Thursday, February 26, 2009

Entry 60: X-Men: Kingbreaker #3


 
X-men: Kingbreaker #3 came out a couple weeks ago now, so this post is a little late but oh well. If you see this post and want to go get the issue, I'll bet you could still go get it. So I'm not too late.

 Unfortunately, with this issue we had to bring in another artist to help finish it on time. I ended up only doing 13 of the 22 pages, but, to make it a smooth read, the pages are cleverly divided between me and the other artist by scenes. I think it works pretty well and I'm happy with the work I was able to get done, but I really wish I could have done the whole issue myself. The scenes that I didn't get to draw would have been a blast. When I first got the script I didn't know that I wasn't going to get to do the whole issue and I ended up sketching one of those scenes that I wouldn't end up getting to draw. I thought I would share that sketch with you so here you go.
 
 I probably would have ended up doing something really close to this sketch. I think I would have shifted some things around, changed some proportions, and added more ships on the left side, but really it would have been a lot like this.

 From the very start this series has been really tight for time. I can remember seeing the solicitations for issue 1 before I had even started. Things started really coming down to wire in issue 2. I never rushed or "hacked" a page but with that issue another inker and colorist had to be brought in because I just hadn't left enough time for Jaime, the inker, and Nathan, the colorist, to do their thing. Then there were the holidays. Holidays and conventions always hit hard on the productivity. So, yeah, I just couldn't keep up. But in a way, I'd rather do 13 pages I like then do 22 that are all crap.
 With this issue I finally get to draw Polaris in costume. This was my preliminary sketch of her. And here are my sketches of the new guard characters. Last time I showed you "The Strontian" and here are some more.

 On a side note: for you fans of my Star Wars stuff. In regard to this issue, (X-Men: Kingbreaker #3) I will refer you to a past entry on this live journal. Entry 19... And that's all I'm going to say....

Just for fun, here is another black and white page.

2 comments:

  1. Yeah, it's too bad you didn't get to do that splash page. It would have been the perfect opportunity to pay homage to the amazing splashes Jim lee did in his run.
    I saw the version the other guy did and it's so obvious why yours is better. All his ships were flat, small, no overlap. A poor composition.
    Your composition is a thousand times better. Everything's grouped together more pleasingly, a better sense of direction. OVERLAP and FORESHORTENING! You've got the Starjammer ship pulled closer to the camera, the wings sweeping and cropping off the page. If I had to nitpick I'd say pull Rachel closer to the camera too. Otherwise, I think it looks great!

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  2. Even though we've talked about this over the phone I thought I would respond again here so I don't look like I ignore the comments left on this LJ. But, thanks again. Paying homage to the Jim Lee Uncanny X-Men splashes is exactly what I would have been shooting for. I'm still disappointed I didn' get that chance.
    On a separate note: I don't think any Star Wars Fans are paying enough attention to pick up on my hint...

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