the Burroughs Dum-Dum in Chicago this year. As I am sure you know if you tune in often, I will be one of the guests this year. One problem with that is, as most of you know, I did the cover to the Mucker digitally. So hence, no painting to sell to make any money. Not that I am trying to make a killing with my art. It isn't about that as you well know, if you know me. So the object is to produce something that will get some of my art out there in the public a bit more. Which sometimes is the object of this game of art.

So I thought I would produce some posters/prints of two of my Burroughs pieces. One the Mucker cover I produced for the Dum-Dum (in the tarzan books the council of the apes), and the other a Tarzan piece I produced in black and white, colored for the print. I originally produced the Tarzan piece, thinking it was going into an all Burroughs sketchbook to sell at the con. I may still do that too, but at this point probably all I will have time to get printed is the prints.

In July I am going to texas to see my eldest son's family, and attend my 40 th high school reunion. I don't want to think about all those years. ha. So that will take some production time away from me.

One thing with the designed white space on these I can do sketches to make them feel special since they are printed.

But, Loyal Legionnaires don't despair, I am also currently working on the script to issue on of the pulp action Captain Spectre comic. I also already have an outline for the third issue - the sword and planet story, but believe me when I say that story will be the pinnacle of my storytelling. It is the story I was born to tell. I feel that strongly about it.

I just can't wait to get to that third one, so that helps with producing the first two stories. As per the poll from the site here, the first one will be a slam bang action piece, the second a world war 2 story, which is in the works also....and the third one, a sword and planet piece that will establish Captain Spectre as the Phantom Soldier from the Skies!!! I am so proud of it I will sneak the working title to you, my Loyal Legionnaires. It is called "the Men Who Lost Yesterday". So stay tuned Legionnaires, it may be awhile to produce these, but by hook or crook I will do it. I live for this.

Oh, and also if anyone is interested in these prints, I will have some extras to sell thru the site, just let me know. Then I can add the numbers to my print run. thanks.....

Struck by Lightning....like the coin says

2010-06-21T10:59:00.004-05:00

I am removing this post. It seems out of all the visitors to this site this post was drawing all the views, and it was nothing to do with my art. Therefore it was giving a false read to my stats. If removing the pic of lightning from it doesn't show results, then it must be the title and I will remove it. We shall see.

Father's Day....

2010-06-19T21:06:00.003-05:00

With a small crowd going to show up tomorrow for Father's Day cookout, I was thinking about my dad. He died early in my life and it was a terrific jolt to me. He was really a hell of a guy. A Seabee during World War 2, he served in the Philippines, Leyte Gulf, and around that area. He was a great mechanic, designing tools for the company he worked for. He was a workaholic.

I am sure I would have turned out better if he had been around. And for sure I would have turned out different. He was for all his good, totally against art as a career. Which would have probably resulted in one of us leaving, and we all know who that would have been. I am sure we would have butted heads a few times.

But I also remember how much he did for me.....from building the world's strongest swing set that still stands today at our old house and I am sure will survive everything short of a 50 kilo-ton nuke! To pulling me around the Nebraska State Fair in a wagon with my broken ankle to see Roy Rogers, to giving me my first dog.

Ever since I was a kid, when we returned to our hometown in Nebraska, everyone knew me instantly because I look like him. I can only hope I act a little like him.

thanks Pop......I never got to call him that, I would have liked too.

The true cliffhanger of Chapter 4........

2010-06-18T18:58:00.002-05:00

Well Loyal Legionnaires, here it is...the long awaited cliffhanger to Chapter 4 - the Day the Sky Screamed!

I really have alot of mixed feelings about finishing this chapter up. For one I am glad I get to move on to a stand alone issue of Captain Spectre. But sad, to leave the on line strip behind and dormant for a long period of time. I am sure I will loose all my readers who aren't loyal Legionnaires and check this sketchblog to see what is going on. I know you loyal Legionnaires will check from time to time. I am kind of glad to get to a point where I can work on a few more things. I have a few things to do before the Burroughs convention where I am one of the guests of honor this August. I also have a high school reunion coming up in Texas. It will be the big 40 years and we all agreed to meet at this one. It is also a sad thing as some of my running buddies from that time are dead and gone. But I will also get to see three of my grandchildren. I hate to leave everyone hanging at this point in the story, but I also look forward to the stand alone adventures too. At this point it is a double edged sword. I have to try to do the best with the time and resources I can muster. But you all know that, I have talked about all that many times in the past. There is only so much time in the day, week, and year to get things done. Especially with my day job hanging like an albatross about my neck.

