Aug 31, 2014

Aug 26, 2014

BATMAN '66 COVERS (so far)!

It's crazy to think that in a couple year's time I've done over 40 Batman
(or Batman inspired) covers!  I dreamed big when I was a little kid, but
I don't think I dreamed this big.  Laura and I have been having the best
time with everything we get to do in the "Comic Book Biz"and don't
take anything for granted. I'll update with more cover images when I have
another stack built, but here's what I've drawn, and Laura has colored,
that has been released so far:

BATMAN '66 no.1


So excited to draw the BATMAN '66 covers, I actually drew the era's logo 
on the original art for a couple of the covers.  Couldn't help m'self.
This image immediately came to mind, wanting to incorporate the Adam West
& Burt Ward likenesses into the show's animated opening credit design.
My brother, Lee, and I are creating a story for the series that is built entirely 
around the images from that sequence.

BATMAN '66 no.2 
The Batgirl image was digitally removed and used for a later issue.



BATMAN '66 no.3


BATMAN '66 no.4
Swinging London



BATMAN '66 no.5
Batgirl again!


 BATMAN '66 no.6

 BATMAN '66 no.7


BATMAN '66 no.8
I think this was the second cover I completed (which would explain 
why I again drew the logo directly on the original art).  The story got 
bumped for a later issue.  This art is now getting prepped for a gallery 
show in Portugal.




BATMAN '66 no.9
This was the original "Shame" cover, thus the "S" on the boots.



BATMAN '66 no.10






















































































BATMAN '66 no.17

Aug 20, 2014

FRANK EINSTEIN IN 3D!

Here's a preview of the cover to this fall's 3D special!  If you have some 3D specs
laying around, throw 'em on and give this preview a gander!  The actual
book will come with custom Madman specs. The great Christian LeBlanc
is hard at work polishing the 3D conversions.  These are "in-progress" previews
 cuz we luvs yas and trusts ya to appreciate watching the process/progress!
Watch this space for additional previews!


FRANK EINSTEIN! THE ONE! THE ONLY! THE ORIGINAL!

ESTABLISHED 1990!

My creation Frank Einstein has been with me for most of my life.  I remember as a kid thinking how clever I was putting those two names together ( I don't know if anyone is ever as clever as they think they are).  But it wasn't until 1990, when my career as a writer/artist officially began, that my humble creation became a published reality.  My pal Bernie Mireault and I got with Jeffrey Lang to create an anthology called CREATURES OF THE ID which contained three stories all pencilled by me, all inked by Bernie, and the first two stories written by Jeff. The third story was written by me, FRANK EINSTEIN in FOR THE RECORD.  This was lettered by my wife, Laura Allred.

Bernie and I collaborated on the wraparound cover.  I drew it up and Bernie painted it.
And so, this became the first official appearance of FRANK EINSTEIN.
But almost simultaneously my first issue of GRAFIK MUZIK was released.  This was my first full color book (THE EVERYMAN colored by Bernie for Marvel's Epic line would soon follow).  It was also my wife Laura's first foray into coloring comics.  This book continued the adventures of Frank Einstein, still two years away adapting his alter ego, The MADMAN of Snap City!
Many people are under the impression that this is Frank Einstein's first appearance. And it may have been at some comic shops. Shipping was a bit spotty back then and they were released just weeks apart.
MADMAN & FRANK EINSTEIN trademarks of Michael Allred (yours truly)!




Aug 17, 2014

FRANK EINSTEIN IS MADMAN IN 3D!

Here's a fun little sneaky peek at this fall's MADMAN In Your Face 3D Special!
Now, rest assured that the 80 page giant 3D special will come with custom 3D glasses that will do all the work for you, but this is the cover image converted to a side by side 3D image by the great Christian LeBlanc especially for this art blog that doesn't require 3D glasses.  But there's a bit of a learning curve.  You simply (for some) cross your eyes somewhat creating a third center image that you then focus on.  TA-DAH!  3D!


Aug 13, 2014

GRAB BAG!

Here's a variety of stuff I squeezed in over the last year or so:
Funny thing about this Captain America variant cover, I don't even remember
how the idea for it came to me, but I had sent Marvel two files: a "clean file" 
along with a file with all my hand-drawn text and go-go checks (Hey, that rhymes!) 
in case they wanted a slicker look.  But when they made a big nifty poster they
accidentally used the file without the word balloons.  So if you only ever saw the
poster you'd be flummoxed about WHY Cap was punching at his own shield!  Hah!
Makes me laugh.  I just can't hide the fact that I'm a weirdo anyway you look at it.
This AVENGERS A.I. cover was a treat simply because I'm a HUGE 
fan of THE VISION!  And it gave me the chance to play with a pinball 
machine cover idea I'd had rolling around in my head.
And then I was asked to do an update of an Avengers cover with our DOOP!
One of my biggest influences, and mentor, was Alex Toth.  He drew a couple 
short stories and a handful of covers/pin-ups of THE FOX.  Those few pieces
were a gigantic inspiration to me, as well as one the things that inspired my own
MADMAN creation.  So when my pals Dean Haspiel and Mark Waid were
doing a full-on revival of the Toth-designed character in an epic new series
from RED CIRCLE, I lept at the invitation to do a cover.


RED CIRCLE, is an imprint of ARCHIE COMICS.  They soon after
asked me if I'd do a cover for the (DEATH of) LIFE OF ARCHIE
WHAH?!  The series was ending with Archie giving his life for a friend.
Initially, I wasn't sure of the appropriate tone, and so I find myself censoring 
here.  I worked up three other ideas that were flat-out grotesque.
I just don't have the guts (or maybe I have some good taste) to show
them here or anywhere.  Let's just say they would have been more 
appropriate for an EC comic (which run rich thru my blood).  But here
is what I ultimately brought to completion.  Still horrific for such an icon. 








DOOP!

The conclusion to Peter Milligan's All-New DOOP story, with excellent interior art by David LaFuente & Federico Santagati will be out very soon.  Here are the covers I was happy to do with the lil' enigmatic mutant I created with Peter:
No.1

No. 2
 No. 3
 No. 4
 No. 5

MY DC VARIANT COVERS!

This was a thrill!  The super cool Mark Chiarello (who masterminded and invited me to the DC SOLO series, & the WEDNESDAY COMICS project) asked me to draw over 20 variant covers of DC Comic's top titles in the spirit of my BATMAN '66 covers.  Here they be!  In their raw virgin typeless state.  Some were altered (see if you can tell what & why) for publication & some not used at all (yet anyhoo).  Hopes ya dig!