http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260777418105#ht_500wt_1156

Here's the layout for the double-spread in JSA#24, which features the subway car from Captain Marvel's origin! This was really helpful to do as a small layout, and then enlarge and trace off onto the finished page, because both perspective points on the main shot run off of the 8x11 layout, but can be placed on the drawing table with ease, outside the image area. At full size, those perspective points would be hard to manage.

Here's the finished pencils, so you can see how the important stuff was settled before I got here!

thumbnail layouts for a 10 page Wildcat story/JSA 80 Page Giant

Here's an insight into the work process. I wrote this story, and after my plot was approved, I broke it all down in small layouts, to pace out the action and make sure I had a good blueprint for my finished art. Most of it was done in a regular writing pen on a sheet of 11x17 paper, with the splash page done in more detail, as I liked the rough enough to tighten it further, so I could enlarge it for light-boxing onto the drawing paper. Sometimes a really tiny rough can help you , with a busy scene. I guess when I hit a layout I like, I know better than to try and redraw it on a bigger sheet, because you can lose what appealed to you at this stage. Compare the splash to the finished page, posted earlier on this blog. Best,JER

Here's the finished pencils for the Hellboy pin-up

These pencils came out pretty well, if I say so myself. Compare to the layout I posted earlier to see how important it is for an artist to have a decent roadmap to use in completing a drawing. There are times when a drawing just flows, and then there are times when you just fight the piece, maybe even starting over in frustration. In my personal experience, I do better in the pencil stage when an editor does not ask for figure changes on a sketch or layout. "Turn the head to the left," or "tilt the torso backwards just a bit" comments always mess with my head. What may be small adjustments often will throw off the whole figure to me, and if I attempt my finishes from the original sketch and just "turn the head to the left," I get into trouble! In many ways, I enjoy doing interior pages more because no layouts need to be submitted for approvals, as they do with covers.

One of my weaknesses is a desire to jump to the finish stage prematurely, such as beginning to ink before the whole drawing is down on the board. But then, I like venturing into scary territory on paper, as I like inking from a bunch of scribbles to "find" the drawing.

Hellboy is copyright and trademark 2011 by Mike Mignola

JSA#87 page 12 on ebay

Hey all, I am listing this page on Ebay, but I figured you'd like a larger scan, to see all the cool detail. This story was set at the Tower of London, and was a bit of a challenge to find specific reference for.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260774025308&ssPageName=STRK:MESCX:IT#ht_500wt_1156

Mighty Man pin-up prelim

Here's a prelim for a Mighty Man pin-up done for my pal Erik Larsen, for his Savage Dragon comic, a few years back. It was meant to echo an old Shazam Treasury edition cover from the 1970's. Also up on ebay as of 8 am tomorrow. Enjoy!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260773377875&ssPageName=STRK:MESCX:IT#ht_500wt_1359

Power of Shazam trade edition prelim

Hi, this is the prelim/sketch for the softcover edition of my Shazam graphic novel, up on Ebay Saturday morning. The hardcover image was meant to be more design oriented, while this was just a nice action image. Note the logo I hoped would be used for the regular series, as well as this edition. Not to be, though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260773380647&ssPageName=STRK:MESCX:IT#ht_500wt_1359

Hellboy prelim

Hey, I just posted this sketch on ebay, done several years back, for Mike Mignola, in exchange for his pin-up for the WildStar trade paperback. After drawing this rough, I pencilled the pin-up, and sent it to Al Gordon to ink, but I have no idea what happened, or why it was never used. Kind of a shame. The pencils are shown in my Modern Masters book, linked below.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260773382161&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_500wt_1359

Shazam#42 cover

Hey, here's a scan of the cover to Power of Shazam#42, trademark and copyright DC Comics 1998