Freedom Reborn

Due to Image Hosting Issues/Computer Failure: This Thread has been put on infinite hiatus. Sorry for the inconvenience.


It's the moment absolutely none of you have been asking for! MJB's Crap™ has returned!!

Starting today & continuing for the next couple of months (at least) Mondays will be known as Meejub Monday. Each Monday I'll be posting a brand spanking new piece of Crap™! This doesn't mean there will only be one piece a week. I may post some of my older stuff I've found on other days but I guarantee that as long as I have internet access there will be new stuff each Meejub Monday.

First up is something I sketched out a couple years ago then inked & colored sometime in '11... It's Lou! Sitting in a chair!! :loupitchfork

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/lou-chair.jpg)

Wallpaper sized version HERE! (http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/lou-wallpaper.jpg)

The coloring is super simple on this one. I went with flat colors because I felt it gave it more of an animated look. *shrugs* Your opinion may vary...

Please, please, PLEASE leave some kind of comment/feedback. It really keeps me going. :)

-MJB

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/VR-2012.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/ZR_no00.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_00.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no77.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/lou-smurf.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_01.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/Triad_no25.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_02.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no86b.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_03.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/AA_no40.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_04.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/Reep_no241.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no127.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/Triad_no29.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no399.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/AA_no35.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/bludlust_pencil.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/bludlust_ink.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/bludlust_shade.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/smVSsm.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/marvels-2012.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/hvm.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/AA_no37.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/AA_no37_inks.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/GV_no130_inks.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no130.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/DD_no002_inks.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/DD_no02.jpg)

Meej...I love your art. I'm definitely glad to see this return. :cool:

oohhh the big CRAP returns!!

heheh, nice work meejub. Really looking foward to your new stuff, I've always been a fan of your art :D

I do love crap... And this crap is solid gold.

In terms of colouring, I think you managed to reach the animated look you were aiming for. It's flat and simple, but works really well as a whole. As individual elements, I think the trident is perhaps the least cohesive element, looking a tad unruly compared to the other parts of the picture (I think in this case it might be the highly saturated glows that throw me a little - a soft glow work well for Lou's eyes, but it seems a bit harsh on the trident). Ignoring that one nitpick, the gravestone chair; the grinning skulls contrasting with Lou's disgruntled face; and the devilish tone of the image (slightly menacing but in a cheeky/adorable way) are all spot on. And, as ever, the line work is clean, chunky and crisp. So do keep going, I really look forward to seeing what your produce next.

And... I kind of want to hug him.

All these awesome artists coming back!

Anyone else feel there is a conspiracy in the works?

Quote from: Figure Fan on January 23, 2012, 09:29:41 AM
Meej...I love your art. I'm definitely glad to see this return. :cool:

Thanks FF! Funny that you were the first one to post here. Looking through my sketch books & folders of doodles last night I came across quite a few pics of your avatar. He's so much fun to draw.  :figurefananim

Quote from: juancho on January 23, 2012, 09:39:55 AM
oohhh the big CRAP returns!!

heheh, nice work meejub. Really looking foward to your new stuff, I've always been a fan of your art :D

I've always been a fan of your micro's so I guess that makes us even. :mjb:

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on January 23, 2012, 10:04:31 AM
I do love crap... And this crap is solid gold.

In terms of colouring, I think you managed to reach the animated look you were aiming for. It's flat and simple, but works really well as a whole. As individual elements, I think the trident is perhaps the least cohesive element, looking a tad unruly compared to the other parts of the picture (I think in this case it might be the highly saturated glows that throw me a little - a soft glow work well for Lou's eyes, but it seems a bit harsh on the trident).

Interesting enough the trident was an afterthought. When I drew out the pencils originally there was no trident or fire. When I decided to ink it I hastily threw in the trident. While inking it I also added some highlights that I didn't plan for.

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/lou-chair-pencils.jpg)

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on January 23, 2012, 10:04:31 AMAnd... I kind of want to hug him.

I wouldn't recommend it. He bites. :lou :mjbdead

Quote from: Reepicheep on January 23, 2012, 05:46:58 PM
All these awesome artists coming back!

Anyone else feel there is a conspiracy in the works?

You can blame Spud for my return. I don't know who you can blame for the others coming back. :P

-MJB

Quote from: MJB on January 23, 2012, 11:02:29 PM
Interesting enough the trident was an afterthought. When I drew out the pencils originally there was no trident or fire. When I decided to ink it I hastily threw in the trident. While inking it I also added some highlights that I didn't plan for.

Ah, see, that is interesting. As you say, it does look a little like an afterthought, though I think you were completely right to put something in that space. It gives the picture more weight on the left-hand-side, and that weight gives Lou more authority. (Also, I'm glad you opted to exclude the fire-imp-sprite-fire-devil-fire on the right. And the flames were a nice final touch.)

And *poof* I'm gone.

Great Crap man!  :thumbup:  Always love when people share.

MJB, what are you using to ink and color your drawings? I haven't done a lot of drawing the past couple of years (my only FR art has been sketches and MSPaint pics), but I am considering working on my own crap.

Quote from: XStream on January 24, 2012, 03:03:17 AMMJB, what are you using to ink and color your drawings? I haven't done a lot of drawing the past couple of years (my only FR art has been sketches and MSPaint pics), but I am considering working on my own crap.[/color][/b]

Currently I'm using some drafting pens my wife found for me. They range in size from 0.1mm to 0.7mm. I also use basic pens, sharpies and whatever else I can get my hands on. Nothing special really.

To color I use my old standby of Photoshop 6. I haven't tried any of the newer versions of the program so I can't really tell you about advantages/disadvantages. I  started out using Paintshop Pro then moved up to Photoshop. The move was difficult & the learning curve was kinda steep but it was quite worth the effort.

I also use a Wacom tablet when doing digital colors. Mine is a 4x5. It gets the job done.

i like your "clean" style, and like the character, i would love to see him in a short story  :D,  maybe with other characters drawed in the same style.
hope to see your new stuff soon.

I was browsing your DA gallery and saw that you added a drawing from my old account as a favorite, then commented. I'm actually going to close that account I think, but I can send you whatever drawings I have of your avatar.

:excl: This is my new account on DA, though I don't log into the site very often: http://mcinchakart.deviantart.com/

Quote from: naitvalis on January 24, 2012, 08:25:57 AM
i like your "clean" style, and like the character, i would love to see him in a short story  :D,  maybe with other characters drawed in the same style.
hope to see your new stuff soon.

Thank you! I have a handful of comic strips (9 I think) featuring Lou. Uploading them to my deviantart account shouldn't be a big deal. I'll let you know when I get off my lazy butt. :mjbdeadagain

Quote from: Figure Fan on January 24, 2012, 08:28:37 AMI was browsing your DA gallery and saw that you added a drawing from my old account as a favorite, then commented. I'm actually going to close that account I think, but I can send you whatever drawings I have of your avatar.

I want any and every pic you have of my avatar. I like your style. :)

Quote from: Figure Fan on January 24, 2012, 08:28:37 AM:excl: This is my new account on DA, though I don't log into the site very often: http://mcinchakart.deviantart.com/

*followed*

This reminds me... If anyone reading this has an Deviantart account feel free to send me a link & I'll be sure to follow you. FR forever & all that.

But, why aren't you drawing right now?

Also, now?

I am. :P

I like devil/demon themed art. :)

Sometimes i find myself searching for devil themed art in the internet...probably so i can use it as an avatar pic, since i feel i'm somewhat of a devil/evil person sometimes.. :wacko:... :twisted:

The flat colors you used really gives it a nice animated/cartoon look.   Anticipating what's gonna be next this coming Monday. :)

It's Meejub Monday! Woo!!

This Meejub Monday will be a special 2 for 1 deal. If you like my stuff you can thank the wife for suggestion that I post both these. If you don't like them you can still blame her. :P

First up is something some of you may have seen way back in 2007 when I showed the inks off. I drew the following picture as a back-up piece for the 2007 FR calendar. It wasn't used so I shelved it. While bored the other night I looked through some of my drawings for something fun to color & ran across this.

Inks from '06 colors from '12.

Villains Reborn!!

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/VR-2012.jpg)

Featuring The Verdant Vowel & Phantom Eyebrow versus Mr. Hamrick, Hellscorp clones & Sharkmen™!

Next up we have something else Villains Reborn related. In 2008 I was a big fan of the Marvel Zombie books & wanted to do a quick 1 shot comic featuring FR characters as zombies. I wanted Grizz to write it since he did a swell job on Villains Reborn. To try & talk him into doing the book I slapped together a parody of my VR #1 cover (http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/vr_000.jpg) & sent it to him.

Grizz started on the script but I got busy & didn't respond to his first draft. The project fell apart before it even started. :oops:

The drawing is bad but I wanted to color it anyway. Inks are from '08 colors from '12...

Zombies Reborn!

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/ZR_no00.jpg)

Featuring Zombie versions of Grizzlybear Talon, MikeB7, Ronin Lost, Gdaybloke & Captain Spud. Also zombie snack food MJB.

That's it for this Meejub Monday. PLEASE be sure to leave me some type of feedback. I needs the motivation!

All new art next week. Can't wait to show it off. :mjb:

-MJB

ohhh I love me some villans reborn. I always hoped for a second issue :D
This lifts my hopes up a bitm ore.

Great job meejub, your style is freat, cartoony and fresh, I love it

i like that "zombie cover" really a good job  :thumbup: :thumbup:, the only little note is the figures on the bottom of the page are little "cutted".
Now a "matter of taste" your characters in my opinion have a "cute"look wich let me imagine them in "funny stories" is this your way? or am i completely wrong?

I'm going to just start off by saying I love the vibrant colours used for the Villains reborn pinup. They're just so dynamic and really help to enhance the liveliness of the piece. Additionally, the three C's are back in full force - your line-work is clean, crisp and chunky, and very key to your style. A great picture.

While I like both covers, especially the typography and convincing comic-book layouts - right down to the staples - were I to choose I would probably say I'm more enamored by the first of the two covers (Villains Reborn).

For ZR, The little details, such as gdaybloke's broken headset, the evil hamster and the cyan gore add a lot of interest to the piece, and the expressions of the zombies are classic - very Marvel Zombies, right down to the lighting/shading. I think perhaps where you lose me a bit is in the composition. For VR the composition is very lively and intimate, making great use of the foreground and background (with a Hellscorp clone charging towards the distracted gdaybloke). It seems particularly polished and fills the page really well.

In contrast, I find the very 'head on' composition of ZR, with its slight weighting to the left-hand corner a little off. It seems a teeny bit flat in comparison (though it's not without its drama!). Also, while I really appreciate the comparison between Ronin Lost/Hellscorp and Ronin Lost/MJB on the two covers, I think the angle of MJB's fall is a bit confusing as it almost looks as if he's lying on his back in the air, and at the same time flying towards us - and Mikey does appear a little unfinished/clipped behind him.

