Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man

Though I love super hero comics, I don't really draw much of them. The first time I did in a loooong time was for the Joe Shuster Awards last year when they asked artists to do their rendition of Superman (my fave).

I liked the experience and people seemed to like my take, so I've done a few more illos here and there, especially if I find myself stuck drawing one of my own stories and need to loosen up a little. Anyway, here's my take on everyone's favourite webslinger - Spider-Man.

Update - friend and comic blogger extraordinaire Alan David Doane did up this awesome colour version for me. What a treat to get it in my email. He got the feel of those Romita Sr. Spidey comics just right in the colour tone to me. That run has always been my favourite of the book. Thanks Alan!
Gerald Bull Project
So what's happening with that big graphic novel project you're working on you ask? Well, slowly but surely progress is happening. I did a big chapter breakdown recently where I mapped out exactly what would happen in each chapter of the book. When my lovely agent/editor Sam Haywood gently mentioned that if I did that story it would take me 10 yrs and would be 400 pages long, I had to agree it was too much.

I had done a traditional chronological take on the character and had put in way too many details as a result of the amount of research I'd done. It was hard for me to see the forest for the trees in terms of what was really important and integral to the story, and what could be cut.

Anyway, I finally figured out a better structure and did up a new chapter breakdown that got the thumbs up from Sam. The story is much more streamlined now and stronger. I had put the drawing on hold while I worked all of this out and am glad I did, or I would have had to toss all that work out.

So - back to the drawing board literally for me. I am re-energized and ready to go!

Griffin!
My daughter's best friend is named Griffin and I did this sketch to explain to Rosie just what a Griffin is. I'm going to run off some copies for Griffin and Rosie to colour together!