Art of the Black Hand - The Worlds of Neill Brengettsey

You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party

2012-02-15T15:17:00.000-08:00

So I was told by a local artist about the great work thatthey have received through sites like Guru and Odesk, so I tried them out. I haven’t received any work through thosesites, but I have seen this attitude towards art which I find offensive. It’s the “draw for free so I can decide if Iam going to hire you” attitude. Forgetyour portfolio, it's "draw my characters and then I will decide whether to hireyou." I’m amazed by this attitude. In what business do you go into and use theirservices then decide if you are going to pay? You order a sampler plate at a restaurant – you pay for it. You go for a checkup – you pay for it. Yet these people want me to work for a weekon the off chance that you are going to hire me? I refuse to give anyone my time forfree. And that’s what it boils down to,the time of the artists – and professional artists should take a stand aboutthis. It’s one thing when you have me doingsamples to see which of your comic books that you want me to draw, it’s anotherthing when you want me to spend my time working on a cattle call – I put intime on the chance that I might get hired. I don’t care what type of job you work you want to get paid for yourtime. It is unfair to the artists to dothat, how many hours of labor did that company get? Let’s say all the artists are a page a dayartists – the company asks for four pages, that four days of work. Say they do that to seven artists, that’s 28days of work – for free. There is no wayto justify that behavior. Anywhere someonewould ask people to work several days for free to see if they will get hired theywould be breaking state and local laws, but it’s alright to ask an artist to dothat after all, they’re only producing art. We professional artists have to stand for our rights, if we all refusedto jump through that hoop, then companies wouldn’t think it was alright to haveus work for free.

Star Trek The Next Generation

2012-01-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

This was the project that I focused most for my attention on for the last couple of months. I’ve always been a fan of Star Trek and when someone proposedthat I work on a Graphic Novel and/or Web Comic, I jumped at the chance. It was going to be a vanity piece: a piece financed byindividual fans of the series. IDW has thelicense for comic books as of this writing. It was a true labor of love, besides the artwork, I created logos andlettering, color guides, all the production work that a whole company would doto produce a comic. I only completed afew pages before they decided to stop the project with me, but the experience was educational.

LIttle something something

2011-10-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

A few pages from the Vindicated project which is now completed. I wanted to get that out of the way, so I can feel right about moving on to more projects. It is a donation, but I let paying jobs distract me from completing it in a timely manner.

Vindicated 1 First Four completed

2011-09-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

This is for an after school program through 12 comics and Studio4hire, that rewards kids for good grades by letting them create a comicbook, I came late to the project and am completing the back half pencils. Which is the simple explanation. The complex explanation is that I came to the project after another artist balked at completing it -- the reason was understandable once I read the script. The script was too complex, it required a lot of things happening on every page and in most panels things happening in the foreground and background, and there were a lot of panels per page.

My personal professional opinion was that the script focused more on certain characters to the detriment of other characters. Further, the story was bogged down in producing back story so that there was a very slow set up: introducing characters, whose point is to introduce other characters, who then introduce other characters, who then go into action -- so that your fight scene is reduced to two pages. So I made story suggestions, because it is a donation -- I'm not getting paid nowhere near enough -- for kids. And I think every kid wants to see their character DOING something. I wanted to donate enough pages to give every child what they want, but the problem with working in a studio is that you're also messing with someone else's money, so trying to make do with 10 pages and it still won't come out right. Best I can do.

Darkness Issue 11

2011-08-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons that I haven’t been as successful as myself and others feel I should be in breaking into the Big Two is that I am being a perfectionist, so I would change faces or styles or details, finish a page, then erase the face or change a hairstyle, all sorts of things that limited my portfolio. I can and do sometimes design on the page – that is I would not predesign a character or object I would create it directly on the page. This works, except when the design doesn’t work or looks wonky, and being a perfectionist I would want to correct it, so erase, start again. You don’t tell an editor it’s incomplete because I wanted to change something, or improve something, or perfect something they want finished product. They want to know you won’t spend months perfecting a page when they need product right away. So I used to end up starting samples and not finishing them, because I would invest only so much time and then I would move on. Working full time jobs and drawing in the evenings, I would want fresh samples so those sample pages I spent weeks working on, I would shelve and then start another set of sample pages. So I dug out my incomplete samples and will post some.

