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September
17, 2003
Dear
Bradley,
Well, here
are some initial sketches for the Crusaders characters. These are just
copies of pencil drawings I did in my sketchbook, but they're a good
indicator of what my art style would look like on the regular feature. I
picked the ones that I really think something could be done with,
underrated characters who deserve to be seen somewhere on a regular
basis. For the ones included, I mostly tried to find a costume they used
at some point. I love the old-fashioned costumes as I feel that the
original designs should be honored if at all possible, but I did change
some details here and there…
…I mean, we
could make half of them female and the other half black or Hispanic, but
why? I think the problem with the DC impact versions was that they were
SO different-why even use the old characters to begin with?! (Now, I
think the more minor characters might all be up for grabs! Fireball, the
Wizard, Mr. Justice, Inferno, Firefly, Capt. Flag-make them all women or
-nor-white, it's fine with me. But they all have that white-male kind of
vibe to them. On the other hand, Blackjack could easily be black under
the new mask I gave him. The Web-I don't know. I'm thinking that costume
MIGHT look good on a woman-I need to tackle that sometime. These are all
story points, though. You tell me who's what.)
So, I'm
starting to get a million story ideas (especially for Steel Sterling!),
but I'm restraining myself to sharing with you just ideas that have an
effect on the art. (I'm a writer too, but I can easily restrict myself
to art chores-I respect other people's writing too much to interfere.)
I'm not
even sure what your proposal to Archie consists of-is it for one book or
a whole revamped line? I know most of these characters can fit into a
Crusaders team book, and the rest can guest-star, but, if you are
proposing just one book, I think an ASTRO CITY format would be great!
You could tackle all the heroes in their own stories.
Some people
tell me my artwork looks too much like Neal Adams, but I'm trying for a
mix of him, John Byrne, Jim Lee and Brent Anderson. I mention this
because I think I would really try to handle the art (at least, if not
the story) on a CRUSADERS book like ASTRO CITY-more realistic, but still
leaving the heroes that mythic quality.
There ya
go! A lot of un-asked-for opinions and some sketches. Ah well, lemme
know.
Eric Jansen |
BLACK HOOD
[Pencil
Sketch 1]
BLACKJACK
[Pencil
Sketch 1]
COMET
[Pencil
Sketch 1]
FLY
[Pencil
Sketch 1]
FOX
[Pencil
Sketch 1]
HANGMAN
[Pencil
Sketch 1]
JAGUAR
[Pencil
Sketch 1]
[Pencil
Sketch 2]
SHIELD
[Pencil
Sketch 1]
STEEL STERLING
[Pencil
Sketch 1]
|
Cobb Proposal |
