Arsenic Lullaby - Mercy Sparx Alternative Cover

Things have been getting busy around here, despite American Mythology Publishing's mystify-ingly unwise reluctance to having me work on Casper. They are really dug in against the idea of working with me...and don't seem to have learned anything at all from my tactics. There's a reason I get more traction on my posts than the average bear...I'm fun (albeit in a chaotic train wreck of a way).

I think it's a generational thing maybe, because there are a lot of comic book pros who don't seem to understand that the internet is not young anymore and just posting a picture of the cover and saying "go buy this" is not going to cut it. If you don't have any more imagination to your posts than a line in a catalogue, you're wasting your time, and a space in people newsfeeds by posting. And if that's all you have to say and as much depth as you have about your own books....maybe you shouldn't be publishing comic books at all.

FFS even Wendy's makes sure that their twitter account is fun to follow.

ANYWAYS, I'll continue harassing them later this week...

IN the meantime, spring is going to be here before I know it and with spring comes things ramping up in the comic book publishing. Along with the stuff I gotta get done for my own book, I've got a few freelance projects that have come in that are going to actually be fun.

First on the docket is an alternative cover for an upcoming issue of Mercy Sparx, Published by Devil's Due.

https://www.devilsdue.net/

Devil's Due is run by a guy named Josh Blaylock who is one of about 14 people in this entire industry who I respect. Josh always knows what time it is. He was among the first to kick off the wave of 80's nostalgia, getting the licensing to GI Joe...cripes..ten years ago? Devil's Due does licensed work ( Army of Darkness, Big Trouble in Little China) and original content like Mercy Sparx.

Mercy is a real solid book and character, it's supernatural, it's action, it's drama, it's funny and weird.

Josh asked if I'd do a cover for Sparx and I said "hell's yeah". After all, one of my Zombie Fetuses have already Cameo-ed in that series.

I read through the recent issue and looked over the reference stuff he sent me and knocked out a handful of sketches. She has a big supporting cast including a lot of cool looking creatures and demons...too many to choose from. He mentioned that in the upcoming story that Mercy...how can I word this so as not to spoil anything...ends up in a position of power. So that is an element I could use.

I've had this basic composition and concept in the holster for awhile (character sitting on a throne with figures falling and piling up) , but never found the right project for it. Having the throne made out of buildings I think is a nice touch and gives it an abstract communication of her in power.

YOU on Steemit are the first to see these, enjoy and keep em under your hat until the time comes #exclusive #snitchesgetstiches

Sometimes simple things catch my imagination, though. Mercy has a cool grappling gun with a bear trap on the end of it for catching Angels by their wings...how can I pass that up?

I like the concept of "D" a lot...but it would make a better gif than a cover. These are decent...

The more I look at "F" the less I like it...the more I look at "E" the better I like it.

This next one here I think stands out, it's not just an action scene. It conveys a lot about her disposition.

It might fit a little better if we did it as a sideways cover. That'd depend on where the bulk of these alternative covers would be seen. If they are mostly for online sales...then sideways is a cool unique thing. If it's for stores....they won't be very thrilled and Josh and I would point the finger at each other as to who's stupid idea it was to put a sideways image on a cover.

Anyhooo....These are off to Devil's Due and I'll let you know which one they pick.

the tags list on Steemit is generated by code...which puts tags up there based on ONLY popularity of use. You will notice that #comics does not exist there...yet. So I ASK THAT YOU USE #comics ON EVERY COMMENT YOU LEAVE ON MY BLOGS