Darkness and Witchblade have always fascinated me, and I’ve always wanted to do some pages for either book. There are some really nice textures available in both – in these pages I did the Darklings as just shadow creatures, but I have pages and sketches where I’ve done them as almost every variant imaginable, from super deformed characters to Brian Froud type fairies beings, fanged horror movie gremlins and others…

The Darkness Armor has no definitive form from what I can gather, so I’ve drawn that in organic variants and anime inspired mecha.

X Force 5.1

2011-05-19T13:39:00.001-07:00

Astonishing Xmen 37

2011-05-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

When I sent my second completed set of tryouts for I sent this to the Submissions Editor: Here's some pages from Astonishing Xmen 37 featuring the formidable Fin Fang Foom! I consider the FFF the grouchy old man of monsters, the original FFF looked like a grouchy old man and sounded like a grouchy old man -- he just wanted to go back to sleep! I can picture him telling kids to stay off his lawn. I was a photographer for Google and one of the programs that they have is street views of the larger cities of the world one of those cities is Tokyo. So I used images from Shinjuku in Tokyo for the location of the story. The vehicles are the most popular vehicle in Japan, the Suzuki Wagon R. The truck is a Dekatora -- decorated truck, they are covered with lights, perfect for a night scene. guess that's it -- references for anyone that needs them.

Marvel Tryout 2 Part 2

2011-05-05T16:14:00.001-07:00

Seven completed pages.

Marvel Tryout 2

2011-05-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Hulk 30.1 script was not my first tryout script with Marvel, but it is the first project that I completed in the time frame I set for myself. The time frame was meant to show professionalism with the material. I went monkey nuts with the enthusiasm to draw for Marvel and threw all my years of education and training out the window. I did excellent research, but I didn't do solid designs before penciling. I did a lot of designs on page. r For instance, the plane featured is a Lun Ekranoplan. The first image of it is based on a photograph -- I made some minor adjustments on the photograph, since it pretty much matched my thumbnail, but I should have drew it from scratch, because it looks quirky. I didn't use perspective I faked it, and I REALLY can't fake things AT ALL. I resisted some of my worst habits -- like SOMETIMES drawing Kirby fingers on characters, but I'm sure there are some graphic gaffs. I completed seven pages in five days which was a goal for me to see how I would handle a deadline. I did very well, was very happy with my timeliness. There are always some things I like about my art, things I feel like I captured well. So here 'tis.

Pencils For Marvel

2011-04-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

I had wanted to go to Wondercon on Friday and present my portfolio at the Marvel program, but I didn't get the chance family obligations took precedence. So, on Saturday, I went to Wonder-Con without an agenda, just going to connect with a few friends and see some distant ones. I had my portfolio full of pages from my Xeric Grant project and some pages that I have never submitted to Marvel. I always carrying my portfolio, I saw a familiar face. Couldn't quite place it, but he was talking to CB Cebulski, my supervision allowing me to read his badge at a distance. I waited politely until they finished their conversation, then asked about the program, he allowed that I had missed it, but that he would take my copies -- I was totally excited that I was allowed to submit anyway. I visited with my fried Tomm Coker -- new book out Undying Love -- buy it read it. I also spoke with Erik Larsen and he made some suggestions and I followed his advice.

I arrived late to WonderCon Sunday, so if Marvel wanted to see my portfolio, they couldn't. But I ran into CB Cebulski and Axel Alonso (Marvel EIC) and gave them the fresh copies of pages I had never submitted to Marvel. CB stepped into the booth and gave me his email address and the email address of the submissions editor. I emailed an introductory letter. The submissions editor gave me, someone else's email and we've been in communication ever since! It's been great so far and I look forward to showing them what I am capable of. These are the layouts at comicbook size, I will shoot them up to 15 by10 and do finished pencils.

Complex Life

2011-01-18T15:20:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to post something. I am still drawing, but don't have the facilities to publish to the internet right now. I will get back to regular updates soon.

2010-11-30T09:02:00.001-08:00

Long ago three pager for a Generation X tryout. I created the whole thing, thought it was a clever piece of writing and all.

Detective Comics 678

2010-08-04T11:35:00.000-07:00

Who I am artistically and who I want to be artistically are sometimes at odds. I can reduce anything to its barest components and recreate with a few pencil strokes, but I always wanted to be one of those guys who use a lot of shadows like Mignola or Kelly Jones. Denny O'neil (great name that) was a stellar gentleman, who was as good as his word and would occasionally send me scripts to see where I was artistically... I've sold most of these pages. Another artist suggested that when it comes to Batman my style stiffens up. I know I was trying something different artistically, so it wasn't my best.

