Bat-Briefs!

World Pride is coming to Toronto in less than a week (in fact the event kicked off tonight with many goings on until the big Parade on the 29th. Hope all the out-of-towners enjoy Toronto - I think it's a pretty great city!

j.

Hide and Secord!

Just a quick and dirty post to welcome in the NEW YEAR! Happy New Year everyone! I've been up to my rocket-pack in Rocketeer for the past few months. I love getting to draw Cliff and Betty again (this time I think I'm doing a much better job on both). Here's a little sneak peek at Cliff.

The announcement at Comics Alliance can still be seen here.

j.

Anti-Bullying Campaign!

This weekend in Toronto I'll be participating in an art show open house. The event is called POWERHAUS and takes place at Glad Day Bookshop. The show runs from this Sunday 23rd of September to October 23rd. Click on Powerhaus to see the Facebook event listing.

I was fortunate in that I wasn't bullied as a kid. Not that I was out gay back in high school, but I wasn't even bullied for being a nerd, wearing glasses, or having braces. However...I did have fantasies like the ones I drew here...and that last panel almost, sort of happened. Actually the guy asked me to draw a naked lady for him. And I did. :)

Also, I noticed that I drew two crowd scenes of people exclaiming how awesome I...I mean, My Superhero counterparts, am/are. I draw my own applauding audience. What does that say about my need for approval? Let's not psychoanalyze, shall we.

If you're in Toronto come by the show. Several local artists are taking part and from what I've seen there's some amazing art going up. The show runs for a month so even if you miss the opening night you can still see the art and visit Toronto's famous Glad Day Bookshop.

j.

Small Town Super Boy!

A commission for a fan who requested Conner Kent in a pose similar to my fab cover drawing from 2009. Any time I've drawn the Kent farm I always like to include the windmill-thingy from the '78 SUPERMAN movie. Still one of the best superhero movies ever made.

j.

Biff! Pow! Color!

First color drawing from the recent (and last) Dr. Sketchy's session. Mmm...love Robin's hairy tummy and furry legs. The model Robin's...not my drawing of Robin.

More to come.

j.

Dr. Sketchy's Batman and Robin!

We're coming up on the end of summer and, sadly, the end of an era -- Dr. Sketchy's Toronto is breaking up. For their final session the organizers, Brett Despotovich and Katherine Piro (and photographer Brynne Kennedy) went out with a bang. The models were dressed as Batman and Robin...sexy, sexy Batman and Robin. Boylesque performers Patastrophic Sexapeel and Corey Swelling played Batman and Robin.

Oh man...these guys are HOT!!








I used to watch the old Batman tv show (who didn't?) every afternoon after school. I never realized how hot costumed crime-fighters are when tied up until the guys took this pose. Suddenly it all hit me how I used to tie up my Mego Batman and Robin action figures. Robin also used to give Batman shirtless back-rubs. :)


Mmm...that final pose is still burned into my brain. I can't wait to see all of Brynne's photos from the night.

j.

Masters Of The Universe™!!

My local chapter of the magnificent Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School recently had a HE-MAN™ theme night! Organizers Brett Despotovich and Katherine Piro did an amazing job putting this together! He-Man's sword was incredible! (not a euphamism) and SKELETOR™ was jaw-dropping! I sketched like a madman trying to get all the energy the models were bringing to the poses. It was like a dream come true! :)
Above is a sketch I made over-top of one of the rougher drawings. You'll see the original below. These aren't by any means all of the drawings, but some of the best. Or at least ones I like the best.






j.

You're an Animal, Man!

Hawkman is one of those characters I've always wanted to draw in a comic book story but have yet to get the chance. I think he must be a tough character to get a grasp on...so tied up is he with his past life/next life history. I thought it'd be fun to draw a story with his great, great, great ancestor back in the days of Egyptian pharaohs when animal headed Gods ruled!
Speaking of animal heads...this guy I drew after a night hanging out at Woody's! For those of you who've never been there, Woody's has a rhino head mounted in the main stage area of the bar. An artificial rhino, mind you. He's kinda the mascot of the place. There is also a wall/showcase full of rhinoceros knick-knacks. So I wanted to draw a cartoon hunk of rhinoceros beefcake who I might one day pitch to Woody's management for use in advertising or something. He would, of course, be named Woody!

Speaking of Woody's, I've lately found myself with much greater confidence when it comes to simply starting conversation with guys I think are good lookin'. I haven't reached the point yet of asking anyone to pose for me...but I'm off to a good start :)

Happy New Year!
j.bone

The Unbreakable Bottom!

