Another Hulk sketch

Continuing with our green theme: I think this one is at least 7 years old. Maybe more...

Big Hulk Painting

Pencil prelim and finished painting. This one is Gouache (opaque watercolor) on gray board, 16 x 20".  A small, black and white version of this piece appears on the cover of my new sketchbook.

Avengers #1 cover recreation

Drawn late last year. Too bad I couldn't squeeze the Vision in there.

Two more Hulk sketches

Not sure what I was going for on these but here they are...

Logo art for Hulk Annual

This was only used once, on Annual #13 in 1984.  I think we added a heavier outline after this copy of the original art was made.

Hulk sketches for Ang Lee

He wanted to see a variety of expressions...

Hulk 2099 cover: Adam Kubert pencils

From 1995. Looks like this was originally intended for 2099 Unlimited #5 but ended up on Hulk 2099 #2.

Hulk #362 cover sketch

I wrote about this cover last July but I just found a copy of the preliminary sketch. You can read the original post here.

A Hulk sketch

It's weird when I uncover old stuff like this and have no idea what it's for.  I guess it's possible that I drew it just for the fun of it. Your guess is as good as mine.

The Hulk and the Thing

They sure published a lot of comic book cards back in the 90's.  Here's one that I drew for Marvel.  I couldn't find an example of the printed card but here are the pencils (or maybe it's just a sketch) and the inks.

Three more letter column designs

Hulk SMASH #1 cover painting

Forgive me if I've already posted this.  I seem to remember showing it but a search didn't turn up anything so here it is.  First, some thumbnail sketches for both covers, followed by a quick pencil and marker sketch on typing paper to get the movement and emotion, then the acrylic painting on a gessoed masonite board.  From 2001.

Another Hulk colored pencil sketch

This one was drawn in 2001.  I was experimenting with colored pencils on colored paper.

Hulk colored pencil sketch

This was drawn for the ill-fated HULK movie. Ang Lee wanted a less monstrous, more human Hulk.  We literally sat at his dining room table and did sketches together.  His mother-in-law cooked a wonderful lunch for us while we worked.  "Do you like beef?  Oh, wait, you're from Kansas, of course you like beef."

If I remember right, this one was drawn a few days after that, when I was back home.  His reaction: "This is better..."

Old Avengers commission

"Old" in that, this was drawn a few years ago and also because this is the original cast, with Iron Man in his clunky yellow armor.

Rejected cover for Hulk #362

Back in the late 80's I tried to pare down my "style" and did away with most of the rendering. I was hoping that the self-imposed limitation would force me to focus more on the important elements like structure, gesture and storytelling. I'm not the first artist who tried to hide bad drawing with fancy rendering and I probably won't be the last.

Someone at Marvel asked me to draw this Hulk cover. Two monsters, fighting in a desert... why not? It sounds like fun.

How was it received? A friend of mine who was in the Bullpen when the art arrived told me that Marvel's art director, John Romita (Senior) held it up and proclaimed, "This... is what is wrong with comics today!" True story.

The Hulk editor called me up and politely explained that the art was being rejected. I asked if the lack of rendering was the only problem and he said it was. So I redrew it with heavier shadows and some fancy rendering and everyone was happy.

The first version is fine but I have to admit, the second one is better. Especially when you see it with color. Marvel let me do the color guide so I was able to sculpt the shapes with flat, white highlights. The poses are awkward but I like the overall effect.

And John Romita was right.