Nightmare Town... anyone?

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Yesterday's SargeSteel/Giordano tribute got me thinking: would you guys be interested in seeing some old school book illustrated by yours truly the way the old pulp magazine novel were used to do? I did a little example of what I mean (using yesterday image cause I am a little short on time today): of course if this gets the green light, I will illustrate the text accordingly ;)

So, I know it might be a little annoying to log in and leave a comment, but I would really like to hear from as many of you about this new - possibly weekly - feature. It will require to cut extra time in my already busy week, but if there is lots of interest in it, I will do my darn best to find the time.

Lemme hear it from you, pulp friends :)

Cheers,
Francesco

EDIT: Thanks for the great response so far, everyone :)
Keep the feedback/thoughts coming, please. :D

Meanwhile here's a quick rough sketch for the illo that will be spotlighted on the first spread (as mentioned, the Sarge Steel one was a temporary layout thing - the new illos will be strictly connected with the text that goes with).
I will get to the finished version sometime soon, I am hoping, when I am done with some work that is in my plate right now.

FF

Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla

Sarge Steel!

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In loving memory of the late Dick Giordano, who passed away last week: I like to think he is keeping drawing in company of Kirby and Toth and all the other great masters up there.
Thanks for everything you have given to us, Dick.

Cheers to you,
Francesco

Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla

Kara Bocek pag.9

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Hello Pulp friends :)

sorry for the a-lil-more-than-a-month pause on Kara Bocek. As you may know by now, I had computer virus/issue that put me behind on my work deadlines and having to attend to my first big Con of the year on the other Coast of the US didn't really help to make up some of the lost time.
Hopefully things are back to normal so we go back to our weekly appointment with your favorite pulp hero :)

So here's finally Kara Bocek page 9!!!
I didn't plan that way, but this page reads also like a quick recap of what happened so far, so what better way to jump back in the story? :)
All I am hoping is that it was worth the wait: I know many of you have expressed (via email, via blog, viat live at Cons, and via twitter) how much you were missing Kara Bocek: that makes me very happy because it shows you guys care about BB and that's all that really matters.
Keep showing the love and spreading the word :)

Cheers,
Francesco

All images © 2010 Francesco Francavilla.
KARA BOCEK, BLACK BEETLE & COLT CITY created by, ™ and © 2006-2010 Francesco Francavilla

Hey Oscar Wilde!

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It's Clobberin' Time!!!

That's the slogan and title of one of the coolest blog on the web, put together by the good Steven Gettis, who years ago started to ask artists and writers to sketch or draw their favorite literary author or character.
The result is a gallery of little gems from tons of talented folks. I was honored to be part of the gallery some time ago and I contributed with one of my favorite writers: H P Lovecraft. I am hoping to do some more in the near future :)
You can check Steven's blog here.
Recently Steven had the idea to have rotating top banner for the blog, and I have been meaning to do one myself since I saw the beautiful take of Stuart Immonen and finally got around doing it (the above illo) :)
Hope you guys enjoy it and stay tuned tomorrow for Kara Bocek page 9: I am working on it and it's almost done :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla

John Carter of Mars

Note: all images are available in larger size vies if you click on them.

Hello Pulp Friends,

I wanted to share the step by step for the above fake cover I did for John Carter of Mars - it seems I am specializing in pseudobiblia (or impossible books ;)) lately.

When I heard about the weekly TWART topic being John Carter, I had this idea to mock those old paperback covers: they look great plus I didn't have to fill the whole page with artwork (yeah, hard to cut too much time out of the weekly schedule when you are under deadlines ;)).
I wanted to show John and possibly Dejah facing some kind of beast. Initially I thought of some pterodactyl, then one of those 6 legged tiger, and finally I settled for some sort of alligator/reptyle.



Once the linework was done, I hand drawn in all the graphic elements and type (logo, titles, etc).


And then brought the file in Corel Painter and add some colors (trying to keep a muted palette).


