Thing sketchbook, part 29

Merry Thingmas, everyone! Here to Thing in the holidays is none other than Ben Grimm, with five more lovely sketches from the Thing sketchbook. Let's take a look! Thing!

 

Luis Perez Banus - Rhode Island Comic Con 2021

It's fun to grab sketches from artists I know or those who've drawn the Thing in an official capacity. It can be unpredictably exciting, though, to take a chance with someone you've never heard of, because you don't know what you're going to get. Take this zombie-esque Thing from Luis Perez Banus, who I saw at the tail end of 2021's Rhode Island Comic Con. Someone tabling at the show cut out after Saturday, so Luis commandeered the spot and was selling drawings, guerrilla-style, during those last, fleeting convention hours. I thought his style was interesting enough to take a shot at a Thing commission, and Luis delivered with one of the more unique entries into the book.

Lin Guo - Comic-Con Special Edition 2021

2021 saw San Diego's Comic-Con return following the cancellation of the previous year's show, and I was so excited to have it come back that I didn't mind that it was held on Thanksgiving weekend. The show was lighter and more subdued than the years immediately prior, but it also focused a lot more on art and comics than the show sometimes does now. I only got one Thing sketch at this show, from Lin Guo, but it's great one, a real slice-of-life drawing of Ben Grimm's morning routine. Lin drew a pinup of the Bulwark for Planet Comics soon after!

Jeff McComsey - 2022

Jeff's no stranger to the Thing sketchbook in general, but this is his first entry in my second book. Not only did he draw a human Ben Grimm, but this entry is also a period piece. Jeff drew Captain Grimm in 1951 as a pilot during the Korean War. He also drew it as if it were a photograph, with the caption written underneath. The drawing is secured to the sketchbook with adhesive photo corners, making this entry extra special.

Duane Redhead (2022) and Ian Nichols (Contropolis 2023)

It's a two-page spread! By two artists! At two different times! Oh wow.

For a brief time during Marvel's Fear Itself event series, the Thing was transformed into Angrir, Breaker of Souls after picking up a hammer, similar to Thor. He had these weird squid-like creatures around his neck and his rocks looked a bit volcanic. He also beat up the Red Hulk during this period, before returning to his much more lovable Thing state at the end of the series.

Anyway, it's always fun to get different versions of the Thing in the book, and this one's about as different as they come. Our pal Duane Redhead was visiting from the UK when I so rudely handed him the sketchbook, but he came prepared and knocked out this very intense left side of the page. Fellow Tick artist Ian Nichols finished off the right side the next year at a small comic show in Philadelphia named Contropolis. Ian added the Thing/Angrir's partially gloved fist and tried to match Duane's detailed style. This one definitely stands out in the book.

Kelly Phillips - Small Press Expo 2022

I know Kelly through our mutual love for "Weird Al" Yankovic - not only are we both fans, but we've both contributed to the Illustrated Al anthology. Kelly definitely one ups me in the Weird Al comic department with her beautiful Weird Me collection, though, hey, it's not a competition (is what I keep telling myself). Kelly also contributed to the first issue of Planet Comics, and I met her for the first time outside of a Weird Al concert at 2022's SPX show in Bethesda, Maryland. I really enjoyed the show, and I got quite a few Thing sketches when I was there, starting with this sultry pinup drawing of Ma Grimm's baby boy. Flaunt it if you got it, I guess.

That's it for another Thing-tastic sketchbook session. Plenty more to come. Happy clobberin', everyone.

Planet Comics #4 on Kickstarter - and the San Diego Comic-Con!

 

Hello once again, internet. I'm here to tell you that the campaign for Planet Comics #4 is currently up and running on Kickstarter! Let's take a look at what this new issue has for us all.

There are two covers! Jake Smith drew the main cover.

And Mark Welser drew the Kickstarter exclusive cover. What is going on here? Is this a reference to a deep-cut Weird Al song? Who can say?

My four-part Bulwark story comes to an end! Co-creator Andrea Schivaone provides the lovely art for this one!

Jennie Wood and Erin Dodge have a new, eight-page story titled "Nightmare Girl" in this issue! I'm really looking forward to this one.

