Thursday, December 31, 2009

Albert Bigley Spider-Man Family Original Comic Art! 1975! Marvel!

Based on the fabulous art of John Romita sr., here is my 1975 NOT-so-fabulous attempt to depict the supporting cast of the SPIDER-MAN comics of the day. Could this possibly BE any creepier?
Click to enlarge. Go on.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Al Bigley is COVERED! JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 Re-Mix!

Check out this link for some great re-mastered comic book covers from the past, such as my "animated" take on the cover to DC Comics' JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1! Lots of great images at this very cool site!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

1979 Albert Bigley INCREDIBLE HULK Painted Original Comic Art!

Done by me as a cover for my own 30-page comic based on 60s Hulk TALES TO ASTONISH tales (as recorded from the afternoon MARVEL SUPERHEROES cartoon reruns). Not bad for a 14-year old using ink and watercolors. I was inspired by the painted covers of the 70s RAMPAGING HULK magazines, with paintings by Ken Barr, Earl Norem, and Bob Larkin. Click to enlarge.

Friday, December 18, 2009

1979 Albert Bigley FANTASTIC FOUR Original Art! Herbie The Robot!

That's right. This 1979 ink and watercolor horror was part of a 30-page comic I created then. I would record the audio from the then-current NBC FF cartoon show (among others), and use it as a "Marvel style" synopsis for my comics, as a way to prepare myself for the "real thing" someday.

Note my George Perez facial shadow influences! Click to enlarge. If ya really wanna.


Monday, December 14, 2009

In My Room! 1982!

Yep! Here is a blurry pic (hey, I was busy in those days!) of my room, in Laurinburg, NC, from 1982.

Among the Hulk and Spider-Man (can you spot the Aurora version?)model kits on display, you can see tons of bagged Marvel Comics (I had left DC behind 4 years earlier, and won't return until the next year)! How many can YOU name? Click to enlarge!

And, yes, 90% of these books are STILL in my collection today.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Albert Bigley Art! "New Look for Robin!" Batman! 1976! DC Comics!

Those of you who remember 70s comics will recall the semi-regular feature in the BATMAN books, "A New Look for Robin." Readers were allowed to send in their drawings featuring radical new takes on the Boy Wonder's costume, leaving behind the yellow cape and short pants (heh) in most cases.

The main attraction to me was getting your art actually published in a real (gasp) DC comic book! Hence, the sad costume design below (click to enlarge). Still with the short pants and canary (get it?) yellow cape. All made worse with the added mini-dress look. As if Robin didn't get teased enough with the old outfit.


I, thankfully, never sent this puppy in, and DC, of course, would never change Robin's highly recognizable and profitable (for toy licensing) outfit until the anything-goes early 90s, in yet another desperate publicity stunt of the day.

THAT time, he lost the short pants.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Albert Bigley vs Sons of the Tiger! 70s Kung-Fu Craze Marvel Madness!

Here is my one attempt to cash in on the mid-70s Kung Fu craze. I lifted this image from the Sal Buscema-drawn cover of MARVEL TEAM-UP 40, spotlighting the tepid Sons of the Tiger in blazing battle action.

I recall taking this to school in Jersey, in the 5th grade, and trying to get 25 cents for it!

No takers. Can you imagine?

Monday, November 16, 2009

1973 Albert Bigley AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Cover Artwork! Intense!

Here is my 4th grade attempt to depict a cover of a SPIDER-MAN comic book from the day. Seemed like Spidey was always spouting off about his current situation, as a way of filling in readers and bringing them up to date.

Boy, I really thought I could handle foreshortening on figures, huh? The "Marvel way," indeed!

I love how I only give the barest amount of background info here, to let ya know Spidey is freeing himself from a sawmill trap.

Gotta find him "before he kills himself?!" Intense.


Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Spidey vs the Tarantula! Sorta. 1975 Albert Bigley Art! Marvel Comics?!

A 1975 attempt to depict the ever-amazing Spider-Man flying into instant action against his evil foe, Tarantula. Always dug that costume design on Tarantula, as it was a sorta alternate take on Spidey's own costume.
Looks more like Spider-Man is playing a friendly game of roughhousing with these guys, instead of trying to really subdue them! NOT drawn in the magnificent Marvel manner!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Batman and Robin Fight! 1973 Albert Bigley Art! Zalsh! DC Comics?!

Ah, yes. Once again the Dynamic Duo go into blazing battle against various hoods and bad guys. Batman has hit his opponent with such force the poor guy has a cartoon halo!
Looks like maybe this takes place in a firehouse or the Batcave, due to the fireman's pole in the upper left. But the open window and warehouse trappings...
How about those sound effects? "Zalsh?" "Zow?"


Tuesday, November 3, 2009

ALvengers Assemble! 1976 Albert Bigley Art! Iron Man! Marvel Comics?!

A very large 1976 George Perez-inspired stab at depicting the Mighty Avengers, complete with logos!

And great legs!

Well, except for the Vision...


Saturday, October 31, 2009

The Bigley Vanishes! Scary Unexplained Pic! Unexplained Pants!

Here is a very odd picture of me, taken by my dad in 1972 or so, at an animal park in New Jersey. Scary enough, huh? But, here I am at the petting zoo area, reaching down to pet some passing llama, chicken,  or such, and I seem to be vanishing into thin air!

Now, these were the days of camera film, and self-winding advancement for your film that could create a "double exposure" effect, but my dad would have to have been taking a previous picture of the same ground I was standing on in the pic before to get this effect!