Marvel Age Spiderman 44 Samples

2010-06-10T14:48:00.001-07:00

I consider myself a writer's artist, sticking closely to the writers' script as much as possible, that said, there are times when a writers inexperience shows through and you disagree with their script directions. In this instance I went with the script as written, otherwise I would talk to the writer and editor, make suggestions and explain why I think such a shot wouldn't work -- like crossing the line of action on page 11, some odd storytelling beats through out the story...etc.

Black Panther Layouts 3

2010-05-30T06:16:00.001-07:00

Black Panther laying into the Man-Ape?

What would I do differently now? I would establish the village much better, give the area a more complete feel. In the second set of layouts there was supposed to be a page spent riding in a areo chariot to the village that I took out, but I think it should have been there. Using reference for the Haggia Sophia as a basis for the Panther "Castle" was one of my best considerations. There was way too much thought that went into the story. The chair in Layouts One has a historical story to it, as well as, the Panther Castle. The paints given to Captain America in Layouts two were classical oil paints of a type not available currently.

Black Panther Layouts 2

2010-05-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

I tried to show the difference between the Black Panther and Captain America in their fighting styles. The Panther mixes Capoeira and other exotic martial arts, Cap would be a more straight up fighter.

Black Panther Layouts

2010-05-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

I believe that layouts are such a valuable resource, sometimes even more so than finished pencils. Layouts rarely make it to the finished stage unaltered, sometimes things are moved to accommodate the needs of storytelling, an image is unclear in its message, the angle is wrong or a better solution presents itself through the process. So I will post some layouts as well as finished pencils.

As a creator I rarely write tryout stories of a few pages, they usually are a full 22 pages. I've heard the Black Panther called the African Captain America, so I wanted to explore that -- what makes them similar and what makes them different? This takes place during the Christopher Priest run after it was revealed that the Black Panther may have joined the Avengers under false pretenses. Captain America journey's to Wakanda to connect with T'Challa. I felt as a trained military mind Cap would have a better understanding of why the Black Panther (leader of a country, as opposed to T'Challa a person), would find it necessary to do such a thing. I think the repercussions could have been explored more. Each member of the Avengers that served with The Black Panther coming to terms with his actions.

Marvel Adventures Spiderman 44

2010-04-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Adventures of the Phantom Backpack: While using the Phantom Backpack I have powers that are beyond belief. Among my powers: my hands and feet are as adhesive as every piece of gum stuck under all the school desks in the US, I can fire spit balls and every broken shoe string from my wrists, I possess the strength and agility of every geeky freshman shoved in a locker...

While patrolling the city I notice one of the Iguana men running through the city -- following it to one of the water processing plants on the edge of the city. For some reason Super villains routinely raid the water works of cities, every superhero will tell you randomly visiting the water works of any city you will meet a super villain. There was the time that the Fists of the Golden Flower and the Venomous Horde raided the water works of Apple City on the same night, Dragara and the Fatal Fury made short work of them. I would think the hazard pay for water works' employees is commensurate to police officers. Water works buildings aren't really very interesting, though...

Or this is from the script for MA Spiderman 44

Black Panther Pages

2010-01-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

In writing my own tryout pages I usually overwrite: writing pieces that are book length, with exacting details and background information. This is one such piece. In my story of the Black Panther, there are an influx of outside influences into Wakanda society, besides secretly sending students to schools outside Wakanda to bring back new knowledge and discoveries, there are the occasional lost explorers, hunters, and adventurers. So the great palace of Wakanda is built like the Haggia Sophia, with room enough for all the peoples of Wakanda to live in case of trouble. There is a Wakandan University in the palace, where King T'Challa, teaches several esoteric science classes.

2009-12-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

Again here is my love of the secondary characters. The Spider-clone saga was a pretty good series in opinion and I liked the Red Spider thing, although I think it could have been expanded more, with great power comes great responsibility would mean that Ben Reilly was still using his powers to help people where ever he had wandered to, so there would be untold stories of the Red Spider.

Mutant X 27

2009-12-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

My love of second banana characters extends to alternative universe stories, like the Mutant X series. This is mutant X a vampire Storm fighting for a vampire Gambit against a dark Dagger. Penciled in a funky Chunky style, similar to my Hawkman, but less gritty.

Mock Covers

2009-11-30T07:59:00.001-08:00

I've made a few mock Covers for online comicbooks and proposed comicbooks. The Crusaders by Jorge Martinez, an Amalgamated Marvel/DC series by Richard Gutierrez, I proposed and drew covers for a proposed DC's All Black Superteam.