As you said, I think the drawing let you down a little bit for ZR, but the colours are pretty much spot on - there's a great sense of gore, death and dark humour there that works really well. In particular, I like the ominous devilishness of C. Spud and his tattered cape, and the feral aggression of Grizz.

It really is a shame that the Age of Hellscorp died so early, and I definitely would have loved to see the Villains Reborn/Zombies Reborn comics in full.  :(

But yes, all new art next week? - Can't wait.

The background work on both of these is great. The composition of the would-be calendar art is action-packed and really fun. The bright green on the Verdant Vowel stands out so nicely among all the red Hellscorp clones, too. Also, I love the way you highlighted the bright outlines on his black costume parts. Everything here is just so bright, bold, and exciting. :)

YAY, Villains Reborn! Loved that event back in the day. Artwork is fantabulous.

(Oh, and feel free to post the ones I commisioned if you want... I still hold out hope that I'll one day have time to put them to good use, but for now they're just kinda sitting there)

I don't know much about the calendar events other than seeing them in the profiles of some members here, but it's too bad it was...discontinued? Would have wanted to see the other works which were created there.

I like the poster and comic cover MJB. Wish there was a weekly comic strip using those characters. That would be cool. :cool:

Quote from: juancho on January 30, 2012, 09:27:24 AM
ohhh I love me some villans reborn. I always hoped for a second issue :D
This lifts my hopes up a bitm ore.

Great job meejub, your style is freat, cartoony and fresh, I love it

Thanks for the kind words, Juan.

Quote from: naitvalis on January 30, 2012, 09:46:23 AMthe only little note is the figures on the bottom of the page are little "cutted".
Now a "matter of taste" your characters in my opinion have a "cute"look wich let me imagine them in "funny stories" is this your way? or am i completely wrong?

The figures at the bottom of the page (MikeB7 in particular) were not actually finished. I noticed this while coloring & threw in a layer of solid black to cover it up. Me is lazy!

As far as my characters having a "cute" look I'll take it. I shoot for more of a "cartoony" look but cute works too.

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on January 30, 2012, 02:57:25 PM
I'm going to just start off by saying I love the vibrant colours used for the Villains reborn pinup. They're just so dynamic and really help to enhance the liveliness of the piece. Additionally, the three C's are back in full force - your line-work is clean, crisp and chunky, and very key to your style. A great picture.

While I like both covers, especially the typography and convincing comic-book layouts - right down to the staples - were I to choose I would probably say I'm more enamored by the first of the two covers (Villains Reborn).

For ZR, The little details, such as gdaybloke's broken headset, the evil hamster and the cyan gore add a lot of interest to the piece, and the expressions of the zombies are classic - very Marvel Zombies, right down to the lighting/shading. I think perhaps where you lose me a bit is in the composition. For VR the composition is very lively and intimate, making great use of the foreground and background (with a Hellscorp clone charging towards the distracted gdaybloke). It seems particularly polished and fills the page really well.

In contrast, I find the very 'head on' composition of ZR, with its slight weighting to the left-hand corner a little off. It seems a teeny bit flat in comparison (though it's not without its drama!). Also, while I really appreciate the comparison between Ronin Lost/Hellscorp and Ronin Lost/MJB on the two covers, I think the angle of MJB's fall is a bit confusing as it almost looks as if he's lying on his back in the air, and at the same time flying towards us - and Mikey does appear a little unfinished/clipped behind him.

As you said, I think the drawing let you down a little bit for ZR, but the colours are pretty much spot on - there's a great sense of gore, death and dark humour there that works really well. In particular, I like the ominous devilishness of C. Spud and his tattered cape, and the feral aggression of Grizz.

It really is a shame that the Age of Hellscorp died so early, and I definitely would have loved to see the Villains Reborn/Zombies Reborn comics in full.  :(

But yes, all new art next week? - Can't wait.

PreRaph, your feedback has quickly become my favorite ones to watch out for. This week's doesn't disappoint.

Ya the Zombie Reborn cover has many, many flaws. It was, after all, not meant for normal people to see (Grizz is not, in fact, normal :P ). If the ZR comic did actually happen I would have redrawn the cover from scratch. Thanks for the feedback!

Quote from: Figure Fan on January 30, 2012, 07:43:28 PM
The background work on both of these is great. The composition of the would-be calendar art is action-packed and really fun. The bright green on the Verdant Vowel stands out so nicely among all the red Hellscorp clones, too. Also, I love the way you highlighted the bright outlines on his black costume parts. Everything here is just so bright, bold, and exciting. :)

Wow, thanks FF! Glad to see that my bright colors please some people.

Quote from: Tomato on January 30, 2012, 11:28:46 PM
YAY, Villains Reborn! Loved that event back in the day. Artwork is fantabulous.

(Oh, and feel free to post the ones I commisioned if you want... I still hold out hope that I'll one day have time to put them to good use, but for now they're just kinda sitting there)

Thanks for the compliment, Tomato. Also thanks for the thumbs-up to post the commission work I did for you. You are the man!

Quote from: Outcast on January 31, 2012, 04:51:38 AM
I don't know much about the calendar events other than seeing them in the profiles of some members here, but it's too bad it was...discontinued? Would have wanted to see the other works which were created there.

I like the poster and comic cover MJB. Wish there was a weekly comic strip using those characters. That would be cool. :cool:

Sadly the calendar fell apart for multiple reasons. The main reasons were time dedication & interest. People didn't have the time to invest & the interest in the actual product dropped. Sad stuff really.

A weekly comic strip would have been great but, back in the day, I quickly learned that I didn't have the chops to pull it off.

Super vibrant colors!  Awesome to see you posting pics again.  Giggling at the zombies reborn - BELLYBUTTON MAKE GOOD FOOD!

More crap!

I love the Villains Reborn cover! Eyebrow just looks cool. I hate that I missed the single issue that you are speaking about. Any chance someone can see a copy of this?

Quote from: MikeB7 on February 01, 2012, 01:37:40 AM
Super vibrant colors!  Awesome to see you posting pics again.  Giggling at the zombies reborn - BELLYBUTTON MAKE GOOD FOOD!

Mikey! It's Mikey! You made my day. :)

Quote from: XStream on February 01, 2012, 02:29:35 AM
More crap!

I love the Villains Reborn cover! Eyebrow just looks cool. I hate that I missed the single issue that you are speaking about. Any chance someone can see a copy of this?

I just added the whole comic to my DeviantArt gallery. Just go to meejub.deviantart.com (http://meejub.deviantart.com/) & head to my gallery. Click "Villains Reborn 2006" & you're done. :)

Gah! You can't be here Mike, you'll break the universe as we know it! It's confusing enough when the two of you are in different threads, but both of you in the same thread... *shudder* we'll never be able to tell the difference! We're all DOOMED!


But no, seriously, good to have you back too man.

And they both have MikeyB7 as their avatar (although MJB's is slightly undead).

Thanks for posting the comic Mik....shoot....MJB!

Thanks to Tomato's kindness we have a new series of updates to look forward to! For the next 4 weeks look out for Tomato Thurdays!!

These are commissions I did for Tomato last year. First up Influx #0...

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_00.jpg)

-MJB

**EDIT**

Forgot to mention that I added my old MJB: Vampire Slayer mini-comic to my DeviantArt (http://meejub.deviantart.com) page for anyone interested.

 :blink: :wub: :blink: :wub: :blink:

This is just insane, really Meejub, one hell of a comic cover I love every bit of it, the characters, the powers, the evil Randy silouette.
Thanks for sharing such awsomenes with us, both to you and Tomato!

who is the one in the front centre? X-Stream?

Wow. Thanks for all the kind words & quick feedback, Juan. :D

Quote from: juancho on February 02, 2012, 09:08:20 AMwho is the one in the front centre? X-Stream?

That's Ink's character Teknos.

Quote from: MJB on February 02, 2012, 09:31:12 AM
Wow. Thanks for all the kind words & quick feedback, Juan. :D

Quote from: juancho on February 02, 2012, 09:08:20 AMwho is the one in the front centre? X-Stream?

That's Ink's character Teknos.

Not ink's... he's a forgotten member of Electric Freedom, and one of the game's main antagonists later on.

Edit: meh, this is what happens when I try to post shiz on my way to work... response ends up too short and reads almost curtly. Here's a bit more info.

Teknos is the redesigned/retconned avatar of one of Electric Freedom's members back in the day, which I put together for the Influx story. His purpose in the first "arc" is to bridge the gap between the prequel level (EF vs Randy) and the first one, being playable in both. He'd also have an arc later on which would turn him into one of the team's major adversaries.

Also, I'm assuming this means I don't have to rush home today and try to pound out a pony av before bed.

Thanks for sharing this with us Majub and Toto, it's a lovely piece.

I must say, my immediate impressions are purely sentimental. The semi-halftone effect, the worn edges and the clever use of classic comicbook elements (the comics code, tatty barcode, staples and simple EmJayBee logo) forge an instant connection to the piece. It comes laden with all the familiarity of a well-worn vintage comic.

The group composition is simple but interesting, and you use colour effectively to showcase the heroes and then slowly draw the eye back to the ominous presence of Randy in the background (had to be very careful not to say the 'Randy presence'). I like the hands coming around to the front, stopping short the lightning, and also the way the different personalities of the team are cast in their stances and facial expressions. I think perhaps some of the poses are a tad bit wooden, and it's a shame that the front character (Teknos?) is a little cropped at the feet, but these are very minor things. In all, it's a good showcase of your style, it's a polished image, and it's playful without being overtly silly or melodramatic.

Also, I read through the VR#1 comic last night - it was great, loved it, very well done indeed. I'd give you more feedback, but I think I'll hold back until the next comic comes out...  ;)

Edit:
Also, there's a kind of matte quality I'm enjoying about Influx after seeing all your covers lined up together. The use of a Payne's Grey 'black' (almost a CMYK type of black) adds a nice subtlety to it.

Quote from: Tomato on February 02, 2012, 11:35:10 AM

Quote from: MJB on February 02, 2012, 09:31:12 AM
Wow. Thanks for all the kind words & quick feedback, Juan. :D

Quote from: juancho on February 02, 2012, 09:08:20 AMwho is the one in the front centre? X-Stream?

That's Ink's character Teknos.

Not ink's... he's a forgotten member of Electric Freedom, and one of the game's main antagonists later on.

Edit: meh, this is what happens when I try to post shiz on my way to work... response ends up too short and reads almost curtly. Here's a bit more info.

Teknos is the redesigned/retconned avatar of one of Electric Freedom's members back in the day, which I put together for the Influx story. His purpose in the first "arc" is to bridge the gap between the prequel level (EF vs Randy) and the first one, being playable in both. He'd also have an arc later on which would turn him into one of the team's major adversaries.

