There are very few new comics on shelves today as many shops, distributors, and publishers remain closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While the absence of new issues may be disappointing, it doesn’t leave comics fans without recourse. Artists from across the energy have continued to work on future projects and many have begun posting sketches and commissions from home.
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While quarantine measures remain in effect, ComicBook.Com will be assembling a weekly round up of favorite new pieces posted to social media by comics artist. Each shared sketch will also include a recommendation and links for readers to further explore each artist’s work. We hope this will help fans discover new artists and find some books to order from their local comic book store.
So without any further ado, here are some of our favorite sketches from the past week along with information and links on where to find more work (available today!) from these incredible comic book artists.
Joe Bennett
What’s most astounding about this portrait of Doctor Doom, besides it raising thousands of dollars to support comic book stores yesterday, is how it manages to tell a story in what’s essentially a splash panel. Everything from the various traps, to Doom’s triumphant pose, to the final appearance of his undoing makes this one impressive piece of comics-related artwork.
Ryan Browne
Ryan Browne has closed his commissions window for now, but this piece featuring podracing Miyazaki characters makes it clear he’s already received plenty of sufficiently absurd concepts. It’s a delight on the surface with so many expressive and recognizable figures, but the clever combination of Miyazaki films and various attributes to form a podracer give the joke staying power.
Elsa Charretier
This take on Ravager reminds us why the Bombshell designs and comics have stuck around at DC. Charretier captures both the costuming and tone of this hyperbolic take on the Golden Age in a figure who appears ready to come through the page as she leans forward. From the swords in the foreground to the cobwebbed house looming in back, it’s an enticing portrait.
Yildiray Cinar
There’s something about the Silver Surfer that always draws out the best in artists, and that’s as apparent as ever from the speed, motion, and grace in this drawing. It’s the sort of work that followers of Cinar’s work have come to expect. It’s also reason to anticipate upcoming work from Marvel Comics after he has featured in a smattering of excellent series recently.
Ruairí Coleman
Readers rarely get to see the pencils in many of their favorite superhero comics and this drawing of Mister Miracle and Big Barda shows why that can be disappointing. It’s a carefully considered and shaded piece, one that captures both the big, sweeping movements and the minute details of Barda’s costume.
Bilquis Evely
Bilquis Evely concluded a masterful run on The Dreaming this week—transforming it into a series that rivaled even the sweeping and imaginative visuals of its inspiration Sandman. Whatever Evely works on next, it should be appointment reading for almost any comics fan, and for now we can appreciate her sketches on Instagram like this.
Adi Granov
Granov’s illustration of Storm updates the vibes of Chris Claremont’s run with a lush color palette and attention to detail. This drawing exudes power and makes this costume work in a way it rarely has since Dave Cockrum drew it. That sense of scale carries over to Granov’s other character pieces from the past week, each one as stunning as the last.
Jeremy Haun
Jeremy Haun created something appropriately quirky to commemorate Alien Day this year. A rendezvous between the xenomorph and Jonesy the Cat undercuts the terrifying design of H.R. Giger in a delightful fashion, and Haun instills Jonesy with the recognizable posture and character of a housecat. There were lots of drawings related to Alien this week, but this one was especially memorable.
Jauni
Kiki’s Delivery Service is one of Miyazaki’s best features, and that really means something for a director who never misses. This tribute captures Kiki’s mood and the alluring majesty of her new beachside home perfectly. The colors work to light up the image and draw the eye to Kiki on her balcony in a fashion as graceful as Kiki’s best flights.
Steve Lieber
Anyone who has watched The Wire can recognize the pathos and tragedy exuded by Ziggy Sobotka in this sketch. Lieber looks past making a likeness of James Ransone in order to capture the character he made so pitiable on television. Given the subtle humanity that even a quick drawing like this captures, it takes a moment to recall Lieber is also drawing the absurd antics in Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen.
Ibrahim Moustafa
Ibrahim Moustafa shared this drawing of Superman from a larger commission, and it’s not difficult to see why. This take on the character brings forth the power, grace, and patient sense of empathy without needing to exaggerate costume, face, or form. It’s a human version of Superman that doesn’t lose any of the aspirational qualities which make the character great.
Dustin Nguyen
Dustin Nguyen’s work on Li’l Gotham provided many of my favorite Batman stories from the past decade along with amusing, childlike takes on many classic characters. It’s apparent that Nguyen’s watercolors are every bit as well suited to drawing more mature versions of Gotham’s many villains as this reimagining of the duo from Batman Forever will send a chill down your spine.
Paolo Rivera
Even as someone who was unable to get into the manga Attack on Titan, I can see the concept’s appeal in this dread-inducing portrait of one Titan by Paolo Rivera. It’s also an excellent opportunity to see Rivera experimenting with different media as a comics artist capable of flexing a wide array of stylistic muscles.
Alex Ross
Alex Ross’ study of Hobgoblin makes it obvious why this design (and its obvious predecessor) possess such staying power in the pages of Marvel Comics. His paintings always aim for the iconic and with this figure what works seems obvious, especially when presented with Ross’ excellent eye.
Benjamin Tiesma
Benjamin Tiesma has been sketching many of the most popular Wildstorm characters this week and his take on Grifter reveals the sharp edge and motion-oriented linework that makes him well suited to these superheroes and their style of story. Drawings like this wear a five o’clock shadow that enhances the mood even in a relatively simple character sketch.
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Image courtesy of The CW
