The History of Comics Project

Last week, I did a page for a very cool project on "The History of Comics" being orchestrated by Curtis Lawson, writer of Kincaid and founder of Broken Soul Press. Curtis wrote a script and has recruited different artists to each draw a page. This book will be collected in a comic and the art is going to be displayed for the public.

Here's my page. I wish I could have spent a bit more time on it, because Curtis' script gave me a lot of free reign to draw cool stuff. I think it came out okay. (Click the picture for a larger size.)

PAGE SIX (Four Panels)

Panel 1. This is a large panel across the top of the page with Paris standing in the foreground. In the background we see numerous golden age style heroes and villains battling in the back ground.

PARIS:

With the introduction of Action Comics #1, Superhero books exploded onto the scene. Super powered do-gooders could be found on every news stand, fighting for truth and justice.

Panel 2. Paris and some character that looks vaguely like Captain America are fighting Nazis.

PARIS:

Many of these early comic book heroes found popularity by fictitiously taking part in the American war effort against Germany and Japan.

Panel 3. Paris is standing next to the Captain America looking character. The captain has his foot on the prone body of a knocked out Hitler.

PARIS:

But after the war was won, American readers found their tastes to be drifting from costumed avengers.

Panel 4. A shady, criminal looking character and a sultry pulp vixen glare at a caped super hero and gesture him off panel.

CRIMINAL:

Get out of here, tough guy.

PARIS(CAP):

Although the superhero never went away, its popularity did diminish as readers were drawn to the darker world of crime and suspense stories.