Star Wars/Star Trek part 3

The Borg in their arrogant quest for perfection found themselves lost in time, a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. They presumed to assimilate an empire. But even the Borg weren't prepared for what would happen when they tried to assimilate the galaxy's most powerful Sith Lord. The Borg Nanites didn't stand a chance against such a concentration of midi-clorians and it was the Borg who were assimilated, becoming a vast army of light saber wielding extensions of Vader. Emperor Palpatine who had not surfaced for years after the "Borg Wars" was declared dead and Vader took his throne. The amalgamation of the midi-clorians and Borg nanites created something new and unexpected and as a result Vader could now be everywhere at once becoming both God and Emperor.

see the work-in-progress here:

http://jkwoodwardart.blogspot.com/2010/11/star-warsstar-trek-part-2.html

http://jkwoodwardart.blogspot.com/2010/11/star-warsstar-trek.html

Star Wars/Star Trek - part 2

out of focus washed out iphone pictures of preliminary Vader and Borg Deathstar paintings and completed Imperial Borg Trooper.

Final image will be completed in a matter of hours so swing back around in a few.

Have you ever been (non-constructively) criticized or flat-out insulted by someone you've admired?

Not in the comics industry specifically yet, but yes, many, many times. I remember the first time. I was very young and the someone I admired was my father. I think it happens to to us all throughout life and it never truly gets easy deal with. Though the longer I live, the less value I seem to put in those that attack in that way. Most are easily dismissed. They are no better or worse than the rest of us, they just chose to lash out. I try not to empower them. I'm too obsessive about my work to let anything(good or bad) get in the way.

Ask me anything

After seeing your conceptual work on Star Wars / Star Trek, I gotta know - have you ever thought about writing your own comic? You always seem to have a story behind everything you draw.

o yes! but at this point i just plot and work with writers. i haven't yet put in the time to claim any skill as a writer, but i believe that all artists that work in comics have an intrinsic storytelling ability that could in time, with sacrifice and hard work, translate to the written page.

Ask me anything

Star Wars/Star Trek

I recently asked the question on Form Spring; Star wars or Star Trek? why?
Now I understand that everyone has a preference, but I was curious to whether that means a preference in one means a dismissal of the other. Do Star Wars fans hate Star Trek and vice versa? I can't imagine that's the case.

I personally love both worlds and would love to see them collide.
I can think of 7 ways to make that happen just off the top of my head.(fictionally. legally it would probably be a nightmare) And it makes possible a number of very compelling and exciting moments.

• The Vulcans and Jedi incorporating the teachings of eachother's disciplines and philosophies. Once the Vulcans were introduced to the existence of midi chlorines, how could they not insist on further study. And the vulcans are bound to have techniques to help the Jedi "govern their passions" to help resist the allure of the dark side.
• What about a battle between Klingons and Wookies? How cool would that be? Of course following in the old traditional cliche they would later form an alliance against a greater threat from the Empire and their new allies the Romulans.

The point is, I see a number of benefits from a alternate universe , geekgasm team-up, one-shot miniseries, so I'm going to create a cover for one such possibility. The most probable idea I think.

There will be a lot more to see here tomorrow, but for now here's a teaser.
Borg Trooper.
It makes sense that if the collective could so easily go back in time to first contact day, then perhaps they have the know how to go back a "long, long time ago" to "a galaxy far, far away". At the very least, the technology exists for a wonderful accident to send them there.
Now of course the Borg would have to at least attempt to assimilate the galaxy's most powerful Sith. Problem is, there is no way they could get to Vader.

....unless he wanted them to. I'm sure Vader would suspect that the Borg nanites, when encountering such a level of midi-clorians as his, would immediately be dominated. And after seeing the Borg technology, why would Vader settle for his "inferior cybernetics"?

But I wonder if even Vader understood the true consequence of this merger.
Come back tomorrow(or Monday) to see a completed cover of this never to be published mini and learn more about the new Empire.

Tenative title: Star Wars/Star Trek:Vader Almighty! or maybe "Unholy Merger" has that double meaning-Star Trek/Star Wars merger and Midi-clorian/Borg Nanite merger

Until then enjoy what little progress I've made on my Borg Trooper!

