Covered: Action Comics #256

Action Comics #256

Here is the original cover by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye.

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And here is my version of the cover I submitted to Robert at the Covered Blog.  I was VERY tempted to create this as a watercolor/gouache or acrylic painting in a pulp magazine style, but I just didn't have the time at the moment.  Besides, doing some of the colorized pen-and-ink posts for the Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Reduxe Edition reminded me how fun it is doing stuff "Old-School".  Well, as "Old School" as scanning in an inked drawing and colorizing it in PhotoShop can be, anyways.  ;-)

I have a great fondness for the Silver-Age covers and stories.  They have great creativity with their premise mixed in with an underlying, "goofy" charm which borders on amazing pop-surrealism.

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STEP ONE:  I pencilled and inked the drawing on 8-1/2" x 11" cardstock.  Then scanned it in and cleaned it up.

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STEP TWO:  I imported it into PhotoShop, created a MULTIPLY Layer over the pen-and-ink image, and then applied the flat color layers.

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STEP THREE:  For this step I did a little bit more than I usually do.  I created a new MULTIPLY Layer and did a gradient from white in the center to purple at the edge for a radial focus on the picture.  I erased the gradient over top of Lois, so she would stand out a bit more from the background.  I used the BURN Tool in PhotoShop to darken the edge of the glass bell jar Superman is standing in.  I lightened the two striped on either side of Superman and added a NORMAL Layer to build up a glass-looking highlight with white and light blue.  I then went back to the original color flat layer and started adding lights and shadows.

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STEP FOUR:  I added the lettering and called it "DONE!"

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This was done with pen-and-ink on 8-1/2" x 11" cardstock and colored digitally

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A mildly amusing afterward: I was listening to Kevin Smith's Podcast (SModcast: Episode #221 - Orlando Calrissian--definitely NSFW) while working on coloring this drawing.  He played his Q and A from the Star Wars Celebration IV in Orlando, FL, and mentioned in an offhand way how great it was to be able to direct both Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back"

After Kevin Smith said that, I looked at my drawing and, seeing the giant fist on Superman's right-hand, realized that I had just drawn Superman as the Cock-Knocker -- the super-villain in the movie played by Mark Hamill who, well, the name sort of says it all...

POW!  Right in the nads... :-X

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