So here we leave the good Captain for a bit, hanging from GGooms mace, his rocketpack (turbines) in the hands of the WarMaster, the core members of the Legion not even knowing he is alive yet, Sam Justice seeming out of his league with a monster from the stars. So is that enough of a cliffhanger to get readers back in the future? I sure hope so.

I even posted this one a bit bigger so the Jack Kirby-ness of GGoom will come off a bit better. I have always wanted to draw a Jack Kirby kind of fight so I had written this character, but now that I get to show him the strip goes on a bit of a hiatus....oh well, again only so much time in a day. Enjoy Loyal Legionnaires!!!!!

Let's hope no kids are watching!!!!

2010-06-15T21:01:00.002-05:00

In answer to all the comments to the preview post. Here is the sign for the Sturgis motorcycle rally that my son is taking. Previous years I actually tried painting signs like this on banner material, but the paint just doesn't stick to it. So I am having one printed for them to take. Please avert your child's eyes if you click on it. Don't sue me, please I can't afford it. ha.

I hear the sign gets results, but I can't afford to go so I have to take their word for it. ha.

A couple of more thoughts on Al Williamson....bare with me...

2010-06-15T20:26:00.002-05:00

I think one of the things I thought about as I heard about Al Williamson's death was the fact that the world lost a working man's artist.

Bare with me as I try to feebly try to explain my thoughts. When I discovered Al Williamson's art he was still a current comic artist. Everything I ever read or knew about the man stated he loved comics. I was lucky enough to buy the king Flash Gordon's he did right off the rack in the little west texas town I grew up in. He graced the pages of Creepy and other mags I bought. He seemed to me like he really loved doing comics. Hence, to me a working man's artist. I talked to him, or rather was a listener at a conversation he was having with some other pros at a comics convention in Dallas one year. And it seemed to me like he did really love comics, his fans, and telling stories. Not only did his linework and graceful artwork fire my imagination, but he worked where ever and when ever he could, it seemed to me.

On the other hand someone like Frazetta, who has died recently too and what got me to thinking about this point stuck in my brain, seemed to not really enjoy the work he did. Please understand me, I am not down playing Frazetta's work or anything. Just that all the stories I have read about Frazetta seem really weird to me. Times he would put off a deadline, and dry the paintings in the oven so he could ship them off at the last minute. He always seemed to want to play baseball instead of work. By the time I could read and buy comics Frazetta was done with them. Oh, I saw the odd EC title sometimes in other kids collections and would see his work, which again is great - don't get me wrong I love both artist's work.

I guess I am just weird this way....like I heard stories about Warhol or Picasso having others do the work and they signed the art that was kind of mass produced. I always kind of felt that if Frazetta could find anyone to do that he might have tried it. Again these are just my feelings welling to the surface over the world losing both of these guys in such a short period.

It is kind of the same feeling about two other icons, Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse. When I was a kid you rarely ever saw a Disney cartoon. Sometimes before a movie, and sometimes on the Disney show on sunday nights. But it seemed as everywhere I looked there was a Warner Bros. cartoon. Either Daffy or Bugs would be in front of every movie. So of course the point I am trying to make with this is that I ended up liking Warner Bros. cartoons better than Disney ones. Mickey actually never appealed to me, the animation was awesome, just the character didn't do too much for me. Maybe if there were more of the cartoons I might have liked them better.

I see some artists at cons with what I like to call the PrimaDonna sickness. I am sure you can tell where this is going. I think of some of these guys in a room in Oz saying 'I am the great and powerful....(insert name here)....bow before me!' I see them barely put up with fans, just so they can get money from them. I am sure you have heard stories or seen artists or celebrities like this. It happens, I understand it. I just don't like it.

I know I am rambling about this, but just something I thought about, and something that bothers me.

