Michel FiffeIncludes everything from illustrations, sketches, and flyers to shoes, tapes, and an assortment of superhero doodles.
I was talking about comic book inkers with George O’Connor a couple of weeks ago and during our conversation, I realized that I’ve never inked anyone before. I’ve never been inked either, which is fine because I wouldn’t wish my sloppy pencil work on my worst enemy*. I’m still fascinated by the old school assembly line process, so George and I agreed to swap drawings for each to work on.
I recently drew Erebus, the god of darkness and shadow, for George O’Connor’s Olympians Rule! blog. Olympians is a 12 book series retelling the Greek Myths as only George O’Connor could. The first 2 volumes are out now (ZEUS and ATHENA), so get ’em if you don’t already have ’em… and keep checking in on their Official Site!
Also, feel free to stalk George through his art blog. He’s always posting cool rarities, sketches, and old school comics… it’s always a treat to read.
Remember the debut issue of the new literary magazine, Cousin Corinne’s REMINDER? Yeah, well, the comic section titled “Comix Block” has been recently reviewed by Jeffrey C. Burandt for Graphic NYC. It’s a great, insightful review that while praising the works within, also questions whether the comix section should really be clumped into a “block” or not.
On a considerably different note, above is a great Alex Toth page that I’ve been looking at for years yet still haven’t come across the entire story. It’s from an issue of “PLOP”, I believe. How great would it be to have a collection of Toth stories from the 70s? He did some random and wild stuff in that era, and although it’s fun to hunt or discover back issues, longbox hopping isn’t conducive to introducing, nay, convincing readers that Toth was the best.
I recently listened to a Mark Chiarello interview over at Sidebar, and Mark recounts his relationship with Alex Toth. Thing is, Mark was trying to put together a Toth book but was always being met with resistance from DC (which led to his unfortunate but expected falling out with Toth). The overall interview is really good, but it kills me that a Toth book is an “almost-was” and not a staple in everybody’s library.
(Mix CD cover I did as part of a set.)
A few days ago, I bought some comic books and I felt so strongly about them that it compelled me to write about the experience. The first comic wasn’t great, to tell you the truth. Halfway through reading it, my suspicions were confirmed: what a load of horseshit. This low level, “bad ass” poseur drivel strikes a pose SO HARD that it shatters like crystallized mulch. I hated myself for giving this cliche ridden gem the benefit of the doubt… but what’s one to do? I had to try it out. Check it out for yourselves. Just go to your local comic shop and ask for — for — uh, I can’t believe it. The name escapes me.
Thankfully, I had apparently been saving the best for last. I’m sure you’ve seen the commercial or read all of the praise the book’s been getting, but NIGHT BUSINESS totally made my night. The creator behind it all is Benjamin Marra. You can say that Marra’s using “bad ass” tropes as well, but the thing that separates his work from the previously mentioned shitty comic is that Marra actually has a sense of humor. Equal parts old school Paul Gulacy and Faust’s Tim Vigil, Marra’s making his comics on his own terms with a dedication that’s pretty admirable. Thank God he’s not waiting around, hoping for a publisher’s permission to start his comic. And thank God he’s using newsprint. Oh, and wish him a happy birthday today, folks!
The third issue of JM Dematteis & Mike Cavallaro’s “The Life And Times of Savior 28” comes out this Wednesday! It was a pleasure to do a pin-up for them for this issue.
I was going for a mock-semi-retro Manga thing, but I think it got out of control, as you can see. I still had a blast doing it. Behind the cut you’ll find some alternate cover sketches and the dreaded pencil version…
This drawing is for a pal of mine who requested M.O.D.O.K. fighting a Mexican wrestler.
Last year I began the process of interviewing comics legend Trevor Von Eeden. This July, the interview will finally come to light! I’ll post a note closer to the date, but be on the look out for The Comics Journal #298 featuring the “brutally honest” interview.
I stumbled upon the pic above and the links below at the Fantagraphics Flickr profile (which has tons of other great stuff), so imagine my surprise in seeing the piece come to to life, so to speak, previously existing in my head as a pile of handwritten notes and a Word document for the past year.
The close up and the video (at 00:46).
On top of all that, I recently received 2 pieces of Art from 2 fellow LJers for my birthday! The first is from cooltrash It’s probably the best portrait of me ever (I’m usually reduced to a ball of stubble… not far off from the truth but still…). Anyway, it’s the cover for a mix CD (I’m a mix tape & CD nerd) which is quite good.
… and from calling_alice who does tons of other cool art, displayed throughout the profile. Below is the old school Dagger from “Cloak & Dagger”. These are awesome, guys!
xoFiffe
I was asked to draw up potential costume designs for a “Jagermeister Monk/Angel” at my day job at the costume/puppet shop. I was very excited to contribute to the mythology of the number one choice of drink of frat creeps and date rapists. Hey, I get it… it’s sweet and tasty and served cold. Yay. It’s like licorice but worse. You drink it when you have nothing else left, but even then…
Anyway, the folks at Jagermeister Headquarters green lit my design and off we went! I built the elk head interior and the other studio hands draped it. We had to do four of them total and we did them in record time (a week). We also did cloaks, paddles…
…was yesterday, but I made him a card anyway. He turned 81 years old.
You may recognize the name Ditko as the creator of many of your favorite comic characters such as… ah, the names escape me… Spider-something or other. Anyway, he’s a comics legend, an innovator, and he’s still making comics. I have cobbled a few of my personal favorite Ditko pieces, some not seen too often and others never to be reprinted elsewhere.
Like Ditko often suggests, there is black and then there is white and there is no in between.