Thursday, 28 August 2014

The Savage Sword Of SKAAR, Son Of HULK!

This is a tribute piece I've had in mind for quite a while now. I've always loved John Buscema and Ernie Chan's cover artwork to the Marvel Treasury Edition #15, featuring Conan the Barbarian. I thought I would pay homage to it using a character I have never drawn before... the savage son of the Incredible Hulk, Skaar! I would love to see a Skaar comic book, where he is back in the barbarian times on Earth... just imagine if back in the day Roy Thomas, John (or Sal!) Buscema and Ernie Chan had have worked on this book! I hope this piece gives you a feeling of how that might have been.

Also, today would have been the 97th birthday of the one and only King of Comics, Jack Kirby. I would like to dedicate this piece to Jack as well... as his artistic influence is something that I will always be grateful for. Long live the King!

My homage to Marvel Treasury Edition #15, featuring CONAN THE BARBARIAN.
Below... my original inks, and also the original cover by John Buscema and Ernie Chan.


 




Monday, 25 August 2014

Custom Death's Heads and TV Hulks!

Earlier this year, I decided to get back into one of my favourite hobbies... customising Action Figures. I have always wanted a Death's Head figure (which Marvel have now released an official figure of), plus an action figure featuring the TV version of the Incredible Hulk, as portrayed by Lou Ferrigno. I decided to make the original Death's Head, and also Death's Head II, which is based off Liam Sharp's incredible artwork. The original Death's Head is made from a Marvel Legends Thor Buster Iron Man, and Death's Head II is made from a Marvel Legends Colossus figure.


The original, yes? Made using a modified Marvel Legends Thor Buster Iron Man figure,

"Awww, don't worry. We're buddies now!" Death's Head II.


As for the TV Hulk, I made two different Hulk figures: my original attempt was a modified Marvel Select Ultimate Hulk, and the other is a modified Marvel Legends Avengers Movie Hulk... all with fully sculpted heads by yours truly.

TV Hulk... original version. Made from a Marvel Select Ultimate Hulk... while
I am still pleased with how this turned out, I wanted to do a more TV accurate
figure, as this one has the comic Hulk's physique and proportions.


This is the newer version, made using a Marvel Legends Avengers Movie Hulk. Just don't
make him angry... you wouldn't like him when he's angry!






Sunday, 24 August 2014

The Incredible Hulk... throughout the ages

Here are a collection of different era Hulks that I have drawn this past week or so. We have the original Grey Hulk from Incredible Hulk #1 (1962), who was also drawn in the 1980's by such artists as John Byrne, Sal Buscema, Todd McFarlane, Jeff Purves and Dale Keown. Next we have what is probably the most famous Hulk of all... certainly for a generation of viewers from the 1970/80s. The Incredible Hulk, played by big Lou Ferrigno in the classic TV show... drawn in my retro-style comic style. We then have my homage to Sal Buscema's classic corner box image (which debuted around Incredible Hulk #200), and the Mindless, Savage Hulk who debuted in Incredible Hulk #299.

Hope you like them... I'll be doing a second one, featuring various incarnations of Hulk from a certain Vegas leg-breaker onwards...

Artwork by Simon Williams.

Tuesday, 19 August 2014

The REAL Mr. Grey...


The Grey Hulk, as featured on my Hulk #1 sketch cover, re-inked and coloured.

Monday, 18 August 2014

Sketch Covers

Here are some sketch covers from a recent comic convention... where I actually braved colouring them for the first time ever! Hope you like them... the Sylvester McCoy Doctor Who cover was penciled by Anthony D. Lee and inked/grey tones by yours truly.


Artwork by Simon Williams.


Artwork by Simon Williams.
Pencils by Anthony D. Lee, inks/grey tones by
Simon Williams.



Sunday, 17 August 2014

Robitz in Disguise...

Check me out, twice in one day! Told you I had some more artwork to show off... this time, it's featuring something that is very near and dear to me, the wonderful world of the Transformers. I'm a big fan of those robots in disguise... everything from the toys, cartoons, comics... especially the ones published by Marvel during the 1980s. Here are a selection of recent pieces I have done, in the retro-style that I've become known for... inspired in parts by the work of Jack "King" Kirby (way before IDW started publishing their new Transformers vs GI Joe comic), and also the classic Marvel TRANSFORMERS UNIVERSE handbook.

