CAGE!

Still there?
Well I wrapped up the latest big freelance job, more on that in my next post.... and I've started doing layouts and development for my next comic story. And don't worry, it's filled to the gills with loads of super powered giant robot action! Just the way we like it :D

In the meantime, after many excuses, I have responded to the gauntlet thrown by good friend Everett Downing. Everett's an awesome artist, animator, story guy, fellow comicbook wannabe and all around cool dude currently working on the feature film Up at Pixar Animation (And after hours, he's working on a very cool graphic novel titled MOJO ). When I was stationed out there with Ev, we used to pal around, check out the movies, comic shops and local mexican joints.

(The Heroes for Hire at the opening of the Art of Wall-E exhibit at Pixar.)

Many a time we'd take a lunch trip to Dr. Comics and Mr. Games in Oakland and head over to the Taqueria to look over our recent buys, chew on chicken burritos and pontificate on the world's problems of the day. One troubling issue that kept coming up was how Marvel has underused and basically kicked to the curb, character Luke Cage and how they should have a kick ass ongoing title of his own again. Our thinking, is that they are missing the boat, and that he needs a revitalization along the same lines that Catwoman went through with Darwyn Cooke over at DC. Well, I guess if Marvel ain't gonna step up then Ev and I are gonna have to be the ones to do it!

Anyways, Ev had been after me pretty much the whole time I was out there to do a riff on Mr. Cage... and I'm just now getting around to it. If it's any consolation I've done not one...but TWO , count 'em two takes on our Hero-for-Hire. One is the more traditional look that he started out in (I still think that Luke Cage #1 is one of the coolest comic book covers ever made!)


Clearly inspired by a lot of the street hero films of the day, Shaft, Superfly etc.. Why else would a super-hero don a silk shirt to fight crime I ask ya... and while were' on the subject, Just who made the rule that african american super-heroes have to have their shirts open to the belt buckle? Check it out; Luke Cage, The Falcon, Black Goliath & Black LIghtning for starters.... What's up with that? Except for The Black Panther, and I attribute that to the forward thinking of Jack Kirby. Speaking of the King, my second take on Powerman is more of a re-imagining, kind of a "what-if" Jack Kirby had created him during his run on the Fourth World titles over at DC?
Introducing.... Luke Cage of the New Gods!