'76 The Soundtrack

Clay and I have both selected music to accompany each chapter of the book, and we'll post the playlist here (and possibly) in the book also. I can't write without background music, and in many cases what I listen to influences the work (and vice versa). Clay's the only guy I know who's abigger music freak than I am, so expect some selections well off the beaten path.

Pencils to '76 #3 cover

By Easy Ed Tadem (click for a bigger view):

Script to Art

By request.

Here's a page of script from '76 #3, along with Ed's finished art:

PAGE TEN

Panel 1. Sam isn’t all that into the
conversation as it goes on. She’s got Gino’s bagel.

SAM:
Yeah, I know. Wops don’t like working for niggers. And Nicky ain’t crazy about smack.

GINO:
Right. That.


Panel 2. Sam shrugs. Gino pleads.

SAM:
So what do you want me to do?

GINO:
Watch me, Sam.


Panel 3.

SAM:
Watch you? You want me to be a bodyguard for you? Seriously?

GINO:
There’s more to it than that. It ain’t just Gil who’s back.


Panel 4. Sam takes a bite of the bagel.

SAM:
Spill it, Gino. Why should I care about any of this bullshit?


Panel 5. Gino, leaning forward, pleading. If we can see Sam, she’s clearly surprised by this news.

GINO:
Sam—Jackie’s back. He rumbled with the Sabakis just this afternoon. And Marcus was with him. I can’t get mixed up in all this, Sam. You gotta help me—


Panel 6. Sam settles back in her seat, arms crossed, now oblivious to Gino’s rambling. She has a slight smile on her face.

SAM:
Well, well, well. Karma and King. Shit, Gino--

SAM:
--It’s about time we had some excitement around here.

The Process

From '76 #3. Cool, chapter three, page one.

Pencils to inks to tones, by Tigh Walker:

Ed Tadem Concepts and Prelims

Character designs for the Jackie Karma crew, late sixties version. Bobby Howler, Jackie Karma and Marcus King:

Rough for the cover of '76 #3:

Pencils

Here's a look at some of Tigh's pencils from issue #2

Early Pete Model Sheets

I based Pete on someone...Tigh nailed it as usual.

The Animated Jackie Karma

Some fun character sheets for the animated JACKIE KARMA. Jackie, Sam(antha) Jones, and Holly Gold. By our own Ed Tadem, of course:

Tadem & Griffin Covering '76

Ed Tadem has been working up some lush and lovely covers for '76, and the plan is for Hawaiian Dick's Steven Griffin to handle trade dress and design. With that in mind, here's an early combination of the talented twosome on the first '76 cover, featuring a number of cast members (give a click for a full view):

Tigh Walker, superstar to be

I first met Tigh Walker, the artist on COOL, at a convention in Toronto a couple of years back. He had some rough samples on hand, and I was immediately struck by the enormous potential in his work, and by his obvious intelligence. Potential and intelligence are a dangerous combination.

A couple of years down the road and Tigh is emerging as one of the best young artists I know. Frankly, his progress is astonishing. It's only a matter of time before people realize the kind of talent we're dealing with on this book. Tigh and Jackie Karma artist Ed Tadem give the book an insane one-two punch. These guys understand the importance of environment in comics, which is something that seems to keep slipping away from modern comics...

Anyway, here are a couple of random Tigh Walker Pages from COOL (both from '76 #2):

'76 Daily!

A select few have been asking about progress on '76, a book that Seth Peck, Ed Tadem, Tigh Walker and I are producing for Image Comics. I thought I'd update progress daily here, so those of you who are curious can drop in when you get the urge and see what's happening.


As an example of behind the scenes planning, part of the book takes place in the apartment of Jackie Karma's girlfriend, Lindsey. Here's artist Ed Tadem's rough layout of her apartment:



More to come soon!