back ninja turtles become a cultural phenomenon, Kevin Eastman Purchased the iconic science fiction and fantasy comic magazine heavy metal. Soon after, he began spending most of his time in his home studio working with British comics artists Simon Beasley.
Together the two have launched a series of experimental and daring works – melting pot arrive death toll — and their working relationship is so interesting that they were invited to discuss the good old days during a panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.
They recalled those days going to the gym and then working, working, working in the garage Eastman converted into a home studio. they will listen jerky boy, comedian’s album Andrew Desclair, and old war documentaries in the background. They would sit by the pool. They would talk to a cardboard cutout of President Bill Clinton placed near the table. They draw comics and usually have a lot of fun.
But most urgently, they would draw those comics.
“We were very efficient there. “We’re doing a lot of work day in and day out.”
Eastman nodded.
“It’s always a marathon,” he said.
and heavy metal is the key to it all. Eastman points to the anthology magazine, first published in 1977, as the foundational element of his comics career. He said he bought the book from a newsstand and the effect it had on him was life-changing.
“If there was any question about not continuing a career in comics,” Eastman said, “Heavy Metal solidified that. Even if I was living in my parents’ basement, I would still draw comics.
heavy metal It first opened Eastman’s eyes to potentially more complex comics. When he was young, mainstream comics were still naive and still beholden to the oppressive rules of comics canon. but not Heavy metal.
Every month it brings surprises and changes to fans.
“It appeals to fans on so many levels, and a lot of them are not comic book fans,” Eastman said. “They’re not buying Spider-Man comics, they’re buying Heavy Metal.”
Similar to the British science fiction anthology magazine, AD 2000, Beasley did the work for that. So when Turtles became a hit and Eastman made some money, he bought the magazine and hired Beasley.
“He gave me a bunch of money,” Beasley recalled. “I bought a sports car and crashed it into the ground…”
Eastman recalls watching Beasley draw — with a cigarette dangling from his mouth — with surprising ease and palpable joy.
“I knew I could never be as good as him or do what he could do,” Eastman said. “He is, without a doubt, the most gifted artist I have ever met.”
The two also got along well due to their mutual admiration for artists like this. Richard Coburn and Frank Franzetta.
So, yes, the panel was a nice mix of old memories of mutual admiration between the two industry heavyweights, but perhaps the highlight was an old set of Polaroids they shared from back in the day. Look, that was a pretty long time, and the photos reflect that, and as they say, I’m not here to blow anyone’s place, but the slideshow conveys a pair of talented young creatives who love what they do A cool carnival of things.
The couple was young and successful and had a wonderful time making art… isn’t that a good thing to remember?
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