Tag: marvel-comics

The One about DOCTOR STRANGE…

With SDCC looming, I really wanted to get this newsletter out as soon as possible. No, I’m not going this year, but whether you’re going to SDCC or not, you kind of have to plan around it a bit. It’s a pretty great con, but it tends to take all the oxygen out of the room, and I have a little bit I’d like to share before that happens…

Like the fact I just illustrated a DOCTOR STRANGE story! No lie … the good doctor is a bucket list character for me. It’s only a short story, part of DOCTOR STRANGE #450, but I tried to make the most of it. I mean, let’s face it … we never know what’s going to happen. As much as I’d love to draw a LOT more of the good doctor, this might be the only time that ever happens. It’s a weird business, and just like with everything else in life, I’ve learned to never take any of this for granted. Never assume you’ll get another shot.

So I’m glad that I got this opportunity, and that the script was really good. It’s by a guy you may have heard of … J. Michael Straczynski? Yeah, that’s the one. When my editor told me what the story would be about, I was … a bit skeptical. And then I read the script and leapt to my desk. It’s a really good story, and I did my best to bring it to life.

As a matter of fact … here’s a peek. Don’t tell anyone. Just a couple of panels going through the process … thumbnails, layouts, and then inks.

For this one, I penciled the thumbnails and layouts on bristol board, but due to the time frame, I went ahead and inked this digitally. I had a great time with it, and I’m really looking forward to seeing this thing lettered and colored. I’m pretty sure this issue is in solicits right now (it comes out in September, I believe), so if you want to snag a copy, let your comic shop know!

Here’s the solicit (along with Kevin Nowlan’s variant cover…)

Doctor Strange (2025) #450

As turmoil seizes Asgard, Doctor Strange’s life is about to change forever. But as he stands on the threshold of a true journey into mystery, it turns out the past isn’t quite done with him yet… Fan-favorite creators reveal untold tales of Stephen Strange’s past while current scribe Derek Landy reveals a glimpse of the future to come – as Marvel celebrates 450 issues of DOCTOR STRANGE!

The thing I couldn’t help but do once I got this script was go through my comics and check out a lot of other takes on Doc Strange. I mean, I’m a fan of the character for a reason. Pretty sure the first time I ever came across the Master of the Mystic Arts was thanks to the town library and their copy of ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS. It all starts with that book for me with quite a few characters, honestly (along with SON OF ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS, BRING ON THE BAD GUYS and THE GREAT COMIC BOOK HEROES.)

But even once you’re past that early Lee/Ditko stuff, there have been a ton of really great creators doing great things with Doctor Strange over the years. I can’t begin to cover all of them, but a few of my favorites? Sure…

DOCTOR STRANGE #55

I missed this when it originally came out, but came back to it as I discovered Michael Golden’s work. I was already a big fan of Roger Stern thanks to his run on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. And this book really lands for me. A beautiful combination of story and art.

DOCTOR STRANGE #57

After SECRET ORIGINS #39 blew all of my fuses, I went out and found every comic I could that had Kevin Nowlan’s work inside. Thankfully, that led me here, to another great Roger Stern script, this time illustrated by Nowlan and Terry Austin (who also inked Golden on #55.)

DOCTOR STRANGE/DOCTOR DOOM: TRIUMPH AND TORMENT

Roger Stern (AGAIN with that guy) writes, Mike Mignola pencils, Mark Badger inks and colors a story that I go back to all the time. One of my absolute favorite comicbooks ever.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #14

Believe it or not, Roger Stern didn’t write this one! Denny O’Neil did, with art by Frank Miller and Tom Palmer. This was a comic that really clued me in to what I wanted to do, what kinds of stories I wanted to tell.

All of these comics have impacted me and the way I see Doc Strange (as well as the art form in general) … maybe you’ll see bits and pieces of ’em scattered through my art for this story? I don’t know. It’s always weird, trying to see your own work from a distance. YOU might know what ingredients are in there, but it doesn’t mean they are evident to everyone else.

In the end, you just hope you told a good story. That’s what it’s really about, after all. I know there are artists who only do covers, or who just really love doing pin-ups, and hey, good for them. That’s great! Everyone should find their own way, and make a career doing the things they want to do. Me? I’m a story guy. Covers and pin-ups are fun side things to me, but it’s not really making comics, to my mind. It’s those sequential pages that I love doing.

Oh, and I used my new pencils on this story! Sure, I may have inked it digitally, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a huge nerd for new drawing tools. I’m always looking for new pencils, new markers, whatever. It’s … well, it’s an addiction, and I need help. Wait … no, not help. UNDERSTANDING! And more pencils.

