Here Comes--The Spider-Mobile? Look Out For The Captain Americar? 1976 Madness!

As a kid, I was often inspired by not only the comic books themselves, but also the myriad merchandise that was constantly lobbed at us hardcore superhero fans! The leading juvenile juggernaut of the era, was, of course, the madcap Mego manufacturers, who lead the way with an expansive line of Marvel and DC Comics-based toys and figures, encompassing a large variety of superheroes and super-foes from the two combative companies! Below is my high-octane illustration spotlighting two oddball creations from Mego in 1976: custom vehicles made for Spider-Man and Captain America! Sure, these two swinging superheroes never needed any form of four-wheeled transportation (tho Spidey did have an irony-drenched "Spider-Mobile" for a bit in the mid-70s comics), but these dragsters sure looked swell to my 11-year-old eyes! Click below to enlarge!

Nope! Tho I immortalized these double diesel-powered doozies
in pencil and crayon, I never actually owned them as a kid!

BONUS! Gaze below to see the actual titanic toys that inspired the above drag-racing drawing!

The Batman Strikes! 1977 Albert Bigley Original Art! DC Comics?

Another "gem" from my vault of childhood drawings! This time, take a look at this 1977 pencilled piece, a shameless cop of the then-current (and very exciting) Batman as seen in the pages of DETECTIVE COMICS! The great new art team of Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin was beginning their still-heralded run on the Dark Knight, adding a ton of mood and mystery to the strip, and it certainly wowed a 12-year-old me! Click below to enlarge!

Above: The indelible inspiration for my pencilled pin-up, from DETECTIVE
COMICS #468! Art by Marhsall Rogers and Terry Austin (who would one day
 ink my own pro comics work)!

POW! Robin and His "Choke Hold!" Batman! 1973 Albert Bigley Art! DC Comics?!

Another journey into the vast vaults that house my childhood (child-ish?) drawings! This time, I come out with this 1973 masterpiece, whipped up by an 8-year-old me, featuring Batman's own teen sidekick, Robin! Callously cribbed from a re-issued 1967 BATMAN coloring book, here is Robin administering a very savage choke hold (while busting a few fingers in the process) to some felon or super-foe helper! Click below to enlarge, if ya must!

Above: So, the wretched robber is being apprehended in front of a rope-festooned
trap? In front of the very bank he was robbing (or is that a bank sign)? All for that
tiny bag of change he's dropping? And--Is that blood on the crooks' shirt!?

Above: The coloring book page that inspired me to craft such timeless art!

Above: Yet another inspiration for the above superhero sketch! I was so crazed
with the Aurora Robin model kit that I had to include its
chemical-splattered platform in my drawing!

Spider-Man vs. The Lizard! 1974 Albert Bigley Art! "Your Done For!" Marvel Comics?!

Time to re-open the awesome art vault, and unearth yet another "treasure" from my pulpy-page packed past! This time, we come up with a faux cover for a Bronze Age SPIDER-MAN issue that never was! It's Spidey vs. the lethal Lizard, as envisioned by a 9-year old me in 1974! Spurred on by my acquiring of the then-new Mego action figure of the repulsive reptile-man, I just had to create a captivating cover scene involving these two cavorting characters! Looks like I also sorta used AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #134 as an inspiration for this sensational scribble! Click below to enlarge!

Above: Tho it makes me cringe to view it now, the above drawing does
demonstrate a fairly advanced understanding of anatomy, foreshortening,
depth, and composition! Not bad for a nine-year-old! Now,the spelling
is another matter...

BONUS! Click below to view the nifty 1974 Lizard action figure, produced by the mighty Mego folks!

Batman and Robin vs. The Master Mind?! 1977 Albert Bigley Art! DC Comics?!

Another rare "treat" for faithful BIG GLEE! followers (all seven of you)! Here is my (age twelve) version of a Silver/Bronze Age BATMAN cover that never was! Seems I thought Batman and Robin shoulda matched wits with a new super-foe I dreamt up, called the Master Mind! Not only does he twist Robin into his own personal murder-machine, but the Teen Wonder's weapon of choice seems to be a flaming knife! Or is that a sword of ice? A popsicle? And--Shouldn't that blurb read "Control of the Master Mind?" Click below to enlarge this 1977 masterpiece!

BONUS! Click below to gaze at the Neal Adams-created cover that was undoubtably my inspiration for Batman's panicked pose above! I had access then to a great used bookstore that sold Silver Age comics, and I must have snagged this 1969 issue of DETECTIVE COMICS at the time!