Hawkman

2009-11-24T07:43:00.000-08:00

I've always been a fan of the second banana superheroes. The guys who put on their tights like the big guys, but don't get the recognition. Some of these guys are one trick ponies who really haven't got much going for them, so they end up killed and brought back sometimes a whole generation later, their history is changed, their powers are amped up or they're sent to live in the Amazon Jungle, anything to inspire interest. Some have basic stories that are full of potential... Hawkman back to basics in a rough line style

Ultimate Spiderman

2009-11-17T07:23:00.000-08:00

I picked up a copy of an Ultimate Spiderman Graphic novel at the library. Thought I would do something with a little American Manga style

D-Boy the Manga Part 4

2009-10-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

The Startling conclusion!

D-Boy the Manga Part 3

2009-10-06T05:57:00.001-07:00

D-Boy Continued

D-Boy the Manga Part 2

2009-09-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

D-Boy Continued...

Dboy the Manga

2009-09-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

My little manga tryout serialized

New Warriors

2009-09-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

The New Warriors by Kevin Grevioux and Paco Medina, started off pretty good, but Paco left after the first Six issues, I'm sure the move was good for his career, but bad for the series. It shuffled through a few artists and died. Tryout from issue Seven.

Green Lantern Kyle Rayner

2009-09-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

For all the years that the character has been around I really don't know much about Kyle Rayner as Green Lantern. I knew he was an artist, I had no ideal how he lived and from what little I saw of the series, most writers know nothing of the lifestyle of an artist. Its kind of like the transporters on Star Trek, its just meant to get to another point not an interesting item in and of itself. Later in Star Trek they played with the potential of the transporters I don't think they ever addressed what it meant to be an artist in Green Lantern. My tryout was way too long, I think it is sixteen pages long.

Dr. Strange

2009-08-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

I would craft my own scenarios for tryout pages. Dr. Strange is drawn to a desecrated church and finds a person inside with an object of interest. Originally it started with an adult, but I felt that it was more chilling to see a child possessed. Something more frightening about an attack on an innocent. Really was working on shadows and reflected light.

Birds Of Prey

2009-08-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

Very little rendering, but very happy with how some of the poses came out. The water effects were based on the writings from one of the Disney history books and came out very well. The backgrounds were pretty good in the submarine. I really drew non-generic female characters on this piece. From a Chuck Dixon script I found online.

Jaimel Hemphill's Shadow

2009-08-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

Jaimel Hemphill's Shadow. A well researched project. I made several trips to Oakland CA and drove around with my digital camera and took pictures. The author came and gave me a guided to ur as well. It should be a great book.

Alpha Flight Tryout

2009-08-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite teams in comics is Alpha Flight. I don't think anyone ever really got a handle on them. In some versions there was very little that was Canadian about their adventures, no recognizable landmarks, etc. I tried with this tryout to include at least passing reference to some Canadian influences, the bargirl (another female Wolverine knockoff) is wearing a hockey jersey, the establishing shot is a street in Canada, though I really downplayed it.

Sparta the book that never was

2009-08-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

At one point a writer involved with Image expressed an interest in working with me, so he fired me off several quick pages and I penciled them and emailed him copies. Not sure what became of his story ideal or him, he just stopped answering my emails. It was supposed to be a modern take on Spartacus...

Outsiders

2009-07-28T22:56:00.000-07:00

The character and prop designs were all over the map in the actual books, which was going through a transition, so the designs were unclear and I was unclear and somewhat faked it in too many places. This tryout suffered from a lack of clear vision.

Begin a blog young man

2009-07-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

San Diego Comic Con. I went there with a different agenda this year. I am going to self publish one of my books. It will be a minicomic and I went into small press asking questions about printers and advice. I am not a snob; I still want to work for the big two, because that is where my love of the media began. Therefore, I created a minicomic exclusively for the convention. I will complete a full version minicomic for Sacramento Con -- post pages for the "ashcan" hither and thither on the internet as well as drawings and sketches. In this page Johnny Speed is doing that comicbook cliché creating a tornado around his opponents, which in real world terms would not suck all the air out of their lungs, but cause considerable property damage -- not only to his fiends, but also to his friends. The goddess Nike, the Lavender Lensman, Sea King and Squidy are taking on much damage. "Does that idiot believe everything that he reads in comicbooks?!!"
"Apparently", the Goddess Nike shouts back over the roaring winds.