The Influence of the Underground Comix/Robert Crumb

To make myself very clear, I don't like R Crumb's work. I think it's very crude and disgusting, and he is perhaps more of a fine artist than an illustrator, so it's hard for me to relate on that level. On the other hand, I think he's brilliant and cunning, and I fear I would relate to him more than I would be comfortable with if I met him in person. Not to digress, I think I nailed his work. I have depicted him as he depicted himself at the end of his Book of Genesis (a very lengthy read of which I was already familiar). I have also depicted myself, looking as ugly as possible (a key aspect of his work, I feel). I used a brush pen and a few PITT Artist Pens of varying sizes to get whatever effects I got, concerning line weight and wooshy background spatters. I think I worked a bit more dynamically than he usually does, as another hallmark of his style is a certain degree of rigidity, which I broke by the third and fourth panels. All the same, I love how this one ends. Tasteless enough, Mr. Crumb? Higher resolution available upon request!

The Emergence of the Graphic Novel/Will Eisner

Eisner certainly has a distinctive style. His handling of the shadows I found to be the most challenging, and I ended up using a brush pen and a fountain pen to try to get his full effects. I'm not displeased. Though, I think I used too much yellow. You can see (I hope) that I've tried to replicate his most famous work and style, a la Spirit. In my rendition, I retell his origin of the Octopus (where he did look like a nerdy white guy, as I've depicted). The key difference being that I've opted, post accident/button press, to have him look like Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal in the recent movie, directed by Frank Miller (as opposed to the ever-shadowy figure from the comic series). I like how I ended up handling the first and last panels (that shrug just makes me happy), and although everything could use more work, I have spent many hours on this already. Higher resolution available upon request!

A Brief History of the Comic Book/Carl Barks

Uploading these images on a faster computer connection seems to solve my problem of not being able to upload anything at all. Aside that. The first comic laid out on a whole page! His style was surprisingly difficult to replicate, and I am aware I could have done a much better job. The truth to that is that I did put in a good amount of hours working on this, and I'm happy with the end result. How about that yellowed effect, eh? I'm sure you like it as much as I do. Moving on. I noted in his work the expressive figures, line weight, interaction of characters, and use of space all being very key to making his work... well, work! In my adaptation of these elements, Donald picks up on the idea of reverse psychology, leaving his nephews in the basement never to be heard from again (probably). Higher resolution available upon request!

A Brief History of the Comic Strip/Winsor McCay

No problems uploading this one! The concept for this was a stolen one from Perry Bible Fellowship (horrible of me, I know, but I give credit when due). It just seemed so much more appropriate here. I love this comic. Stylistically, it's simple and beautiful. The colors are nigh magical and his linework is outstanding. It is a comic giving an excuse to be visually fantastic, and I'm just fine with that. I just wish I could do him proper justice. Oh well. The idea, as I'm sure you've gathered, is that Nemo falls from the sky, wakes up, and lands on himself as if he wasn't actually having a dream. Paradoxical. Surreal. Higher resolution available upon request!