In the past, I've mentioned a few times that I work for Bongo Comics, publishers of a variety of Simpsons and Futurama comic books and collections. Well, last Wednesday, this gem finally hit stores:
This deluxe collected edition features both Simpsons/Futurama Crossovers, which were written by the very talented Ian Boothby, and pencilled by the equally talented James Lloyd. The hardcover book measures 7.5 x 11 inches (larger than standard comic dimensions), clocks in at 208 pages, and comes in a robust die-cut slipcase. It retails for $24.95, which is already a great value, but can be found for a significant discount from the usual online book-sellers. Please check the book out--it's very funny, smartly written, gorgeously illustrated, and (I say this as a fan, not an employee), it's truly one of my favorite Bongo stories of all time.
This new collection has some bonus materials, including some great preliminary sketches and character designs from James Lloyd's sketchbook, and a pin-up gallery featuring Alex Ross, Sergio Aragonés, Geof Darrow, Kyle Baker, Glenn Fabry, Tone Rodriguez, Peter Kuper, Ty Templeton, Bernie Wrightson, and more. Well, somehow, there's also a pin-up in there by a total unknown, AKA yours truly. If I may present today's post, my pin-up, titled, Cosmic Brouhaha:
click above for larger view
(Apologies for the watermark)
I've been at Bongo for well over a decade (basically my entire adult life), so this piece has a great deal of personal significance, as I feel like it represents my growth both on and off the job. This pin-up really gave me a chance to stretch my wings, and I think it's my most ambitious color piece to date. Stylistically, I chose to keep the characters relatively on-model, but in terms of the general crowded cross-overy energy of it, I did my best to channel George Pérez. Overall, I really had a blast with this!
