Back to Kolchak!

After the SDCon, I had to pay attention to a few other projects. But over the weekend, I started inking issue 2 of my Kolchak run.Take a look at page one before and after!

Kevin, Marie and Me

This is a photo of Marie Javins, Kevin Kobasic and myself! It was taken in New Orleans more than 10 years ago, I think around 93. I found this snapshot after reading Maries' blog and checking out Kevins artwork. I knew Kevin from my NYC days at Marvel and he was a great guy. I remember him being taller than me, that's always a shocker. I haven't seen him since...I don't know. Six years ago? I had an old number for him, but if anyone has a recent one, let me know.

So, the story on the photo is, It was almost like a coincidence the three of us meeting. I flew down there to meet a woman I was dating. She had family in New Orleans and we made plans for dinner. I think I just ran into Marie! In the days before cell phones we just told her the name of the Brew pub/Restaurant and she and Kev joined us.

I had a lot of fun on that trip! I put on a dress and marched in a French Quarter parade, I badly cut leg while shaving it. My lady friend and I walked down to Tulane University(notice the hat), we enjoyed some good music and we ate at some really expensive places. That town was such a great place for romance. I hope to return one day.

More JB Sketches

It looks like the simpler the better. The theme seems to be romance and loss.

Jersey Boys Sketches

I have contacted by the Art Director for Jersey Boys! Michael Clark wanted some new art for the show and I sent some quick brush sketches. Stay tuned for more info!

SDCC Digest report

I have just returned from San Diego and I know that there are a million blogs with up to the minute reports. This is my own story from the pop culture pilgrimage.

Comiculture did not have a booth at the con, so I worked the Active Images booth. Rich Starkings and I are pals so I helped sell comics and I had a place to hang out. We shared space with the 'Man of Action' Guys. They must have posted something on the blog every ten minutes. Check out Manofaction.tv to see it.

So I worked the booth and talked up 'Elephantmen'. The new book written by R. Starkings and published by Image. I watched Tim Sale, David Hine and Snakebite(don't ask), do signings. I sold one Comiculture Anthology. And I had drinks with Mike Heisler, Dean and Monica Kubina, Joe Dunn and a horde of Pros at the Hyatt Bar.

I realize that this does not give you the complete convention experience, so I recommend the Man of Action site.

Las Vegas

As I prepare to go off to San Diego, I look back at an earlier Con in Las Vegas. The 2003 Las Vegas Comic-Con was held in the Mandalay Bay Resort and it sounded like a good idea! A star-up Con looking for fans and Exhibitors, and me looking to gamble!
Comiculture had a booth and I went to help sell the magazine. Unfortunately, attendance was low. Really low. The Bucce can tell you how much money was lost at that show, but it's probably a painful memory.

Someone has made a list

A French website has made a list of every MARVEL Comic and every creator. I am listed and If you worked there, your name should be there as well!

www.comicsvf.com/auteurs/Don+Hudson.aut

San Diego since 1990

My first San Diego Comic Con was in 1990. It was the year I spent working for Jim Shooter and Valiant Comics. The convention was a blast but I couldn't stay for the finish. While playing in the comicbook industry softball game, I broke my ankle. I had to lay in my room in the Hotel San Diego waiting for flight back to NYC. Oh well.

The best CONAN Cover Ever!

The Best Conan cover ever? That is a bold statement. Every Conan fan of the last 20 years has a book that they've read because of the killer cover. The death of Belit? King Conan issue one perhaps? All of the Buscema stuff rules, but nothing measures up to this painted cover from the Black and white MARVEL Magazine. Earl Norem is one of those old School cover painters. He did a great many Men's Magazines back in the 60s before moving to illustration art and comics art in the 70s and 80s. He painted the cover you see here. The Savage Sword of CONAN issue 193. The best cover ever.

What makes it so excellent? The composition is rock solid. A beautiful girl in the foreground, Conan killing some freaky lizard-men in the middle and some headless Lizard-king in the Background. Norem was always a master of anatomy and this Conan looks very much like the Pumping Iron Arnold. You can see how professional he is by the first cover sketch. So much detail in the Sketch and he designs the cover logo as well. I guess the editor ignored his suggestion.

