Original Art Sundays No. 202: Surrealist Cowgirls: Maggie's Bedtime Story, conclusion

As promised, the final page.
I feel like I've been telegraphing my punches on this story, but I hope someone is surprised by the ending!

The strange thing is that I picked the names Phoebe and Nicholas at random, and had no idea where the story was going when I started it. I just knew I had to use that image of the bird and the flame-headed dude and build a story around it.

I wanted the Phoenix image to reference Tezuka's work without aping it. I took select elements (wig span, body type, head feathers) and just drew her freehand.I think I got the effect I for which I was hoping!

This story has careened from hand text to digital text and back, here on the same page. The exposition inside the fairy tale is, for the most part, digital. I'm coming around to digital as a way to letter. It worked well on the story for the Russian comic, which is now out! But you have to be in Russia to read it. I'll post a link to the ordering page after I get my copies.

Not sure what happens from here. I have a germ of an idea for another Cowgirls story, but am toying with some other stuff as well.

Next: we'll see....

Top 10 Comics of 2009: # 8: Black Jack Book 3, hardcover

It's more than a bit disingenuous to cite a work done more than 30 years ago as the best of last year, but Vizion's reprint of this fine series is, to many of us Gaijin, new work.
This is the first time Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack has been reprinted in its entirety. I believe 24 volumes are planned, a worthy companion to Dark Horse's Astro Boy series from a few years back. The first three books are distinguished by having hardcover editions (long out of print, sorry) containing material not reprinted elsewhere in the series. Hence, the choice of book 3 as a best of- I think they're on Book 8 now. I'm a bit behind!

As the cover implies, this series deals with medicine. The title character is a rogue doctor who freelances without a license for exorbitant fees, and who sometimes declines a case if it conflicts with his own morality. His back story is a mystery, revealed in dribs and drabs. Reminds me of some of the things I like about HOUSE.

Black Jack is action driven, soulful, and gives answers that pose new questions.

Tezuka cited this as his best work and his favorite. While I prefer his Phoenix saga, this work is on the same level.
Tomorrow: #7, all love and power, Brother!