[PLUG] Me aping Sean Phillips and Brian Bendis

[Run-BMC]

Hello -

Happy Independence Day.

I have a book coming out that I did right after X-23: Target X (thanks to you two who bought the book by the way, especially to the guy who liked it). It's part of a series from Top Cow based on the Darkness video game, and I have NO IDEA when the book comes out.

I wanted to do something different and was reading Phillips' Criminal and Bendis' Jinxworld stuff at the time (but also watching musical DVDs, like Annie and Spiceworld - isn't that odd) so I was consciously influenced by a lot of their styles here, the way they tell a story by conveying mood with lighting choices and make shit look dopesauce overall (NOT saying I pulled it off... it's just an attempt!). A lot of the book was done while learning how to use a Wacom tablet, which was fun. Here's a preview that was on ComicsContinuum.com:


http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0706/28/darkness5b.jpg
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0706/28/darkness51.jpg
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0706/28/darkness52.jpg
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0706/28/darkness53.jpg
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0706/28/darkness54.jpg
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0706/28/darkness55.jpg

(As much as I think the letterer did a fantastic job, I can't stress how much help it is for a writer to include the dialogue in the script, which I DIDN'T have here.)



Also, I'm working on this beautiful July 4th morning because the cover of my next project is due on Thursday. I'm very excited. It comes out in October.

It's a dream come true (kind of).

It'll look more like the X-23 stuff.

It's a Marvel book.

Thanks for reading,
mike

[Jef UK]

Wow, you really switched it up there! Nice work, Choi. Looks great!

[Masculine Todd]

I can definitely see the Spiceworld influence on the cover with Jackie doing Jazz Hands.

Looks great Mike. I'm in.

[Jacob Lyon Goddard]

you need to "cast" Bendis in this

[Andy Kuhn]

mike,

i always enjoy seeing artists try something new with their style. i like the new look. this stuff reminds me more of charlie adlard than shawn phillips, which is not bad. they're both great artists, but i think adlard is a little more of a cartoonist, and phillips is more of a slave to the camera.

[Lord Jermaine Retail]

I see a little Tim Sale in there too personally.

I'm excited to hear about your next Marvel project as well. I really think it'll be just a matter of time before you are the main artist on some type of Marvel event mini series. Within the next two years I think. It'd be a crime if that didn't happen. If they don't have you locked into a contract they need to get on that.

[Matt O'Keefe]

Can definitely see Phillips in there. I always have more respect for the artists willing to reinvent themselves every once in a while.

[Brad N.]

As always Mike, your stuff is rockin. I bought all of X-23 too by the way (except issue 3 which I have still been unable to find) and I loved the first two issues and look forward to reading the rest once I magically find and buy the third issue.

Congrats on your dream project too, can't wait!

[Master Jack Rabbitt]

Looks great!

[Pat Loika]

I like it a lot, Mike. I see a bit of Phillips and Adlard in there.

P.

[Donal DeLay]

There's too much light for Bendis. You can see their faces ... and their bodies ... and their environments .... and you drew more than one panel per page

[Thudpucker]

Love the new style!

[Run-BMC]

Thanks very much youse guys. It's a lot of fun to try new things, as long as you make sure to establish a safety word beforehand.

And please understand that when I say I'm aping someone's style, it's not copying, or me thinking "I can do that too," but seeing something someone did and did well, and thinking "that looks like a lot of fun," and giving that direction a try.

I'm a huge fan of Adlard's too, I just reread the entire Walking Dead run available in trade thus far. Everything influences you whether you know it or not, I suppose. And I think it's awesome.

[Run-BMC]

There's too much light for Bendis. You can see their faces ... and their bodies ... and their environments .... and you drew more than one panel per page

Awww...



...yeah.