Rickman -Poison Ivy

Rickman - Poison Ivy aircraft nose art...2010.09.26 Comic Fest, East Hanover, NJ

Since I have several first day covers honoring the Air Force, I wanted to have some covers drawn to duplicate the "cheesecake" pin-up style of nose art many of the US aircraft had painted on their planes during World War II.

Rickman accepted the challenge and draw Poison Ivy in the often seen reclining pose featured on many of the planes.

While researching the nose art, I came across a site where a collector has put together an impressive collection of nose art he calls "Bombshells!" featuring heroines from the 1940-50s.

Rickman has created the comics The Sock, Fishman and Toteman's World, which is an epilepsy awareness comic, as well as drawing editorial comics for a local newspaper. Rickman has previously worked as a graphic designer for the NFL, Lucent Tech, Warner Bros and Disney, and taught at the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Design.

You can view a beautiful Captain America, by Rickman, my son picked up on Matt's Page.

Elvis and the Comics

1993-Jan-08 Memphis TN

Hi & Lois by Chance Browne

Luann by Greg Evans

The Legends of American Music Series debuted on January 8, 1993 and ran until 1999. More than 90 performers and musicians are represented from all styles of music: rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country and western, jazz and pop, opera and classical, gospel and folk. In addition to individual singers and Broadway musicals, subjects include bandleaders, classical composers, Hollywood songwriters and composers, plus conductors and lyricists.

The Legends of American Music Set was a huge advancement for diversity because it honored so many Black and female artists.

The 29c “young Elvis” – #2721, kicked off the series in a big and very public way. Its design was voted on by over one million Americans, about 75% of whom favored the young Elvis over the “old Elvis” version.

updated 2025-Oct

Dave Fox -Ghost Rider (Elvis Presley)

Dave Fox - Ghost Rider Elvis - Elvis first day cover June 16, 1993

Dave Fox, freelance artist from NYC, has contributed to several trading card sets including Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Lord of the Rings Masterpieces, Wizard of Oz, Fantastic Four Archives and DC: Legacy.

When the Elvis stamp was announced the the USPS, they had a fan vote either a young rock n' roll Elvis or the Vegas Elvis wearing a jumpsuit. Thankfully the fans voted for the younger version. What they didn't offer, Dave Fox provided...Ghost Rider Elvis!

Dave is also the the vocalist, bassist and song writer for the group Dead on A Friday...

"Waiting for the train to take me far, far away from here

Looking for a change of pace where my mind is clear

The open road and the chance for something new

I never thought I'd meet someone like you...."

Bliss Hall by Dave Fox

Dead On A Friday

Fred Hembeck - The Beatles

Fred Hembeck...The Beatles...2010.09.26 Comic Fest, East Hanover, NJ

Hembeck's style is pure cartoon parody, his characters are always drawn with curlicues on the elbows and knees. Starting in 197o's Hembeck's work was published as a 3-panel comic strip appearing in the Daily Planet page of DC comics. Hembeck would also continue producing comics for Marvel (signed Fantastic Four Roast), First Comics, Krause Publications, Fantagraphics Books, Topps comics, TwoMorrows Publishing and Archie Comics.

Hembeck's work includes his comic character The Dog, Mr. Mumbo Jumbo, Little Freddy (fictionalized tales of a youthful Hembeck), Petey, the Adventures of Peter Parker Looong Before He Became Spider-Man and Kidz.

When I heard Hembeck would be at Comic Fest, I went to his website to learn about him. Then I found his Beatle page. The man is a big fan, he has a devoted to the beatles, their comic book appearances, CD and DVD reviews and some classic comic cover make-overs featuring the Beatles, by Hembeck.

There was little thought that I would ask for a Beatle related sketch on the Beatles Yellow Submarine first day cover from from the Celebrate the Century series. Hembeck did an excellent rendition of the Beatles in his unique style.

Weapon Brown - Jason Yungbluth

Jason Yungbluth - Weapon Brown - 2010-Sep-17

When Charles Schulz died many comic strips and editorial cartoonists paid tribute to what they envisioned as either a Peanuts final strip or their goodbyes. None of them came close to Weapon Brown....

the world of comics in a post-apocalyptic world. The adventures, adult in context, follow Weapon Brown and his pet dog Snoop in a parody of today's comics. With a cybernetic arm and plaz gun, Brown runs across many altered comic strip characters and fights against the villainous organization known as the Syndicate. Weapon Brown runs as a web comic, and his adventures have been printed in comic book format as well. A signed copy of the book is shown.

I dearly love Peanuts and I also enjoy the parody.

Charles Schulz - Snoopy

Charles M Schulz sketch of Snoopy

Schulz created one of the most popular comics when Peanuts hit the newspapers Oct 2, 1950.

Schulz's first comic was called Lil Folks (1947-1950) running in the St.Paul Pioneer Press. Schulz approached United Feature Syndicate about publishing his strip, and with some changes Peanuts was born. Charlie Brown is the main character, a lovable loser, but one who never gave up.

His dog Snoopy started as an ordinary dog, but has become one of the most recognized cartoon characters in the world. As Snoopy's character evolved he became more human-like, playing shortstop on Charlie Brown's team, flying his dog-house as a World War I ace pilot, playing tennis, serving in the French Foreign Legion...

