It’s time for another installment of my Creating a Cover series. As usual, this cover was being designed before I had seen the script for the issue in question, let alone had drawn it, so a suggestion from series writer Greg Weisman was key in figuring out a cover concept. Greg suggested Batgirl being grabbed by the throat by an arm belonging to the yet-to-be-revealed Match in his mutated “Bizarro” form. Behind them, would be Plastic Man, helpless to intervene behind the force-field barrier cutting off central Metropolis from the outside world.
Cover Sketch a | Cover Sketch b |
We had wanted to hide Match’s identity/appearance on this cover, because while he was revealed in the previous issue, this cover would be made public as part of the solicitation for the issue before that had happened, so a shot from Match’s point of view seemed the most effective. My next priority was to get Plastic Man and Batgirl as large in the frame as possible, as we were more concerned with the characters and their expressions than the setting. The first sketch was well received, but Greg wanted Batgirl to look more aggressive and less victimized, so a second sketch with an angrier expression and a Batarang clutched in her hand as a weapon was added. I had to shrink the Batgirl figure down a bit to have room for her hand with the Batarang in the frame. I tweaked a few other things while I was redrawing, such as the pattern of lighting and shadows on Batgirl’s mask, and I realized that I hadn’t had Batgirl’s hair visible in the first version, so I rectified that as well.
Young Justice #24 cover pencils | Young Justice #24 cover inks |
The layout drawing was tight enough that progressing to pencils and then inks was pretty simple. It’s always nice when penciling to know you’ll be inking your own work. While my pencils are still pretty tight, I don’t have to much thought to line weight or texture at this stage, since I’ll be making those choices myself rather than having to indicated it for another artist in the pencils.
Young Justice #24 cover colors | Young Justice #24 final cover |
On the left is the first draft of color by
Zac Atkinson. Zac did his usual great job, but we wanted Match’s arm to be a little more pale and chalky – not as completely bleached-white as a full-on Bizarro form, but far enough to be noticeably paler that Batgirl and to provide strong contrast with his original skin tone. On the right you can see the finished color as it appeared on the published cover, along with all the final logos and other trade dress.
You can find my previous Creating a Cover installments here.
Tags: Batgirl, Bizarro, cover, Creating a Cover, Invasion, Match, Plastic Man, process, sketch, Young Justice, Young Justice: Invasion
Misc Artwork, Misc Comics, Young Justice | Christopher Jones | January 29, 2013 5:53 pm | Comments (0)
Young Justice #24
Young Justice #24, the latest issue of the DC Comics title based on the current Cartoon Network animated series of the same name, arrives in comic book and hobby stores today. Young Justice #24 continues its initial arc featuring the characters and setting from the Young Justice: Invasion second-season story-arc. Official details and preview pages are available below.
Preview Page 1 | Preview Page 2 | Preview Page 3 |
YOUNG JUSTICE #24: INVASION 5 of 6
Written by Greg Weisman
Drawn by Christopher Jones
Color by Zac Atkinson
Cover by: Christopher Jones
• Deadshot attempts assassination!
• Batgirl fights alone against Match!
• Kylstar decimates Superboy and the Justice League!
• Nightwing’s team fails against Brainiac!
The cover price is $2.99US.
Be sure to pick the issue up at your local comics shop or in digital form!
And don’t miss the COLLECTED Young Justice!
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME ONE
Features issues #0-6. Cover Price: $12.99
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME TWO – TRAINING DAY
Features issues #7-13. Cover Price: $12.99
and coming NEXT MONTH:
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME THREE – CREATURE FEATURES
Features issues #14-19! Cover Price: $12.99
Release Date: February 13th, 2013
Mine, all MIne! (Until February)
Tags: Bizarro, Brainiac, DC Comics, Deadshot, Greg Weisman, Invasion, Kylstar, Match, preview, Young Justice, Young Justice: Invasion
Young Justice | Christopher Jones | January 23, 2013 10:52 am | Comments (6)
Young Justice #23
Young Justice #23, the latest issue of the DC Comics title based on the current Cartoon Network animated series of the same name, arrives in comic book and hobby stores today. Young Justice #23 continues its initial arc featuring the characters and setting from the Young Justice: Invasion second-season story-arc. Official details and preview pages are available below.