For this, I broke out my new .5 mm Snoopy pencil, along with my new Blackwing…

So keep in mind … if you like what I did with this story, it’s probably only thanks to these pencils. And that well-used eraser 😉

What else is going on? Well, thanks to the Doctor Strange story, I’m not quite finished with the inks for the next MALICENT BLACK comic. But I’m getting there. We’ll have news about the Kickstarter prelaunch page coming up in a newsletter soon, I promise. I really want to be well into the colors (if not completely finished with them) before we launch, though. It’s pretty important to me to have the book finished or almost finished before starting the campaign…

I’ve also got to work up some character sketches and a cover for the next story Chris Ryall and I are working on, too…

We’ve got something in the works that has a wicked bite to it. Something I’m really excited for.

But I think that’s all I can talk about at the moment. Every other thing I’m working on seems to be in various stages of hurry-up-and-wait right now. It’s the business, I guess, but it’s my least favorite part of it…

Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter! For some strange reason, I really enjoy doing this, so I appreciate that anybody takes the time to read it. Hopefully I’m able to make it worthwhile.

I’ll see you in a couple of weeks…

LF

Preview Art for MALICENT BLACK, The Closet That Ended The World and more…

This newsletter sort of snuck up on me…

Let’s blast some caffeine, fire up the SINNERS score and see where we end up!

Since getting home from Heroes Con, everything has been a bit of a blur. I’ve had pages to draw, stuff to write, pitches to finalize, and, uh … I also decided the closet in my office needed cleaned out. So many comics, and I can’t believe how many of them are comps! I look at the boxes of comps and wonder how I’ve drawn so many funnybooks over the years. And also … why did I think this closet needed cleaned out?

That was a … well, let’s call it a miscalculation. See, I thought it needed cleaned out. What it really needed was to be LEFT THE HELL ALONE.

Ah, well. Maybe my office will be back in some kind of order by the time I’m working on the NEXT newsletter.

But thanks for taking some time out of your day to read what I’m writing. As always, I truly do appreciate it. Let’s start off with a peek at some inks for the next MALICENT BLACK book…

I’m having a lot of fun with these pages. I’ve changed up my inking approach a bit, and I like the organic feel I’m getting here. I can’t wait to start coloring this stuff.

If all goes as planned (does it ever?) I’ll have the inks for this one wrapped up about a week from the time I send off this newsletter. We’re getting closer to launching the next campaign. Meanwhile, Drew and I have talked a lot about the third book, and it’s bonkers. Easily the most intricate story we’ve planned, and just wait til you see what ELSE is in this one. I can say no more.

But speaking of Drew … this week is his birthday! He’ll be 94 years young. He looks so good for his age! It’s all the time he spends hunched over his desk writing by candlelight. Please find him on social media and wish him a good one.

Beyond working on Malicent, prepping for the next project Chris Ryall and I are working on, and a couple of things I can’t talk about yet … well, I’m sitting here looking at this stack of comics I came across as I was starting to clean out my closet.

Jim Shooter … you know, I’ve heard all kinds of stories about the man. That he could be both brilliant and difficult. He was gone from Marvel long before I started getting work there, and I never worked for any of the companies he was a part of after his time at Marvel. I never met him at a con. All I know is … man, I LOVED those Marvel comics in the late 70’s and 80’s. Secret Wars? It’s a crappy toy tie in? Okay, whatever. Say what you want, but I loved it. I couldn’t wait to snag the newest issue at the drug store each month. Heck, I was terrified I would miss one! And that’s just one book he was writing. I think about all the great stuff Marvel put out in that stretch, and while yes, of course the creators deserve the lion’s share of praise for the work they did then (Simonson on Thor? Claremont and Bryne on Uncanny X-Men? Stern and JR Jr. on Spidey? So much more) the fact that it all happened with Big Jim in the EIC chair counts for something, I think. That era of Marvel really did set my course in life. Rest in peace, Mr. Shooter.

Otherwise, really looking forward to seeing SUPERMAN this week. I have high hopes for this, and feel like it’s the kind of movie a lot of us could maybe use right now. We went to see 28 YEARS LATER last week (which was, I thought, fantastic) and my copy of SINNERS arrives this week (my favorite movie in a loooooong time), so it’s been a nice run of movies here lately. Hopefully Supes and the FF keep it up.

One last thing before I head out … I got this page a few days ago, from the amazing Cully Hamner.

Man oh man do I love this one. Not only does it showcase some really nice technique stuff in the inks, but damn … just look at the storytelling and composition! It’s a page from Wonder Woman #800, but obviously … it’s a primal take on Batman’s origin. Can’t wait to hang this up…

Except for, you know … that mess from the closet. It’s everywhere!

See you in a couple of weeks. 🙂

LF