Compare 'n' Contrast

I have no idea if anyone’s even still reading this thing, so infrequently is it updated. Anyway, if you’re still out there people: hello! And do drop me a line.

In the meantime – this is something I like to do from time to time: get an old picture (this one’s about three years old now) and redo it. It’s a good way to see how I’ve progressed and to see if there’s anything I used to know but have since forgotten. I remember the day I did this pic: I was living in a crumbly old bedsit in the “nice” end of Dundee and living on a diet of baked potatoes and cheapo wine. I did most of my drawing at the time in this carbed up, pissed up state, so it’s no wonder much of it wasn’t very good. Anyway, I had this image in my head of what I wanted to see, and it was basically the sort of thing I *always* want to see – Marvel superheroes rushing into battle while things blow up behind them. But it came out bad:






Right? Actually, there's some okay stuff there (I like the shadows on the Sub-Mariner (that's the guy who, for some reason, is diving off the left of the page)), but it's mostly a little shakey and why does Captain America (the guy with the shield) look so smug? Anyway, I think I’m better now so I wanted to have another go at it. And here’s the mark 2 “Marvel superheroes rushing into battle while things blow up behind them”:




For the non-comics fans, these are: The Sub-Mariner, Captain America and the (original) Human Torch, collectively known as The Invaders. They were (I believe) Marvel Comics’ first superteam, brought together during WWII to go and smack Hitler square on the jaw. It occurs to me now that I should have put their sidekicks (Bucky, Toro and, uh, another guy) in as well. Maybe next time…

COMICS BONUS!

I have also drawn Captain Marvel. He fights mind-controlling worms and talking crocodiles in the past (and he once fought Superman to a standstill). I think there's too much red in this picture, but I still quite like it.