Also, I'm assuming this means I don't have to rush home today and try to pound out a pony av before bed.

Didn't Interceptor decide to rework himself into being Teknos?  If I remember rightly that was what you had said once...unsure.

I only ever said that one of the original EF members was reworked into Teknos. Someone else might have assumed Interceptor, but I personally have never said who it is. (It's not that hard to figure out who though... I'm honestly shocked no one has guessed yet)

he looks a bit like C6, with another colour scheme and his brown hair showing :P
Was C6 at the original EF (shame on me, I should remeber this kind of stuff, I've been around since those days)

I don't remember if he was or not, but it isn't him... however, the similarities to C6's primary armor are intended and deliberate.

My first post there was a typo. I intended to say "That's Tomato's character Teknos." Even though as it now turns out that's also wrong.

My guess is Interceptor.

Quote from: MJB on February 03, 2012, 12:26:43 AM
My first post there was a typo. I intended to say "That's Tomato's character Teknos." Even though as it now turns out that's also wrong.

My guess is Interceptor.

Actually, it's only partly wrong on both counts... waaaaaay back when Ink actually did the design for the person's av, and I did the redesign based partly on that... so, you weren't exactly wrong in your assumptions.

... at least until that last whopper you just threw in.

I love the composition on the Influx piece, especially with Randy in the background being all spooky and red/black. Great use of the dot texture here too. It really lends to that comic book-y look. Did you make it yourself? I might want to try that on the drawing I did of your avatar, as well as future drawings.

It's your first alter ego!  AntmanNext or something?  YOU WERE CALLING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!@!!!  *cue Halloween/Jason theme song*


And the old comic book touches on the Influx cover are awesome, Meej!

As I promised here is something all-new...

Cover dated March 1969
Published by Komix Brand Komix
General Victory #77 (GV's first solo comic!)

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no77.jpg)

Drew this up originally just as a drawing exercise. Liked how it looked so I inked it. Liked that so I colored it, etc, etc...

The finished product really inspired me. I'm now totally hooked on faux comic covers. I hope you guys like them too because I have a bunch finished up. :D

Last and very much least is the "Blame the Wife" pic. Wifey was sick & had a headache last week. While doped up on cold pills she sickly looked up at me before going to bed & requested that I draw Lou as a Smurf. -.-;

Here it is. <.<

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/lou-smurf.jpg)

Comments are very much appreciated!!

-MJB

***EDIT***
Just noticed while posting this that the cover date is wrong in the picture. It should be March but it says June. I'll fix it later. Too much to do right now. :mjb:

Me likey!
The old school vibe of general victory is just outstanding

...and I can't even describe the levels of awsomeness on the smurf lou...just can't... XD

I think I'm more scared of Lou as a smurf than I ever was of him as a devil... I don't want to hug him anymore.  :(

I feel you've really taken it to the next level with this cover. The inking is superb - very reminiscent of the chosen era. You've also pushed the boat out with all the vintage trimmings, taking account of textures, dots - even the yellow overprinting in the background. I think my favourite part of the cover is Gru'nt: a fantastic facial expression, a very classic type of monster with inks and colours that feel worn and aged and suit the theme perfectly. As a whole, the composition fills the space very comfortably, and I love the visual joke - the smugness of GV and the tiny 'biff' made by his love tap really works/gave me a good chuckle. The inks and shading on GV are, again, well applied. Were I to be fussy, I would have to say GV comes across a bit more polished/saturated than the rest of the comic. While it helps him to stand out as the protagonist, it does contrast slightly with the vintage vibe. Indeed, some of the comic hardware (the Komix box, the 'in his own magazine at last!' and 'Victory' text) could be aged a little more as they seem a little 'stuck on' at the moment - unlike the 'Versus Gru'nt' box at the bottom of the cover which fits in perfectly. But perhaps I'm just over-reacting to the brightness of the white...?

Seriously though, I'm getting more and more impressed every Monday.

...now get Lou away from me before I cry.

Quote from: Tomato on February 03, 2012, 12:39:47 AM

Quote from: MJB on February 03, 2012, 12:26:43 AM
My first post there was a typo. I intended to say "That's Tomato's character Teknos." Even though as it now turns out that's also wrong.

My guess is Interceptor.

Actually, it's only partly wrong on both counts... waaaaaay back when Ink actually did the design for the person's av, and I did the redesign based partly on that... so, you weren't exactly wrong in your assumptions.

... at least until that last whopper you just threw in.

Wait...Tortuga was one of the originals for EF!  Perhaps...perhaps....

what i like most? the aged comic covers! and this a very well done piece! there is something funny and absolute cool in the face expression of the general victory, congratz, keep it up the good work mjb!

Quote from: Deaths Jester on February 06, 2012, 06:44:59 PM

Quote from: Tomato on February 03, 2012, 12:39:47 AM

Quote from: MJB on February 03, 2012, 12:26:43 AM
My first post there was a typo. I intended to say "That's Tomato's character Teknos." Even though as it now turns out that's also wrong.

My guess is Interceptor.

Actually, it's only partly wrong on both counts... waaaaaay back when Ink actually did the design for the person's av, and I did the redesign based partly on that... so, you weren't exactly wrong in your assumptions.

... at least until that last whopper you just threw in.

Wait...Tortuga was one of the originals for EF!  Perhaps...perhaps....

Earliest snapshot I could find for Electric Freedom (http://web.archive.org/web/20020804043259/http://www.electric-freedom.com/) is from August 4, 2002.

Guys... as amusing as it is seeing you obsess about the whole Teknos mystery, I think we're almost spamming poor MJB out of his own art thread.

That said, most of you are over-thinking this. Think about it guys... who would I personally know well enough to feel comfortable changing whatever I wanted about their avatar? What member of EF would I be willing to manipulate from a hero to one of the major villains in the Influx arc? Who would I still, to this day, be able to contact that no one else on here could?

The evidence is there already... I've already told you much of his design is blatantly from C6's avatar. If it's not C6, why would he be using it? One of you guessed who it might be already. Just figure out why.

Quote from: juancho on February 06, 2012, 02:19:33 PM
Me likey!
The old school vibe of general victory is just outstanding

...and I can't even describe the levels of awsomeness on the smurf lou...just can't... XD

Old school is the vibe I was going for, thanks Juan. :)

Smurf Lou isn't awesome he is an abomination. He shouldn't exist.

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on February 06, 2012, 02:24:12 PM
I think I'm more scared of Lou as a smurf than I ever was of him as a devil... I don't want to hug him anymore.  :(

You have finally come to your senses.

Quote from: PreRaphaeliteI feel you've really taken it to the next level with this cover. The inking is superb - very reminiscent of the chosen era. You've also pushed the boat out with all the vintage trimmings, taking account of textures, dots - even the yellow overprinting in the background. I think my favourite part of the cover is Gru'nt: a fantastic facial expression, a very classic type of monster with inks and colours that feel worn and aged and suit the theme perfectly. As a whole, the composition fills the space very comfortably, and I love the visual joke - the smugness of GV and the tiny 'biff' made by his love tap really works/gave me a good chuckle. The inks and shading on GV are, again, well applied. Were I to be fussy, I would have to say GV comes across a bit more polished/saturated than the rest of the comic. While it helps him to stand out as the protagonist, it does contrast slightly with the vintage vibe. Indeed, some of the comic hardware (the Komix box, the 'in his own magazine at last!' and 'Victory' text) could be aged a little more as they seem a little 'stuck on' at the moment - unlike the 'Versus Gru'nt' box at the bottom of the cover which fits in perfectly. But perhaps I'm just over-reacting to the brightness of the white...?

Seriously though, I'm getting more and more impressed every Monday.

...now get Lou away from me before I cry.

I looked back at the cover after reading your post & you are right. The header needed to be aged down a bit. Problem was that I'm working on so many of these things that when I come up with a new technique I forget to go back & apply it. I aged the borders a tad & did some shifting with the colors to give more parts that over printed look. I also fixed the cover date. That bugged me more than anything else. *sigh*

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no77.jpg)

Quote from: naitvalis on February 06, 2012, 07:23:40 PM
what i like most? the aged comic covers! and this a very well done piece! there is something funny and absolute cool in the face expression of the general victory, congratz, keep it up the good work mjb!

Honestly I wasn't going for funny with his expression. I was going for kinda-corny 60's superhero smug. Thanks for the comment Nait, I appreciate it!

Wow, what a difference that made. It's great. It looks so authentic, I wouldn't change a thing.

It's good to hear you're in such a creative place at the moment that you're having more technical breakthroughs than you can handle!  :lol:

It's always a joy for me to see new character(heroes/villains) designs. And seeing them in comic covers just makes it more fun. (much like what the freedom force comic covers did for me when i first saw them) I think it's pretty cool to be able to do such a thing. So yeah i like it very much. :)

Quote from: Kommando on February 06, 2012, 07:57:09 PM
Earliest snapshot I could find for Electric Freedom (http://web.archive.org/web/20020804043259/http://www.electric-freedom.com/) is from August 4, 2002.

Also just a quick comment on this. This is the first time i've seen the site. Cool. :cool:

Quote from: Outcast on February 06, 2012, 11:15:56 PM
It's always a joy for me to see new character(heroes/villains) designs. And seeing them in comic covers just makes it more fun. (much like what the freedom force comic covers did for me when i first saw them) I think it's pretty cool to be able to do such a thing. So yeah i like it very much. :)

Quote from: Kommando on February 06, 2012, 07:57:09 PM
Earliest snapshot I could find for Electric Freedom (http://web.archive.org/web/20020804043259/http://www.electric-freedom.com/) is from August 4, 2002.

Also just a quick comment on this. This is the first time i've seen the site. Cool. :cool:

And, interestingly enough, the link includes a picture of the good General himself: http://web.archive.org/web/20020817093003im_/http://electric-freedom.com/images/General_Victory.jpg

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on February 07, 2012, 12:00:54 AMAnd, interestingly enough, the link includes a picture of the good General himself: http://web.archive.org/web/20020817093003im_/http://electric-freedom.com/images/General_Victory.jpg

Ew! OMG was that skin horrid LOL. General Victory has been a character of mine since I was little. He's about 20 years old now.

You know I'm a big fan of your crap.

If you ever want to color anything without all the hassle of drawing, lemme know!  :P

Quote from: Deaths Jester on February 06, 2012, 06:44:59 PM

Quote from: Tomato on February 03, 2012, 12:39:47 AM

Quote from: MJB on February 03, 2012, 12:26:43 AM
My first post there was a typo. I intended to say "That's Tomato's character Teknos." Even though as it now turns out that's also wrong.

My guess is Interceptor.

Actually, it's only partly wrong on both counts... waaaaaay back when Ink actually did the design for the person's av, and I did the redesign based partly on that... so, you weren't exactly wrong in your assumptions.