First seen in spring of this year, The Unbreakable Bottom (aka RJ Danvers, comic book fan and adorable blogger) returns to the page! I was inspired by a post made by RJ on his own blog (p.s. Not safe for work) of a drawing featuring Spidey and Ms. Marvel and a questionable tangent. One of RJ's fans suggested a Ms. Marvel team-up with the Unbreakable Bottom. Well, didn't draw Ms. Marvel but I did want to draw UB again. I don't consider myself a very good costume designer but I really like how this one turned out. It's a little bit Jett Vector with Wonder Man colors.

Update: Sketchbook's coming along slooooowly...oof! I've finally started putting it all together in my layout program. So that's something! :)

best,
j.

Toronto Fan Expo 2009!

This past weekend was the Toronto Fan Expo comic book convention. I was set up with three feet of table space, my sketchpad, a bunch of comic books and a bushel full of enthusiasm! I always love meeting the fans of Darwyn's work and mine, signing books and drawing. But this year I met quite a few fans of this here blog...and that was pretty darned cool.

The above drawings were done as commissioned pieces, finished before the convention. I don't take commissions...unless there's an upcoming con where I can personally hand over the art. The few times I've mailed out art it was for a European collector.
The drawing of Wolverine is for the Shuster awards charity auction. I pencilled it while staying with Darwyn for a weekend. He masterfully inked it up and it's now in the hands of the Shuster dudes. We were definitely being cheeky by handing in a Beefcake shot of Marvel's hottest Canadian hero. But, hey, there are plenty of female fans and they don't always get eye candy to enjoy. :)

Lastly, but not leastly, my dear friend G. ;) sent me a link to a site that recently featured me. So check out Fleshbot and see what Brian O'Brien had to say about my stuff! Thanks, Brian.

best,
j.
p.s. I'm off camping this weekend...at an all-male campground. I've never been but I'm looking forward to lots of beefy men who'll let me draw them in my sketchbook! Excited!

The Cover of FAB!!

Two posts today because I just have to tell you about the current issue of Fab and I didn't want to interrupt the flow of the Week of Loin-cloths! For those of you in or near Toronto, my art is on the cover of Fab magazine. Editor Matt Thomas interviewed me for the feature article on gays in comics and very kindly asked me to draw the cover. How could I say no? I've been reading Fab ever since I moved to Toronto for school, where I would nervously sneak copies into my portfolio and hope that none of my friends saw me standing near or picking up the latest issue. I've still got some of those early editions. I'm absolutely thrilled to be one of two artists to actually draw a cover (Glen Hanson is the other). It's pretty sweet to be out on Church st. and see my artwork sitting in store windows and all over the Fab news-boxes!

Matt also interviewed the delightful and good looking Phil Jimenez as well as Perry Moore (author of Hero). You can read the article at the Fab website.

If you're near a comic shop, check out the newest issue of Super Friends. I drew the interiors as well as the cover for #18. It's a Bizarro Super Friends story and I LOVE how it all turned out. The colorist did a terrific job and the writer, Sholly Fisch, wrote some of the funniest dialogue for the Heroes from the square planet!

Also, if you haven't seen District 9 and you're a fan of Sci-Fi, go check it out. There's a lot of political kerfuffle about the movie, charges of racism etc...and while certain stereotypes bothered me I still found it to be such an incredible movie. My favourite kind of Sci-Fi...the kind that makes us look at our own world and how we treat the Earth and each other.

And finally... I really appreciate all the comments during this week of Loin-cloth! I've got a bunch of movies to hunt down and a few requests for more cloth wearing characters. Check in on Monday for the Lord of the Loin-Cloths himself! I'll give you a hint - his name rhymes with 'Shmar-zan'

Have a great weekend!
j.

B'Wana Loin a New Trick?

B'WANA BEAST! Introduced to me by the same friend who reminded me about Red-Wolf (see previous Loin Post), I kinda fell in love with B'Wana Beast myself. He's one of my buddy's favorites. Considering the fact that he's not wearing much of a costume he shows up in some unlikely places. Like in the Justice League Animated comic book, the Justice League tv show (and action figure line) as well as the new Batman: Brave and the Bold. I've drawn him for my blog, even!

Apparently he's had a name change in these more politically nervous times. But I looked up B'Wana, assuming it had some horribly negative meaning, and found that it's a form of respectful address in parts of Africa. His new name is 'Freedom Beast' which is an incredibly stupid name. How about 'Sir Beast' or 'Gentleman Beast' if you have to change the poor guy's name.

