Saturday, September 20, 2008

"Demon" sketchbook

Regular readers of my blog are probably aware of my great regard for the work of Jack "King" Kirby in general, and my particular fondness for one of the characters he created, Etrigan the Demon. I think I also mentioned that I had started, years ago, one of those "theme" sketchbooks wherein I got different artists to draw their interpretations of Etrigan.

Well, on a trip out to the old studio last night, I found it, and it brought back some memories. There are some pretty nifty images inside, some of which I had forgotten (including one by Stan Sakai which is very cool). I'm thinking maybe I should continue this project, begun back in 1985 and dormant now for probably twenty years or so.

Here's what the book looks like from the outside -- just your generic black hardcover sketchbook.



But opened to the first page and the inside front cover...



That's a very nice color Kevin Eastman drawing on the left... and the signature of "The King" himself on the right. I remember obtaining that signature at the 1985 San Diego Comicon... Jack, attended by his wife Roz (who was kind of "running interference" for him), was surrounded by admirers talking with him and getting things autographed. I patiently waited my turn, and when it came, I presented the sketchbook and started my request... and Roz immediately said something to the effect that Jack wasn't doing sketches. I hastened to tell her that I wasn't looking for a sketch, just a signature, and Jack graciously obliged.

I'll be showing these in the order in which they appear in the book. You'll notice that some of the pieces (like Kevin's here) are not drawn right in the book, but on a separate sheet of paper and glued in. This was a matter of practicality -- sometimes, the artists I met at comic shows didn't have time at the show to draw in the book itself, but were able to finish the art and mail it to me later. -- PL

10 comments:

Nick Nitro said...

I've gone to Megacon in Orlando the past few years, and my one friend has done what you have done, but for the convention year, gets friends and other artists to do a themed sketch. Megacon 2007 was horses. (I don't remember 2008 tho I do remember drawing something.)

Have you guys when you went to conventions did the same thing, like pick a theme and get others, Kevin, Mark, Jim, Stan, etc to draw whatever weird theme you guys thought up of?

Also, with Mid-Ohio Con coming up October 4th, I read somewhere you guys went via bus to Mid-Ohio Con, took a bus, the works. Any recollections of those days to share in a later post?

Nick Nitro said...

wow, i just realized I said bus like twenty times(actually twice) in a run-on sentence. sorry about that. I'm at work and multi-tasking... It's like that demotivator of sorts:

"This office
does not like the use
of any redundancy
in this office."

Dinoff said...

Wow!

That's so cool! I wish I had the opportunity to meet Jack Kirby. He seemed like such an awesome guy!

That's an awesome concept by the PL! I look forward to seeing more of your sketchbook!

~Dinoff~

~ tOkKa said...

-->> Beautiful job, Kev did.

F6ck !! Yeh .. recant for more ,please !! Damm this blogg is too adictive.

::

..similar to effect i try to get as many interpretations of Tokka as i can, Shredder , Rahzar or related.

>V<

Vaughn Michael said...

That's awesome maybe one of these days I can do a Drawing of the Demon and send him your way Pete.
-Vaughn M.

Neil Vitale said...

Heh, did you ever think that not more than 20 years later, you'd be in the same position that Jack was then? I guess Murphy must be your interference guy, huh?

'Hey kid, don't bother me, go pester murphy for a while, why don't ya? He'd love to here your endless theory on why Donatello saved that foot soldier instead of taking him out' ;o)

Tristan Jones said...

That Kirby experience sounds frighteningly similar to meeting John Romita Jnr. at San Diego last year. Unfortunately, his wife wasn't letting him do sketches (even if they "came all the way from Australia"). Hopefully things are different next year. Romita and Romita Jnr are both huge influences on me personally.

But having a personal Kirby sketch is something I know many would kill for, especially if it's as cool as that!

PL said...

" tristan jones said...
That Kirby experience sounds frighteningly similar to meeting John Romita Jnr. at San Diego last year. Unfortunately, his wife wasn't letting him do sketches (even if they "came all the way from Australia"). Hopefully things are different next year. Romita and Romita Jnr are both huge influences on me personally.

But having a personal Kirby sketch is something I know many would kill for, especially if it's as cool as that!"

Trist, I had the feeling that if Roz HADN'T been there, Jack -- being the cool dude he was -- probably would have tried to do sketches for everyone who asked, even if it exhausted him. I hope no one got the impression that what I wrote in this post was a criticism of Roz or Jack -- far from it! I think it was absolutely the right thing for them to do, and I was -- and still am -- thrilled that he signed my sketchbook. -- PL

PL said...

" nick nitro said...
I've gone to Megacon in Orlando the past few years, and my one friend has done what you have done, but for the convention year, gets friends and other artists to do a themed sketch. Megacon 2007 was horses. (I don't remember 2008 tho I do remember drawing something.)

Have you guys when you went to conventions did the same thing, like pick a theme and get others, Kevin, Mark, Jim, Stan, etc to draw whatever weird theme you guys thought up of?

Also, with Mid-Ohio Con coming up October 4th, I read somewhere you guys went via bus to Mid-Ohio Con, took a bus, the works. Any recollections of those days to share in a later post?"

I can't remember any of the other Mirage dudes having "theme" sketchbooks.

And as for that Mid-Ohio Con bus trip, I was not part of that, as I stayed home that year. But I've heard some of the stories...! -- PL

Capital Chay said...

The theme sketchbook is an awesome idea. You can hardly tell the Eastman from the Kirby.