BLOD one shot

well the time is almost upon us...a long awaited moment. For me anyway. My comic book is comin' out. It will be available on Indy Planet.com soon. Right now it's been sent off to the printer and me and Cromsblood from "CROM the ultimate Conan fan blog" ( My partner in crime) are waiting with baited breath. So next month...go to Indyplanet.com and order yourself a copy or two. It's a full color comic book...Treachery,greed and Vengeance await around the corner. This here is the cover and right below that the pin-up...enjoy

RAWHIDE!!!

I doctored up an old drawing of mine....based on an original Larry Lieber cover....just for kicks

Joe Kubert - My inspiration...

My first introduction to Tarzan in the comic books was when Joe Kubert was drawing the comic book for DC back in the 70's...Until then I had no idea there ever were any Tarzan comic books. His art,line quality and storytelling had me hooked at a young age and I knew that I would want to draw comic books professionally for a living. ( Something that never happened ) but my love for the art will be with me forever. Soon after I learned about Conan and John Buscema and that became a damn near obsession...anything Conan or John Buscema...So it was set in stone. John Buscema and Joe Kubert were my biggest influences and the ball was rolling. Jack Kirby and my appreciation for him came not too long after. Recently I started a sketch journal and filled it with doodles and recreations of art by John Buscema and Joe Kubert as well as others. It's something I'd been doing for months now. I am already on a second journal...here are the drawings from the last few pages of the journal and a couple of pages from the new one. This past week Joe Kubert died and my triumvirate of influences have all gone to Heaven. The Captains of the industry who paved my road and the road for many others have retired. But their influence lives on. The last last drawing here on this particular post was done after I learned of Joe Kubert's passing. I am an independant cartoonist. My contributions to the industry don't register. But I exist. My comic book BLOD will soon be available on Indieplanet.com. Something I never would have done if not for Joe Kubert,John Buscema and Jack Kirby....Enjoy - Mike

The Incredible HULK vs ULIK the Rock Troll!

To my recollection there has never been such a match up in the history of Marvel comics...ULIK has always been a THOR villain and has always lost...so we know that he'd lose this match up as well...but because I'd never seen it and always wanted to , it prompted me into making up this mock cover. I wanted to stick with the classic Herb Trimpe , Marie Severin style HULK and actually had a devil of a time trying to get the face right...I think I did ok. ULIK looks more of a John Buscema influenced drawing rather than TRIMPE but then again if I'm not thinking Kirby I'm thinking Buscema and if I'm not thinking either of those gent's I'm thinking Kubert.
Once again for colors and letters I turned to my friend Dom from AIM comics the people who publish " The Brutal blade of Bruno the bandit "
Dom is a fantastic artist and is a professional graphic artist you can see his portfolio at Paladinfreelance.com. He did a bang up job and it looks just like I'd imagined. I anticipated he'd get it right. Dom's done a few other pieces for me and I am always satisfied. I hope you enjoy my pic...and get a kick out of it. - Mike

Comic book resources - 25 of the best Kubert covers

Comicbook resources ran a column posting the 25 greatest Joe Kubert covers of all time - seen here on my blog are the ones I actually own...but go the CBR website and check them all out....see all your favorite greatest Joe Kubert covers!!! http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7n7AVipQpQoAPKFXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE1NGUyMzg2BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA1NNRTA4MF8xODQ-/SIG=133ehjcib/EXP=1344980800/**http%3a//goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/08/12/25-great-joe-kubert-covers/

Joe Kubert: The passing of a great great man....

As a former Kubert school student and someone who met the man and got to experience that spirited grip of a handshake I must admit this news has really taken it's toll on me. I don't know if I'll sleep well tonight. The man ...a true legend and Master of his craft left behind a legacy and a family of former students called Kubies... I am proud of the moniker and wear it like a badge. Joe Kubert not only put me in my place when he needed to but he taught me lessons I still apply today. I learned more from that man in the one year I had as a student of my second year at his school than I will ever realize.

The one thing I remember him saying clearly ( As well as having contradicted me when I mispronounced words ) was this " You never cease to learn something new everyday , everytime you pick up a pencil you'll learn something different " At the age of 65 he said those words. There are no words to describe the feeling I have except grief..just grief. My heart goes out to his family and all my classmates and fellow alumnists who attended the school and who knew Joe. Rest in peace Joe Kubert you leave behind you a legacy that will never die...your work , your family , your friends and your students who loved you as a mentor and teacher. Although I never made it in the field as a pro... Your lessons will live with me forever. God bless...Rest in peace Sir.

Mock SUPERBOY cover from an Alternate universe.

Just recently a friend of mine from my local comics shop asked me to do a special piece for him. He wanted me to recreate a John Byrne Action Comics cover and make it in to a Superboy cover. I was all too ready to provide. So I redrew the cover and made Supeman into Superboy and then made Superboy into a younger version of Ultra man ( Ultra boy )...after the art was finished I enlisted the aid of my Friend DOM from AIM comics the producers of " The Brutal blade of Bruno the bandit " They've used some of my art in their publications. Well here is the final product....I think it came out neat....what'cha think?