MAKING A MARK: Richard Cox - Turning The Competition Black And Blue With Every Stroke

Making A Mark gives an insanely talented artist some IADW brag-space. Today goes to American Richard Cox, and his stunning ability to use a pretty limited colour palette to extract some pretty unlimited results. Hey, don't just take it from me, ask Carol Danvers;

Somehow I see her saying 'Say the name 'Rouge' one more time'. Using a mix of COPIC markers and coloured pencils, Richard gives each piece a realistic hue. Now if only they would announce Ms. Marvel in The Avengers movie sequel!

Speaking of Marvel's dangerous divas, check out Richard's version of Sif! This is one Asgardian whose stock is rising with the renewed attention in the Thor franchise - and here she looks ready to take that attention head on!

Only fitting since Cox is also behind a web-comic adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars, which you can read right here!

One of the things I like most about Richard's gallery is that it features many odd choices for an artists sketchbook, such as Lady Blackhawk, Silver Sable, Cloak and Dagger and more. However there's just something about how Cox draws the bat-signal that makes his Batman hard to go past!

See - how many galleries do you know of feature Sharon Carter, Agent of S.H.E.I.L.D.? The way she looks down at the camera shows this lady needs no Captain America or Nick Fury to make evil think twice!

 What do you think?  To see Richard's full gallery (you have already visited his online comic through the link above haven't you?) click the jump!

NOW THAT'S A SPLASH PAGE: A Tribute To Geoff Johns' Run On Green Lantern

Splash pages, you gotta love 'em. A blank canvas where the artist can hit you with a large dose of illustrated 'wow'. This week, after almost a decade of being the central battery for DC's Green Lantern franchise, Geoff Johns is stepping down from his post. To mark the occasion, I wanted to post this double-page splash by Ivan Reis, as it was these pages (2 and 3) of the first issue of the series under the One Year Later banner (#10) that heralded this book going from a great comic to a @!$#@% @!*!@%!@% sensation.

You have to click to enlarge this bad boy! I'd just finished drooling over Ivan's pencils in Rann/Thanagar War, where he redefined drawing 'cosmic', to return to Green Lantern and find him doing just as wide-screen detail like the above, gave this fan all his Christmases at once. 

While Reis and Johns would go on to produce many sweet splashies together, this was the first that gave me that wholly @#$% feeling. Tied in with Geoff's more intertwined plots such as Hal being distrusted by his fellow Green Lanterns and The Sinestro Corps, it was clear a new force was dawning.

Unlike the old GL weakness, Geoff stayed strong for over twenty-four issues and while I departed the franchise when it expanded beyond my budget with the 52 revamp, he ensured Hal Jordan's place in the new DCU with his work. For The Sinestro Corps War, Larfleeze and all points in-between, I just wanted to say 'With you behind the writers desk Geoff, we the fans had no fear'.

 What do you think? 

WHAT IS THE SCARLET WITCH'S REAL NAME? Little Mia Grace Knows Her Marvels (Video)

When I was a kid I could name any car miles off. I could tell you what brand it was even if it was just a speck on the horizon. Nowadays it's a bit harder, as so many car bodies all look the God damn same, but there are still kids out there with incredible super-powers.

Young Mia Grace is one of them. Obviously a fan of Dad's comics, and herself a fan of the Marvel Super Hero Squad, Mia answers a string of trivia questions based on the House of Ideas, ranging from easy to hard and rarely misses a beat. Heck she even knows how the Surfer tracked down Thanos and why the soul gem is green!

Watch this miniature Marvel's memory in action, just click play;



Can we get this girl a stint on The Big Bang Theory? Because boy is she gonna break some comic-fan hearts when she's older.

 What do you think? 

WHO'S DRAWING WHO: Steve Epting's Black Panther Roars In New Avengers

The last time I got this pumped over how an artist was drawing a character, Mike Deodato was killing The Beast in the old pages of Secret Avengers. Now, it's Steve Epting doing just as dangerous a job, only this time it's with The Black Panther in the pages of the relaunched New Avengers! If you haven't picked up a copy yet, look at these;

And both these images are just from issue #1! Having T'Challa join the Illuminati in the pages of New Avengers will undoubtably boost the characters profile, but Steve is literally turning in the type of take on the character where you wish every issue ended with a tease of a new Black Panther #1 - with Steve in tow!

 What do you think? 

"BAD" COMIC BOOK MOVIES I STILL DIG: Supergirl

I am Kara of Argo City, daughter of Alura and Zor-El, and I don't scare easily.