What about Peter David's Star Trek: New Frontier novels?

I've only read 2.(how many are there?) They're great. Mostly new characters but also a couple of familiar characters like Lefler and Jellico who has recently become one of my favourites!

Ask me anything

Have you ever been a situation where your work was compared to someone's that you don't admire? How did/would you handle it?

I honestly can't think of an instance of when that happened. However, if it did and they admired the person they were comparing me to, than that would at least be something. That would be easily handled; "thank you". Whether its a compliment to you personally or not, you've made them happy and they meant it as a compliment, so rejoice. If they're doing it to be a smart ass(say like that yellow hat mutha fucker!) then snap their little pencil neck. I'm not a violence-never-solved-anything kind of person when it comes to bullies and smart asses. believe me it solves everything and is the only way to remind them of who they are. I actually thought that list from J"ay and Silent Bob Strike Back" was a brilliant idea.(probably because I thought of it first) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjWFZPJZTxU
Seriously though,whenever I'm compared to someone, I always ask how so? I learn alot of different lessons from alot of different artists, so if I don't immediately see the comparison, I want to know what I've learned(or learned wrong as the case sometimes is).

Play

Ask me anything

Star Wars or Star Trek? why? Do you simply prefer one over the other? or do you hate one and love the other? why? There's a reason why I ask and it will be revealed on my blog in the next few days.

Star Wars or Star Trek? why? Do you simply prefer one over the other? or do you hate one and love the other? why?There's a reason why I ask and it will be revealed on my blog in the next few days.

Answer here

Your art lends itself readily to black and white composition. What about your life? If you were dropped into a scene like in Pleasantville, a world without color, how would you feel?

I love this question! A scene without colour: HEAVEN! I feel that without all that colour distraction you get to the core of what's aesthetically important! composition, light and shadow positive and negative space. These things exist with colour of course, but colour can ditract from it, disrupt it or affect the balance.
The world just looks more "real" to me in greyscale.

I should also add that the industrial are of L.I.C, NY where I have my art studio is very much duotone and I'm constantly inspired by the de-saturated industrial texture that I'm surrounded by. So in a sense, I'm in that world without colour and it is exciting!

Ask me anything

Your art lends itself readily to black and white composition. What about your life? If you were dropped into a scene like in Pleasantville, a world without color, how would you feel?

I love this question! A scene without colour: HEAVEN! I feel that without all that colour distraction you get to the core of what's aesthetically important! composition, light and shadow positive and negative space. These things exist with colour of course, but colour can ditract from it, disrupt it or affect the balance.
The world just looks more "real" to me in greyscale.

Ask me anything

What is the one comics related gift you are hoping to receive this holiday season?

speedball india ink!
But since I don't participate in the commercial part of Christmas, it's probably unfair of me to expect any gifts from others.

Ask me anything

Black Friday... do you participate in the madness? Is there a specific item this year that you're going for?

I don't mean to sound "un American" but I am not much of a consumer. I get much more out of what I can do without money then with. So no. I not only don't participate in that madness, but I also don't participate in the commercial part of Christmas.(so I'm sorry but you can stop checking the mailbox. there will be no gifts from me.) Besides I live in NYC. I have to work100+hour weeks just to pay the rent. Because I don't know if you heard but "The rent is too damn high!"

Ask me anything

Recently I've been having terrible nightmares involving Ed Asner, a hot glue gun, and nun's habit. Any advice?

Have you tried lucid dreaming? If you can manage that then I'd use the habit to disguise myself so I could get close enough to blind Asner to shoot him in they eye with hot glue. this should disable him long enough for you to either dispatch him or retreat. good luck!

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What you look for most in your definition of Good Stories?

Characters! If I had to chose 1 thing it would be interesting and relatable characters. Particularly when it comes to serial stories.

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Is there a book that you read annually, which book is it?

Do you mean over and over again? because I read Catcher in the Rye about once a year. Just something cathartic about following Holden down that spiral. I mean don't we all just want that freedom?. to just say "fuck it! I'm a fuck up I'm going to embrace it" and then go around drinking and spending money like there's no tomorrow? Wheeeeee! good times! But if you mean collected TPB's that I read regularly, nothing since Sleeper(Brubaker and Sean Phillips). I read the two 12 issue collected and loved it! Wait! wasn't the protagonist in that one named Holden as well? ...weird.