I hope you enjoy them... until next time, this is Stubbie Williams signing off! (and a Marvel UK no-prize goes to the first person who can explain that reference!!!)





Artwork by Simon Williams.





I'm back...

Wow, has it really been that long since I posted on here last? Wow, crazy! It has certainly been an interesting time since I spoke with you all last... let me bring you up to speed a little bit.

Last year, I had the privilege of working with, and becoming friends with both the legendary David Hasselhoff, and the king of Muscle Rock, the Mighty Jon Mikl Thor. These two collaborations came about whilst I was working on my ongoing RETRO TALES project, which is on hold but will be going ahead soon. I first got in contact with the Hoff via his website, and has since spoken to the legendary Knight Rider star several times. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of this. Getting to speak to David and exchange ideas for this has been an awesome, wonderful experience. It's very surreal, but also very,very cool at the same time. David has told me that I'm officially "Hofftastic"... and also sent me a photo of himself and STAN LEE with my artwork, which is possibly the most amazing compliment of my career!! The Hoff character, co-created by the Hoff and myself will appear as a time-travelling agent of H.O.F.F. (Heroes Of Fearless Freedom), and will team-up with the Funk Commandos in a history-making special team-up issue of RETRO TALES... and will be co-written by myself and David Hasselhoff.



As for my collaboration with JON MIKL THOR, the one and only ROCK WARRIOR will be returning to the world of comics to team-up with the Discotronic Funk Commandos, the HOFF and some other super special guest-stars that I can't name (yet)! Not only is the Rock Warrior going to be appearing in the pages of RETRO TALES, but I have also produced the artwork for two of his latest albums THUNDERSTRYKE 2 and ARISTOCRAT OF VICTORY.  I can't put into words how proud I am to be collaborating with another of one of my all-time heroes! I am a HUGE fan of THOR, both as a person and his music, and I can't begin to say how many pages I've drawn listening to his music. I can honestly say that working with THOR has been a career highlight and an absolute pleasure. Plus, he's one of the nicest, most fan-friendly guys you could ever wish to talk to... either here, or on Asgard! In a show of mutual admiration, the Heavy Metal Thunder God had these VERY kind words to say about me, which I genuinely appreciate and treasure: "The comic and entertainment business is ever evolving...a machine of intertwining ideas that groan and bend - an enigma, with technology becoming a mystery of metamorphosis. It is with great pleasure and honour to see a beacon in the night, a shining star of creativity and talent... may I present Simon Williams. He has a resume a mile long with glories of the past but is also the future of this industry. In my dealings with him, he is someone you can count on to deliver the goods. He has original skills far beyond those of mortal men. Simon Williams has become a great friend and fellow entrepreneur. Hail to Simon and RETRO TALES!"



I've also had several pieces of artwork published in the US, including pin-ups in SAVAGE DRAGON and MARS ATTACKS JUDGE DREDD, where I collaborated with my good friend Anthony D. Lee... whose did an outstanding job on colours. You can check them out below.



And then, not only the highlight of last year, but perhaps my career... Heroclix released a Death's Head figure, based on MY artwork! Yes, the first ever official Death's Head toy... and it was based on a piece of work that myself, David Roach and Jason Cardy produced for Panini Comic's Death's Head Collection TPB! Words cannot describe how proud I am of this... the character I worked so hard to help bring back to comics, and his first official toy is based on my work. You can check it out below.

Original art by Simon Williams, David Roach (inks) and Jason Cardy (colours). They even included "Towards Enemy, Yes?" on his gun, which was Jason's contribution to the original work!
I hope you've enjoyed catching up on this... I have got more new artwork to tell you about, but I'll do that next time. In the mean time, I shall leave you with this... a recent Hulk/Rocket Raccoon print that was sold at both the recent Heroes and Legends convention in Margam Park, Wales... and Auto Assembly 2014, with 50% proceeds going towards the ongoing medical care of Rocket creator Bill Mantlo. I'm very proud to be able to say that with the help of both Simon Wyatt (Unbelieveable: The Man who ate Daffodils) and Jason Cardy (Transformers: Regeneration One, Grimm Fairy Tales) we were able to raise £100! If you've seen the newest Marvel movie Guardians Of The Galaxy, and would like to donate towards the ongoing care for Bill Mantlo, you can find out more here.