Duane Redhead and I have finished the second of a two-part Teddy and the Yeti story! What fate awaits our protagonists?

Diana Krueger pens a new essay on Golden Age comic creator Jackie Ormes!

Plus there are more stories from Jeff McComsey, Benito Cereno, Jorge Correa, Jr., Guillaume Deloizon and more! There are lots of rewards and add-ons for this issue. I hope you'll check it out! The campaign runs until the middle of August.

The 2023 San Diego Comic-Con starts tomorrow! I haven't packed yet! But I will be there! I'm sharing some space at booth 2200 with Ian Nichols and others. I'll have Planet Comics, The Illustrated Al, mini comics, pins and more! If you come and visit, I'll give you a trading card! I hope to see you there!

Planet Comics #3 now on Kickstarter!

 

Is it that time again? It is! It's once again time for a new issue of Planet Comics, your favorite oversized sci-fi anthology pulp comic tribute of the 21st century! It is all of those things.

The campaign for Planet Comics #3 is now live on Kickstarter, and I hope that you'll check it out if you haven't yet. There's a little over a week left in the campaign, and the book has reached its initial goal. Let's take a look at some of the art and stories that will be included in this new issue!

This issue starts off with a main cover by Nickolej Villiger! Nickolej is such a great talent and I'm sure you'll be seeing more of his work in the near future!

The Kickstarter-exclusive cover for this issue is by Hilary Barta, who has drawn so many weird and funny comics over the past few decades. I love his work on Radioactive Man from Bongo Comics!

The Bulwark is back with another new chapter int his issue. Andrea Schiavone once again provides the art. He brings so much to this story and the book! I'm lucky to have him drawing the lead story.

Jeff McComsey's "The Old Man and the Sea of Love" returns again as our other continuing story. More tales of big adventure on the high sea await!

There are a few new stories in this third issue, as well. The first has a weird western flavor provided by Joey Esposito and MoraMike. This story is called "Nixon: Small World."

I'm really excited about this short story from Grace Gilbert and Guillaume Deloizon, "Julián in Space." Grace is a former student in one of my comic book classes and she's a really great storyteller! Guillaume's art is so unique, especially in a book like this, and I think it adds such an interesting flair to the publication.

And get ready for this...Duane Redhead and I are creating a new Teddy and the Yeti story for this issue! This will be the first new T&Y story since 2014. I'm so excited to bring these characters back for the first time in a while.

I'm also printing a blank sketch cover edition for the first time in the series. My pal Ian Nichols is offering up his services to draw sketches on these covers as one of the limited rewards! So you can get some bona fide original art with this campaign. I'm really looking forward to seeing some of these covers with pencils and ink on 'em.

This issue will probably end up being a few pages longer than the previous one, which will mean that issue #3 will be the biggest one yet. I'm grateful for the support this book has gathered in the past and I hope for at least a few more issues to come. Please spread the word that Planet Comics #3 is now live! Pledge if you can! Write me weird comments below this post!

Planet Comics - now on Kickstarter!

Hey everyone! I've been working on a project for quite a while, now, and it's finally made its way to Kickstarter: the first issue of Planet Comics is on the way!

As you might know, "Planet Comics" is the title of a pulp comic from the 1940s and '50s. It's known for a number of things, but I'm most familiar with it because of its amazing, mid-century-chic covers. Check out this one, for instance:

Heck! Look at that beauty!

Anyway, I've wanted to do something similar for quite a while, and wouldn't you know, the title just happens to be in the public domain. I guess that's what being out of print for 70 years gets you.

I want my version of Planet Comics to be more than just a tribute to the original, but something that follows a similar sci-fi anthology format. I'm hoping to eventually publish four issues of the title, each one in an oversized magazine format that hopefully gives it a grand, impressive feel.

Right now, I'm planning on publishing three stories in the first issue. Not all of them are mine (though I'm editing and lettering the whole book), but the first story is - and it's one that I want to serialize through all four issues. It's titled "The Bulwark", and it's about a space-age hero who is somehow partially responsible for Earth's demise - and our main character has to find out if it's true, and why.

