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.

 

RIP Tony DeZuniga & Ernie Chan

This month has been a very sad time for the comics industry, as it has lost two of it's greatest artists... Tony DeZuniga and Ernie Chan have passed away. Both of these artists were favourites of mine, and I'm deeply saddened to hear of their passing. Ernie in particular was a favourite of mine... while many will remember him for his beautiful work on Marvel's Conan the Barabarian (where he inked the legendary John Buscema's powerful pencils), it's his work on the Incredible Hulk that made the biggest impression on me. Ernie inked my all-time favourite artist Sal Buscema on issues 210-212, 214-220 (with George Tuska & Keith Pollard filling in for Sal on issue 218), and between them produced the most beautiful artwork ever featured in that title. Ernie also produced several covers for Hulk as well.... many which remain my all-time favourites on the book.

Tony also inked both Buscema's, as well as many others... however, the work that I'll always remember is his beautiful Shanna the She Devil strip, that featured in Rampaging Hulk magazine.

I shall always be grateful to both artists for the enjoyment and influence their work has given me over the years. God bless and my thoughts and best wishes go out to both of their families and loved ones.