My point being that Al's death hit me pretty hard. I knew he had been sick from talking with Mark Schultz and Tom Yeates and even that made me really sad. But I really admired Al Williamson, he seemed to love comics, come up through the ranks, and worked really hard at his comics.

I admire people like that and tend to pass on the people that are just doing comics til something better comes along.

I apologize if no one reading this feels that way, and I don't slight any artist work based on that, just the personalities behind the work sometime creeps into my admiration of the work.

I tend to admire the working man's artist type, since I have to really work at it just to make each drawing a little bit better than the last one.

Sorry for rambling........

A loss of words.....

2010-06-14T11:53:00.001-05:00

I was just informed of the passing of Al Williamson. And I am at a loss for words. I do think this hits me harder than the news of Frazetta's death.

busy, busy, busy.....

2010-06-13T21:06:00.003-05:00

Well, Loyal Legionnaires it was a very busy week and weekend. So sorry no update. I did work on it, along with four other projects. I actually didn't finish any of the four. But at the beginning of the weekend I hadn't even started the four projects. Well five projects if you consider yardwork a project. As I said tho, I did work on the update, the second issue of the Phantom Unmasked, a sign for my youngest son to take to Sturgis this year (a censored preview above), and a KiGor piece. It is now after nine on sunday eve....and I think I still have a bit of energy left, so I am going to work on the update a bit more.

Thanks for understanding, it is a busy time for me.....as always.

A What???? A Captain Spectre update.....oh my....

2010-06-06T12:16:00.002-05:00

Well Loyal Legionnaires that are tuning into this blog, here is the latest update to the Captain Spectre strip. Chapter 4 is rocketing to a close. Hopefully next week I will have the final installment finished and be able to post it. I have the thumbnails done for it, and although I have tons of other work going on....like Kigor and all, I need to finish this up and get to a stopping point. Well maybe not a stopping point, bad term there for sure, but a cliffhanger point. After all it is all about the cliffhanger, isn't it? And I don't think any of the loyal Legionnaires out there will see what's coming. With a great amount of luck and the creeks don't rise, I will try to have the last part of this chapter posted if not next weekend, then the weekend after for sure.

Anyway it will be tough for me to leave the on line strip alone for awhile. I have promised myself to produce a Captain Spectre comic. I need to really do this, and I do hope all of you understand that. I need another form of the strip to reach out to people. You know it is still strange to me that sometimes at a convention I will try to get people to read the strip. I tell them it is an online strip, and free. And it seems even in this day of technology and all, they just get a blank look. Read comics on the web? How weird, right. And it's free? what a concept.

Anyway I need more power to reach the people that like comics. My schedule just won't let me do alot of things at one time. So with the commitment of KiGor to Moonstone, my day job, and all....one thing just has to set idle for awhile. I think KiGor will help get my name out there, and also the stand alone Captain Spectre comic. Then I can come back to the strip.

It is part of the plan I have to take early retirement, and earn some money from comics to help make the bills as I take that early retirement. That way I can get rid of the biggest headache I have....the dreaded day job!!! I would like to make producing comics my day job. It is part of my plan.

Memorial Day 2010

2010-05-31T09:38:00.003-05:00

Well I couldn't let this day or weekend go by without saying something. Even with the crazy busy schedule around here lately. It seems the cosmic cogs of creation and working and doing all the mundane tasks a bachelor has to do if they are going to get done have not fallen into place. In other words I just can't seem to get anything done around here! I am sure everyone that has a job they don't like and wish they were doing something else feels. And I am sure we have all been there.

So hopefully this day off, for most people, will help get us back into the swing of things. Of course today for me will be filled with those mundane tasks of laundry, cleaning, some cooking, and all the things I tend to neglect as a bachelor, or actual more like a one man band. And let us hope the creative juices come back real soon.

So here is to all the fallen, those that have served, those that are willing to serve, and those that will have to serve. Because in this crazy world we need you now more than ever.

And as always thanks to all you Loyal Legionnaires for understanding.

Interstellar Radio Waves....