Here's the first page:

It's got art by Andrea Schiavone. Andrea is an Italian artist who is doing some amazing work on the story. I've really lucked out in getting to know him over the past few months, because I think we work very well together (and he's a nice guy). Like I said, I want this to be the "main" story in each issue, something that brings everything together, if that makes sense.

The next story in the book is by my friend and frequent collaborator, Jeff McComsey. Here's a look at one of his pages:

This story is titled "The Old Man and The Agean Sea", and yes, it's a new take on the classic Hemingway story. The story will be in color in the book - it's still in its early stages. I'm excited to see where it goes and I think that Jeff is doing some really nice work here.

The next story is titled "The Night Tanya Tucker Uncancelled Earth":

This one is by two of my favorite people: Jennie Wood and Duane Redhead. Creatively, they have opposite approaches to their art (at least in my semi-informed opinion), but I think that their styles mesh together in a fun and interesting way. I know that I'm excited to work with both of them again.

The book will be printed with two covers. The main cover, by Pietro, is at the top of this post. The Kickstarter variant is below:

This one is by Matthew Dow Smith - I must have caught him on the right day, because I really lucked into this cover, which I can't get enough of.

There's other stuff in the book, too: an essay on Lily Renée, artist on the original Planet Comics series, by Diana Krueger, and additional, secret-for-now stuff! The book will run at over 40 pages when it's all said and done.

I launched the campaign on Monday, and it's about halfway to its goal, which I'm happy about. I think it'll make it! I hope it'll make it! Oh no - what if I just jinxed it?! I guess it's possible!

I hope that you'll check the project out while it's running. Here's the link!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jeffmcclelland/planet-comics

Tell your friends! PLEASE!

Now it's off to worry about this for the next four weeks. Hooray!

"Weird Al" Yankovic Strings Attached Gilford, NH poster - and an update on the Pittsburgh tour date

In June, I posted some images of the first poster I worked on for "Weird Al" Yankovic's Strings Attached tour, July 7th's Pittsburgh stop. I actually worked on three different posters, the second of which was the July 18th show in Gilford, New Hampshire. For this one, I worked with my pal and frequent collaborator Duane Redhead, artist on The Tick and Teddy and the Yeti. You can see the final image above; let's take some time and look at how it was put together.

"Nature Trail to Hell" is a Weird Al deep cut, but it's also one of my favorites (though I suppose you could say that a lot of Al's songs are my favorites). When I was contacted about doing these posters, I specifically suggested Nature Trail, so I'm pretty thrilled that I was actually able to do it. The song itself is a throwback to both old scary songs and scary movies, so I knew that I wanted the tour poster to reflect that. One really fun aspect of making the poster was just getting to go through images from old 1950s-era sci-fi and horror movie posters. I took some inspiration from a lot of different images, but the above and below images provided some obvious impressions.

The triptych image at the bottom of this one was something I had to try and duplicate, if nothing else than so I could cram more art into an already crowded poster.

I also loved the title cards at the bottom of this one, and I was happy that I could duplicate the "See" font pretty easily in the new poster - and it reflected lyrics from the song, too!

After I had a basic idea down, I contacted Duane about doing some of the heavy lifting, and thankfully, he was up for it.

Duane produced some of the most detailed art of his career, I think, for this poster. He drew a number of the elements on separate pieces of paper, scanned them, and then put them all together digitally.

The three images at the bottom of the poster could easily have been afterthoughts, but Duane put a lot of work into these, based on some pretty obscure references that he and I thought would add something to the poster.

There's a backwards message in the song that says "Satan eats Cheez Whiz", which I think is one of the greatest sentences in human history, so I knew that I wanted to see that somewhere in the poster.

This reference isn't from the song itself, but since it includes both Al and monsters, I thought it'd be appropriate to reference. It's Al as the Cabbage Man from the TV show "Amazing Stories". Duane later added glasses to complete the look.

Jason (later with a tennis racket) was Duane's idea, as he thought the juxtaposition would be funny.

Here's a look at some of the pencils...

...and some early color work.

The jar of Cheez Whiz that Satan is pouring from is taken from a 1950's era glass jar.

