I didn't even remember doing the costume design until I found this old sketch yesterday, probably because there wasn't much of my work left by the time it went through Editorial. Remember when you were in school and your paper was handed back to you with a lot of notations in red ink? It's rarely a good sign.
We persevered and the final cover turned out okay. I did the color guide but I'm not sure why I made Batman's eyes white, considering they're tightly closed.
wow...Great!!
ReplyDeleteWow, I really liked the first cover option actually. Got some nice movement and dynamics to it. Even if it wasn't used for this issue, I think the layout works (maybe flipping it so it moves left to right). Not that the final version was bad.
ReplyDeleteAnd red ink...ughh...don't remind me.
I think their problem with the first version was that it looked like Batman was being tickled.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite covers! This process is exciting. The strong drawing with the unpretentious logo works really well. I liked how his chest emblem has an extra pair or points, as well. Yes, I am a geek.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I remember buying it and being kinda disappointed with the actual comic. The story is fine, but it took me years to appreciate Don Heck's art. His 50s/60s stuff is phenomenal but in this issue, his inks are a little stiff.
I don't know why I added the extra points on the Bat emblem. I did it throughout the Man-bat story as well.
ReplyDeleteHeck was really under-appreciated by a lot of the readers. I remember he came back after the death of his wife and that whole "worst artist in the business" controversy and did a really nice issue of The Flash in the early '80's. It was as if he deliberately set out to show us how good he could be.
Regarding the white eyes, I'd never spotted the fact they were white but closed.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved this cover.
Fiddling with the image in PS and colouring the eyes "correctly" seems to take away from it for me.
Yeah, I tried it as well. The blue eyes look like a mistake. I wonder if I tried making them blue when I did the guide back in the '80's or if I instinctively made them white.
ReplyDeleteI have a weird "Conspiracy Theory" thing with this cover. I saw it in "The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told" as a kid, and ever since then every time I come across Batman 412 at a convention, I buy it. Maybe my all-time favorite Batman cover.
ReplyDeleteCool! But maybe that explains why I can never find a copy.
ReplyDeleteI think I have that issue.
ReplyDeleteOne of my all time, absolute favorite covers by you! After the issue came out, I tried desparately to track down the original art. I was devastated when I found out that it had been acquired by a, then, local young artist who has since gone on to become one of the biggest names in comics. Before he got so famous, I used to bug him about selling this cover to me whenever I ran into him. By the way, he also happens to own another of my favorite Nowlan covers. I always told myself that if I ever got my hands on these two covers, I'd be happy never to get another Nowlan piece again! Of course I have no idea if he still owns them. I can't imagine he would sell them, as he really doesn't need the money, and I know he's a big fan of yours. Anyway, it's nice to see the piece here. Probably as close as I'm ever going to get to it. LOL! (from the not-so-anonymous Eric D.)
ReplyDelete