Charles M Schulz has received many honors including the National Cartoonist Society Humor Comic Strip Award, the Elzie Segar Award, The Reuben Award and the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lester patrick Trophy for his contributions to the sport of hockey. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.......

Schulz announced his retirement with the final daily strip being published on January 3, 2000. The final Sunday comic was published on February 13, 2000 the day after Charles M Schulz died.

Ian Glaubinger - NY Rangers

2010-Sep-18 Wild Pig Con II, Springfield, NJ

Ian Glaubinger - NY Ranger Win the Stanley Cup

When I read Ian's bio he mentioned several times that he loves hockey. Being a hockey fan myself, I knew the perfect cover to get a sketch on. NY Rangers Stanley Cup Victory Commemorative cover.

June 14, 1994 the day the Rangers finally win the Stanley Cup, ending the 54 year wait. I had one requirement of my cover, that a superhero had to wear the Rangers jersey. It turns out that both Ian and I are actually Devils fans, but give the Rangers their due, they won. By the way the Devils won the following year!

I wonder if Ian knows the truth behind the Rangers victory, they had help from the Green Lantern!

What I like about Ian's work is the true comic style of the characters. Be sure to check out his work.

Go Samurai!

Charles P Wilson III - The Stuff of Legends

Charles P Wilson III - the Stuff of Legends .. 2010.09.18 Wild Pig Con II, Springfield, NJ

The year is 1944. An allied force advances along a war-torn beach in a strange land, outnumbered and far from home...Led by a toy soldier and a teddy-bear named Max, Princes, Quackers, Percy, Jester set off on a journey to find their boy....The story is incredible and the art is fantastic.

The pencil sketch is on a Celebrate the Century first day cover honoring the Teddy Bear. Named after President Teddy Roosevelt, the first teddy was made by the German company Steiff, which was exhibited at the Leipzeg Toy Fair, March 1903. by 1906 the craze for these bear was in full swing.

Marcus Hamilton - Dennis the Menace

Marcus Hamilton - Dennis the Menace 2010.09.17

Hamilton received his Bachelor's in Commercial Art and began working in the field of freelance illustration. Hamilton would produce illustrations for magazine and book covers, as well as advertising art.

In 1993 Hamilton contacted Ketcham about an opportunity to draw Dennis the Menace should Ketcham retire. Ketcham liked what he saw, so Hamilton re-trained his drawing style to match Ketcham's and eventually took over the daily panels.

Marcus Hamilton was awarded the Reuben Award for Best Newspaper Panel 2004.

Ron Ferdinand - Dennis the Menace

Ron Ferdinand - 2010.09.13 - Dennis the Menace

Ferdinand attended the School of Visual Arts (1971-73) and the Art Students League (1974).

In 1981, Ferdinand read an interview with Hank Ketcham in Jud Hurd's Cartoonist PROfiles. Ferdinand sent some pencil sketches to Ketcham and after a few months of correspondence, he was brought in to work on the Dennis the Menace comic books for Marvel Comics. In 1982, Ferdinand began drawing the Sunday pages for Ketcham.

On July 16, 2010 the USPS issued a set of 5 stamps honoring the Sunday Funnies (Dennis the Menace, Beetle Bailey, Garfield, Archie and Calvin and Hobbes).

Hank Ketcham - Dennis the Menace

Hank Ketcham (1920-2001) - Dennis the Menace

Ketcham had been an animator for Walter Lantz and Walt Disney. During World War II, Ketcham, serving in the Navy, created a comic strip about the military called "Half Hitch".

In 1950, while working in his studio that the cartoon Dennis was born, when his wife came in and complained that their 4-year old son Dennis was a menace. In 1951 Dennis the Menace was published.

Dennis' mis-adventures have been published in both the comic strips and comic books, cartoons, movies and a TV series. The TV series, which ran from 1959-1963, was my first exposure to Dennis. The call of "Hey, Mr. Wilson!" still brightens my day. He has since become one of my favorites, which I still read to this day. Although Dennis has never grown older he certainly has grown wiser.

Ketcham retired in 1994, with production of the strips being handed over to his assistants. Ron Ferdinand produces the Sunday color funnies, And Marcus Hamilton draws the daily panel.

Always one of my favorite characters, I enjoy the fact that besides Hank Ketcham, Dennis also signed the above sketch.

Captain Clockwork - Glenn Whitmore

Glenn Whitmore, Superheroes for Hospice, Eatontown, NJ 2010.09.11

Glenn Whitmore was a freelance colorist for DC comics for 10 years, his first assignment on Hawk & Dove, 1988. Whitmore also worked on several Superman titles, Flash, Justice Society and Power of Shazam, as well as work for Dark Horse (The Moth) and Archie Comics...

As a penciller, Whitmore worked on a cover image for Justice League of America Archives #3, and his self published Captain Clockwork, 2000 Big Bang Comics published by Image.

The self-published Captain Clockwork Chronology and Captain clockwork Special were issued in 2007...

Superman - Achilles Yeldell

Achilles Yeldell, Superheroes for Hospice, Eatontown, NJ 2010.09.11

Achilles has worked with Arch Nemesis and Pronto Comics, for which he is working on "Out in Space". Pronto Comics is an independent comic book company which helps writers and artists in self-publication of their work, build portfolios and put on workshops. Pronto celebrated it's first anniversary June 2010, congratulations.