Monday, August 01, 2011

Here comes.....The Coma!

I've started working on my next comic book. This one features a brand-new character of mine. Previously, I published some sketches of him in my COMIC POP SKETCHBOOK (available in my little ol' web shop) and a pic or two online. But now it's time to awaken The Coma!

The above image was created a few years back, as an exercise in determining the character's color scheme, and experimenting with some digital effects. A lot of times I create these characters in my sketchbooks, usually as a way of getting an idea out of my head. Sometimes I look at the finished drawing and put the idea away in the back burner of my mind. Over the years, as I'm working on other comics, I always go back to the old ideas and try to figure out a story for them. I created the logo a few hours ago, so it may change. But I really like the idea.
 
A large focus on this particular story will be the drawings and designs of the actual pages. Yes, there's a story to the character, but I really want to continue to push myself as an artist, and with the other-worldy dimensional environments and psychodelic landscapes of the Coma, I think I'll really be able to let my mind's eye run wild with the look of the book.

Here's the first page:

And here's a batch of sketches from a few years back, where I was figuring out the rough ideas for the character:



'THE COMA' is set to debut at the Alternative Press Expo this October 1 & 2, in San Francisco. I'm thinking of creating an exclusive APE edition with a painted cover. Also, I think some Coma Sketch Dolls would be cool to unveil there as well!  I'll be updating my progress on the blog, so check back for more art and behind-the-scenes 'insider' secrets!

The Coma is TM & © Javier Hernandez, All Rights Reserved.

4 comments:

Blair Kitchen said...

Wo WO, Whaaaaa!!!!!? Javier, you're full of surprises!! I love it.

I'll be looking forward to reading The Coma!!!!!

Sometimes I'm torn between coming up with other characters and exploring other ideas or going the Larson, Sakai or Sim route and sticking with 1 character for a long time. At some point it would be great to do some one shots and see if there's an audience reaction to other characters I've created. Cool stuff, Jav.

Javier Hernandez said...

Ha! Thanks, Blair.

First, I owe you and lots of other folks an apology. I told everyone I was working on a DEMOLITION DOVE comic, but I couldn't find the right story. I have a full-length, proper Demo Dove storyline, but trying to come up with a short story 'prequel' was too difficult.

So... We get The Coma!

About single character vs. multiple characters. I totally understand building the one-character career. Works for the folks you mentioned (plus Ian Fleming and James Bond, for example).

Like lots of artists, I have other ideas burning a whole in my brain, and I HAVE to get them out. And some characters, for me, work better for a type of story.

But, don't forget man, you got Captain Smith and Broccoli Boy, too!

Greenblatt the Great! said...

Looks intriguing, Jav. Like you're tapping into surrealist, Ditko parallel universes or something....Looking forward to reading this latest Hernandez gem while we all wait for Demo Dove to arrive....one day....Maybe he'll show up in a Coma cameo! Anything can happen!

Girl With Chalk said...

The Coma is cool! I like the logo alot too....nice!