With Kara Zor-El heavily rumoured to be in the upcoming blockbuster Man of Steel (and even featured in a preview comic for the film recently released by Walmart) I thought it a good time to flashback to Kara's first live-action solo feature, Supergirl.

Designed to fit into the hit Christopher Reeves driven super-films after Superman III, Supergirl means forget The Avengers, DC Comics had an on-screen shared universe right here.

While that shared feeling would have been a lot stronger had Reeves not pulled out from appearing in the film, forcing last-minute rewrites, the resulting uncut version is a fun, light-hearted feature. One that swaps Kryptonite for magic, Metropolis for Midvale, yet still features the same Jimmy Olsen.

As we meet Kara Zor-El (Helen Slater), she is an imaginative, fun-loving teenager who feels trapped within the Kryptonian splintered civilisation of Argo City. Finding hope in Zaltar's (Peter O'Toole) talk of locations such as Earth, her antics see one of the city's core power devices lost to the vastness of space and her stealing aboard a lone spacecraft to retrieve it.

Que triply space sequence. Landing on Earth, into the hands of practising witch Selina (Faye Dunaway), the Omegahedron's power quickly exploits the dreams of domination she holds dear and can now realise with Superman reportedly "off-world".

Having his cousin land a few feet away and revel in her new found powers, which seem to include generating a school uniform and backpack out of thin air, Supergirl goes undercover as Linda Lee at the same girls school as Lucy Lane. Yup, Lucy Lane as in her just-as-tenacious sister is... well, you know.

With Kara's comedic sidekick sorted, Selina receives one of her own in Bianca (Brenda Vaccaro) who potshots some of the plots cheesier 'Age of Aquarius' type moments with actual LOL one-liners (LOLOL?). Fertile ground, especially as Selina abandons her plan to make the world fall in love with her, when her hexed heartthrob Ethan falls for her heroic nemesis instead and she sets out to get him back.

Invisible monsters and runaway construction equipment may not stretch the special FX budget as they do your sense of believability, but Slater never falters in her portrayal of 'The Maid of Might'. Regardless of if she is beholding the wonders of Earth or powerless and distraught banished by Selina to the Phantom Zone.

While the Superman films never showed us these barren landscapes, Supergirl's strongest moments are found here, as a familiar face is found and the tables truly turn.

Sure this film may not critically share the same first letters as it's comic book heroine, but after a hard day of doing what you do and just needing some mindless laughs, it'll probably be just the right kind of 'super' you need.

 It should've stayed on the cutting-room floor:  When Linda Lee first meets Lucy Lane, the latter is reading an Incredible Hulk comic, promoting Marvel, DC's main opposition, in a Supergirl film! What no one could find a copy of Wonder Woman?

 Did you know?  In the original movie poster for this film, The Statue of Liberty holds her torch in her lefthand. Now something about that just ain't right.

I DREAM OF JEAN: New The Wolverine Trailer Looks To Play With Your Mind

Seems Wolverine's healing factor isn't just isolated to his on-screen/in-comic adventures. After a disastrous solo debut in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it seems the sequel The Wolverine is making all the right moves in terms of Marvel's main man.

For me the whole Lady Deathstrike / Hand ninja aspect of Wolverine has always been one of the character's more interesting sides, and while I still can't picture him as an Avenger, this film seems to be doing a damn decent job at bringing that 'Marvel Knights' element side to life. Plus Jean is back, proving you can't keep a good redhead down.



 What do you think? 

COVER SHOTS: The Best From Marvel Comics' August 2013 Solicitations

In August, Marvel launches Infinity - no it's not a joke about the life of events in the comics landscape - it's the latest galactic invasion set to invade Marvel titles and wallets everywhere. If Infinity sorts out and gets me more amazing Spider-Woman art like in the above by Arthur Adams, it can be Infinity +1 for all I care (although I hear that's coming next year). When it comes to August 2013 solicits, these covers take top honours.

COVER OF THE MONTH: JOE MAD - SAVAGE WOLVERINE #8

Make that Spider-Woman and Elektra. Both of these females need this kind of exposure, and come on, who hasn't wanted to see Joe Mad draw Elektra and The Kingpin? Put Wolvie, todays man of the moment (trailer due soon), back in his unbeaten brown and golds, and this cover is already iconic for the ages.

Marvel says: Wolverine and Elektra in a climactic battle against the Kingpin! Who will win? Who will lose? Who will get stabbed by something sharp and pointy? It's the stunning conclusion of Zeb Wells' and Joe Mad's epic tale of ninjas, blades, and sweet revenge!

