OMAC - The One-Man Army Corps!

Here's a commission I completed in 2021 for a collector of OMAC, Jack Kirby's quasi-loopy DC comic from the early 1970s, which was aborted somewhat prematurely for Jack's heralded return to Marvel and Captain America in time for the Bicentennial. Those DC Kirby comics -- namely, his improbably run on Jimmy Olson -- were some of the first comic books I could call my own. Although lacking the sparkly of Stan Lee's "Master of Ceremonies" scripting, they were some of the mature Jack's most energetic and creative work. This 14" x 17" commission, which came to me online, was begun during the afternoon lull at the 2021 Akron Comic Con as a lone pencil figure, then completed at home,

Final inked version, crowquill, pigment markers, and brush India ink.

Original pencil figure, light blue and graphite.

Inked figure, crowquill.

Pencil background, loose.

Tight pencil background.

 

See my commission price list for ballpark prices and more samples.

Megaton Man™, Stella Starlight™, and all characters, character names, likenesses, words and pictures are ™ and © Don Simpson 2021, all rights reserved. Wendy Whitebread™ and © Anton Drek 2021, all rights reserved. Used by permission.

Megaton Man Rejects from Savage Dragon Team-Up!

 This are four pages I created on oversized Marvel bleed Bristol (13.5" x 21") for The Savage Dragon vs. the Savage Megaton Man #1 (Image Comics, 1993) but were rejected by Erik Larsen. I was going for a more simplified, Kirby-esque style at the time (evident later in my self-published Bizarre Heroes, made possible by the generous proceeds from this and Splitting Image). Erik wanted the more elaborate Neal Adams-ish inking style of the early issues of Megaton Man, so I took another shot at it. Some panels included Erik's headshots of the dragon, but one splash was left unfinished (apparently, that's when Erik decided he couldn't live the approach I'd taken). The lettering and script in this case is entirely by me.

This page features Erik's Dragon in panel three. The spoof of John Byrne's Next Men would also be drawn by Erik in the final version.

In the final version, I included the Phantom Jungle Girl and Rubber Brother to round out the reconstituted Megatropolis Quartet.

The spoof of John Byrne's Next Men were drawn by Erik in the final version.

Erik began penciling his Dragon figure when he decided he wanted my older, more intricate drawing style, and asked me to take it from the top.

The final page has been sold, but if you are interested in owning any of the other three, please contact me at donaldsimpson1713 (at) gmail (dot) com. I only have a couple other pages from the final version for sale as well (and none of the Splitting Image left). Thanks for your support!

The Savage Dragon ™ and © Erik Larsen; Megaton Man is ™ and © Don Simpson 2021, all rights reserved.

Upcoming 2022 Shows and Recent Commissions!

For more original art and commission examples, see my Comic Art Fans gallery!*

Since 1984, I have been a guest of numerous comic book conventions and shows from coast to coast, and many of the convention sketches I have drawn over the years can be seen all over the internet. I've also drawn a growing number of commissions in my studio and either shipped directly or delivered at shows. Below are some of my most recent commissions from 2021 shows.

The schedule for 2022:

• Ithacaon, Ithaca NY, Sat-Sun, April 23 and 24, 2022
• Three Rivers Comicon, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sat-Sun, June 4 and 5, 2022
• Heroes Con, Charlotte NC, Fri-Sun, June 24-26, 2022
  
• Gem City Con, Dayton Ohio, Sat-Sun, July 23 and 24, 2022
• Terrificon, Uncasville, Connecticut, Fri-Sun, July 29-31, 2022
  
• Pulpfest, Cranberry, Pennsylvania, Thurs-Sun, August 4-7, 2022
  
• Monroe Popfest, Monroe, Michigan, Fri-Sat, September 16-17, 2022
• Baltimore Comic Con, Baltimore MD, Fri-Sun, October 28-30, 2022
  
• Akron Comic Con, Akron OH, November 5-6, 2022
  

I will be sketching and drawing on the spot at every show, but time will be limited, and requests fill up fast. So if you've always wanted that special Don Simpson cartoon drawing of your dreams, it’s always a good idea to contact me ahead of time (mature or adult imagery, especially of the Anton Drek variety, can only be drawn ahead of time and delivered at shows). See my commission price list page for ballpark pricing and contact info (every commission is different and negotiated individually by teams of trained union bargainers!).

Private commission, 11" X 17" on Bristol board

Also a pinup in a forthcoming issue of Savage Dragon!

Faux sketch cover, Del Close, Mike Gold, John Ostrander of Wasteland, 11" x 17".