Page 4 | Page 5 |
YOUNG JUSTICE #23: INVASION 4 of 6 Written by
Greg Weisman Drawn by
Christopher Jones
Color by
Zac Atkinson Cover by:
Christopher Jones
Kylstar has imprisoned Superboy and four of the most powerful members of the Justice League on the moon! After he refuses to let them go, our heroes have no choice but to fight Kylstar for their freedom. Will they be strong enough to defeat him? Meanwhile, Martian Manhunter, The Flash and The Atom travel to Brainiac’s spaceship to convince him to release Metropolis from his force field. Can they change his mind or are the city and the heroes trapped within it doomed?
The cover price is $2.99US.
Be sure to pick the issue up at your local comics shop or in digital form!
Young Justice: Invasion returns to Cartoon Network with new episodes on January 5.
And don’t miss the COLLECTED Young Justice!
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME ONE
Features issues #0-6. Cover Price: $12.99
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME TWO – TRAINING DAY
Features issues #7-13. Cover Price: $12.99
and coming in 2013:
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME THREE – CREATURE FEATURES
Features issues #14-19! Cover Price: $12.99
Release Date: February 13th, 2013
Young Justice #22 Cover
Young Justice #21, the latest issue of the DC Comics title based on the current Cartoon Network animated series of the same name, arrives in comic book and hobby stores TODAY.
In case you missed it, YOUNG JUSTICE has jumped five years ahead to mirror the hit Cartoon Network animated series, Young Justice: Invasion. The team’s new adventures continue in YOUNG JUSTICE #22.
Brainiac has trapped Metropolis within a force field and only the Young Justice team and the Justice League can save them! Little do they know, Lex Luthor’s secret weapon has just escaped and is ready to wreak havoc on the city. Can the teams save their friends and the citizens of Metropolis in time? Meanwhile, Superboy and four very powerful members of the League discover who has imprisoned them on the moon. Can they escape to help their friends on earth before it’s too late? Or will they be trapped in space forever?
YOUNG JUSTICE #22, in stores tomorrow, is written by Greg Weisman and illustrated by Christopher Jones.
Preview Page 1 | Preview Page 2 | Preview Page 3 |
Preview Page 4 | Preview Page 5 |
Young Justice: Invasion, and the entire
DC Nation programming block, is currently on hiatus until January 2013. In the meantime you can get your fix with the
Young Justice comic, so be sure to pick the issue up at your
local comics shop or in
digital form!And don’t forget to grab your copy of the COLLECTED Young Justice! If you know a Young Justice fan, they make great gifts!
In stores NOW:
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME ONE
Features issues #0-6. Cover Price: $12.99
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME TWO – TRAINING DAY
Features issues #7-13. Cover Price: $12.99
and coming in 2013:
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME THREE – CREATURE FEATURES
Features issues #14-19!
Release Date: February 13th, 2013 Cover Price: $12.99
Young Justice #25
YOUNG JUSTICE #25: INVASION 6 of 6
Written by GREG WEISMAN
Art and cover by CHRISTOPHER JONES
Color by ZAC ATKINSON
On sale February 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E • FINAL ISSUE
• The heroes make their last stand against Kylstar and Brainiac!
• Metropolis is still in danger, but now the entire planet risks destruction!
• Deadshot hits his target!
Young Justice #21 is still on the stands, and Young Justice #22 will be out November 21. You can find Young Justice at your local comics shop or in digital form!
The COLLECTED Young Justice!
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME ONE
Features issues #0-6.
Released on January 11, 2012 (Out of print, but a 2nd Printing Coming Soon!)
Cover Price: $12.99
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME TWO – TRAINING DAY
Features issues #7-13.
Release Date: November 14th, 2012
Cover Price: $12.99
and coming in 2013:
YOUNG JUSTICE: VOLUME THREE – CREATURE FEATURES
Features issues #14-19!
Release Date: February 13th, 2013
Cover Price: $12.99