The Monkees Yell "Charge!" 1977 Albert Bigley Original Comic Art!

Another Monkees masterpiece (?) from my youth! Dig this 1977 drawing of "Mikey," Mike, Peter and Davy, as they charge up a hill in complete "foreign legion" garb! Copied from one of the famed 60s Dell MONKEES comic books, you can tell that the 11-year-old me had a long way to go, specifically when it came to capturing celebrity likenesses! Click below to enlarge!

Above: My 1977 drawing (part of a planned "portfolio?"), cribbed from a 1967
Dell MONKEES comic, the only one I owned at the time (along with a small
smattering of Monkees LPs, 8-tracks, and other memorabilia)! I bought the
 comic from a used book and magazine shop, where I regularly gorged on back-issue
superhero comics, and was thrilled to make this find! Who even knew there
were Monkees comics? Note my wonky tracing of the logo, my oh-so-funny 
captions (swiped from daily afternoon reruns of the show), and the odd 
logo featuring silhouettes of the band!

Above: The page from that same MONKEES comic book that 
inspired my pencilled piece! Art is thought to be by Jose Delbo!

Batman Says "Merry Christmas!" 1975 Albert Bigley Comic Art! DC Comics?

Here's a yummy yuletide greeting (drawn in 1975 by a ten-year-old me), from Batman himself! Inspired by a reprinting (in that year's oversized DC Comics Christmas tabloid) of Neal Adams' classic 1970 tale, "Silent Night of the Batman," here is the Christmas-cloaked Caped Crusader, now sporting a special message on that very cape! I recall this being displayed proudly (thanks, Mom!) on our basement door that year! Click below to enlarge!

BAT-BONUS! Click below to enlarge both the cover (by the incomparable Nick Cardy) to the hallowed holiday comic, and the interior art that inspired the above awesome illustration!

The "Lone Rager" Rides Again! "Blaammm!" 1975 Albert Bigley Art!

That's right! Here's yet another blast from my past! For about 13 minutes, I sorta dug the Lone Ranger character, due to his similarities to superheroes (he wore a mask, right?), and his mini-comeback during the mid-70s (heralded with a line of toys, models, and action figures). Below is my 1975 attempt at an action-packed pencil drawing of the masked lawman, complete with sound effects, logo ('the Lone RAGER?!") and "detailed" background! Hey! I was ten years old, OK? Click to enlarge, and keep your silver bullets untarnished!

Can ya tell I had a hard time getting his hat just right? I also apparently spent
 a ton of time struggling with his nose, hands, and, uhm, crotch.

Batman! Violent and Out of Control! 1976 Albert Bigley Art! DC Comics?!

Let's take a look at not one, but two terrific (?) images drawn by me (age 11) in 1976! These twin powerhouses (attempt to) depict an angry version of the Batman, swinging into full violent action against some very unfortunate thugs and crooks! I was trying to emulate the work of artist Neal Adams, who had fairly recently brought the "Dark Knight" back to his more vicious "street-level" roots in the comics, which meant tons of grunting, straining, hollering, and hitting (from Batman, not me)! Click below to enlarge and wonder why!

What exactly is Batman doing to that poor thug in
the upper left? Did he also tear off the guy's shoulder?!

POK-A-CHOC! The Caped Crusader seems darned 
casual in that pose to the right, no? 

Above: The inspiration for my 1976 bat-drawings,
an example of Neal Adams' 70s Batman!

The Riddler Strikes! 1973 Albert Bigley Art! DC Comics?!

Here's another gem from the treasure chest! It's my 1973 drawing of Batman's longtime super-foe, the rascally Riddler! Drawn on notebook paper (!), here is the Prince of Puzzlers, swiped shamelessly from the famous 1966 poster image (then appearing on toy packaging, lunchboxes, apparel, etc...) by Carmine Infantino! Click to enlarge, if you must!

Looks like I quit early after beginning the colored pencil stage
of this masterpiece! And, is the Riddler standing in the desert?!

BONUS! Click below to see the famed 1966 poster (featuring sterling Carmine Infantino imagery) that was my inspiration for the above artwork!

Batman vs. The Joker! 1975 Albert Bigley Original Comic Art! "BASHH!!!!" DC Comics?!

Another titanic blast from my past! Let's look to 1975, and this huge (around 11 by 17) illo, featuring a super-violent scene of Batman socking it to the evil Joker! In fact, the Caped Crusader slugs the crime clown so mightily, it seems to lift the villain (and his car) right off the ground! And, how about that detailed background, full of innocent gawkers, impotent policemen, and Batman-boosting billboards? What do you expect from a 10-year-old me?! Click to enlarge!