Girls! Lizard-men! Bloody swords! Excellent artistry from a true pro. What do you think? Do you have a favorite Conan Cover?

The shocking truth

I found this AD in the July 31 1964 edition of LIFE Magazine. If you check this blog on a regular basis, you know that I go through magazines like a hungry man goes through food. I found this particular AD and it was indeed shocking.

There is a young man with shifty eyes reading a comicbook when he should be reading his textbook. His look is kinda menacing and the copy calls him a poor student and I disagree with that! The good students read comics too! The AD is for some publishing house and they are selling a catalogue of classic books by Tolstoy and Shakespeare among others. Why must they pick on comics? At that time in four-color history, Stan and Jack had created The Fantastic Four, The Avengers, The Hulk ,Thor and I think that John Romita was drawing Spider-Man!

I think the shocking truth is that the comic books the kids are reading in 1964 will be a heck of a lot more valuable than the cheap, hardcover reprints this advertisement is trying to sell.

Khan Sketch

This is a cover sketch for KHAN #2. The book was cancelled as I finished penciling it. Oh well...

Never-Before seen Sketches!

Last year, ONI Press did a talent search in anticipation of the 2005 San Diego Comic Con. They posted several scripts for artists to print out and they would judge the results at the ONI Portfolio review in San Diego. Even if it was just for spec, I thought it was neat Idea! You could choose from a few sample stories like Action, horror etc. I chose the horror script because it seemed like fun. I didn't finish the sample because I found some paying work. I got as far as layouts and composition. I am reminded of this because I am preparing for this years Comic-Con, and I am doing a lot of drawing in preparation for that!

I review Superman!

A scientist from an advanced culture in outer space sends his only son to Earth to live among them. His adoptive parents teach him right from wrong and he grows up to perform super feats and miracles. He is a symbol of truth, justice and all that other stuff. I am talking about Superman, of course, but you might assume that I were speaking about Jesus. That's the impression I got after watching the recent movie with Kate Bosworth and Brandon Routh.

So much Christian symbolism...Oh boy. Rouths' acting is placid. Not like the confidence and wit of Chris Reeves and Routh is missing the overboard geekyness that made the contrast between him and his alter-ego so entertaining. Bosworth is so pretty, you forget that her dialogue is weak. Kevin Spacey as Luthor had a lot to do, but he never seemed like the threat that he was supposed to be. The action is excellent and the effects top-notch but the symbolism too much. Superman is about an immigrant coming to a different land and achieving his full potential. It's the idea that Siegel and Shuster first gave us.

Spoiler Example: Towards the end of the movie, Superman is lifting a small island into outer space. It's infused with Krptonite and as he throws it into space, he succumbs to the krypton radiation. He falls to Earth, arms out stretched. Is he alive or dead? His disciples, Perry White, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Ma Kent wait for three days as he lays in a hospital bed. Then he disappears!

He has recovered and is still among us! Fighting crime and flying above us.

I have no problem with religion. I just think that original 1978 movie had a similar plot but less Holy Roman undertones. I recommend seeing the film if only to be prepared for the talked about follow-up. Batman versus Superman. I mean, The Devil versus Jesus.

KHAN

I drew a book for Moonstone Books called KHAN. It was written by Tom DeFalco and I was eager to work with the former Editor and Chief of Marvel Comics! I had known him during my NYC years when I did a lot of inking and it would be cool to draw a book with him as writer. We did the first book and we were approved for a second, but just as I finished the pencils for book two, we were cancelled! Bummer! So until the second issue of KHAN gets printed, I will show some pencil art from it.

Check out a new interview!

I did an interview for a really cool Jersey Boys website! It's a daily blog that follows the hit Broadway show! It's been up for a little while now, so I hope you visit this cool site!

www.Jerseyboysblog.com

Ever More Kolchak!

I am trying to do as much of this Kolchak book before the San Diego Con! Because I am working the Active Images booth, I won't have time to stand in line. Hmmm. Let me think about that for a minute. In the meantime, check out this pencil page.