2010-05-24T21:06:00.003-05:00

I just couldn't resist posting this. A publicity still from Commando Cody at his radio set. I have never seen this photo before and found it on ebay. I didn't bid on it since the guy wanted 50 bucks for it. I have several lobbycards and photos but again never seen this one and just couldn't pass up letting you see it. Even if I can't afford it. Awesome photo for sure!!!

A Gray Day....

2010-05-23T11:53:00.003-05:00

The KiGor widevision book is now grayscaled. So instead of moving forward, which by the way I have had some trouble lately doing. But that is another story for another day. I decided before tackling the yard work for the day that I would grayscale of the images. So here is Helene fighting the mandrills / Beastmen. I think this is cropped about what it will look like in the book. I my lighten it up a bit as I think most printers print darker than the image.

Now it is around lunchtime and I am off to mow the back part of the property. Which looks a bit like the jungle Helene is in, since all the rain we have had.

On Safari....

2010-05-16T10:23:00.002-05:00

Well it has been awhile since the last posting. Sorry I will try to do better and keep you informed. The format of the KiGor widevision story has been cut to six illos, so I only have a couple left to do. Which is a double edged sword. Good part is I only have two more illos to knock out, bad part is there will only be six illos. So as per what has been know as the 'floyd luck' I was working on one of the illos that is going to not appear. ha. Always seems to happen that way .... doesn't it.

So I thought I would at least show some of the work I had done on it. And hey you never know when I will need a pic of Helene dressed in her safari gear. I kind of patterned it after Deborah Kerr's safari gear in King Solomon's Mines.

Again with only doing six illos, that means I will be starting on the KiGor comic sooner, and finishing up Chapter 4 pretty quick too.

Again for taking so long, but with full days at work and all it is just tough to make extra time for all the extra things going on at this moment. So I do apologize for that.

The end of an era.

2010-05-10T22:02:00.002-05:00

Frank Frazetta is dead.

I wasn't really going to post anything, since the web is rocked by the news. But someone, a close friend, convinced me to post.

Some people were posting the first things they had seen of Frazetta's work. I honestly don't remember the first thing I saw of his. I think it was the Son of Tarzan Ace book cover above. I think it was around 1964 or maybe earlier when he was doing the Ace covers with Roy Krenkel doing some and Frazetta doing some. I was a big reader of the Burroughs Ace books. I used to save my money all year round to go to one bookstore in Beatrice Nebraska where they carried all the Ace titles. Those books were so great since Burroughs novels were fairly short and the format of the Ace books fit in your back pocket. The original mobile device, for sure.

Like most artists today, I grew up looking at those great Frazetta covers and frontispieces. They were more representational of the genre of story than actually being from the stories, but who cared. They got you to buy the books and that was the main thing.

At first I admired his paintings, but as I started to try to learn to use a brush then I really paid attention to his black and white work.

Frazetta's work inspired a whole world of images of the mind. New worlds to conquer. Moments in time of awe and wonder.

I think each person who viewed one of his paintings got something different from it. Some focused on the design, some the figures, some the mood, some the action, and some the method. I think these works hit me like a roundhouse punch. The way he pulled the focus of the image in and out to give each area a special place in your imagination.

Illustrators like Rockwell and Parrish worked from a lot of reference and it seemed to show in their work. Frazetta's work was like you had a camera from the Twilight Zone and were taking pictures from another world.

Thanks Frank, I never met you but I visited your worlds.

Who? Captain Spectre...

2010-04-26T19:07:00.002-05:00

Oh my, did someone mention Captain Spectre? I hope so....Sorry everyone it takes so long between these updates, but if you visit here often you might know I have been a bit busy. I do apologize to you all. I want to finish this up and move on to the comics and such. Just time isn't the one thing I have too much of.

Anyway here is poor Sam trying to figure it all out.

Free Comic day is coming.....

2010-04-25T21:10:00.003-05:00

I promised some people I would show up for sketches on free comics day. So I did some prelim sketches to give out for free. Here is a Red Sonya I sketched out. I figured I would auction off a free sketch about every twenty minutes or so. So if you are in the Lincoln area and know where Trade-a-Tape is come on by. I have never made into town for a free comic day so this will be a new experience for me. I just felt that since I wasn't going to any cons this year I would help out around the local comic shop. Also other members of the Nebraska Comic Creators Assoc. will be there doing sketches and the like. Throw your name in the hat and hang around to win a free sketch. And get some free comics.

