this kicks ass

[who cares?]

http://www.herorealm.com/solicits/Oct_0oa9hpa_9h4/IROMcover05.jpg

i just wanted to say that...

8-) 8-) 8-)

[TheBradster]

Well, I've got to agree with that cover. ;-)

[chrismarker]

Adi -- I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- you're a briliiant artist, but this piece?! Iron Man with a gorgeous girl drizzled around him as he bares his repulsors?! Sorry, but you might as well turn his jet boots into low-rider struts and find some place to put 20" rims on his hips while you're at it. Not that those accoutrements don't have thier own unique cultural cool (and even potentially radical signature), BUT on this arc? On Ellis' take of IronMan?No, I don't "get it" at all. Honestly, just answer me this: you think this mines any new territory for the character? (especially -- and I say this with all humility -- in contrast to the ideas of horror that I've suggested).

[paintstain]

I wish I had this hanging on my wall.

;-)

[who cares?]

so do i.... so do i.... (the hanging on my wall thing)

besides the suit though, i can honestly say that is one of the best looking female asses i've seen drawn....... :p

[Adi Granov]

Hah, I guess that got released into the wild. I've been waiting for it. That scan sucks though, here's a better version for you guys:

http://adigranov.net/post/imco05.jpg

Chris, sorry you don't care for it, but, everything in this cover actually directly relates to the story (and actually hints at a few things too). The girl is Maya from the book, obviously, they are in the Iron Man hangar from the first issue, and the screens are showing Iron Man diagnostics AND something else too. Now the fact that the cover is designed as more of an iconic pinup is just a deliberate decision to keep up with the trend of all the other covers I've done for the book, as they are in fact all pretty cheesecake pin-up-ish just without the girl... Seeing as how the book is very cinematic and story oriented (meaning: no splash pages for the sake of pin-ups and showing off) I feel it's fair to use the covers to do a bit of that.

Regardless, criticism keeps me honest and without it I would have no objectivity, so thanks for that.

[who cares?]

thanks for that image man.... got a new desktop picture now.... awesome, awesome image........

[chrismarker]

Hah, I guess that got released into the wild. I've been waiting for it. That scan sucks though, here's a better version for you guys:

http://adigranov.net/post/imco05.jpg

Chris, sorry you don't care for it, but, everything in this cover actually directly relates to the story (and actually hints at a few things too). The girl is Maya from the book, obviously, they are in the Iron Man hangar from the first issue, and the screens are showing Iron Man diagnostics AND something else too. Now the fact that the cover is designed as more of an iconic pinup is just a deliberate decision to keep up with the trend of all the other covers I've done for the book, as they are in fact all pretty cheesecake pin-up-ish just without the girl... Seeing as how the book is very cinematic and story oriented (meaning: no splash pages for the sake of pin-ups and showing off) I feel it's fair to use the covers to do a bit of that.

Regardless, criticism keeps me honest and without it I would have no objectivity, so thanks for that.

Adi -- thanks to you for your great art. And FYI: I like the other covers -- "pin ups" or not they're original and even stunning. But this one just looks like it belongs on the cover of Hot Rod magazine or something: And I'm really thrown by Maya being reduced to a mere sex object: My read of the story line pushes her way past that confinement (hell I was thinking she might even dose Extremis herself out of guilt or something to battle Mallen). Anyway, thanks for the response and big props for hooking up people with free art! That's class!

[Angel]

very nice work.

this cover seems like a natural progression on the other ones. the first one seems to imply a new beginning and freedom for iron man/tony stark. the second cover appears to show him getting ready to go back to fighting evil that can strike at any minute, thus the fire from the repulser ray (i think that's what it's called. this is the first time i've read iron man) in the hanger. the third cover shows the duality of being iron man. tony looks like he's carring a heavy burden that he is having a hard time to carry. thus the sadness in his eyes and the furrowed brow. we get to see the man/tony stark not so much the icon that is iron man like the last two covers. the fourth cover shows iron man as a hero, ready to protect maya, this time with both hands, implying he has feelings for her. while maya, has an almost sinister look, like she knows what is about to happen but isn't warning him of it. she wants to, with her hand on his chest, but something is keeping her from it. plus, they're in the hanger, which to me means tony's really open for not only a physical attack but an emotional one too.

though, this is only the impressions i get from the covers. i could be completely off. i also don't see maya as a sex object here. i usually really look down on covers that have women on it just to be eye candy to bring the male reader in. this just seems, to me, that maya is putting aside her scientist look for a more natural one. she seems more like what an actual women looks like, not some misproportioned "ideal" woman. i think this issue might give us more of a back story to their relationship. yet another reason for her to be in every day clothes, since they were having a normal conversation, just tony and maya.

[the last ronin]

That's awesome! i love the light flares from the repulsors.

So when do we get to see your take on the armor, *wink*wink*

[chrismarker]

[/QUOTE]

very nice work.

i also don't see maya as a sex object here. i usually really look down on covers that have women on it just to be eye candy to bring the male reader in. this just seems, to me, that maya is putting aside her scientist look for a more natural one. she seems more like what an actual women looks like, not some misproportioned "ideal" woman. i think this issue might give us more of a back story to their relationship. yet another reason for her to be in every day clothes, since they were having a normal conversation, just tony and maya.

Angel, who is Maya looking out at from the cover? Could it be a presumed male reader? And if so, how is her body positioned? Is she not posed in a way that invites this male reader to survey her body? to look at her bared mid-riff, her hips, and ass? All the while her one hand strokes Iron Man's chest, the other wraps around his waist, and she is positioned intimatley between his legs...It's the pose of a woman as a classic sex object: And you can find direct similarities in this pose and those women who were painted as "nudes" throughout the tradition of Eurpoean oil painting. (I'm not smart enough to know this myself: It's taken from the great art critic, John Berger, and his classic text, "Ways of Seeing").

[Angel]

Angel, who is Maya looking out at from the cover? Could it be a presumed male reader? And if so, how is her body positioned? Is she not posed in a way that invites this male reader to survey her body? to look at her bared mid-riff, her hips, and ass? All the while her one hand strokes Iron Man's chest, the other wraps around his waist, and she is positioned intimatley between his legs...It's the pose of a woman as a classic sex object: And you can find direct similarities in this pose and those women who were painted as "nudes" throughout the tradition of Eurpoean oil painting. (I'm not smart enough to know this myself: It's taken from the great art critic, John Berger, and his classic text, "Ways of Seeing").

chris, i understand the points you make and they make a lot of sense, but one of the good things about art, is that different people can see different things while looking at the same piece of art. if anything, it appears to be a classic case of damsel in distress. her hand on his chest implies she doesn't want him to go, but she knows he has to. she's between his legs so she can be fully enveloped in his space, showing further desire to be protected by him. i don't see anything alluring in her eyes. i see apprehension and some kind of manical intentions behind them. i think she's looking at an approaching threat to them both. she's dressed like most women dress now. midriff shirts and low rider jeans. she's just reflecting what happens in the real world, which doesn't happen much in comics.

this is totally different then covers i've seen where the woman is completely bent over and has that come-hither look on her face. then when you read the comic, it has nothing to do with the woman at all. or covers where the woman has huge boobs, no waist and a huge ass, in a very seductive pose.