Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
We come to the close of John Beatty Week with Day 7 and a piece that John did for a series he toyed with doing back in the early 80’s. It was going to be a creator-owned series about a former soldier traveling through an apopalyptic future. I really loved this piece and John allowed me to print it as the cover of a letter-zine [called ZONE] that I mailed out to friends back in 1985.
Click here to see a bigger version of the piece.
I’ve been a fan of Rick Remender’s work for years. It seems like I’ve been looking forward to his “Last Days of American Crime” for almost as long. You can imagine how satisfied I am that it’s finally seeing print. After looking at this preview, presented by the good folks at CBR.com, you’ll also know how excited I am that Greg Tocchini is on board for the art. My guess is you’ll be excited as well.
John Beatty Week: Day 6. Brings us the third and final portfolio piece that John created in 1978. Mike Zeck was a major influence on John’s growth as an artist, and Mike had recently done a really nice Sub-Mariner story, so…
Tomorrow, we’ll finish up John Beatty Week with a piece that John pencilled, inked and toned back in the early 80’s.
John Beatty Week: Day 5. Today with have the second of three portfolio pieces that John created in 1978. Gotta love John’s use of zip-a-tone! Again, if you look closely you should be able to spot John’s name and year the piece was done hidden in the rocks.
Tomorrow, for Day Six of John Beatty Week, we’ll have the third and final piece of John’s 1978 portfolio.
John Beatty Week: Day 4. Today with have the first of a three piece trifecta. The year was 1978 and a 17 year old John Beatty decided it would be a cool idea to create a portfolio of pieces that would showcase his talent. John was [and continues to be] a Captain America fan, so of course Cap and Buckey was a natural.
By the way, if you look closely you should be able to spot John’s name and year a la Steranko, Neal Adams and Al Hirshfeld.
John Beatty Week: Day 3 and Thor dropped in to help celebrate.
This piece pencilled by Mitch O’Connell and inked by Big John was published as a full page splash in a magazine sized fanzine… [Comics Scene?] back in 1980.
Tomorrow we go back in time to 1978 and will check out John’s pencils and inks on the first of three pieces that we take us through days 4, 5 and 6 of JOHN BEATTY WEEK at the ZONE! [Said in the voice used by announcers talking about truck shows at the fairgrounds]
John Beatty Week: Day Two brings us John’s inks over Mitch O’Connell’s Batman. Mitch’s art was turning up in fanzines [Comic Buyers Guide, The Comic Reader, Amazing Heroes, and many others], and in fact, Mitch published several issues of a pretty cool fanzine of his own.
Mitch and I exchanged a couple of letters [this was in the dinosaur days before the internet]. One thing led to another and soon Mitch and John agreed to team up on a couple of pieces. I’m pretty sure that this is the first.
Tomorrow we’ll see the result of another of Mitch and John’s team ups. This piece was done in 1980.
It wasn’t a question of “If” but “When”. As you can see from the sketch posted above… the time begins now. Yep, it’s John Beatty Week at the ZONE and this is Day One.
As most ZONErs know, John and I have been friends since Junior High. And while it’s rare that two kids meet up and stay best friends for as many years as we have, it’s even rarer for a junior high student to know what he wants to do when he grows up, never waiver in his dream and to actually accomplish it. For as long as I’ve known him, John has wanted to be a cartoonist… to make his living as an artist. And he’s done it.
This week we’re going to look at some of John’s art from 1978 – the early 80’s. Today we start off with a quickie sketch of Wolverine that John did while hanging out at my house before a penny-ante poker game. We’d probably spent the afternoon playing tennis. Yeah, I know hard to believe, but we used to play for hours… and even longer at the poker table. Ah, those were the days.
Tomorrow we have John’s inks on a popular fanzine artist of the day… who also went went on to be a professional artist.
I’ve been a fan of Jeff Wamester’s art since I first laid eyes on it. We exchanged a few e-mails and I’d picked up a copy of sketchbook, but we’d never met. You can imagine my surprise to discover that he was going to be a guest at Heroes Con this year. I was fortunate enough to get on his sketch list and he came up with the very cool take on Deke DaSilva from “Nighthawks”.
You can see more of Jeff’s work at his site, Deviant Art, WMD: The Saga, and hopefully again here at the SZ!
Paul Gulacy Week: Day 7 and we conclude with a sweet Paul Gulacy pencilled and inked Doc Savage piece that appeared as the centerspread of a fanzine from the late 70’s. In the version above, we’ve covered up the woman since she’s drawn without clothes and we sometimes get younger viewers to the ZONE.
It’s hard to believe that the week is over and we didn’t post even a single Master of Kung Fu piece.
Here’s a nice little interview with Ed Brubaker about the next Criminal mini-series. They even preview some great Sean Phillips’ art. So what are ya still doing hanging around here?
John Beatty created a piece for the Marla/Bea Benefit Comic Book Art Auction and inked it live on UStream this morning. I sat in as co-host and we had a fun time. You can find all of John’s Videos here!
Paul Gulacy Week: Day 6. Today we have a Paul Gulacy pencilled and inked [and autographed] cover to the Ohio Con ’75 program book. I always thought that this was a bold design for a cover. I picked this up at Jim Ivey’s Cartoon Museum approximately 32 years ago.
Tomorrow we have a Paul Gulacy pencilled and inked Doc Savage centerspread coming our way.
PAUL GULACY WEEK: DAY 5 and we have the promised Paul Gulacy pencilled and inked cover to CPL 12. Now, before all you pureists out there start complaining about censorship, let me remind you that folks of all ages swing by the ZONE. Yes, it’s true that we cover zombies, and “R” rated movies and the like, but as we all know, a bare breast can really upset the apple cart.
The cover was done for CPL which stands for Contemporary Pictorial Literature was a fanzine published in the 70’s. Bob Layton who went on to fame as a professional comic book artist, writer and publisher was the Editor-in-Chief. You can read more here.
PAUL GULACY WEEK: DAY 4 and we have a sweet pencil illustration that Paul did for the cover of the NAPCON ’75 program book. The convention and program booklet were put together by a group called the CPL Gang. The chairman was Robert Layton and Roger Stern was on staff. Both of these guys went on to become extremely popular comic book professionals. Guests for the 1975 con included: Nick Cuti, Howard Chaykin, Dave Cockrum, Walter Simonson, Mike Vosburg, Don Pendleton, Mike Uslan “and whoever else shows up”. Due to personal problems Don Newton, Paul Gulacy, Val Mayerik and Rex the Wonder Panda were not able to attend. ; )
Tomorrow we’ll take a look at a cover that Paul did [pencils and inks] for the CPL Gang’s fanzine, titled appropriately enough, CPL. Heck, I’ll even tell you what CPL stands for… that is, if you join me here tomorrow for PAUL GULACY WEEK: DAY 5.
