It's been a while!

Sorry I've checked out for a while--I've been giving all of my attention to my deviant art site/gallery. Check out the link on the right to give it a look--There be lotsa art there.
I'm gonna be sure and post here once a week at least just to keep the word out for what I'm working on in comics and commissions. Thanks for tuning in now and again!

In memory of a former studio mate

(From my journal at Deviantart.com)


Comic book inker Jim Royal died recently. We were studio mates at Jolly Roger Studio back in Macon, Georgia for a couple of years.
I have to be honest---Jim and I didn't always get along, and I can't say that we were close friends. I can say that he could be funny as hell, and he sure made me laugh sometimes. His James Mason impression was spot-on and just broke me up every time he did it. All of us at Jolly Roger enjoyed drinking and laughing together at Tony's house on the weekends, or at cons, and Jim was almost always instrumental those good times.
In the end, the bad times overwhelmed the good between us and we moved on. While I never would have been able to be friends again with Jim, I am truly sorry that he's gone.
My dear friend and long-time inker, Ray Snyder called me a bit over a week ago and told me that Jim had died, and later that night, I poured some vodka and toasted my old acquaintance to wish him well, and to hope that he has found peace and calm seas.
Ray tells me that memorial services will be held in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday. I wish his friends and family the best.

Zatanna Commission

Just finished this fun commission of Zatanna. Had a great time working on it and got to put some of the new stuff I've been learning in my art classes to use. Hope the buyer likes it!

New Gods Commission

Here's the finally completed New Gods Commission that I just finished yesterday. It's been on my desk for several months and I swore that I wouldn't take on any new commissions 'til it was done.
It's been bumpy trying to learn to master my workload along with having a new baby daughter, but I think I'm starting to get the routine down and am finding that I'm getting back to my regular work schedule at last. With this piece done, I'll be taking on new commissions again, if anyone is interested. Just drop me a note at graphitemonkey@gmail.com.

New On Ebay!

I just posted two new pages for sale on Ebay. Supergirl #25 page 4, which features a nice large panel of Batman in the Batcave with images of Supergirl on the computer screen behind him, and Alfred in the background. The page also features Lois Lane and Clark Kent.
The other page is Supergirl #29 page 7, a full figure splash page of Superman scanning the night skies for Supergirl.
Check 'em out here!

On The Stands Now!!!

Here's the colored version of the cover for HACK/SLASH #18--On the stands now! It features absolutely stunning work by colorist Lizzie John. If you scroll down my blog you can check out the entire process of the making of this cover. From layouts to pencils, ink, and now color.
I would like to point out my disappointment with the actual published cover though in that they added the credit list on the cover over my and inker Paul Wee's signatures. Me, I don't care about, and I'm embarrassed to say that my signature is visible, but Paul's is obscured. This was Paul's first comic work, and I really wish that he'd been able to see his signature on the cover. I'm really sorry, Paul.
I also wish that Lizzie had signed the cover. This was one of my favorite collaberative efforts I've ever worked on, and I feel like it would have been great if we all had visible signatures on this one.

New Stuff Part 3!!!

Here's the colored version of the Forgotten Realms cover that Ray Snyder and I did recently for DDP. It features RA Salvatore's popular character, Drizzt. We had a great time with this one. I really dug working on the panther.

More New Stuff!!!!

Here's a cover that I drew a couple of months ago for DDP and CAPCOM's BIONIC COMMANDO comic series. I'm not sure when it's coming out, and I haven't seen any colors for it yet...Inks are by Ray Snyder, and are really excellent--Thanks Ray!

New Stuff!!!

Here's a piece that I drew & inked myself for a book called Wolalina. I've been fooling around with making my background characters more distinctive to offset the idealized looks of my "heroic" main characters. I really ended up having a great time with the revolutionary war soldiers behind Wolalina here. I hope the contrast works...

Ebay update again!

The GI JOE and SUPERGIRL pieces have sold! Thanks to everyone that bid, and thanks to the winners of the artwork!
I'll be posting more work on ebay again soon--Stay tuned!

New artwork on ebay this week!

This week on ebay, I'm offering a close-up pencil splash image of Supergirl from page 1 of Supergirl #28.
In addition, I've also made available the penciled cover for the GI JOE New York Comic Con '08 variant edition. The cover features Fan fave characters The Baroness and Destro.
Check out these links if you'd like to bid on either of these pieces.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=160295467930&Category=14010null&_trksid=p3907.m29
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=160295470389&Category=3985null&_trksid=p3907.m29

Ebay update!

