Project 365: Jan 22nd - 28th 2013

Here is an update for Project 365, which I have been doing since the start of this year. It features at least one illustration, for each day of the year. So boys and girls, here's what I been up to this week.

Jan 22nd: Spidey Sketch... Always like drawing Spider-Man. I try to do different poses each time to keep it interesting.

Jan 23rd: Random Chick 3... Pretty self explanatory. Trying to get better at females figures and not get so embarrassed about doing sexy drawings.  

Jan 24th: Blind Leading The Blind... I love doing drawings based on puns. I've had this idea for a while but never got round to actually putting it down on paper.

Jan 25th: Superman Chibi... Was never a fan of Superman, but I couldn't really do a series of comic book chibi's and not have him appear at some point.

Jan 26th: Tattoo Designs... Not too sure where this idea came from. Started out with the design on the right and just expanded on it.

Jan 27th: Ben Reilly... For those of you who don't know who he is, Ben Reilly is a clone of Peter Parker (the original Spider-Man). After a 5 year absence in the comics, he took on the mantle of the Scarlet Spider and even took over as Spider-Man for a period in the 90's.

Jan 28th: Bats... Just some simple designs I did. Actually find them quite pleasing.

Cheers for looking folks!

Project 365: Jan 15th - 21st 2013

It's a ad late, but here is what  I been up to in the last week or so.

Jan 15th: You coming?

 Jan 16th: Ben Reilly Spider-Man Chibi

Jan 17th: My Neighbour Totoro

Jan 18th: Why So Serious?

Jan 19th: Ultimate Showdown

Jan 20th: Dead Spidey

Jan 21st: Link Chibi

Project 365: Jan 8th - 14th 2013

Been extremely busy this week so these are all just sketches. I'm gonna have a lot of free time though over the next month, so I should be able to share some finished work with you lovely people.

So, the week of January 8th - 14th.

Jan 8th: Iron Man

Jan 9th: Random Chick.

Jan 10th: Son Of Da Bitch!

Jan 11th: Sally.

Jan 12th: Weeping Angel.

Jan 13th: Steampunk Spidey.

Jan 14th: Random Chick 2

More to come next week peeps, so stay tuned!

Project 365: Jan 1st - 7th 2013

People close to me know I do a 'Project 365', which is basically taking a photo everyday that sums it up. My mate Izzy is doing a similar project, but with illustrations. So inspired by her I have decided to start one as well.. 

Using the 'at least one illustration a day' rule, I will be uploading an illustration for each new day in the year 2013. An illustration counts as a sketch or a fully coloured masterpiece!

So here's January 1st - 7th.

Jan 1st: BRING ON 2013!

Jan 2nd: Random Rock Chick.

Jan 3rd: Scarlet Spider Chibi.

Jan 4th: Feathers.

Jan 5th: Cute or Hot?

Jan 6th: Lord Zedd.

Jan 7th: Green Candy.

My Thoughts On 'Amazing Spider-Man' #700

SPOILER ALERT!

I'm about to spoil the hell out of this final instalment, so don't read this blog if you haven't read issue 700 yet.

So after 50 years, 700 issues, dozens of deaths and enough wise cracks to make Russel Grant seem funny, 'Amazing Spider-Man' and the character of Peter Parker have come to an end. Written by Dan Slott and art done by Humberto Ramos, the main story, 'Dying Wish', is set out to settle the unfinished business between Peter Parker and Otto Octavius. 

Now I'm going to get the plot and good of this story out the way first because I got a major problem with the ending and I will probably go into a big rant about it.

Trapped within what's left of Doctor Octopus' dying body, Peter Parker struggles to take his life back, while Doc Ock further exploits the benefits of becoming Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Slott does do a great job of writing the shock and astonishment that both characters are experiencing as they learn more about their new found bodies and lives. Slott has gone all out on this, creating an emotional, impactful and memorable Spider-Man story, while also creating enough creepy, uneasy feelings into the characters around Doc Ock and Spidey to offer the reader hope that maybe Peter can turn things around for himself.

'Doc Ock Spidey taking on Parker in Ock's body.'

Humberto Ramos is becoming one of my favourite artists to draw Spider-Man. His art is lithe and expressive, cartoony and animated, which some readers are not fans of, but I personally love it. With the help of colourist Edgar Delgado, the Doc Ock version of Peter Parker has a much different appearance, posture and twinkle in his eye the true Parker normally has. Delgado's colouring in the fading memories and dreams segments in particular are brilliantly done and suit Ramos drawings really well in my opinion. There are a couple of points where Ramos' storytelling in his drawings are a bit murky (like when Spidey punches Scorpion's jaw off), but Slott's writing more then makes up for it. 

'Peter getting a glimpse of what's waiting for him on the other side.'

The lead story, in and of itself, is wonderful, heart-wrenching and memorable. For me Peter did need to hang up the tights as Spider-Man as I think that, as much as I like the character, Marvel have done everything the could with him and need a fresh start and new era in the Spider-Man legend.

I have one MAJOR issue though.

The new Spider-Man, Peter Parker's replacement and the self named 'Superior Spider-Man', is Doc Ock PRETENDING he's Peter Parker... And not even as a villain  By the end of the story Doc Ock, despite wanting and nearly blowing up the world earlier this year, has more or less vowed to be a hero. Even for comic book logic (and that's sketchy at he best of times) that makes no goddamn sense!

