Thursday, July 30, 2009

2008 and 2009 Vixen Sketch Cards by Rhiannon Owens



You can see the enlarged 2008 card here, and the 2009 one here. I'm not sure, but my best guess is that these cards were produced for the sketch cards were produced for the upcoming Rittenhouse Archives Justice League of America set. You'll know these are pen and ink, as opposed to the 2007 DC Heroines Triptych, Aquaman, Batman, Vixen and Zatanna pieces I ran earlier. For more, check out Owens' MySpace Page or listing at Comicartfans.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Aquaman, Batman, Vixen and Zatanna by Rhiannon Owens



The other day I ran the 2007 DC Heroines Triptych by Rhiannon Owens with the promise of more to come, so here's Aquaman, Batman, Vixen and Zatanna. Also, here's a bonus 2008 Zatanna Sketch Card, presumably from the upcoming Rittenhouse Archives Justice League of America set. For more, check out Owens' MySpace Page or listing at Comicartfans.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

2007 DC Heroines Triptych by Rhiannon Owens



I've never heard of Rhiannon Owens within the industry, but she keeps popping up on the net, with a painted style that reminds me of Nick Cardy. Here, she's does a series of three plates featuring a host of DC heroines, including some with ties to the Detroit League. Hawkwoman and Zatanna top the first plate, also featuring Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Power Girl, and the original Batgirl. You can see it enlarged here. The next five heroines are Wonder Girl (Donna Troy,) Big Barda, Vixen, Supergirl and Huntress, visible here. I haven't been able to find the final five; Starfire, Mary Marvel, Raven, Catwoman and Jade; on their own. Here's a decent blow-up of parts 2 & 3, though. Actually, this artist has done quite a bit of work with Detroit's own super team, so I think I'll do some more postings throughout the week. For more, check out her MySpace Page or listing at Comicartfans.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

2003 Zatanna Convention Sketch by Ryan Sook

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Here's another great piece by Ryan Sook, this time a con sketch from when he was preparing to draw the Seven Soldiers: Zatanna mini-series.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

2007 Upper Deck VS System DC Comics Legends Elongated Man Card (DCL-011)

CLICK TO ENLARGE

The last collectible card game I played was Overpower in the '90s, the shortest bus of the genre, so I can't tell you much about this modern, new fangled, complicated thingamajig. According to a few resources I dug up on the intarnets, the card works like this:

Elongated Man
Stretchable Sleuth
Team: JLA
Cost: 1
ATtacK: 3
DEFence: 0

Activate arrow elongated man gets -3/+3 this turn.

Now that's what they call the long arm of the law.



The card is common, and can be purchased for less than a buck. It was lovingly rendered by Ryan Sook, who includes several version of the piece on his site, including preliminary, uncolored, and finished versions.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

1986 DC Comics "Legends" Promotional Ad

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This black and white ad by John Byrne and (I assume) Karl Kesel ran here and there back in 1986, but Byrne's arrival at DC and its being the follow-up to Crisis On Infinite Earths had the book pre-sold as a hit. In retrospect, it was pretty hokey in execution, with little long term consequence, and fares poorly when read today. Still looks pretty, though. Also, Ralph Dibney in a group publicity shot? How often does that happen?

Monday, July 13, 2009

2007 Green Lantern vs. Elongated Man by Steve Rude

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Why is Hal Jordan blasting the late Ralph Dibney in the face with his power ring? I do not know, but somebody's got a bad case of the Mondays!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Mike Vosburg "Identity Theft" Commissioned Art

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The original '70s Starfire and Steel are featured in this piece commissioned by SwanShadow. Here's his thoughts on the image, enlarged here:

If I mention the names Starfire and Steel, what image comes to mind? Let me guess: The big-haired girl from Teen Titans, and that hammer-swinging guy Shaq played in a movie, right? Well, back in the Bronze Age, before Koriand'r and John Henry Irons were so much as twinkles in their respective creators' eyes, Starfire was a sword-wielding heroine living on a faraway fantasy world, and Steel was a fin-headed superhero whose nickname was "The Indestructible Man." Both the original Starfire and the original Steel headlined their own short-lived DC titles in the mid-1970s. Both are mostly forgotten today, although Steel's descendant Citizen Steel is currently a member of the Justice Society of America. Mike Vosburg, who co-created the Bronze Age Starfire, matches his classic heroine with her male contemporary in this sensational Common Elements scenario.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