CLOSE CONTENDERS: (Click to enlarge)

X-Factor #260
David Yardin

Polaris vs Quicksilver? What two siblings can't wear the same colour? Despite the fact this series is wrapping it's climatic storylines up, David Yardin shows no signs of slowing down on cover duty. Hopefully wherever Pietro steps next, David is right behind him.

Avengers Assemble #18
Jorge Molina
If Marvel's going to drown all the characters I compliment, Elektra better not take on Hydro Man for a while. Still this is more great Jessica Drew art and she's sitting... err sinking pretty on the cover alone. Yip, Infinity could be Drew's overdue big break.

 What do you think?
Sound off below. For Marvel's full August line-up, follow the jump!

COVER SHOTS: The Best From Valiant Entertainment's August 2013 Solicitations

'Is it here yet?' That's my new strapline for Valiant Entertainment. Not because their books are ever late or anything, just I know Ninjak is on the way (and possibly Rai), and I have as much patience as your average spaniel for them to arrive. So when I see a new batch of solicits with their name on it, that's the first question I ask. As I flipped through their Rai free August 2013 solicits however, these are the best covers I spied.

COVER OF THE MONTH: DAVE BULLOCK - X-O MANOWAR #16

It's Justice League: The New Frontier meets a barbarian fresh from Planet Death. While those two styles may not seem to mix, the talented hands of Dave Bullock sure do pull 'em together nicely.

Valiant says: Old soldiers, new enemies. X-O Manowar and the Eternal Warrior. Once they were brothers-in-arms, comrades sworn to the same cause. But now they find themselves on opposing sides of a battle for the very fate of civilization itself. 

Aric of Dacia, and the immense power that he wields, have the potential to the plunge the world into a new era of war, and the only man who can broker a world peace also happens its to be its most fearsome warrior. But can Gilad settle this conflict with words rather weapons? And does he know how? As the world watches, two of Valiant's most fearsome heroes will meet once again - and the outcome of their latest clash will decide the fate of us all.

CLOSE CONTENDERS: (Click to enlarge)

Bloodshot #0
Dave Bullock
Did anyone else do covers for these guys in August or did Dave have sole access to the vending machine? Now I can't get 'vending machine' out of my head - curse you M&M's!! Yet I know once I find one I won't be able to get this cover out of my thoughts... must I always be haunted by sweet things?

Harbinger #15
Rian Hughes
When I see this cover, I think 'Wow, that's very 80's' but maybe it's in again and I'm not with it any more. I used to be with it, then they changed what 'it' was. If they had just left it at Transformer cartoons and a DC with one or two crises and the world wouldn't be in the state it is now, trust me.

 What do you think? 
Sound off below. For Valiant's full August line-up, follow the jump!

COVER SHOTS: The Best From IDW Publishing's August 2013 Solicitations

The T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents launch into a new IDW series in August, and you have to wonder if this former DC series is starting a new trend, as the age of 'creator owned' steps forward. If a series falls at one publisher, can another pick it up and run with it? With IDW the new home for this and Marvel's Transformers, you have to be thinking 'Yes'. From their other August 2013 solicitations, these are the best covers from that range.

COVER OF THE MONTH: EARL NOREM - DINOSAURS ATTACK #2

There's nothing like a dinosaur going crazy to make for a sweet image. Even if it's not Grimlock. Make said reptile enormous and attacking a national monument, and forget it, it's pop illustration at it's best.

IDW says: The thrilling DINOSAURS ATTACK! saga continues as Washington D.C. is infested by a flock of pteranodons, with disbelieving politicians their terrified victims of choice. Meanwhile, stalwart scientists try to reverse their terrible mistake and send the prehistoric predators back into the Jurassic past, where they belong. But will an evil force beyond anyone's control stand in the way of these Earth-saving efforts?

CLOSE CONTENDERS: (Click to enlarge)

Transformers: Regeneration One #94
Guido Guidi
Because it's Omega Supreme! Showing Metroplex that the original transforming Autobot building is still the best, all those been blown apart in this visual are probably the 'bots who didn't wipe their feet first. I know I'd get tired of that.

Fever Ridge: A Tale Of MacArthur's Jungle War, Vol. 1
Nick Runge
In the jungle you never know when your comrade has snapped. Is this guy standing dramatically by a waterfall, or taking a few quite moments to have a pee? The answer; as long as he's sporting a gun - don't ask.

 What do you think?  
Sound off below. For IDW's full August line-up, follow the jump!