Tag: Vertigo Crime

All this week, in celebration of “Fogtown” in its new paperback release, I’m blogging/posting preparatory artwork done way back in late ’06. The project was long in its genesis, given that it wasn’t published until August ’10 in hardcover, and August ’11 in paperback.

Today we look at “Bone” White, Ex-pugalist, “Colonel” Thorpe’s main henchman and Frank Grissel’s down-low fuck buddy.

These first drawing made him look too tough; Andersen wanted him prettier. The character was fiercely protective of his face; none of his opponents could ever land a blow on it. His hand were another matter; they were supposed to be gnarled, scarred from abuse.

This was more in the right direction. I came up with the idea of making his hair “period” by going with the “conk” look.

Then I wanted to see what he looked like with his clothes off, assuming that he would appear thusly at some point in the novel.

Anderson thought he looked too beefy in this drawing and wanted to go with a more “slimmed down” look.

Like so.

All this week, in celebration of “Fogtown” in its new paperback release, I’m blogging/posting preparatory artwork done way back in late ’06. The project was long in its genesis, given that it wasn’t published until August ’10 in hardcover, and August ’11 in paperback.
This installment focuses on Eliza Grey, Frank Grissel’s estranged daughter.
Andersen’s original concept was that her name would be “Bette Noir”, and that she would be a dominatrix prostitute.

Here are 2 more dominatrix versions.

Yet another dominatrix, based off Natalie Wood.

Karen Berger, the group editor, suggested making Bette something other than a kink-whore. Andersen modified her into a psychiatrist studying teen whores in the North Beach area of San Francisco.

Andersen was looking for something more bohemian, almost “Beat”. I couldn’t get a handle on her until I  came upon the “Ayn Rand” hairstyle.

All this week, in celebration of “Fogtown” in its new paperback release, I’m blogging/posting preparatory artwork done way back in late ’06. The project was long in it’s genesis, given that it wasn’t published until August ’10 in hardcover and August ’11 in paperback. This installment, I’m focusing on the main character in “Fogtown”, Frank Grissel, hard boiled, bisexual private eye. As you can see, he went through many changes.

In this drawing, I’m playing around, trying different possible looks.

If memory served, this drawing is based off #2 from the previous drawing. At least, that’s how it appears; I actually don’t remember.

This is a version modeled off Robert Mitchum, fleshing out original editor Bob Schreck’s suggestion.

This version is based off John Gavin, as per writer Andersen Gabrych’s suggestion.

Andersen later changed his mind, deciding he wanted Frank to look like Randy Couture, “mixed martial arts Hall-of-Famer, and former UFC title holder.

In the end, he ended up looking vaguely like Darwyn Cooke’s version of Slam Bradley.

I was filing artwork tonight and ran across these character sketches for my recently out-in-paperback graphic novel, “Fogtown”. I’ll be posting more in the next few days.