This poster was probably the most detailed of any that I worked on, just because it had so many elements coming together in a pretty busy image - but one that I hope evokes the impression of an old drive-in scary movie poster. It also involved the most work on my end, with the title fonts and the credits and just trying to fit everything in in an appropriate manner. I got some good feedback from both Al's team and regular folks who saw it when Al posted the image on Instagram. I hope you all like it, too!

While we're here, let's look at some pictures from the July 7th Pittsburgh show, which I attended!

As mentioned, this is the poster I worked on with Jeff McComsey for that show.

I also took the label I created and made some actual soup cans. I gave these to Al, some band members, and a few fans and tour workers. I also left one outside and posted a picture of it online as an impromptu scavenger hunt...

...and someone actually went and found it!!

One of the more surreal moments of the night was when I actually got to meet Donald Warhola, who is Andy Warhol's nephew and one of the curators of the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. Life is strange sometimes.

The show itself was, of course, wonderful. I'll never get tired of seeing Al in concert.

Al played "You Don't Love Me Anymore", after which he smashed his guitar on stage. What happens to those broken guitars after every show??

Sometimes I end up with them, I guess. Also, there's my cat.

I'm sure this comes as no surprise, but I really like Al and his shows. So it was a pretty big deal for me to get to play a small part in these three tour dates. I've got one last poster to show off, which I'll do soon. It was already announced so maybe you've seen it! I'll write again about that one soon.

New Tick for 2018!

The success of the Tick Amazon show has opened up the door for a few more Tick comics (hooray), a few of which I've been involved with (also hooray), so I thought I'd take a minute to point out just what's out there, and a little bit about what's to come!

The Tick #1 showed up in comic shops in October, 2017, much to the delight of, well, hopefully people other than me, but perhaps most importantly, me! The book had been a long time in coming. Artist Duane Redhead and I managed to get a six-page story printed in the back of this issue, and if I can say so (I can), it looks really nice. Duane provided pencils, inks and colors this time around, which I think adds a different dimension to his work.

The Tick #2 followed shortly after, in December. In between the first and second issues, Duane took over as the regular artist, which is good for him. There's another short story written by me in the back of this issue, one that ties directly to a sequence in issue #1. Art on this story was provided by Alex Harris, a Boston native who drew a short story for the 2016 Local Comic Shop Day comic.

Issue #3 should be out before the end of February, and I also have a few pages in that issue. I hope that you (yes, you) check it out and support the book!

May brings another Free Comics Book Day, and another FCBD issue of The Tick. This one has a few stories in it, with the main story written by me with art by Ian Nichols (Duane drew the cover). This story takes a plot from Ben Edlund, which is both exciting and really intimidating for me. Think of it as Conan meets The Tick, I guess.

The FCBD website interviewed me about the book, and you can read it here: https://www.freecomicbookday.com/Article/206638-FCBD18-Interview-Jeff-McClelland-Tells-Us-How-The-Tick-Ends-Up-in-a-Fantasy-Land

Have we all gotten our Tick Funko Pop figures yet? Is there any license that Funko doesn't yet have? (Weird Al Pops coming later this year.) This new figure is the "regular" version of the limited, glow-in-the-dark Tick Pop that came out for last year's Comic-Con. Still no word on when Arthur, etc., will be out.

I managed to find a copy of San Diego Comic-Con Comics #3 recently. This four-issue series ran in the early-to-mid '90s as an exclusive comic co-produced by Comic-Con and Dark Horse Comics. The Tick has a brief cameo in this issue! There's also a RoboCop with a toaster for a head.

Lastly, I got a package in the mail a few weeks ago from Duane, and inside resided some original art - the cover to the Tick 2016 FCBD special! This might be my favorite piece of work from Duane's and my run on the book, so it was pretty exciting to find this waiting for me.

The 2016 issue featured Ticks from all over the Tick-verse (that's what we're calling it), many of which were created just for the issue, but there were also appearances by all of the previously established Ticks, including the Tick clones from the "De-Evolution" storyline...

...Tina, Toy DeForce's Tick robot...

...Jeffrey Whitebread, the Golden Age Tick...

...and my personal favorite, Edlund's original Tick from the character's first NEC newsletter appearance!

Let's keep our fingers crossed for the rest of 2018. There are a few more things on the horizon.