... at least until that last whopper you just threw in.

Wait...Tortuga was one of the originals for EF!  Perhaps...perhaps....

As far as I remember, I joined EF shortly before its demise.

I had nothing to do with it.  Honest.

Quote from: Tortuga on February 07, 2012, 12:24:56 AM
You know I'm a big fan of your crap.

If you ever want to color anything without all the hassle of drawing, lemme know!  :P

Thanks for the comment, Tort!  :bandwagon

As far as coloring something for you; I'm having way too much fun working on my stuff right now. I'm afraid if I deviate I'll lose this steam & fizzle out.

It's time for Tomato Thursday!

Here's commission #2 aka Influx #1 featuring Kid Rocket, Tomato & Ch'nybe.

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_01.jpg)

The inks & colors without the aging are on my DeviantArt page.

-MJB

*EDIT*
Sorry for the double post. Didn't want to wait much longer to show off this cover I did for Mater head. :D

I really like the colour dots you're using. It's a great effect. :)

It's so bright and cheerful, and I agree with Spud (what?!), the dot effect is great and adds just the right amount of texture/authenticity without being distracting. All the colours look suitably aged as well, and I really dig the contrasting blue/yellow and blue/white gradation in the background. The hint of dust/damp on the dark parts of the comic is also a clever touch.

There's a great dynamic between the determined Tomato and the puzzled and innocent-looking Kid Rocket; the colours of their costumes (though predesigned) work especially well to highlight this, with the red that links them and the white/black that helps to signify their individual persona. I really like the placement of Ch'nybe in the cover, as your eye is made to gravitate towards him as this menace/possible threat in the foreground. His head does sit rather massive on his body, though that might be intentional(?). And as far as small details go, I think those areas around Ch'nybe's shoulder/armpit where you use a gradiant outline to separate him from the shadows is an effective technique.  ^_^

All i can say is... Tomato sure is one lucky guy to have someone like you make comic covers for his original characters. :)

I hope ye charging 'Matter a good chunk of change for this stuff becuase the work is too good to do for free!

*shrug* awhile back MJB needed to do a few commissions, so I took advantage and helped him out. I was working on a mod at the time, and the idea was that these would be load screens for the individual chapters (kind of the same way FF is)

Just to kind of explain where this one came from, this cover was going to be the player's first look at the three characters, and rather then have another splash cover, I figured it'd be better to have them actively pursuing a goal. The concept I initially pitched to MJB was that Tomato and KR would be flying around looking for their target, while Ch'nybe was kind of lurking about in the shadows somewhere in the background. When MJB sent me his initial sketch though, it had Ch'nybe much more pronounced, looking like he was gonna jump out and attack his teammates. And while that wasn't my intent, it set a perfect tone for the character right from the start.

Meejub Monday time again...

Cover dated June 1977
The Triad #25 featuring Haywire, Sonar & Ultimate Soldier

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/Triad_no25.jpg)

Not as aged as the previous cover. I'm going to vary the age affects so they all don't look identical. Trying to emulate varying conditions of these books.

All these characters are childhood creations that I've slightly updated.

Comments are more than welcome!

-MJB

I really like the dot texture in the back. How are you doing this--is it a brush or a fill or what? Nice job though. Varying the aging effect is also a good idea.

I feel like these are CoH-inspired costumes, but I could be wrong. Did you ever make them in game based on your original creations?

exceptional designs.

good work mjb  :thumbup:! i like the choice of the "title", the  characters, and the only one thing i can suggest (if i can suggest something at least) is to give a little more emphasis to "the void" itself , cause to me look a little "plain".

(i like very much that robot  :thumbup: i don't know why but i imagine him with "tank-wheels" in place of legs. )

this cover is awsome, and hillarious all at the same time.
Great job Emjay.
I'd love to get a clearer look at the blue/yellow character design,

Haha, the facial expressions and body language are great, especially for the middle character (Sonar?). The circular composition also makes a nice change, and the sense of zero-gravity free-floating is quite convincing. Furthermore, the character designs are funky, and you can read a lot of personality from each hero.

I've got to say, your choice of typography always seems very authentic - you really do have an eye for mixing text and image. Out of interest, do you make your own fonts, or manipulate ready-made ones?

I'm glad you're consciously varying the age effects - it's good to keep things looking fresh. To help maintain the variation, it might be worth trying something different in the bottom right hand corner in the future rather than tearing - maybe a dog ear or something similar? Otherwise the only real thing that niggles me a tad is the vibrance and flatness of the background. It might just be me, but I don't quite get the feeling of recession into the void that I would like. Partly, I think because Sonar and Ultimate Soldier are so close to one another in the foreground (US could perhaps have been thrown further back into the void). As ever, just another of my fussy little thoughts... But yeah, you're definitely on roll with these!

Ah yes......i remember capturing those three inside my dark void dimension...kidding aside..it's great to see more of your original characters MJB. Haywire...Sonar...and Ultimate Soldier. I'm really curious to see Haywire's full body design too. Is he a cyborg or an android? It'd be nice to know more of these characters story backgrounds and powers.:)

I don't really get how the "dot" effects makes it appear "aged" though, but it does have a nice effect to it. Did old comics have those kind of dot effects? :huh:

Quote from: Outcast on February 13, 2012, 03:07:00 PM
I don't really get how the "dot" effects makes it appear "aged" though, but it does have a nice effect to it. Did old comics have those kind of dot effects? :huh:

I believe they're halftone dots, related to and referencing the Ben-Day dots (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Day_dots) that were used for colouring/shading in mid-20th century comics and later the Pop Art movement.  :)

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on February 13, 2012, 04:34:06 PM

Quote from: Outcast on February 13, 2012, 03:07:00 PM
I don't really get how the "dot" effects makes it appear "aged" though, but it does have a nice effect to it. Did old comics have those kind of dot effects? :huh:

I believe they're halftone dots, related to and referencing the Ben-Day dots (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Day_dots) that were used for colouring/shading in mid-20th century comics and later the Pop Art movement.  :)

Ah..I see. Thanks for explaining it to me PreRaphaelite. :)

Wow! Thanks for all the feedback guys! I'm really glad people seem to be digging these covers. :D

Now on to your responses...

Quote from: Figure Fan on February 13, 2012, 06:42:46 AM
I really like the dot texture in the back. How are you doing this--is it a brush or a fill or what? Nice job though. Varying the aging effect is also a good idea.

PreRaph nailed it in his response. They are halftone dots done in Photoshop (Filter+Pixelate+Color Halftone). The BG was done with large dots set to around 10-12 radius. The dots on the colors were set to 8. What I normally do is I color my image, put the logo/header on then copy the whole pic. Then I make a new image, paste the copied image & use the color halftone to dot it up. Copy & paste that image over top my cover & change the opacity to around 10%. It gives it that faint dotted look that old comics had.

Quote from: Figure FanI feel like these are CoH-inspired costumes, but I could be wrong. Did you ever make them in game based on your original creations?

All original costumes. :) Each of these characters are at least 20 years old. I very slightly changed their looks. I did play City of Heroes for 4+ years so when I updated them some of that CoH look could have creeped in but nothing intentional.

Quote from: bearded on February 13, 2012, 07:37:39 AMexceptional designs.

Much appreciated, Bearded.

Quote from: naitvalis on February 13, 2012, 07:44:04 AM
good work mjb  :thumbup:! i like the choice of the "title", the  characters, and the only one thing i can suggest (if i can suggest something at least) is to give a little more emphasis to "the void" itself , cause to me look a little "plain".

(i like very much that robot  :thumbup: i don't know why but i imagine him with "tank-wheels" in place of legs. )

Thanks for the comment, Nait. The "plain" look to the Void was intentional. I guess I should have designed it to look like it's pulling them in more but this was all designed right on the page. No thumbnails or sketches before hand.

Haywire does indeed have legs. Sorry no tank-wheels. :)

Quote from: juancho on February 13, 2012, 09:42:13 AM
this cover is awsome, and hillarious all at the same time.
Great job Emjay.
I'd love to get a clearer look at the blue/yellow character design,

Thanks Juan. :) The next Triad cover has a good shot of Haywire's look.

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on February 13, 2012, 01:15:53 PM
Haha, the facial expressions and body language are great, especially for the middle character (Sonar?). The circular composition also makes a nice change, and the sense of zero-gravity free-floating is quite convincing. Furthermore, the character designs are funky, and you can read a lot of personality from each hero.

I've got to say, your choice of typography always seems very authentic - you really do have an eye for mixing text and image. Out of interest, do you make your own fonts, or manipulate ready-made ones?

I use ready-made fonts but I often alter them slightly to fit the look I'm going for. I'm somewhat of a collector of free fonts. I think my font folder has like 500 fonts in it now. :blink:

Quote from: PreRaphaeliteI'm glad you're consciously varying the age effects - it's good to keep things looking fresh. To help maintain the variation, it might be worth trying something different in the bottom right hand corner in the future rather than tearing - maybe a dog ear or something similar? Otherwise the only real thing that niggles me a tad is the vibrance and flatness of the background. It might just be me, but I don't quite get the feeling of recession into the void that I would like. Partly, I think because Sonar and Ultimate Soldier are so close to one another in the foreground (US could perhaps have been thrown further back into the void). As ever, just another of my fussy little thoughts... But yeah, you're definitely on roll with these!

A dog ear would be a perfect fit. Thanks for the suggestion I'll be sure to use one soon!

Again the flatness is purposeful but I could have definitely pushed Ultimate Soldier further into the void. Hindsight & all that...

Quote from: Outcast on February 13, 2012, 03:07:00 PM
Ah yes......i remember capturing those three inside my dark void dimension...

You fiend!!

Quote from: Outcastit's great to see more of your original characters MJB. Haywire...Sonar...and Ultimate Soldier. I'm really curious to see Haywire's full body design too. Is he a cyborg or an android? It'd be nice to know more of these characters story backgrounds and powers.:)

He's a robot with the brain of a human. All my characters have back-story origins & whatnot. I really need to type it all up at one point.

Quote from: OutcastI don't really get how the "dot" effects makes it appear "aged" though, but it does have a nice effect to it. Did old comics have those kind of dot effects? :huh:

PreRaph explained it perfectly. These dots were present in the print of older comics. Modern scanning techniques have helped magnify the affect a bit. These dots on my covers are very much overblown from what would have actually been noticeable in older comics. Just a style choice to get the time period across.

Ahh how awesome. I completely forgot about the color hafltone filter..so simple yet so affective. Thanks for sharing. :)

I also meant to point out how much I like the yellow circle design on the antenna guy's costume. :cool:

It's Tomato Thursday so it's time for Influx cover #3.

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_02.jpg)

Yay! Another great comic cover MJB. :thumbup:

Another funky cover, Majub. The use of action lines, the dynamic poses - it all works very well. The linework and the colouring are bold and clean, and again it looks thoroughly tactile, as though I could pick it up for 50p at a nearby carboot sale.