JLA #119 (Late Nov. 2005)



The JLA appeared from nowhere to pile on Despero, but Black Canery was the first of several to join the Alien Atlas in putting Superman in a choke hold, or the Dark Knight in slugging Hal Jordan. All but Catwoman, Hawkman, and Superman were possessed, with the latter wavering. A reconstructed Red Tornado came to the rescue, followed by a Zatanna whose resolve in the necessity of her actions had been girded by Wonder Woman after a brief spell on Paradise Island. The League was freed and Despero frozen in place by Zee's power.

The Manhunter asked, “How should we proceed?”
“I’ll get John Stewart. We’ll take Despero to Oa for containment.”
“I think J’Onn meant in terms of the League.”
“The League? I don’t know about you, Superman, but from what I’ve seen...?”
Green Lantern critiqued, “...there is no League. Or if there is... this isn’t it.”
Manhunter unsurprisingly protested, “That was Despero’s influence, Hal.”
“Despero took advantage of the situation, but the damage was done a long time ago. Now Batman’s quit. Wonder Woman’s not coming back. Arthur, Ollie, Dinah, Red Tornado and I haven’t been members in years. And Carter works with the J.S.A. As of now, the League is you, John Stewart, Wally, and Superman.”

The notation prompted the Flash to quit on the spot, thinking in light of all this trouble and the recent birth of his twins, he needed time away. Manhunter was clearly troubled, but Superman asserted, “You’ve managed to rebuild the team more than once, J’Onn. And when you do, I’ll be there. Until then, if you need me...”
“It’s never a matter of ‘if,’ my friends... it’s always ‘when.’”

J’Onn had been in this place before-- of seeking out heroes without enough experience or power enough to take on world class threats without casualty... because the supposed “Big Guns” were too hung up on their own problems to serve the greater good. Perhaps that was why he invisibly snuck back into the Batcave...

“You might as well show yourself, J’Onn. I can hear your breathing.”
“I’m sorry to intrude... but I had to know the truth. This wasn’t just about you, was it? This was about her.”
You see, Catowoman had briefly been a member of the Secret Society, suddenly becoming an ally and more to the Dark Knight in the years that followed...
“I thought she’d changed, but... maybe it wasn’t her choice.”
Catwoman would later learn from Zatanna that in fact, no, it wasn’t entirely her decision, though mostly so.

Manhunter returned to the Watchtower, where he held a teleconference with Green Lantern John Stewart while scrutinizing monitors displaying League candidates. Zauriel, Nightwing, Vixen, Fire, Gypsy, Metamorpho, Huntress, Firestorm, Booster Gold, Hawkgirl, and Animal Man were all up, clearly showing J’Onn unwilling to compromise the League because of his own aversions. The list of options seemed to be arrived at in a past time, however, as J’Onn had to refile Blue Beetle as “deceased.”
“Ted should be here. Like a fool, I didn’t take his warnings seriously, and now... we’re being attacked by super-powered centurions... our longtime adversaries have been organized into an army... an intergalactic war has broken out... and the world of magic has been corrupted... Ted believed there was a conspiracy at work. Maybe he was right. Maybe none of this is coincidence. But who could have been powerful enough to have orchestrated--?”

At that moment, a figure arrived in the teleportation tubes the computers registered as, “Superman... I’m glad you’re here. We need to reorganize... I think there’s a possibility everything we’re facing is connected--“
“I know.”

Manhunter turned, “Wait... you’re...” J’Onzz raised his hands up in fear as energy erupted around him-- the Watchtower exploding entirely. The Infinite Crisis had begun...

"Crisis of Conscience, Conclusion" by Geoff Johns & Allan Heinberg/Chris Batista & Mark Farmer.