He's Just a Baby Duck!

Sometimes, especially when I've got a lot of work on the board, I just want to draw something for ME! A doodle that makes me laugh, or an idea I've had for awhile but just never took the time to jot down in black and white (or grey if I only have time for pencils). Baby Huey is one such drawing. I LOVE the Harvey characters! Dark Horse has been releasing collections of Harvey kids, sort of a Best OF selection (though I really wish someone would do a COMPLETE collection...at least of Hot Stuff).
I'd had an idea to draw Baby Huey lookin' a little...dumber. He's a big dumb oaf in the comics, and the cartoons, which is all part of his appeal as a character. He's a baby with the strength of an ox!
So the above is my take on Baby Huey!
Here's the Super Friends ABC News screen cap as nabbed by blog reader Javier. Thanks, Javier! That's pretty cool!
And speaking of Super Friends, I finally finished the interiors to another issue. I'll let you know when it's coming out, but I drew the interiors for Super Friends #18 guest starring the Bizarro Super Friends! Holy socks, is there ever some funny stuff from writer Sholly in this issue.

best,
j.

Super Duper SUPER FRIENDS!

Urgh, I should have posted this last week...the latest issue of the Super Friends, #15 on stands now, has interior art by me! Once again I had a ton of fun drawing Sholly Fisch's terrific story! This issue has a paper cut-out doll of Wally West (and the Flash) as well as a fun little stand-up cut out of Batman and Robin! This is Robin's first appearance in the series.
I also found a review for the big by one of my biggest fans and a guy who loves this series: Adam Dechanel.

Story - 2: Wait didn't we just do a birthday issue a few issues back? Struggling for ideas anyone? The story itself is solid and perhaps if this wasn't a deliberate cash in on Batman's 70th Anniversary, so very close to the Superman birthday party an issue or two back, I may have given it a higher rating.
Art - 2: J. Bone's covers have been a shining light for this series on occasion but it just seems like the whole book was rushed. Some panels look great while others seem to have been aggressively churned out.
Cover Art - 2: Just last month I'd seen an upturn in the book and suddenly to prove me wrong we're delivered this... nice homage to the Silver Age style covers but though it presents a challenge the reader must participate in it's not J. Bone's best.

And here's some genuine love from the dear, sweet Rachelle, who interviewed me and posted about my book on the day it actually hit the stands! Click her name to see what I had to say about drawing for kids and making stuff out of yarn! Thanks, Rachelle. You're a peach!

best,
j.

Goddessess!

This weekend, May 9 and 10, I will be at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival! It's at the Toronto Reference Library this year. I'll be sitting with local super talents and Transmission X buddies, as well as doing a few panels throughout the weekend. I'll do my best to have original art on hand and a few prints available (I've moved recently and have yet to find all the art boxes).
I was itching to draw Storm for some reason, and the top sketch is the result of scratching that itch. I actually like that Loki is now a dame though I don't read any of the books in which she appears. She looks pretty cool, eh?

If you can make it out to the Festival stop by and say "Hi".
best,
j.

Sha-ZAM!

It's out on the 'net so it's now okay to show off the cover I did for the Magic of Shazam (DC comics). I always try to err on the side of caution when it comes to covers and what projects I'm working on...it feels like I might jinx things if I announce too soon. Now, I've only done this one cover. The new team was announced on DC's website and it's a pretty spectacular gang. Franco and Art Baltazar of TINY TITANS fame and Stephen DeStefano. I can't wait to see DeStefano on art. I LOVE his stuff. I think he draws the best Mxyzptlk the DC world has ever seen!

The issue of Brave and the Bold that I'm drawing has also been solicited...so I can talke about that now, too! I'm drawing the G.D. Doom Patrol!!! Holy AWESOME! And I'm drawing them in a style that feels pretty much like my own (in fact, apologies to James Tucker and the amazing group of guys working on the Batman B&B tv show but I may have strayed off-style a little with some of my artwork...I try not to but I sometimes can't help myself).

Sha-ZAM!
j.

Coco Framboise!

Another drawing of the lovely and talented Coco Framboise! She appeared here first as Uhura, real name unknown...before the delightful Nicole Stamp told me who the model was. Click on Coco's name above to see a video of her Candy Apple routine! It's delicious!

j.

Challenge of the Super Pets!

It's time for another Super Friends cover update! This week the Super Pets appear in issue #14 of the Super Friends. The story is written by the fabulously talented Sholly Fisch and hilariously drawn by Scott Shaw, Mike Kazaleh and Terry Beatty. Wow! Was this ever a fun cover to draw! My editor suggested I go iconic with it...and when I think I iconic I always remember Art Adams drawing covers with legions of heroes leaping out at the reader. So this is my Art Adams Super Pets Super Friends cover!
Two more covers to enjoy. The Circus issue is already out! I love the elephant on that one. Hey, does that horse only have three legs? Oops! The mystery cover is for issue #15 for which I drew the interior art. I can't show you any of that or else I'll risk spoiling the surprise. I will tell you that the cover image gives you NO CLUES for solving the RIDDLE...er, I've said too much :)

best,

j.

p.s. Just tacking on a p.s. to say that there's an interview with J.Torres and myself at the Doom Patrol blog. We talk about, well, Doom Patrol.

Drawing Lena Love!

Last night I attended my very first session of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Toronto Chapter. I don't think we could have asked for a better model with miss Lena Love. She wore some incredible outfits and struck very striking poses!
I wasn't paying attention during the intro to the first contest of the night...we were to Theme our drawing and this sketches theme was to be "Video Game Character". I just drew Lena as was and therefore did not win any contest. C'est la vie!




The girl in the pony tail is the photographer for the event.



This time I incorporated the contest theme into my drawing...Lena wanted a Dark Carmen Miranda. Dead fruit and a cobweb shoulder ruffle weren't enough to rate. But who cares...I had fun. This sort of 'life drawing' is really all about the model as a personality and character. Usually the point of the exercise is anatomy and not (necessarily) likeness.

best,
j.
p.s. In case anyone missed it in the comments section...Uhura from the previous post was played by Coco Framboise! She's a local burlesque performer!