Thanks guys. :mjb:

Hopefully the lack of comments isn't a symptom of you guys getting bored with the covers. I'm still quite fascinated with them.

Cover Dated December 1969
Guest starring BrainStorm!
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no86.jpg)

Comments are always welcome and very much appreciated.

-MJB

niiiiice
Bloodlust look terrific, and I love the way Brainstorm's cape just floats all arround him, it kind of look like he has just arrived to the scene, niiiice :D

I really like these. Your colouring is just getting more and more imaginative as well. No comic book is complete without a brain in a jar as well - this one is a really fun design. His aura made me think Energy-X, too.

My only comment is the composition of the characters. They all lie a little bit flat, like they're on one plane to each other. I think the general needed something to give him a little more notice in this last one, he's kinda hidden in the corner - took me a second to notice him there. You've probably read it already (in fact, I think it was you who I got the recommendation from) but How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way had a couple of pages on composing a front cover that are really handy.


I actually really like the last influx one - you got that dynamic feeling where something is about to happen. The two characters are going for each other, but it isn't clear who is coming up trumps. I think a comic book cover needs that. The thing is, even though theres more stuff happening in this last one, I feel like its already happened. The general is already grounded, and Brainstorm has already fired off his laser. I think it needs to feel like poop is about to hit the fan, rather than it already has.

But thats a minor comment compared to how great this looks. Your style is nothing short of awesome.

Aah, I remember the days when I used to waltz into the nearby comic shop and eagerly search the racks for the latest copy of General Victory. Issue 86 was one of the best ones. You wouldn't believe what GV gets up to! What a man...

First let me say I like that you're experimenting with using different colour schemes, trying out new combinations such as the mottled dark blue/purple background. It shows you're still pushing yourself, which always earns you points in my eye(s). That said, I'm not sure if the background is just a bit too bold. Tonally it seems too close to the reds of Bludlust and the pinks/purples of Brainstorm's cloak, contributing to the degree of flatness that Reep mentioned.

In terms of composition, I don't think the 'one plane' composition is too detrimental here. In a way it's actually quite charming, because instead of focusing on a foreground to background recession, you've focused on a stacked single plane compostion where your eye literally zig-zags down the page from the General Victory sign, to the Brainstorm sign, to Brainstorm, Bludlust, and finally GV (which I'm guessing is why Mr Cheep might have taken a moment to spot GV?). The use of diagonal lines is a big part of this movement. Nevertheless, my main concern with the composition is that everything has been squished down on the page. There is a lot of vacant space at the top of the cover compared to a very compressed amount of action at the very bottom. That empty space can be quite distracting, while the 'Bludlust Unbound' text seems a bit cramped next to/on top of GV.

But naturally the pros far outway the cons in this image. BrainStorm's design is very cool - a brain in a jar with a body of energy? It's priceless. And I really like the way you've drawn the energy of his body - it's a classic type of dark, blobby energy that really works. The action poses are also very well considered, and I do get the feeling of a battle being/having been waged here. The linework is very clean with some areas of subtle shading (the understated shadows of Bludlust for example) and the colours of BrainStorm are exciting and eyecatching. GV is a little bit lost down there, but I can see why you did it - to give that sense of defeat as he's overwhelmed by his adversary. His expression, however, and that of Bludlust, are very well executed. Thumbs up!  :)

I'm thrilled to see more your original character creations in your main hero's comic cover. Since there are new villains/characters being introduced. It somehow makes these comic covers more authentic to me. Like there's a story inside that would explain how and why Captain Victory ended up in that kind of predicament. I also think it helps make Captain Victory's world more complete or more fleshed out, because you see more of who these villains/characters Captain Victory has to deal with or has encountered. :panice

I also dig the Kirby like squiggles you made on Captain Victory atop the Title. :thumbup:

I've meant to pop in this thread much sooner than this, but I seem to keep getting distracted.  I think my favorite one so far has been the first one, because Lou is awesome, as always.  But I'm liking this most recent cover.  What I first noticed though, is that the areas of the cover that aren't looking torn look very crisp, almost pristine, almost like they haven't been aged.  I would have expected to see some wrinkle creases or some other sort of wear in some of the larger expanses of solid colors (like behind Bludlust).  I am liking Brainstorm's design.  Almost like a combination of The Brain from the Brotherhood of Evil and Wildfire.

After reading Reep & PreR's comments, I did notice that GV was a little hard to see.  I would swap the positioning of the Guest Starring box and the issue title, scaling them both down enough to see the rest of GV's costume so he pops a bit more, and to fit the issue title in without covering up too much of the action.

One thing I wanted to ask, were you attempting to have the covers be evocative of the era that you're cover dating them to be?

are there stories behind the covers? color me interested.

Quote from: juancho on February 20, 2012, 09:00:26 AM
niiiiice
Bloodlust look terrific, and I love the way Brainstorm's cape just floats all arround him, it kind of look like he has just arrived to the scene, niiiice :D

Thanks Juan!

Quote from: Reepicheep on February 20, 2012, 09:22:16 AMMy only comment is the composition of the characters. They all lie a little bit flat, like they're on one plane to each other. I think the general needed something to give him a little more notice in this last one, he's kinda hidden in the corner - took me a second to notice him there. You've probably read it already (in fact, I think it was you who I got the recommendation from) but How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way had a couple of pages on composing a front cover that are really handy.

I actually really like the last influx one - you got that dynamic feeling where something is about to happen. The two characters are going for each other, but it isn't clear who is coming up trumps. I think a comic book cover needs that. The thing is, even though theres more stuff happening in this last one, I feel like its already happened. The general is already grounded, and Brainstorm has already fired off his laser. I think it needs to feel like poop is about to hit the fan, rather than it already has.

But thats a minor comment compared to how great this looks. Your style is nothing short of awesome.

Thanks for the comment, Reep. Indeed the composition is flat. I usually draw these freehand on a sheet of paper without thumbing them out. The results are generally flat. I'm trying to do better with the layouts on my most recent ones.

How to Draw the Marvel Way is indeed a great book to look at for tips. I need to dig out my copy. :)

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on February 20, 2012, 10:24:25 AMFirst let me say I like that you're experimenting with using different colour schemes, trying out new combinations such as the mottled dark blue/purple background. It shows you're still pushing yourself, which always earns you points in my eye(s). That said, I'm not sure if the background is just a bit too bold. Tonally it seems too close to the reds of Bludlust and the pinks/purples of Brainstorm's cloak, contributing to the degree of flatness that Reep mentioned.

In terms of composition, I don't think the 'one plane' composition is too detrimental here. In a way it's actually quite charming, because instead of focusing on a foreground to background recession, you've focused on a stacked single plane compostion where your eye literally zig-zags down the page from the General Victory sign, to the Brainstorm sign, to Brainstorm, Bludlust, and finally GV (which I'm guessing is why Mr Cheep might have taken a moment to spot GV?). The use of diagonal lines is a big part of this movement. Nevertheless, my main concern with the composition is that everything has been squished down on the page. There is a lot of vacant space at the top of the cover compared to a very compressed amount of action at the very bottom. That empty space can be quite distracting, while the 'Bludlust Unbound' text seems a bit cramped next to/on top of GV.

But naturally the pros far outway the cons in this image. BrainStorm's design is very cool - a brain in a jar with a body of energy? It's priceless. And I really like the way you've drawn the energy of his body - it's a classic type of dark, blobby energy that really works. The action poses are also very well considered, and I do get the feeling of a battle being/having been waged here. The linework is very clean with some areas of subtle shading (the understated shadows of Bludlust for example) and the colours of BrainStorm are exciting and eyecatching. GV is a little bit lost down there, but I can see why you did it - to give that sense of defeat as he's overwhelmed by his adversary. His expression, however, and that of Bludlust, are very well executed. Thumbs up!  :)

Thank you for the detailed critique. Truly a pleasure to read.

The "squished" composition was an accident. I intended to draw more of the General but once I started inking it I decided to just cover parts in rubble. I think you may be able to tell that in the rough original scan...

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/GV_no86_scan.jpg)

See all the empty space at the bottom? I got lazy. :P

Thanks for the comment. I really appreciate it!

Quote from: Outcast on February 20, 2012, 03:50:00 PM
I'm thrilled to see more your original character creations in your main hero's comic cover. Since there are new villains/characters being introduced. It somehow makes these comic covers more authentic to me. Like there's a story inside that would explain how and why Captain Victory ended up in that kind of predicament. I also think it helps make Captain Victory's world more complete or more fleshed out, because you see more of who these villains/characters Captain Victory has to deal with or has encountered. :panice

I also dig the Kirby like squiggles you made on Captain Victory atop the Title. :thumbup:

Kirby-esque is something I shoot for in the shading at times. I'm still working on the effect. Thanks for the comment!

Quote from: Panther_Gunn on February 20, 2012, 05:39:03 PM
I've meant to pop in this thread much sooner than this, but I seem to keep getting distracted.  I think my favorite one so far has been the first one, because Lou is awesome, as always.  But I'm liking this most recent cover.  What I first noticed though, is that the areas of the cover that aren't looking torn look very crisp, almost pristine, almost like they haven't been aged.  I would have expected to see some wrinkle creases or some other sort of wear in some of the larger expanses of solid colors (like behind Bludlust).  I am liking Brainstorm's design.  Almost like a combination of The Brain from the Brotherhood of Evil and Wildfire.

My search-fu has been weak lately. I've tried to search for better textures to age things but most of the stuff I find wash out the colors too much. I'll keep looking.

Quote from: Panther_GunnAfter reading Reep & PreR's comments, I did notice that GV was a little hard to see.  I would swap the positioning of the Guest Starring box and the issue title, scaling them both down enough to see the rest of GV's costume so he pops a bit more, and to fit the issue title in without covering up too much of the action.

Added your suggestion to the list for version 2. Danke!

Quote from: Panther_GunnOne thing I wanted to ask, were you attempting to have the covers be evocative of the era that you're cover dating them to be

That was the initial plan, yes. I even have a fake publishing history planned out for this company. I know that my drawings don't look very Kirby or Ditko like but it's not about ripping those guys off. It's about having fun with a fake comic company. Right now I'm having a blast thinking all this stuff up!

Quote from: bearded on February 20, 2012, 05:42:26 PM
are there stories behind the covers? color me interested.

Yes there are stories behind each cover. If I had the talent, time & dedication I would draw each & every issue of these comics out. I have stories in my head that would take years to tell. LOL.

To wrap things up here's an updated cover for General Victory #86. Please let me know which one you guys prefer...

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no86b.jpg)

• More Aging
  
• Swapped Cover Blurbs
  
• Slight Color Changes

-MJB

I like the one that's better.