'The new Superior Spider-Man.'

Like I said before, I've got no problem with them killing off Peter Parker. I was actually one of the few people who like it when Ben Reilly took over from Peter as Spider-Man in the 90's. To me that transition felt natural as Peter was married to Mary-Jane and was expecting a child, so running around risking his life now made no sense. Also Ben had taken the mantle of the Scarlet Spider and had been around as a costume alternative to Spider-Man, so fans were use to him. That was originally meant to be the new status quo for Spider-Man and I was annoyed when they decided to switch back to Peter.

This, however, doesn't feel natural. And it is baffling to think how anyone thinks it is a good idea. If you're going to kill off a character, take him out completely. Having his arch nemesis swap bodies with him, with the intention of pretending to be him as a villain, kill his predecessor then have him turncoat by going through old memories in the spam of two issues makes no sense and feels like it's come from nowhere. In the 'Ultimate' universe they killed off Peter, but his replacement was someone completely new with no ties to Peter and didn't try to be him. He is his own character and has become very popular amongst readers of Marvel. Even bringing back Kaine, who has taken the Scarlet Spider mantle, and making him the new Spider-Man would of been a better idea.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I have been a Spider-Man fan all my life, but this new direction has really put me off it. I might be wrong, it might turn out to be one of the best decisions Marvel have made but to be honest I'm not holding out hope. But despite my feelings of how the story ended, I can't overlook the significance of what this issue represents.

The 700th issue of 'Amazing Spider-Man' marks the end of Marvel's longest running title and the death of one the most loved, world renowned and influential characters in our lifetime. For 50 years we as fans have been with Peter Parker through all the laughter, heartache, battles, trails and retributions that made his story so amazing and compelling. The key to what makes Peter so memorable is that he is someone we can relate to as a human being. For me, Peter Parker the greatest character the comic book industry has ever given us and will the fact that it took 50 years to kill him off, which is something Superman and Batman can't claim, says it all.

The line that is most associated with Spider-Man sums up Peter perfectly so that's how I will end this little review. We salute you Peter Parker and we will always remember that:

'With great power, comes great responsibility.'

Friendly Spidey Rivalry: Sweeney Tom's Ammunition

As I mentioned in a previous post, me and my good old buddy Tom have been having a competition seeing who can out do each other in terms of a Spider-Man costume design. I thought I'd take this time just to show you guys what this talented young man is capable of.

Armoured Spidey

Grinch Spidey?

OAP Spidey

WWI Spidey

Spider-Hulk

Friendly Spidey Rivalry

As some of you are aware (and if you're not shame on you) I'm apart of a little collective called The Prophets of Illustration. It consists of me, Fuad Ali, Tom Dryland, Lois Dryland and Hannah MacDouall. Now Tom and I have started a little game of one-upsmanship based around 'Spiderman' in which we trying to see who can come up with a better costume. So far I have done two, a black and red alternative and a steampunk version while Tom has done an armoured spider suit. As it stands now I'm waiting for Tom's comeback to my steampunk, so watch this space.

My first attempt at designing a spider suit.

Tom's spider armour in a very cool pose.

My steampunk Spiderman.

Tom's Grinch Spidey (for lack of a better term).

Inspirations: Comics

Incase you couldn't tell by all the chibi drawings I've done, comics play a big part in my life. The stories have kept me sane, the artwork has kept stunned and both combined have always inspired me.

The Amazing Spider-Man #568

 I have been reading comics for as long as I can remember and I've never got sick of them. When I was a kid I bought them just for the images and drool over how good they were as I never really cared for the stories. That soon changed though after I was given a Spider-Man annual featuring the story "The Sins of My Father". I started reading it as it featured the Hobgoblin and I was curious about who this evil looking villian actually was. As it featured the Osborns, Mary-Jane and various other key elements in the Spider-Man universe it made me go back and actually read the stories. So for my family and friends you find it annoying when I start reading and become antisocial, you can blame my nan for buying me the 1994 Spider-Man annual.

Most of my Chibis.

Random Batman sketch.

I started my collection 'Sonic the Hedgehog' comics (don't judge), but soon I developed some sense I started buying Spider-Man (Marvel) and Batman (DC) comics. They originally were the only characters that had any appeal to me, which looking back at it seems odd as you couldn't get two more different characters. One is a teenager with the powers of a spider who sets out to use them with responsiblity and looking to inspire others, is shy and with practically no social life in the beginning (think I just figured out why I was drawn to him). While the other is a dark, disturbing character who is out to strike fear to the corrupt and unlawful in the world.

Hobgoblin Chibi

McFarlane's Spider-Man #1 cover. (Second printing black and gold edition)

Looking at my collection of old stuff, I seemed to have been drawn to Todd McFarlane's work a lot when I was younger, with my first encounter being the cover above which is still to this day my favourate comicbook cover of all time. McFarlane was also one of the people who created Spawn (Dark Horse), which I fell in love with when I was in my teens. The story, the way it's drawn and the characters are so screwed up that I do wonder what they were on when they created it. I had never seen anything like it before and after a few reads I was hooked.

Another random Batman drawing.

This is actually a tattoo design I did.

Comics have always given me fantastic ideas over the years. And with artists and writers pushing the bounderies of what can be done, I'm sure they will keep inspiring me for many years to come.