Dial S for Sketch: Grasshopper by Nathan Massengill

Inspired by Siskoid's "Dial H" evaluations (in which he looks back at the various one-shot characters from DC's "Dial H for Hero" and considers their chances of making it as actual recurring DC characters), I've started a new sketchbook to collect different artists' interpretations of these "disposable" characters. At today's Atlanta Comic Con, I got the book started with a piece by Nathan Massengill.

Massengill fondly remembered the '80s "Dial H" series, and he picked out a character he recalled from his youth: Vicki Grant's "Grasshopper" identity from Adventure Comics #479.

(Obviously, when I say that he remembered this character, I don't mean to suggest that he drew it from memory...I brought the Adventure Comics run and the Robby Reed-era "Dial H" Showcase book for reference. Still, I was impressed, and a little relieved, that the first artist I approached for this project was one who's familiar with the series.)

Musical Monday: Daredevil Sings XTC

The most recent contribution to my Musical Sketchbook, acquired at this year's DragonCon: Thom Zahler (of "Love & Capes") did this great portrait of Daredevil to the tune of XTC's "Senses Working Overtime" (with the numbers modified for accuracy)...

Bonus kudos to Zahler for lettering the caption so dynamically!

Panel of the Week: My Little Donald Sutherland

What's this? Actual content? From me?

That's right, one of the comics I picked up this week had a panel so good, I just had to scan and share it. From the first issue of IDW's "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic," writer Katie Cook and artist Andy Price present a riff on "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," with several ponies being replaced with blank-eyed, mindless duplicates. When the few unaffected ponies notice what's going on, they're pointed out by a shrieking Donald-Sutherland-in-Pony-Form:

And if that panel alone isn't worth the cover price, the rest of the story definitely is.

I can't promise I'll be able to make "Panel of the Week" a regular feature, but this was just too good not to point out.

A Musical Monday Duet: Dex-Starr and Satana Sing Cliff Richard

In the year since my last "Musical Monday" post, I've gotten a few more sketches in my sketchbook...and now that I've shared all my Golden Age Sketchbook drawings, let's go back where we left off, shall we?

This time, I've got not one, but two sketches to share: Two artists, two characters, but one song. Specifically, two unrelated characters embodying two consecutive verses of Cliff Richard's "Devil Woman." First, Peter Cutler offers this scene of Dex-Starr, that cat with them evil eyes:

Then, Geoffrey Gwin presents Marvel's resident "Devil Woman," Satana.

She's gonna get you!

Remember Whens-Day: Captain America by Mark Bagley

And this brings me up to date on my Golden Age sketchbook, with my most recent acquisition from this year's DragonCon: A headshot of Captain America by Mark Bagley.

What will I do now? Well, I've gotten a few more contributions in my Musical Sketchbook, so we'll see a brief return of "Musical Monday." After that, I'll have to come up with actual content of my own (the horror!). Future posts may be sporadic (like that's new), but I've got a few ideas...

Remember Whens-Day: Fantomah by Jason Flowers

Ever wonder what a Fletcher Hanks character would look like drawn in a more realistic style? Well, here's Hanks' skull-faced jungle heroine Fantomah (Mystery Woman of the Jungle) as interpreted by Jason Flowers.

Remember Whens-Day: Guardian by Karl Kesel

This week's Golden Age sketch: Jack Kirby's Guardian, by the ever-incredible Karl Kesel.