Errie!  And those pants are also kinda frightening..


Saturday, October 24, 2009

Peter Anthony Holder and the STUPH FILES!

Be sure to visit the pop culture-centric podcasts of Peter Anthony Holder! Interviews with celebrities from comics, film, TV, comedy, plus interesting news and tidbits to enlighten, entertain, and invigorate you!


Click the pic to check out the STUPH FILES!





Saturday, October 17, 2009

Batman! In Color!



Yep. A 1976 oil painting of a pin-headed Batman. My dad was great for trying to introduce me to new art tools, and here he sat with me to show me some oil painting tips and tricks. None of them are evident here, but I tried briefly to work some color magic. I would later, around 9th grade, get back heavily into color work, using oils, tempera, and watercolors...


But, as a 6th grader? Not so much.

Friday, October 16, 2009

The Hulk! The Horror!



Yow. My 1976 drawing of the ever-incredible Hulk! Inspired by the "how to draw the Hulk" page in the first Marvel Fun Book (predates HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY by two years!), here is my take on ol' Greenskin himself!

Beyond ugly!

Happy Days! Sit On It!


Another 1976 attempt to depict the wonderful HAPPY DAYS cast, during the height of Fonzie-mania.

Terrible.

Poor Donnie Most. What's he got in his hand?!

Poor motorcycle. Poor perspective.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

My Missive from Marvel's Mooney!


The late "Gentleman" Jim Mooney sent me this letter in the 90s, after I inquired about some art he had for sale.

Jim's family and mine got to know each other at a fantastic 1994 Florida convention we both attended as guests. Jim and his wife fell in love with our then-infant son, and my wife and I were taken with the wonderful Mooneys. I soon saw how Jim earned his Marvel "Gentleman" nickname.

I still miss Jim, as both a friend and a terrific artist. He had long stints on such comics as SUPERGIRL, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, SUPERMAN,  MARVEL TEAM-UP, and so many more...

Monday, October 12, 2009

More "Comic Action" Spider-Man Goodness!

Another 1976 drawing based on the incredibly hideous Mego "Comic Action" Spider-Man figure.

Ugh.


Sunday, October 4, 2009

Jim "Doodle" Lyle Spider-Man! Bigley Inks!

This is comics artist Jim "Doodle" Lyle. A great penciler and inker.

Below is a pencil piece Jim did of Spider-man battling the high-flying Vulture! My inked version is on the right.

Enjoy! Be sure to visit Jim's fabulous site here!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Fantastic Four! The Way It Began?!


My 1976 attempt to re-create the much re-created cover to FANTASTIC FOUR number 1.


Yeah.



Monday, September 28, 2009

Green Goblin Goof!



From 1976, here is my attempt to create some sort of poster or file of Spider-Man's "most fiendish foes!" The art is based on a Ross Andru-drawn issue of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, and is evidence of how darn smart I thought I was, by running the finished drawing through my (manual) typewriter for the added text! Remember, this was way before computers and desktop publishing, so this was about as high-tech as it got then!

This was also produced years before the ubiquitous "handbooks" of the comics characters, too...

I'm sure I was inspired by the early 60s pin-up profile pages of the various villains, as illustrated by Steve Ditko...See first image...


Monday, September 21, 2009

Fantastic Four Unpublished Epic Tale!


Yep. My own Fantastic Four mini-epic from 1976. Not only drawn by me, but written, and typed, too!

Done, of course, on a manual typewriter. And on notebook paper. Heh.

"Vasinity?" Oh, the days before spellcheck...

Thursday, September 17, 2009

My Neal Adams Superman!



As seen earlier, I went thru a period of experimenting with cut colored paper and construction paper. Here is my attempt to re-create the 1977 Neal Adams cover to SUPERMAN 308. I cut out each separate piece, according to color, then assembled and overlayed them onto a background. As you can see, some pieces didn't quite jibe with others....Superman is supposed to be trapped INSIDE that force field...Heh.


"As I kill the Earth?!"

My Neal Adams Batman!

Ah, my own 1976 interpretation of the BATMAN 251 cover, originally done by Neal Adams. I was still trying to use crowquill pens, with a lovely marker coloring flourish. Strange to see my fleeting attempt at underlighting on the Joker's face...Must have been too difficult...





Monday, August 31, 2009

Wacky Packages! Duxie!



What 70s kid WASN'T into WACKY PACKAGES back in the day? I was there for the first 3 series of sarcastic stickers, exploding onto the kid scene when I was in 3rd grade. I sorta rediscovered them a few years later, when WPs where up to series 11 or so....Here is my 1976 attempt to create my own WP "poster" from that later set. I don't recall to many attempts to make my OWN Wackies, but....

I apparently had yet to hear of such drafting tool as french curves, rulers, and circle ellipses...

Friday, August 28, 2009

Six Mill!



A fantastic 1977 pencil drawing of Steve Austin, the SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN. Thanks to tons of exposure to Lee Majors caricatures by CRACKED and MAD artists such as John Severin and Mort Drucker, I had cracked the code to capturing a successful Steve Austin likeness on paper.
The raised left eyebrow.

Now you know.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Claw Long and Prosper!

Dig this odd STAR TREK Mr. Spock plush doll found in my local Wal Mart's "grabber claw" machine! Nutty!


Friday, August 14, 2009

Animated BATMAN Samples!





Here are some pages from a pencil try-out for the DC Comics various "animated" books in the 90s...Since I did so much work for the products of that line for other DC offices, I thought...

Never could get anyone interested in the slightest....