Finally took the cover, sat it on a shelf for 50 years in the attic, and you get the result shown on top of this post ;)

Hope you guys enjoyed it :)

Cheers,
Francesco


Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla

Crouching Kato

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Hello Pulp Friends,

here's my cover for the second issue of Dynamite's "Kato: Origins" miniseries, solicited in April's Previews for a June release.
Hope you guys dig it :)

Have a great Pulp Friday everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla

Archie the Teen-Wolf

Hello Pulp Friends,

I posted this "pseudo" ocver earlier on Comic Twart blog for this week topic: Archie Comics! When I saw some of the 50s cover, with those 50s clothes, the idea of a mix with a classic EC style horror cover would have been a fun thing to do.
I scribbled/sketched the concept quickly (see below) and finally got around yesterday about drawing most of it. Added the type and balloons this morning and ta-daa, the dish (above cover) is served! :)
Hope you guys dig it :)

A few notes:
- in the original sketch the # on the cover was 90, which is the number for FEAR in the Italian cabala (each thing has a related number which can vary from 1 to 90). I changed the # in 66 and added JUN, which is... the 6th month, so that makes, well, you know which particular number ;)
- in the original sketch I thought to add a full moon behind the title ARCHIE. I ended up iusing the moon as cap for the i in Archie: I thought it was better that way.
- finally I slightly changed the original balloons dialagoes to make it a more immediate read

Cheers,
Francesco




Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla

GARRISON is Coming!

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Hello Pulp friends :)

with issue 3 being solicited in April Previews (you can see cover & solicitation also on the Wildstorm website), I thought to put together another little teaser (using actual panels from issue 3) of my new creator owned mini GARRISON coming out next month.
Even if fully packed with action (Jeff Mariotte had me drawing more action in these 6 issues than I have drawn in all my other books ;)) and set in a slightly near future (a few years from now), the story has all the pulpy noirish qualities we love so much: a hero with a mysterious past, femme fatales and femmes with guns, spies, and murders!
Hope you guys check the mini out and help me spread the word: this is gonna be a fun ride, I promise you.
And it's all done (I finished the mini in 2009) so you know you will get your fix monthly without interruptions :) You can't beat that! ;)

Cheers,
Francesco

All images © 2010 Francesco Francavilla.
GARRISON created by, ™ and © 2010 Jeff Mariotte & Francesco Francavilla & DC Comics

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Holmes: The Clockwork Murders

Hello Pulp Friends,

while waiting for the big Black Beetle KARA BOCEK return next week, I hope you guys enjoy this Sherlock Holmes cover I finally had time to put together (based on the belkow commission I did before ECCC).
As usual, click on the images for larger view.

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco




Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla

Edison's "FRANKENSTEIN"

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Today's marks the centenary of the release of the first motion picture adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a 1910 film made by Edison Studios that was written and directed by J. Searle Dawley, and I had to pay a little tribute to it :)
You can read more and see the 12 min (!!!) movie on Frankensteinia blog.

Hope you guys dig it.

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla

Baltimore: Island of the Bat

Hello Pulp Friends,

I wanted to share this commmission I just did for the patient Pulp Sunday friend Jake. Needless to say, this was so much fun to draw, thanks again to Christopher Golden & Mike Mignola for coming up with such cool characters and to Jake to ask me to draw this.
The original (below) is ink and inkwash on 11x17" bristol. Above is some cover "treatment". Hope you guys enjoy it :)

As usual, click on the images for a lager size/view.

Cheers,
Francesco



Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla
BALTIMORE © 2010 Mike Mignola & Cristopher Golden

ZORRO: The Conclusion!

Hello Pulp Friends,

Zorro #20 is out in stores today: as I mentioned earlier, this is definitely my best and favrite issue yet, maybe because it's the conclusion of the third arc and the title is taking a break, so Matt and I wanted to leave everyone with a good read and some cool Zorro action :)

The preview of the first 5 pages is on several websites online, so here's an exclusive preview just for Pulp Sunday: the back cover and page 18, just to tease you on the content of this book :)

Hope you guys enjoy the read :)

Cheers,
Francesco



Artwork © 2010 Francesco Francavilla