Your helpfulness knows no bounds. You are a living saint, Mr. Potato.

I'm more fond of the second. I like the darker background, and I agree that moving the "Unbound" tag to give a clearer view of Victory was a good move... I honestly didn't see him at all the first time I saw the original cover.

There's no competition between the two: the second is easily my favourite. PG was right (urk), swapping the boxes around has helped a lot. It's also noteworthy that you've given the issue title a box for the words to expand out of - a nice bit of 'unbound' symbolism. The darker colours and the ageing effects give the comic a grittier, moodier vibe - which I quite like, but might not be so representative of the chosen era(?). Nevertheless, it does make it look as if you've scanned in an old, worn copy from real life (as my scanner always seems to make things a bit darker/more world-wearied than they are). It's great to see more of GV, and the composition as a whole is far more balanced.

And thanks for the sneak-peak of the inks - always a treat!  :)

Definitely better - the whole thing feels a lot more balanced.

The aging effects looks "better" on the second one. So i think Captain Spud would like that one. :)

Thanks for the feedback guys! Version 2 is now the "official" version.

Now it's time for Tomato Thursday!!

This cover is perhaps my most favorite of the 5...

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_03.jpg)

Awsome job MJB!
Kid rocket's face is priceless

I can see why this is your favourite. You've used a rich palette that gives the piece a lot of energy without being garish or distracting. The lighting is particularly successful, notably for the navy figure in front (I forgot his name - woops!). He works very well as the focal character - his facial expression and pose suggest there's more to him than we're seeing, and that someone, somewhere, is going to pay for crossing him. I'm also glad to see he has a regular-sized head! 
:P

The layout is very clean and well-considered and I like how everything sits comfortably in the composition. Moreover, you've given a nice balance of fore-mid-background planes to draw the eye into the scene and the inking is tight and crisp as I have now come to expect from you. 

When it comes to nitpicking, the main thing that niggles with me is Kid Rocket's left arm (our right). The way it's positioned it seems as though his shoulder is covering his chin, which is pretty peculiar as it gives the impression his arm is coming out from his front/chest. The glove could also be tapered a little to help shape it and give it a similar look to his right hand (our left).  I also wonder if it would have been worth giving eyes to the third silhouette, to help emphasise the presence of the humanoid barricade - unless he's the kind of guy who blinks during photographs? And finally, I'm not sure I'm completely sold on the purposeful unfinished/rough lower halves of the silhouettes. I'm at that stage of 'does it, doesn't it work' and will probably decide it's fine when I come back later. I'm just wondering if it would work better as a complete silhouette, a gradient fade, or a staggered gradation of broken horizontal/diagonal lines.

All in all, I would have to say this is my favourite Influx cover to date.

Psst... PreR... I think KR's body is faced away from the camera, and he's just looking back over his shoulder.

Quote from: Tomato on February 23, 2012, 11:35:13 AM
Psst... PreR... I think KR's body is faced away from the camera, and he's just looking back over his shoulder.

Ah, I see. Unfortunately, that only serves to highlight the confusion of the character's positioning. It's slightly too ambiguous, that I can read him as forward-facing or looking back over his shoulder. I can see now the reason behind the dipped shoulder angle, though I still feel his hands might be amplifying my confusion, as I initially read lefty as palm-forwards and righty, knuckles-forwards. Additionally, the almost full-face shot throws me. Were we given a less direct side-glance over the shoulder it would probably read easier. It's just a minor issue, but even the slightest ambiguity can taint a piece!

I like this one a lot! But I agree, I couldn't figure out what KR was doing here.

It's odd... I've been looking at this so long I just can't see what you guys are seeing. I guess I could have turned his head away from the camera more. *shrugs*

As always thanks for the feedback!

I agree with most of what PreRaph says about the character's positioning.  I also am a bit on the fence, shall we say, on the look of Kid Rocket's face and body...something about it looking like he was added on afterwards and wasn't exactly detailed as much as the main character bothers me.  Not sure what though or if I could describe it more than I already have....

-DJ

I think i can see why some maybe a bit confused on Kid Rocket's position. Kid Rocket's left hand (left side of the comic) maybe seen like it's Kid Rocket's right hand with the palm facing front, i think it's the small curve on lower left of this hand makes it seem like so. While on the right side of the comic, Kid Rocket's palm seems to be behind our view, with the absence of any curve like that on the left side.
As for Kid Rocket's head, if we can only see his body was tilted in an angle it would explain why we can see much of his face while looking back and over his shoulder. But if people were to assume that his back is parallel with Chynbe's back, it would seem strange how we can see much of his face as opposed to a more side view/glance perhaps?

Anyways i don't usually notice these kinds of things unless people point it out. I like the classic comic cover theme it has, that of being surrounded by enemies with guns/weapons. Chynbe looks great as well. Great job overall. :)

So after last Tomato Thursday I concluded that my favorites do not equal yall's favorites... Lesson learned.

"New" this week is kinda in question. I opted to use one of my old drawings as the main subject of a new cover. The bottom character is a new drawing.

Here's a little contest. First person to identify where the main drawing came from will get their avatar drawn by me*. Shouldn't be too hard for anyone who actually followed the art forum...

Cover Dated: April 1953
Featuring: Admiral Awesome & The Bronze Bomber!
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/AA_no40.jpg)

-MJB

*=Spud isn't eligible because he sucks donkey wieners.

I really like this one. And I KNOW I've seen that pose before. The only change I'd make would be moving Professor Pain up the panel a little, so that he is looking at Admiral's face instead of reading his T-shirt. He's a very spooky character, though. But Bronze Bomber really stood out for me - he looks fantastic.

Spoiler

I thought I'd cheat and check the archives, but you're clearly too smart for me. All the picture links are borked. I know I've seen the picture you've based this character's pose on, but can't recollect where. As a stab in the dark, was this a villains reborn piece?

Spoiler

Quote from: MJB on February 27, 2012, 07:00:28 AM
So after last Tomato Thursday I concluded that my favorites do not equal yall's favorites... Lesson learned.

Not so, Meej! I distinctly remember concluding: "All in all, I would have to say this is my favourite Influx cover to date." I didn't mean for such a minor critique to become so overemphasized that it drowned out the positive aspects of the cover. I (and I'm guessing most posters) really did find it impressive.

Quote*=Spud isn't eligible because he sucks donkey wieners.

Which is why we don't let him enter the clubhouse with the rest of the cool kids.

Quote from: MJB on February 27, 2012, 07:00:28 AMFirst person to identify where the main drawing came from...

Arg. Nobody told me I had to have a memory. I can only guess that it was originally part of a scene where Meej was dying again, and leave it at that.

Now, to the art.

For this cover, the first thing I noticed was the sedate but warm colour palette and the dramatic change in composition, both of which I really like. Again it shows you're experimenting, so thumbs up. Unsurprisingly I'm loving your use of fonts here, which seem to fit the comic perfectly, and the dynamic between the 'Admiral Awesome' label and the 'Professor Pain' arrow works really well. What I think works best about the composition is the split frame. It's something different, fills the space well and, despite consisting of a relatively simple group of elements (three figures all on roughly the same plane with no definite background) there's a lot for the eye to take in without inundating it. The costume designs are also very funky and I especially like the open-necked Bronze Bomber costume.

I have to agree with Reep that moving Professor Pain up or Admiral Awesome down would add to the sense of menace in the image - to give us the impression of a villain towering over his vulnerable foe. That and it feels a little odd seeing a full-body shot of AA while PP seems to be sliding out of the frame.

Furthermore, while I think you've got the ageing effects just right, you might consider playing around with softening or defining the edges of the covers a bit as the hard cropped lines at times come across a little jarring.

It is awesome though. Thanks for sharing this with us.  ^_^

Edit:
Oh, and if anyone's interested, Meej puts his inks for his covers on his DeviantArt account - well worth a look.

The more I think about it my little "contest" may be waaaaay too obscure for people. After all it was done back in 2007. -.-;

Quote from: MJB on February 27, 2012, 11:40:18 PM
The more I think about it my little "contest" may be waaaaay too obscure for people. After all it was done back in 2007. -.-;

Haha, so around the time I joined the board. I don't think I can even remember the type of thing I posted back in those days let alone the posts I saw!  :lol:

Well here we are, the final Tomato Thursday!

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/influx_04.jpg)

That's the last one. :) To wrap things up here's the thumbnails I threw together to show Tomato the ideas I had for the covers based on his descriptions.

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/tomato-sketch.jpg)
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/tomato-sketch2.jpg)

Issue #1 went pretty much unchanged from my thumbnail.

Mater asked me to alter cover #2 so Kid Rocket would be flying. He also wanted Ch'nybe to look less ominous.

Issue #3 was a multiple choice for him. He chose version 2.

Issue #4 went unchanged from the thumb.

For number 5 Tom originally asked me to include characters reacting to Bruiser coming through the wall. After seeing the thumb he asked that I remove them.

So there you all have it. Had a lot of fun doing these & wouldn't mind doing it again some time.

Bruiser is looking good Meejub.
I especiallyl ike his face expresion udner that cool helmet

Thanks Juan. :)

Since Reepicheep was the only one anywhere near the ballpark in my "contest" he totally won a drawing of his avatar.

This is the newest new thing I've posted recently. I drew this over the past weekend. :)

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/reep_inks1.jpg)

Here are the colors...

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/reep_color.jpg)

It seems that you people have grown sour towards my faux comic covers but I couldn't help but turn this image into one. After all it was based on THIS (http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/conan-241.jpg) Todd McFarlane Conan cover.

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/Reep_no241.jpg)

Please leave a comment! My life may depend on it...

-MJB

Ohhhh, Reep is so gonna love this!!

I'm completely thrilled about the skulls and the way he looks just so mad and angry.
It was a really nice touch to use reeps avatar image in your comic cover in the upper left hand.

SOoooo, since nobody guessed, can you tell us which drawing was the base for the prof pain cover?

Hey i still like the comic covers you're making MJB. And i even tried looking at the archives just like Reep.

My internet connection is still broken at home and office work has been a little bit hectic.

Nice drawings! Gotta go! :)

Quote from: juancho on March 05, 2012, 09:22:50 AMSOoooo, since nobody guessed, can you tell us which drawing was the base for the prof pain cover?

The drawing was from an old thread Spud started called "Too Many Cooks" CLICK ME (http://freedomreborn.net/archive/index.php?topic=45220.0). Originally "Admiral Awesome" was colored in red, white & blue. When I decided to re-use the image I didn't want another USA themed character so I thought the good Admiral could be British.

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/page4b.jpg)

As a bonus The Bronze Bomber appears in the bottom panel on that page. :D

Flaaargaaarblegaarbleflaaar!

:D

Looks absolutely amazing, Meej. Its the most spot-on visual anyones done of the character, myself included. He looks so perfectly angry and brilliant at killing stuff.