BONUS! Click below to see some of my inspirations for the above dynamic drawing! This line of panoramic puzzles came out in the mid-70s, all spotlighting large horizontal renderings!

Spidey vs. Kraven vs Tigra! 1978 Albert Bigley Art! Marvel Comics?!

In 1978, jocular John Byrne was a new and exciting up-and-coming comics artist, and fans were treated to his version of the (then still) spectacular Spider-Man (and a myriad of other mighty Marvel characters, such as Tigra) in the merry MARVEL TEAM-UP title. Nobody was more thrilled with Byrne's art than a young me, so dig this 1978 cover pencil repro I attempted, at age 13! I tried to add my own sense of shading and effects, possibly intending this for a never-produced painting! Click below to enlarge!

You can tell I had just learned the "shading with the side of the pencil"
technique here! And, say, where is the rest of Spidey's body?!

The Incredible Hulk and Friends and Enemies! And How! 1980 Albert Bigley Art! Marvel Comics?!

Wow. Talk about the "big one!" Dig this repugnant painting I whipped up (in 1980 at age 15) of the ever-incredible Hulk and his cast of thousands! Inspired by the work of Jim Steranko, as well as the many wrap-around panoramic paintings that adorned such books as the HULK! magazine of the day, I wanted to include every darned Hulk friend and foe in one big (18 by 30 inch) watercolored wall-busting whopper! You can see I tried to tell the Jade Giant's tale, in a left-to-right fashion starting with his origin, his main cast (General Ross, Betty, Rick, etc.), then added his early foes, characters who appeared later in his drama-drenched strip, some of his superhero pals, even slipping in a nod to the then-current HULK CBS-TV series! Oh, to be young and have this kind of time and boundless energy again... Click to enlarge!

Note the influence of actor Bill Bixby on my depiction of "Dr. Banner!" Bixby, of course,
was then portraying the good doctor on the CBS HULK TV series!

Bonus! Click below to see a pic of me, in 2013, holding up this oversized art, displaying the size of this colossal canvas!

Al Bigley, holding aloft this 1980 watercolor-and-ink poster,
elicits reactions on the streets of Detroit, Michigan!

WONDER WOMAN vs. the Nazis! 1975 Albert Bigley Original Art! DC Comics?!

Another bombastic blast from the past! Dig this 1975 Wonder Woman pencil drawing by me, age 10, from 1975! Obviously inspired by the then-new ABC-TV movie, THE NEW ORIGINAL WONDER WOMAN, here is the Amazing (and quite mannish) Amazon fighting high-flying Nazi felons (using her famed "Bullets and Bracelets" gimmick) in a World War Two setting! Click to enlarge!

Note the personalization in the upper left corner! Looks like I meant to give
this to my next-door neighbor of the time! But, since I still have it, that means
she somehow never took ownership of this dynamic drawing! Why she didn't
accept this fabulous masterpiece of modern art remains a mystery!


BONUS! Below is the custom logo used for the long-running ABC/CBS WONDER WOMAN TV series! You can tell it was what I had in mind (going only by memory in those pre-VCR or DVR days) when placing my own hand-drawn logo into the drawing above!

More Vintage Albert Bigley Paintings Revealed! 1979 MESSterpieces! Hulk! Dr. Strange!

It has been awhile since I threw a lingering light on my past forays into brush-and-canvas painting, but, thanks to a recent feverish rampage in my attic, here are three unearthed painted pictures from my 9th-grade past! First up: A 1980 acrylic rendering of ol' Captain America himself, based on a then-current cover of Cap's own mag! Click each image to enlarge!

My 1980 painting (above, left) and John Byrne's cover (right) for
CAPTAIN AMERICA #238! Which do you prefer? Don't answer that.

Next up is another acrylic paining, whipped up by me in late 1979! Here is Dr. Strange, looking a bit elongated and gaunt, as he casts a spell over an entranced audience! I recall creating tons of glazes for applying over the hands and circular "spell" areas! This painting was even part of a student art display event at my high school! Yow.

Are those Doc's hands, or inflated sausages on display?! The idea of
getting reference, or having somebody pose their
hands similarly for me? At that time, I thought
that would be copying and cheating!

