Sep 29, 2013

FF NO.14 COVERS!

Okay, this takes some 'splainin'.  I needed to get a cover in and did
the "Doom-centric" cover first (below).  I was happy with it, but as
Lee and I nailed down the specifics to the plot I just felt more and
more that the cover didn't serve the spirit of this particular issue.  PLUS
I had an image in my mind that I was compelled to illustrate.  PLUS
I was looking for any opportunity to get Medusa's main squeeze on a
cover.  Black Bolt has always been one of my most favorite characters.
I didn't finish my preferred version in time for solicitations, but here it is now.


FF NO.13 COVER ART!

Just wait'll ya see where the gang is here!  If you can guess what material 
they are traveling through, you might just could win a big fat "NO-PRIZE"!

FF NO.12 COVER ART!

The just released issue which marks my big brother's (Lee Allred)
Marvel scripting debut.  A childhood dream come true for the both of us!

FF NO.11 COVER ART!

Keen eyes may see subtle differences between this and the final printed version.

Sep 14, 2013

FF NO.10 COVER ANIMATED!

I hope this works...

FF NO.9 COVER ART!

This is my big brother's fave FF cover (Lee Allred is scripting the final 
leg through the climax of our run).  Matt Fraction was inspired to get 
welovefine.com to make a t-shirt out of Tong.  The shirt says "It's ya girl 
TONG!"Just waiting on approval from Marvel and you can get one too!

FF NO.8 COVER ART!

If you've ever seen an AL JAFFEE MAD Magazine fold-in, you might 
imagine how my brain popped when Tom Brevoort challenged me to do 
a fold-in for for FF. Our house had been broken into (one of the main 
reasons there's been such a big gap in blog entries here) and I had to do 
something super cool...but fast.  Deadlines didn't stop while we regrouped 
re-building our studio.  I'd like to try this again with something a bit more 
complicated and ornate.  But still, I was happy with this baby just the same.



FF NO.7 COVER ART!

This was a big love letter to Big John Buscema's cover for FANTASTIC
FOUR no. 109.  Matt Fraction wanted to see what we'd do with a 
"Jack Kirby style" outer space collage, and this was the result.

FF NO.6 COVER!

Very happy with the reaction this cover received. In fact, Marvel made
do-it-yourself masks available from the "Thing Face".  Big fun!

FF NO.5 COVER!

I gotta thing for black backgrounds.  But I got an even bigger thing
for Medusa, my first comic book crush.  So it should come as no
 surprise that this is one of my very favorite covers.  It's also around
this time that I started crushin' on She-Hulk.  I hope Medusa understands.

FF NO.4 COVER!

It's kinda hard to tell, but this idea was originally inspired by the cover 
to Fantastic Four no.82.  The original art consisted of three overlays.
Got a lot of love for this one from "SHULK" fans.  "The Jen!"

FF NO.3 COVER PROCESS!

I was happily surprised that my hand-lettering to the cover to FF no. 2
survived all the way to publication. What didn't survive was a darker
noisier attempt which just "didn't feel right, and was replaced with
the sky-blue version.  Also a homage to the great Carmine Infantino,
which I neglected to share on the cover.  Here's to you Carmine!



FF NO.2 ORIGINAL ART!






































I try to get as much on the page as possible.  I wish I had the time
and skill to hand-letter everything, if only for ultimate cohesion.  I'd even
want to hand-color every page if I wasn't color blind, as well as living with
the world's greatest comic book colorist (howzat for a plug to marital bliss?)!

FF NO.2 COVER ORIGINAL ART!


FF NUMERO UNO!


FIRST FF ORIGINAL ART !


As we round the corner to completion of our run on FF, and have just 
one cover left to reveal, I thought it would be fun to post all the covers
as they looked before hitting production with logos and stuff.  But first
I wanted to share the first FF image I completed which shows slightly 
different costumes, most noticeably She-Hulk's.  I also drew a logo on 
this piece which our super swell editor, Tom Brevoort, and the Marvel
gang liked enough to have me polish up for the official logo.  The tiny 
figure in the upper right corner would become significantly prescient as well.
I also want to publicly thank our great pal, Matty Fraction, for the wonderful
wonderful trip.  I've never had more fun on a book!  Or a greater challenge.
The cast has grown into one of the larger team of regulars in a comic and
I love every single one of them!  I'm pumped to see the reactions to our wrap up.

Sep 13, 2013

MR.SHOW ATE AT OUR HOUSE! AT OUR HOUSE-ZAH!


Here's another blast from the past when the MR. SHOW gang came
to our house for a BBQ and all agreed that Laura made the world's
greatest mashed potatoes. Mixed in with a bunch of Allreds, Bloomfields, 
and a Huberd, are familiar faces like John Ennis, Bob Odenkirk, 
David Cross, and some comic book writer by the name of Brian Posehn 
(who made this little get together happen).  Plus Josie the wonder dog! 
They are going on tour again right now.  DO NOT MISS 'EM!


 ME & BATMAN WHEN WE WAS JUST KIDDIES!
Just dug out this snap of me (Doing my best Jason Lee from Mallrats impersonation) and my pals on the CHASING AMY set. Ben has done all right since then.  I'm still waiting for my Oscar.  Happy to have what we have (Harveys, Eisners, Inkpot, Wizard Fan, Barkster, VMA, etc.) adding to the clutter on our shelves since then.  But I've yet to start my EGOT.  Everybody likes an encouraging pat on the back. Look what my encouraging Ben has done for him.  Your welcome!  Strange and fun to look back every so often.  I guess this was a long time ago by some measurements.  Just doesn't feel like it.

Nov 20, 2012

NOT EVERYTHING STAYS IN VEGAS!

That featureless glowing figure on stage is yours truly singing IMAGINE to 
bestest pal Darwyn Cooke and his new bride Marsha aka (the Nicest Girl Ever). 
It was a big kick being their personal "lounge lizard" for their first dance at the 
House O Blues in Las Vegas this past weekend.  The wedding was moving and 
super cool at The Valley of The Falls with the Rev Dave Johnson performing the 
ceremony.  Several days of Vegas-ee madness filled out the activities.  Much 
sleep was required when we got home. Congratulations DAR & MAR!  Love you!