Juancho is right. I am very, very happy!

Arg, sorry Meej (and everyone else). I realise I've been a bit absent of late, but life's been getting in the way a tad.

The latest and last Influx cover is smashing (pun intended). Bruiser has a great deal of character in his face, with a subtle hint of mania in his eyes. The composition is simple and direct, with a central weighting wherein all the action occurs. My favourite aspect of the cover is that nothing appears safe - every element on the cover has been disturbed and made vulnerable by Bruiser's dramatic entrance. Although not immediately noticeable, it would be nice to have a bit more of an idea of how Bruiser's body continues beneath his waist/right forearm, as he seems a wee bit bisected at the moment. Finally, the reddish pink hue for the background was a good choice because it emphasises the anger, violence and action of the piece without overwhelming it.

As to Reepicheep - wow. It's a very loyal and convincing recreation of his avatar, and I love seeing all the stages of inking, colouring and cover-fying and the glimpse at the inspiration behind the picture. You perfectly capture a moment of angst and primal fury, and I find myself wanting to turn the cover to discover the story behind the man. The inking, the stance, the facial expressions (of Reep and the skulls) - it's all grand. It's also cool to see your use of a dry brush/dry pen technique for the background shadows/fire. Even without your signature, I can read you instantly from this piece, so excellent job.

Great artwork as always Meej!  You have a unique style that captures the action and emotion and conveys that to the observer.  I particularly like Reep's avatar, the zombies, General Victory/Bludlust cover and Lou on his throne. 

The Kalenta/Chronotrapper piece you did for me is hanging on the wall in my computer room, I love it. 

Thanks for the comments guys! It really means a lot to me. :)

General Victory #127
Cover Dated: May 1973
The Avengers of Justice Reunited!
Featuring: White Lightning, Night Hawk & BrainStorm

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no127.jpg)

-MJB

heeeyyy nice one MJB  :thumbup:, this is quite possibly my favourite work of your comic house!

niiiice team up there!!
I gotta say my favorite has to be night hawk, i love his black-ops gear/costume.

Really nice cover meejub

Hey MJB! I just wanted to let you know that I am really digging the artwork. Work, school, and family life has me lurking more again; but I always try to get by the Art Forum to check on your thread and a few others.

I for one, love the comic covers! Keep them coming. Are all of these (except Reep's) from a few years back? What is something that you are working on currently?

Quote from: XStream on March 13, 2012, 02:08:24 AMI for one, love the comic covers! Keep them coming. Are all of these (except Reep's) from a few years back? What is something that you are working on currently?

Been making these fake comic covers for about a year now. I've only recently been showing them to people. Until I started this thread back up I just made them for fun.  I have like 5 or 6 finished & waiting to show off with a couple more on the drawing board (literally).

I'm currently experimenting with 11" x 17" bristol board. Having a bigger canvas has really opened up what I can do but the bigger paper still intimidates me. LOL!

I've also started playing with grayscale markers.

Ooo....
Aaaa....

Now that's a comic I would read.

Another dynamic, high-energy piece with some brilliant character designs and a lot of style. White lightning is instantly my favourite character because (even though he has a silly headpiece  :P) he is rocking that cape. The slightly smug look on GV's face is also highly amusing.

You'll probably beat me for saying something so obvious, but it would be nice if the group composition were moved left a tad to save BrainStorm from the gutter - another 'in retrospect' comment, I'm sure. And I must admit, after so many covers I would love to see some more sequential work from you - especially now that you've so thoroughly wetted our appetites.

Brainstorm owns those purple briefs like a boss.

*nods approvingly*

Reep and the new group shot look awesome. I'm really enjoying all the text you've been adding to the covers. They're very evocative of the time period you're going for. :)

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on March 13, 2012, 05:51:30 PMAnd I must admit, after so many covers I would love to see some more sequential work from you - especially now that you've so thoroughly wetted our appetites.

I have been dying to do some sequential pages. Problem is I'm not confident in my writing. If I had a partner that could co-write a short 12-16 page story I would draw it up in a heartbeat!

Quote from: MJB on March 14, 2012, 05:31:10 AM
I have been dying to do some sequential pages. Problem is I'm not confident in my writing. If I had a partner that could co-write a short 12-16 page story I would draw it up in a heartbeat!

Well, in my experience the only way you're going to become confident in your writing skills is by trying them out - practising, editing and displaying - no different from the process of sketching. A good warm-up exercise to try is to do some quick 3-panel shorts (more comic strip than comicbook) and experiment with beginning, middle and end; punchlines or poignant moments; characterisation and compelling dialogue. Just remember that each regular-sized panel should have around 32 words max, and play around! I'm sure there are many people here who could help you to develop your skills quite quickly.

Otherwise, get involved with the new Writer's Forum here, post some draft scrips and see what people think. On the other hand, you could cruise around and see if there's anyone who you could imagine working well with in a collaborative partnership: http://freedomreborn.net/forums/index.php?topic=55128.0

:)

Well, in fairness: there's a reason the vast majority of comic professionals are writers OR artists, not both. Writing is as hard to do well as drawing is, and very, very few people have the talent for both fields.

Quote from: MJB on March 14, 2012, 05:31:10 AM

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on March 13, 2012, 05:51:30 PMAnd I must admit, after so many covers I would love to see some more sequential work from you - especially now that you've so thoroughly wetted our appetites.

I have been dying to do some sequential pages. Problem is I'm not confident in my writing. If I had a partner that could co-write a short 12-16 page story I would draw it up in a heartbeat!

I'd offer myself up due to the fact I have ideas but most of my ideas are not what many would consider normal/regular comic-based ideas...you'd probably be better off finding someone who is a littl emore traditional than me....and I don't know why I'm posting htis even....gawd, must stop drinking rubbing alcohol...

Quote from: MJB on March 14, 2012, 05:31:10 AM

Quote from: PreRaphaelite on March 13, 2012, 05:51:30 PMAnd I must admit, after so many covers I would love to see some more sequential work from you - especially now that you've so thoroughly wetted our appetites.

I have been dying to do some sequential pages. Problem is I'm not confident in my writing. If I had a partner that could co-write a short 12-16 page story I would draw it up in a heartbeat!

Just a thought, you could try taking something that's already written and use that as a basis, even for a few pages.  I know there's more than a few comic genre books out there, or your could go for something classic.  John Carter, Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser, Cthulhu, even Shakespeare.

Quote from: Deaths Jester on March 14, 2012, 03:42:57 PM
I'd offer myself up due to the fact I have ideas but most of my ideas are not what many would consider normal/regular comic-based ideas...you'd probably be better off finding someone who is a littl emore traditional than me....and I don't know why I'm posting htis even....gawd, must stop drinking rubbing alcohol...

Pro tip:  I hear it's not that bad if you filter it through a few pieces of bread.   :thumbup:

Wee!

Triad #29
Cover Dated: October 1977
Featuring: Fire Knight & His Magma Beast!

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/Triad_no29.jpg)

Ohh..I like Fire Knight!  Very great design on him!  Makes me wonder if I could make him in Poser..in fact.

Thanks man. Feel free to try & put him together.

Oh i love this cover! the dynamic looking action poses and everything. Great job Meejub :D

Ooo, I like. The colours and the dynamic action - it's a very energetic piece. The overall composition and the positioning of the comic book elements are well thought out, and I particularly enjoy the shading/facial expression on the Magma Beast's face. DJ's right, Fire Knight is a pretty funky character. He does seem a tad bit pinched in the body (width wise), but I don't think detrimentally so. I think the best thing about the cover, for me, is that you've given Magma Beast a real sense of gargantuan invulnerability - the way all the attacks seem ineffective despite the concerted effort of the Triad is quite convincing. When will heroes ever learn to go for the main villain instead of the minion?

Another Meejub Monday... Another new comic cover!

General Victory #399
Cover Dated: December 1995
Featuring: The final battle between father & son! General Victory versus Major Vendetta in a fight for the ages! Part 2 of the "Dismissed" story arc & the next to last issue of the series.

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no399.jpg)

Quick Note: I just realized that I didn't change the art in the corner box. I intended to draw up a new pic to put there but completely forgot. *shrugs* I'll add it to my to-do list.

Ooh! This is my favourite GV one by far. The whole thing looks very, very exciting.

Thanks a ton for the comment, Reep! The cover was intended to be a cliffhanger of sorts. You want to pick up the issue to read the story but you know it will be the set-up to the grand finale.

its nice to see GV maskless :D
I didn't know he had a mustache though, since you have always portrayed him clean shaved or with a subtle beard

Nice job Meejub. I'd love to turn this characters into micros someday (whenever i get a new computer at home)

In the GV comics he ages. This comic is set in the mid 90's. At this point he's in his 70's & sporting a mustache. He also went through some costume changes in various decades. He has a 90's era costume but he changed back to his original duds shortly before his comic was cancelled with issue #400.

This cover can't be from the 90's.  Not even a single pouch to be seen!

You haven't seen his 90's costume yet. ;)

Reminds me a bit of the early Invincible comic when his father beats the crap out of him...only reversed!

Meejub Monday! WOO!

Astounding Adventures #35
Cover Dated: November 1952
Featuring: The fantastic first appearance of The Forcer!

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/AA_no35.jpg)

As usual comments are much appreciated. Oh and if anyone is interested the inks for this cover & the ones I did before it are on my Deviant Art account. Link's in my sig. :mjb:

I just looove the odl school vive on this guy's costume.
Great job Meejub, your creativity amazes me every time :D

Can't...stiffle...laughter...at look...of...Forcer. LOL!!

Sorry, he just looks so hilariuous...great work MJB!!

I love how they look aged.

Quote from: Deaths Jester on April 02, 2012, 06:00:58 PM
Can't...stiffle...laughter...at look...of...Forcer. LOL!!

Sorry, he just looks so hilariuous...great work MJB!!

He's supposed to look ridiculous! :) Many of those offbeat 50's characters had silly looking costumes. IMO

When I was digging through my childhood drawings this guy stood out like a sore thumb. I just had to use him for something. :D

Something a little different this week.

Sketched up my charcter, Bludlust, a couple weeks ago. I didn't hate the drawing so I inked it up.

Here's the pencils...

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/bludlust_pencil.jpg)

Inks...

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/bludlust_ink.jpg)

Last we have the same drawing but shaded with grayscale markers my wifey picked up for me...

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/bludlust_shade.jpg)

Been wanting to try out that technique for a little while now. Experimenting with it to see if it can save me time with shading. I didn't feel like rushing the colors so that will wait for another day. That is unless I get bored. Heh.

Anywho... That's that for this week.

-MJB

Love the cartoon style - that's just what comic books are supposed to look like!

Thanks Tommy! Cartoon is basically all I can do. Hard to change my style now. You know, old dogs/new tricks & all that. :)

I like the evolution of pencils to inks, it just changes the life of a picture so much.

