Comic Art Commission

[Roygbiv666]

I decided to (at least look into) getting some comic art commissions done, primarily "fake" comic covers. Basically, I'm pretending the public domain superheroes continued to be published after WWII just like DC and Marvel, with the simplifying caveat that they were all bought by one company.

So, I want some covers done that reflect various time periods (Silver Age, Bronze Age, etc.), culminating in some inter-company crossover covers (DC/Marvel/Other).

I'm unsure whether or not to "pretend" these crossovers started in the 60s/70s/etc., or just recently.

I wanted Al Plastino to re-do Adventure #300 (I know, it was Curt Swan, but he was doing Superman at the time and inked an interior) with PD characters, for example.

Anyway, I wanted to have, for example, a cover done in the 1970s style of John or Sal Buscema (Avengers cover), and can't decide to keep it simple with just the PD characters, or a crossover with the AVengers and have both PD/Marvel characters on it. That is - I'm losing focus!!

IDEAS?? But not of the "include this character" type, just concepts.

[Yoc]

I like the idea Roy.
Sounds a bit like 'The Next Issue Project'.

Michael Finn is a guy that has made dozens of commissions with a cool 'One Minute Later' theme.  
You can see them all here (well worth looking at people, wonderful artwork!)
http://tinyurl.com/2g4a4gf

One strong warning though - these things don't come cheap!

Let us see how it goes and good luck Roy!

[Kevin Yong]

IDEAS?? But not of the "include this character" type, just concepts.

If you plan to recreate a "Silver Age" feel for any of these covers, you can't go wrong following Julius Schwartz's top five cover formulas:
5. Show the planet Earth in danger.
4. Show duplicate superheroes fighting themselves.
3. Show superheroes fighting each other or in competition.
2. Command the reader.
and most importantly of all...
1. A gorilla doing something un-gorillalike.

(List taken from Julius Schwartz's autobiography: "Man of Two Worlds")

[Roygbiv666]

I like the idea Roy.
Sounds a bit like 'The Next Issue Project'.

Michael Finn is a guy that has made dozens of commissions with a cool 'One Minute Later' theme.  
You can see them all here (well worth looking at people, wonderful artwork!)
http://tinyurl.com/2g4a4gf

One strong warning though - these things don't come cheap!

Let us see how it goes and good luck Roy!

Yeah, Plastino is $1800 for a cover. Depends on who you get.

I don't drink/smoke/gamble/do drugs/buy expensive cars/frequent prostitutes/take proper vacations. Also, no kids. So - I have some "disposable" income and don't plan on dying rich.

And I saw those One-Minute Laters - nice.

[Roygbiv666]

OK, this didn't set off a wave of discussions, did it? 

Anyway, any ideas welcome.

[Yoc]

I'd say you got some good replies Roy.
That link I gave you has many people talking about commissions, etc on it.
What theme/characters you choose is a personal choice.
Learning which character the artist likes might also help with favourable results.
I'm a big fan of Centaur, MLJ, FH and Quality but what exactly would I request from an artist?  No idea off hand.  'Poker Night at HQ'?  Hehe.

I knew one person that asked all the artists he met to do a drawing of Snoopy.
Strange?  Yep, but they almost all did it for him.

[Kevin Yong]

Anyway, any ideas welcome.

I've seen some commissions where they've recreated classic Superman covers using Captain Marvel in his place. Or others showing crossover/team-ups/battles between characters of the same name (the Fawcett Captain Marvel vs. Marvel's Captain Mar-Vell for example.)

The Golden Age has such a wide treasure trove of characters available, the hard part is going to be narrowing the focus of the commissions. Is there a certain character or publisher you'll be focusing on?

[Roygbiv666]

Anyway, any ideas welcome.

I've seen some commissions where they've recreated classic Superman covers using Captain Marvel in his place. Or others showing crossover/team-ups/battles between characters of the same name (the Fawcett Captain Marvel vs. Marvel's Captain Mar-Vell for example.)

The Golden Age has such a wide treasure trove of characters available, the hard part is going to be narrowing the focus of the commissions. Is there a certain character or publisher you'll be focusing on?

All of 'em in a way. I think I'll be doing some "crossover" type covers at this point. The classic JLA #21 (first JLA/JSA) would be good, I've been digging up others. I think I'll just make the crossovers start in the 1940s, and do some covers representative of the decade or something.

[John C]

I knew one person that asked all the artists he met to do a drawing of Snoopy.
Strange?  Yep, but they almost all did it for him.

I've never approached an artist, myself, but I've been told they get a lot of "draw me something" requests or, worse, "draw me this thing that you were known for early in your career that you didn't particularly enjoy."  So a change of pace is probably welcome.

I know a guy who has a ratty stuffed animal.  That's what every artist draws, in whatever way they care to.  Apparently a lot are thankful that it's not just another (expletives deleted) semi-pornographic Invisible Girl or something.

I would imagine (more for Roy's benefit) that, if you're relatively specific and don't be the guy who only wants the artist to do his "classic bits," they'll probably fill in a lot of blanks for you.  They're, y'know, artists.  (Heck, ask the artists to make suggestions for other artists!  That could be fun, if they're willing to play along.)

[Roygbiv666]

I knew one person that asked all the artists he met to do a drawing of Snoopy.
Strange?  Yep, but they almost all did it for him.

I've never approached an artist, myself, but I've been told they get a lot of "draw me something" requests or, worse, "draw me this thing that you were known for early in your career that you didn't particularly enjoy."  So a change of pace is probably welcome.

I know a guy who has a ratty stuffed animal.  That's what every artist draws, in whatever way they care to.  Apparently a lot are thankful that it's not just another (expletives deleted) semi-pornographic Invisible Girl or something.

I would imagine (more for Roy's benefit) that, if you're relatively specific and don't be the guy who only wants the artist to do his "classic bits," they'll probably fill in a lot of blanks for you.  They're, y'know, artists.  (Heck, ask the artists to make suggestions for other artists!  That could be fun, if they're willing to play along.)

Yeah, I understand the appeal of getting a professionally drawn Batman, but can you imagine how tired these artists must be of the same thing, over and over?

My approach is kind of "wouldn't it have been cool if ..." and get the scene.

Poker night in the war room - bunch of WWII heroes sounds cool.

[Yoc]

(Heck, ask the artists to make suggestions for other artists!  That could be fun, if they're willing to play along.)

Now that is a fun idea John!

[Roygbiv666]

(Heck, ask the artists to make suggestions for other artists!  That could be fun, if they're willing to play along.)

Now that is a fun idea John!

Yoink!

[Roygbiv666]

Another idea I just had was just superheroes beating down Nazis, with the further refinement that the heroes should have a skull and/or crossbones motif on their costume, but I've run out of them:

Blazing Skull/Destroyer (Timely)
Grim Reaper/Black Terror (Nedor)
Nighmare (of Nightmare and Sleepy "fame")
umm ..... anyone else I'm missing?

Then there's the villains:
Red Skull
Master Man
Captain Nazi
The Iron Major
Baron Blood
umm .... anyone else spring to mind?

[narfstar]

Lev Gleason's Ghost?

[Roygbiv666]

Lev Gleason's Ghost?

Yes!! Also http://pdsh.wikia.com/wiki/Black_Fury_(Hero)