Megaton Man and Ms. Megaton meet Jill Thompson's Scary Godmother for Balimore Comic Con!

Original 11" x 14" pen and ink.

Faux sketch cover, 11" x 17"; my 1963: WhenElse?! satire.

11" X 14" pen and ink, classic Hal Jordan!

Jenny on a Border Worlds logo board, Ithacon 2022.

Another satisfied connoisseur!

Captain Cold, one of Flash's Rogue's Gallery.

Quick pencil for the inside of a Megaton Man hardcover, Ithacon 2022.

Plastic Man for a collector in Michigan.

Megaton Man and Alfred E. Neuman, 14" x 17", January 2022.

Spidey, 9" x 11.5", penciled 2018, inked January 2022.

Megaton Man and Barrett Klein, 11" x 14", January 2022.

Glissando and Megaton Man, 11" X 14", January 2022.

Kamandi on vintage DC cover stock, 11" X 17", January 2022.

Breathless Mahoney and Flattop from Dick Tracy, pencil, 14" x 17", January 2022.

Jack Kirby's OMAC - The One-Man Army Corps -- for a connoisseur!

Hand-colored commission recreating the cover to Megaton Man #4 (Kitchen Sink Press, June 1985).

Re-creation of the epic Megaton Man #4 cover (Kitchen Sink Press, June 1985), inked version.

Re-creation of the epic Megaton Man #4 cover (Kitchen Sink Press, June 1985), This pencil version will be inked and colored by hand.

Pen and ink for a fan of the fine art of figure drawing!

Pin-up for Len Mihalovich's Section 12 comic.

He-Man, She-Ra and Skeletor with my original design for a Skelekoptor!

Jiin from Wayne Carey's sf novel El'Aris.

Spidey for Taylor at Pulpfest

A sketch cover inspired by Pulpfest!

A sketch cover inspired by ERBfest (part of Pulpfest this year!).

Someone has probably already thought of this (but maybe not)!

Another swingin' Spider-Man in my clean line, John Romita-Mickey Demeo style!

Sally Forth and Snorky can't get a moment's privacy in this King Kong cover sketch!

Some of the above commissions were created and/or delivered at shows (I also drew several in fan sketchbook that got away before I could photograph them!).

Recent previous shows in 2021:

• Gem City Con, July 24 only, 2021
  
• NEO Comicon, August 1, 2021
• Pulpfest, August 19-22, 2021
  
• Monroe Pop Fest, September 18, 2021
  
• Great Lakes Madison Heights, October 9, 2021
  
• Three Rivers Comicon, October 16 and 17, 2021
  
• Akron Comicon, November 6-7, 2021
  
• Great Lakes, February 26-27, 2022
  

Megaton Man™, Stella Starlight™, and all characters, character names, likenesses, words and pictures are ™ and © Don Simpson 2022, all rights reserved. Wendy Whitebread™ and © Anton Drek 2022, all rights reserved. Used by permission.

* The CAF gallery includes censored versions of Anton Drek commissions and art; for uncensored examples, please contact me for a link. Serious inquiries only, please.

So You Think You Can Ink? The Dandy Don Tryout Page!

A number of fans, enthusiasts, and even fellow pros have asked me if they could try their hand at inking my stuff ("stuff" being the technical term for "pencil art"!). I've posted tons of my drawings hither and yon, on Facebook as well as this and related blogs (usually right before inking them myself, so some images have already been inked, others not). I've gathered some of my favorites here below to appease those lockdown inkers who want to give it a go. Those interested may find others be searching this blog or Google Images.

If you do decide to try your hand at inking any of these, you are on your own. I can offer no remuneration whatsoever and may elect to exploit your labor as I see fit. A few may already be inked and therefore part of the canon; some include lettering (which may be omitted), or may include multiple figures; you may elect to ink only one figure (edit as you see fit). Trademark and copyright remain mine in perpetuity (unless otherwise noted). Feel free to post on social media as you wish, but flagrant profiting from these images (e.g., selling prints at shows, etc.) is frowned upon and will unleash an army of wrathful lawyers, so use common sense and discretion.

I generally ink directly on the Bristol board or Strathmore 400 Drawing paper, or use Clearprint Vellum over the originals. See my other blogs or do a Google Image search to see whether or not I've inked any of these. Some inkers print out in blue and ink, others use Cintiq or other fancy gizmos of which I have little or no familiarity. Your results may differ drastically!  Follow the advice of your brain surgeon, etc. ...

Good luck, and don't try this at home!
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All characters, character names, likenesses, words and pictures are ™ and © Don Simpson 2021, all rights reserved. Posted for educational purposes only.