Page one from Supergirl #24 has sold---I'll be posting new artwork for sale on ebay again this week, tho, so please stay tuned!

Supergirl page on Ebay!

I've just posted The original pencil art for Supergirl #24, page 1 on Ebay. If you'd like to bid on it, check out this link:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160293973194&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DSelling

Psylocke: The final inked work

Here's the final inked piece. I transferred it from my sketchbook to a full sized artboard and used it to break in my new pens, ink and brushes.
Just finished it up tonight after we've just gotten back from a trip to the East Coast, and it was a fun diversion while I got over my reverse jet lag.

Sketchbook Girl #1 Psylocke

Drew this in my sketchbook last night...

HACK/SLASH #18 Cover-The process part 3

That wraps up my part in this piece--Now to the inks! The inks on this cover are a real thrill for me. This cover is inked by my friend, Paul Wee--You can check out his art blog in the links section on the right--Go there! It's worth it! Paul is an Assistant Director on The Simpsons, and I met him through my wife, Karen, who is a retakes Director on The Simpsons. Paul is a true artist's artist and his work and advice have really inspired me over the last few years.
At the same time that I got this cover job, Paul and I were sketching animals over at the LA Zoo once a week. During one of our trips to the zoo, I was telling him about a cover gig I was starting work on for a horror comic called HACK/SLASH--and I suddenly put two and two together. I realized that Paul digs horror and that I've wanted to work with Paul on something for a long time. So I asked Paul to ink the cover. He was kind enough to say yes, even though he was in the middle of moving.
The resulting cover is one of my very favorite pieces of work. Paul's line over my pencils is spontaneous and exciting. I hope everybody out there digs it as much as I do.
I know I've blathered on a bit here, but please indulge me just a bit longer. I'm not posting the next part of the process of this cover right now---I want everyone to be psyched to run out and pick up the book when it comes out---Here's the thing: The colors are a sight to behold. Lizzy John colored me and Paul on this cover, and when I say colored, I wonder if I should say painted? The work Lizzy did on this piece is the best color work my pencils have ever seen. No offense to the great folks that have colored my work in the past, but, wow. Big huge thanks to Paul and Lizzy and our editor, Mike O'Sullivan for a really fun job.
HACK/SLASH #18 is on sale in November and you can find a portion of the final colored cover in the September issue of PREVIEWS on page 240!

HACK/SLASH #18 Cover-The process part 2

Check out the MANY differences in the pencils that you see here versus the original layout. I was happy with the pose, but when I got to drawing the actual cover---I started to kinda see a mini movie of the scene in my head--Cassie in the sewers, repeatedly attacked and slashed at by the crazed killer that's reflected in her knife. The sewer background felt right to me instead of the checker board background in the layout--Horror and action movies seem to have a tendency to have their climaxes in old factories, steel mills, or sewers...Not so much on checker boards...Also, I changed the gloves from the layouts to bandages in the final piece, and added many more injuries. Cassie chases slashers, and from reading the HACK/SLASH Omnibus that Tim Seeley gave me, I saw that she tends to get in a little over her head sometimes. I thought the whole "Hunter becomes Hunted" idea might work well, and that became the story I wanted to tell with this cover.

HACK/SLASH #18 Cover-The process

Now that my cover for HACK/SLASH #18 is being solicited in PREVIEWS, here's the process by which I drew the cover, and what happened after it left my drawing table!
Here's my initial sketch for the cover---

UPDATE for late August

Boy, a new baby keeps you busy! Karen and I have been having a great time with our super-cute little daughter, Cole. Lotsa family has been here to see us and we've had lots going on here at Casa de Johnson.
In the meantime, I've gotten to work on a couple of new covers for Devil's Due Productions---The cover for HACK/SLASH #18, and I just finished up the cover for an issue of the upcoming BIONIC COMMANDO comic that's inspired by the new and exciting version of the classic video game. I'll post the artwork for all to see as soon as it's ok to do so.
I've also been getting in some work on The Black Lake---Previous posting here featured our first promo piece for the graphic novella. Hopefully it aroused some curiousity out there. I'm having a lot of fun every time I get to sit down with it. I'll have something new to post here in the near future. In the meantime, please keep checking back!

(Matilda Finn & The Black Lake are (c) Drew Johnson, 2008)