Thanks, CB. :)

Now it's time to change things up around here. No more Meejub Monday. I may keep my updates to once a week, I may squeeze in two or three updates.

On to the new stuff! The drawings are from old Artistic Challenges right here on the forums. I cleaned up all the inks but didn't make any real drastic changes. Thew them both in Photoshop & viola!

Spider-Man vs Sandman

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/smVSsm.jpg)

Captain Marvel vs Captain Marvel

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/marvels-2012.jpg)

Last but not least I'm not social but I haz social media!

http://www.facebook.com/Meejub (http://www.facebook.com/Meejub)

Also check out my DeviantArt page!!

http://meejub.deviantart.com (http://meejub.deviantart.com)

Comments are appreciated!!!

EXPLANATION POINTS!!!!!

Wow, the colors on the newest two are great. I really like the background on the Captain Marvels piece.

Btw, I think the gray scale marker shading you did is better than the solid black inks. Overlaying some colors on top of the marker shading would look really good I think.

Wait, I'm confused.

Do you win Meejub Smells Like Haddock Monday because I was the first to welch, or do I win Meejub Kills Veterinarians For Sport Monday because you're quitting forever?

Yes, it's important.

Quote from: MJB on April 15, 2012, 09:14:05 PMSpider-Man vs Sandman

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/smVSsm.jpg)

Captain Marvel vs Captain Marvel

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/marvels-2012.jpg)

Quote from: Figure Fan on April 16, 2012, 03:45:34 AM
Wow, the colors on the newest two are great. I really like the background on the Captain Marvels piece.

Btw, I think the gray scale marker shading you did is better than the solid black inks. Overlaying some colors on top of the marker shading would look really good I think.

Thanks FF. :) I too like the gray scale version. I'm currently coloring both drawings. No real rush on getting them done though. I'll be sure to share it when I'm finished.

Quote from: captainspud on April 16, 2012, 12:54:38 PM
Wait, I'm confused.

Do you win Meejub Smells Like Haddock Monday because I was the first to welch, or do I win Meejub Kills Veterinarians For Sport Monday because you're quitting forever?

Yes, it's important.

I won because you welched. I'm not quitting on posting new art. I'm just ending the day of the week restriction. This way I can post something new when I want & not wait until Monday.

I have a bunch of new things waiting to be shared so the spirit of this thread lives on. :mjb:

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!
How did I miss these??
I LOOOOOVE the new pieces Meejub, especially the Marvel vs DC one (or should I say Marvel vs Marvel)

Of course we all know Billy would kick Mar-vell's butt :P

QuoteI won because you welched.

But I don't like losing, especially when it's a contest with rules I arbitrarily set up to guarantee my own success.

It's not fair. Or rather, it's not unfair in a way that benefits me, which is the same as being fair.

FIX. :(

Been having a blast playing Draw Something on my iPad. Here's a couple of my crappy drawings I saved...

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/ds1.jpg)

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/ds2.jpg)

I know there are people out there who churn out works of art with this game but I just like to have fun. :mjb:

A battle for the ages! The Incredible Hulk VERSUS Marvin the Martian!!

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/hvm.jpg)

Each time I would get the itch to draw something the wife would suggest Hulk vs Marvin. She's a big Marvin the Martian fan. The other day I finally took her up on her challenge. :)

 :wub:

Astounding Adventures #37
Cover Dated: January 1953
Featuring: The Bronze Bomber takes on the Robotic Robbers & The Forcer battles the Wicked Wyrm!

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/AA_no37.jpg)

Here's the inks...
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/AA_no37_inks.jpg)

2 separate drawings put together in Photoshop.

-MJB

Quote from: MJB on April 23, 2012, 05:48:47 AM
I know there are people out there who churn out works of art with this game but I just like to have fun. :mjb:[/color]

That's a nice attitude to have. :)

The Hulk vs Marvin piece looks really spot on. I think Marvin may have something nasty in store for the Hulk, once he fires that gun. Beware Hulk.  ^_^

As to your latest work, I like how the colors really look faded out or dull? It gives it a vintage comic book look. How did you do it? What effects did you use if any?

The inks look really nice and clean too. :cool:

Quote from: Outcast on May 13, 2012, 03:17:06 AM
As to your latest work, I like how the colors really look faded out or dull? It gives it a vintage comic book look. How did you do it? What effects did you use if any?

I use a lot of different textures & filters. The main effect I use is a limited color palette. I found a site that hosted an old 64-color guide that was reproduced into a Photoshop file. I try to stick to using only those colors for the flats but I do cheat from time to time.

Thanks for the comment! :mjb:

The aged effect is looking really good on this one.  Could use some "crumpling", "tearing", "creasing" along the edges, or even a water stain, to really sell it.  Would you be able to extract those effects from scans of actual comics that have these blemishes (although I don't know if you could do that for a water stain)?

p.s.:  you're now at 8000 posts.  Loser.

Wow I didn't even realize I hit 8,000 posts. I am a loser...

You are correct sir. I could probably extract some of those defects from a scanned comic book. I just need to pull some of my long boxes out of the closet & dig through my comics looking for the perfect specimen.

If/when I do this I'll be sure to update a couple of my covers. :thumbup:

One of your pulp or 60s superheroes needs a tapir sidekick. Preferably a former Soviet space tapir, but I'm not going to be picky.

Chop chop.

*shakes dust off himself*

Wow, always loved your art Meej. Just started looking through this thread.

Really digging the Hulk vs Marvin Martian, unfortunately I have no fancy parts art critique or anything helpful to say other than that I think its awesome. I just re-read through the Villains Reborn deal we did way back. My favorite thing about it (other than your art which was SAHWEET) is that my writing didn't make me cringe when I read back through it, kind of surprised me.

Awsome job Meejub, I loooooove your original characters.
Now you should STOP PLAYING SO MUCH Avengers Aliance and "Draw Something" and start posting more art.
I DEMAND IT!!!!!!!!

Seriously, that former Soviet space tapir isn't going to draw itself.

Or maybe it will. Who knows what kind of terrifying prowess the reds have engineered into their tapirs? I shudder to even ponder it...

Quote from: captainspud on May 18, 2012, 07:24:57 PM
One of your pulp or 60s superheroes needs a tapir sidekick. Preferably a former Soviet space tapir, but I'm not going to be picky.

Chop chop.

Tell you what, you design it I'll throw it on a cover.

Quote from: GrizzlyBearTalon on May 23, 2012, 02:15:39 AM
*shakes dust off himself*

Wow, always loved your art Meej. Just started looking through this thread.

Really digging the Hulk vs Marvin Martian, unfortunately I have no fancy parts art critique or anything helpful to say other than that I think its awesome. I just re-read through the Villains Reborn deal we did way back. My favorite thing about it (other than your art which was SAHWEET) is that my writing didn't make me cringe when I read back through it, kind of surprised me.

Yay Grizz posted in my thread! :) You should totally do that more often.

Quote from: juancho on May 29, 2012, 02:22:02 PM
Awsome job Meejub, I loooooove your original characters.
Now you should STOP PLAYING SO MUCH Avengers Aliance and "Draw Something" and start posting more art.
I DEMAND IT!!!!!!!!

I take such demands seriously sir. I'm currently working on a project with my son that I hope to show you guys. It'll be a little bit before I'll have enough done to share though. Do not fret though! I still have a handful of completed comic covers & misc crap stored back waiting to be shared. :D

Now on to an update! Here's a cover I did on bristol board. After I inked it I used some greyscale markers to add shading. This made it a pain to piece together in Photoshop (the bristol is like 2 times the size of my scanner bed).

General Victory #130
Cover Dated: August 1973
Featuring: The Architects of Despair Strike! Hairy Harry, The Odour & their leader Multi-Tasker (not pictured) attack members of the Avengers of Justice (White Lightning, GV & Night Hawk).

The colors:
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no130.jpg)

The inks:
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/GV_no130_inks.jpg)

Hooray!!  Hairy Harry looks awesome (so do the others, but he stands out to me).

Just AWSOME
I love the shading you gave this cover
thanks for sharing meejub

Thanks for the responses guys. Really means a lot.

Hello! It's been a while. I was looking through my completed faux covers & found a handful that I haven't uploaded yet. Here's the first...

Was testing out my grey scale markers. Thought about drawing Lou so I dug up his old nemesis, the Daring Dwarf! Nothing serious just having fun at the time. :P

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/DD_no02.jpg)

Inks:

(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/DD_no002_inks.jpg)

hey MJB! is nice to see your comic covers again!

Good to see Lou again!  Great stuff as always Meej!

Cool The fire around Lou looks sweet. As I've said in the past, I'm a fan of the new shading technique. You should consider illustrating children's books. Your style has a "Where the Wild Things Are" look to it.

Just awesome work MJB.  I've only recently found this forum and your artwork was one of the first things I found when stopping by.  You're faux covers really take me back to a time when I first discovered comics and there was something fascinating coming around the corner every month.  Keep these coming!  :)

Here is another cover I have been holding onto!

General Victory #80:
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/komix/GV_no80.jpg)

Inks:
(http://captainspud.com/mjb/images/GV_no80_inks.jpg)

Franken-Furher was created by the spectacular Glitch Girl!! We are planning out a comic featuring the character. There is no release date.

Patience young one. :P

-MJB

a frankenstein furher? mmm interesting and funny at the same time, the image is clean as always MJ and i like the colours,  however some part of the bodies still appear to "cutted" in the view you have chosed.
In my opinion a background for the scene could be very nice, for example a mad lab doctor or a cemetary, maybe "franky" could emerge from a broken lab capsule...this can explain more the surprised expression on general victory face.

good job  :thumbup:!

NICE!

I laughed a lot.

But err...

Its spelt fuhrer.

well, führer, but who needs umlauts?

Quote from: MJB on November 04, 2012, 09:47:16 AM
Here is another cover I have been holding onto!


Franken-Furher was created by the spectacular Glitch Girl!! We are planning out a comic featuring the character. There is no release date.

Patience young one. :P

-MJB

Is this going to be an on-line comic, or is it planned for a hard-copy?

I'm at work right now so I don't have access to my usual image hosting so I thought I would try out ImageShack. Here's a drawing I did on my iPad. Sketchbook Pro + a Wacom Bamboo stylus.

*click the thumb for the whole pic*

(https://imageshack.com/a/img827/6724/h5zr.jpg) (http://imageshack.com/i/f5u5hrj)

As always, awesome drawing Meej!

Thanks Eph!

Always been a fan of your style. Always colorful and crisp. Hope you continue to show off your art here.

Quote from: billdamn22 on July 08, 2013, 02:01:42 AM
Always been a fan of your style. Always colorful and crisp. Hope you continue to show off your art here.

What Bill said...You have a really nice contrast to your colors which really adds depth to your artwork.