And, finally (and mercifully,) here is a 1979 Hulk image, painted in acrylic on flat canvas board! The Hulk breaks free from a dark prison, with an image of the "Banner-to-Hulk" transformation posted overhead! You can tell I used Bill Bixby (then the star of the INCREDIBLE HULK TV series) as my inspiration for that lead face! I was also influenced by my newly-acquired FANTASTIC FOUR index, with Jim Steranko's amazing cover painting! Note Jim's almost monochromatic orange area (with the facial close-ups) on his cover below...These paintings aren't bad for a 15-year-old comic artist wannabee, but...

My 1979 painting (above, left) and Steranko's influential FF INDEX cover painting (right)!

Batman vs. The Joker! 1975 Albert Bigley Art! "Go Robin!" DC Comics?!

Enough with the e-mails and calls! I give in! Here is yet another fabulous (?) blast from my past to your present (huh?)! Dig this bombastic 1975 illo by a 10-year-old me, depicting mucho mile-high mayhem! It's Batman and Robin, launching into furious action against the Joker and his multiple minions! But--Is Batman crashing thru that tiny window in the background? What is the Joker perched upon? Why are so many people missing their legs? Why is the foreground thug shooting at the bad guys? Click to enlarge, Bat-fans!

BONUS! Look below to see my inspiration for Batman's above pose! This is the bulky box that housed the 1974 Mego "Batcave" playset, a gift I received the previous Christmas, so...

BONUS BONUS! Or, was this (below) my inspiration? Here is a panel from 1968's WORLD'S FINEST COMICS #180, drawn by Ross Andru! I had this as a back-issue then, so...Or was this '68 pose the inspiration for the '74 Mego artist, which I saw, and...Yeah. 

1974 Albert Bigley SPIDER-MAN Art! "Knock Your Head Off!" Marvel Comics?!

You win! Due to the thousands of e-mails and endless phone calls, I'm coming back with another artistic "masterpiece" from my paint-stained past! Here is a 1974 dramatic doodle of the ever-Amazing Spider-Man, slamming two of his greatest foes--the Green Goblin and (I think) Electro! Dig how I also threw in a bit of Spidey's whimsey and wise-cracking (as I interpreted it at age 9), in two threat-filled word balloons! Click below to enlarge!

Dig that depth (are the two foes under Spider-Man?)! The foreshortening (is
Spidey's left arm coming toward us, or away from us?)! The anatomy
(is the Goblin breaking at the waist?)! Or don't...

CAPTAIN AMERICA! 1975 Albert Bigley Comic Art! Marvel Comics?!

Just unearthed! Here is my version of that legend of World War Two, Captain America! Here is Cap, coming at ya in a dramatic action pose, complete with logo, and (very odd) background! Not bad for a 10 year old me, even tho it looks like I lost interest about half way thru the coloring process! Does this image look kinda familiar to ya? Well, it should! Click here to see just how influential this drawing has been to me, and many others! Click image below to enlarge!

Ring Around the Rhino! 1976 Albert Bigley Artwork! Marvel Comics?!

Another great one (?) from my archives! Here is my "fact sheet" on the famed Spider-Man foe, the Rhino! Drawn by me in 1976, at age 11, this was to be the start of a massive fact file on such sinister and sordid super-villains! But, alas, this (and a few other drawings) was as far as I got, before being distracted by other awesome (and unfinished) artistic matters that also involved cramming my artwork into an electric typewriter! The brain-teasing question still remains--for whom exactly was such a voluminous file intended? Click below to enlarge, art lovers!

Have fun counting all the typos and misspellings above! Long-time fans will note that
my synopsis of Rhino's life and times above bear no relation to his actual origins in
the comics! I had no access to his first appearance then, and made up my own story!

Spider-Man Unmasked?! 1976 Albert Bigley Comic Art?! Marvel?!

Look at what my vast team of researchers has just unearthed! Here's another one of my meticulous comic cover re-creations, drawn by me at age 11, in 1976! My love for the fabulous artwork of John Romita, Sr. was, even then, firmly entrenched in my heart and mind, and you can sure see that in this drawing! Using the cover to this Spider-Man reprint as my guide, I just had to imitate the way JRSR drew Spidey, Peter Parker, his pals, and even their snazzy (tho very dated by '76) clothing! Romita excelled not only with high-flying superhero action, but in drawing "real people," folds, locales, and backgrounds! Everything drawn by him seemed wonderfully perfect! Click to below to enlarge!

Note how often I erased and re-drew Spidey's "sad" eyes, and the clothing
on the characters! I also couldn't resist changing (gasp) Stan Lee's snazzy
cover dialog! I also recall hating drawing on graph paper!
But, when that was all ya had...