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Fallen Angel:The Return of the Son -Ifanboy interview

Learn all about the new Fallen Angel mini from Peter David and myself here
This is an extremely thorough interview. So much so in fact that I learned a couple things that even I didn't know.

What book are you currently reading ?

Moving Pictures -Kathrynn & Stuart Immonen
Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove - Christopher Moore
Cosmic Oddysey - Jim Starlin & Mike Mignola

Ask me anything

You decide to throw a huge stadium concert for all of your friends. What 3 bands, active or not, do you book for the show?

Dead Boys
David Bowie(w/Spiders)
Plastic Ono/Elephants Memory Band(with Frank Zappa and Klaus Vooreman. the same band from John Lennon's "Sometime in NYC" Album)

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What comic book (if any) has had the most impact on your life?

probably Stray Toasters by Bill Sienkiewicz. It wasthe first book I read that showed me what the comic medium was actually capable of doing. The art world got a lot more expansive after exposure to that as well.

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If you were limited to one comic publisher's works to enjoy who would it be and why?

Tough one. Probably Top Shelf. There seems to be the most diversity in genre, there.

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Favorite artist... top of your head (past or present)... GO!

Bill Sienkiewicz.

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Is it true during the red scare that Joe McCarthy claimed Spider Man was communist due to his red costume and acrobatics that seemingly mimic the graceful moves of classic Russian ballet?

YES! absolutely! In fact Spiderman was originally called the "Proletariat Spider" with his famous catch phrase, "capitalism is a system based on the exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie!". Unfortunately Stan Lee bowed to the pressures of the McCarthy movement and the name was changed to Spiderman and the catch phrase changed to "My Spider Sense is tingling!"

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Fallen Angel:Return of the Son - this week

sample page art from the upcoming Fallen Angel mini at ComicAttack.net

A review of Previews solicits for January and a brief interview with me about the upcoming Fallen Angel mini.

my Saturday kidnapping experience in Brooklyn. ...and some talk about the upcoming Fallen Angel mini sereies
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New CGS episode! We talk about Peter David's upcoming Fallen Angel mini series, "Return of the Son", Super Show and some art give-away!

What is the perfect day for you?

When the page just flows! There are days when I'll illustrate and I can do no wrong and that page comes out great!! But you were probably looking for something non-work related, so..
Waking up with no deadline and nothing to do. a very rare kind of day for me. The kind of day where boredom is an actual possibility. I'd sleep in till 1pm, go directly to brunch and get a bite and a slight daytime buzz, hit the comic store and pick up a months worth of read. Then to the pub with friends drink, spin some records on the jukebox. Go home and pass out reading while watching Star Trek.

Ask me anything

What project are you most proud of?

hmm.. difficult to say. Overall it 's definitely Fallen Angel. But if it's a particular issue, that's a close call between Alien Spotlight:Klingons and X-Men Origins:Beast. I assume you mean published works, but the art I'm most proud of is on an issue that isn't even out yet. It's called SAGA and will eventually be published by Archaia.

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As an Idw artist, how do you feel about "Infestation"?

There's been mixed opinions on this, but I personally love it! I'm busy with Fallen Angel right now, and would never give it up for anything, but if it were possible, i would've enjoyed being more involved with Infestation. I find the idea of a connection between those world's intriguing. Obviously you can't have Optimus Prime on the bridge of the Enterprise, but I think it's interesting to see how each world's characters deal with a similar crisis.
I would've loved to do an issue or 2, or even covers, but time did not allow. I did however do a fun, FUN sketch for the Infestation sketchbook IDW is doing as a retailer incentive. Stay tuned to my blog, http://www.jkwoodwardart.blogspot.com/ , and I'll post this sketch as soon as I get the okay from my friendly neighbourhood IDW editor, Tom Waltz.

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Have you ever kicked a howler monkey?

How dare you?!? My Mother was a howler monkey!!!!
Helluva question to ask!

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formspring.me

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