Rolling along ...

2010-04-22T21:09:00.002-05:00

Well it has been some very late nights around the secret headquarters of the Lightning Legion. Well it is always a late night, since I don't sleep much....but I am usually reading or watching old movies very late at night....but lately I have been working very late. I have finished the first issue of the Phantom mini series lettering job, the day job stuff is finally starting to flow and get done, and tonight I snuck in some inking on the attack of the beast-men vs. Helene piece. Of course this is going to be cropped down so thought you would like to see the whole thing.

I also had a scanner malfunction....my computer just wouldn't see it anymore. I finally did something and it started working. Wish I knew what I did for the next time it quits on me.

Some blasts from the past.....

2010-04-16T22:48:00.003-05:00

Since I probably won't have anything new I will be able to show this weekend. I thought I would show a couple of blasts from the past. Back when I still painted on canvas and even in ink wash. The Lovers painting was for a study I did, the Joan of Arc was for Steve Jackson games I think, and the Tarzan piece was a study for the cover painting of the edition of Tarzan of the Apes I illustrated. These are from my totally outdated portfolio website.

I have a lettering job to knock out this weekend, plus this will be the first weekend of mowing season. I am sure the mowing will take the better part of a day to get done. After all I mow over 5 acres at a time. It usually takes about five hours to get it all done right. Less if I don't pay much attention. But I will try to at least let everyone know how it all went, and at least post some more older work that some of you might not have seen.

Thanks for understanding....

Batter Up Monkey Boy....

2010-04-15T20:18:00.006-05:00

Some days you just want to hit something. Well, most days lately it seems. But this evening was fairly productive. I am working on the next illustration for the KiGor pulp story. After all you can't beat stone age weapon wielding mandrills for fun! I am having some trouble fitting all the action into this format that I like. I also have to consider the center fold of the book. I personally don't like the art going into the fold and never coming back out. So I am trying to keep the action on sides with the least important items in the center, or the fold. I have seen books where people don't pay much attention to that and it really drives me nuts. Especially when it is an art book, or a comic with those big double page spreads.

I am also hot at work writing the first full Captain Spectre issue. I had some good ideas floating around today while I was working at the day job stuff. Thank goodness they can't control my mind while I work, I am sure they have tried. I think it will be a fun story.

Up a tree.....

2010-04-13T20:27:00.004-05:00

Here is the final version of 'up a tree' from the Ki-Gor story 'War of the Beast-Men' written by Martin Powell. Hope everyone likes it.

Sorry but just don't have much else to say about it. Things have turned to hell at my day job and I may be looking for a new one sometime in the near future. Or maybe I will try to make a go of it doing comics for money. I just don't know. It was a bad day today is all I know. I won't quit, they will have to get rid of me so the government will give me all that unemployment money. Thanks to all you taxpayers out there.

Anyway enjoy the art, I had a blast doing this one. Now on to the next one.

Sundays in the Jungle....and up a tree

2010-04-11T21:36:00.003-05:00

As promised a bit more progress. This time the 'up a tree' scene, as Kigor trys to save his pygmy friend from the Irwin Allen lizard. It still needs alot of work, but honestly it has been a long weekend. I started at six this morning on this and it is now about 9:5o here. So the eyes are starting to blur and not focus. But as promised more progress. I also have to add more rain effects. and push and pull some of the shapes into foreground and back ground. But it will be finished soon. then on to the next piece. Enjoy....Legionnaires.

More Jungle progress....

2010-04-10T11:15:00.002-05:00

Well not sleeping much has some advantages. Maybe not in the long run, but if I give up a few nights now and then, I get some work done.

Ok, here is a question for you. Since I am a huge fan of pulps, and this widevision format from Moonstone is kind of like a modern pulp....should I grayscale the images? or leave the line work alone? For the most part I think the folks at Moonstone would prefer the grayscaled image thinking since the book isn't color, at least I don't think it is....I better check on that, grayscale is the next step down. Let me know what you think.

Anyway something to ponder.

More progress later this weekend, Legionniares.