This is hardly the place to get political. I'm going to continue calling B'Wana Beast by his original name. And I'm going to continue drawing him because he sure is a heckuva lot of fun to draw!

beastly yours,
j.

The Loin Age of Marvel Comics!

Many years ago there came to Marvel comics a hero...a man wearing the head and pelt of a red-wolf! And he called himself - RED WOLF! His first appearance in Avengers #80 was drawn by the incredible John Buscema (who, in the issue previous, had introduced a villain wearing the head and pelt of a Gorilla. Did John have a thing for wearing taxidermy?)

I first saw this character in the form of the very cool Randy Bowen mini-bust (which I confess I now wish to own). I'd forgotten about him but when I was telling a friend, who has a vast knowledge of all Marvel characters especially the obscure, that I was finally doing a weeks worth of loin-cloth themed drawings he suggested drawing Red-Wolf. I changed his costume slightly, making the 'pants' something more like chaps, or hip waders. A change I'm sure most of you won't fault me for making, I'm sure.

Enjoy,
j.

The Un-Named Hero!

A quick-ish post today! I've got a book to draw and deadlines looming...but I couldn't resist taking some time out to draw comic book fan RJ Danvers as a superhero! RJ has shown up a few times on my blog as a Guy a Day and as Mr.Natural in the chest hair series. With his full chest of hair and trimmed facial hair he's sort of a typical J.Bone guy, really.
In fact one blog follower, let's call him Mr. X ;), thought Josh and RJ were one and the same. Not so, just similar looking guys.

So, I have no superhero name for RJ. Anyone have any ideas? My thinking with the costume was I wanted modern and sexy without being too revealing. I wanted a costume that you might actually see in a newstand comic. I think the name should be suggestive without being dirty...but that's just me (innocent ol' J.Bone :)
As usual, I had to halftone screen the colour image. I love the retro! Doesn't he look like he could be one of the reserve Avengers?

best,
j.

Teepee or not Teepee! or You Loin a new Thong Every Day!

It's Thursday! Officially "Loincloth Thursday"! Today we celebrate all things Loin-y. Looser than a speedo but more revealing than track pants, the Loin cloth is loved for its nearly-naked, not-quite-clothing, almost-revealing-it-all qualities. Popularized by the many incarnations of that famous King of the Jungle, Tarzan, the loincloth is the ultimate in comfort clothing. Won't bind or pull. Doesn't bunch up like boxers. It allows the freedom of "commando" with slightly more protection!

In celebration of Loincloth Thursday I'll share with you my own loincloth story. I don't remember how old I was...possibly eleven-ish?? My dad has always been into hunting and fishing. My parents took us to a hunting club; a huge wooded area where people had set up tents, there was a lodge with a giant dining hall (giant at least to my young eyes). Roasting on a tremendous outdoor spit was a bison! I remember clearly that it was most definitely a cut of meat I'd not yet eaten, and that I wasn't even sure what a bison was but that it was most definitely bigger than a cow. I believe there were several smaller spits with pig, cow and deer. All slowly roasting for the big feast to come.

What fascinated us kids was that someone had built an actual teepee (forgive me if that's not the PC term used today). A real actual teepee with wooden logs as it's support beams, animal hide stitched together for covering and a fire burning right up the middle. The guy who lived in it, out there on the hunting grounds, was an older (late 40's maybe early 50's) gentleman with a greying beard, grizzly Adams friendliness and wearing an honest to goodness leather loincloth. I'm sure I'd never seen anyone outside of the tv wearing a loincloth and I couldn't stop staring. He also wore leather chaps to cover his legs which only seemed to frame that loincloth.

What does he do when the wind blows? Has he different loincloths for all types of weather? What does he wear in the winter? Is it legal to walk around in a loincloth? Where do you buy loincloths? 

This kindly fellow saw us kids admiring his teepee and invited our family inside. It was large enough to hold us all with plenty of room to spare. We squatted around the fire (Is it too cold to sit on the ground in a loincloth?) and he told us all about making the teepee and how you put the fire in the middle so that the shape of the cone makes a natural chimney. The whole time he was talking I'm pretty sure I was trying to figure out that loincloth. He had on some sort of leather underwear so as not to be bared to the world...but I distinctly remember that it didn't cover his butt! I wonder now if my staring was obvious. I was a kid so I'm sure it was.

My parents thanked him for showing us the teepee, we toured more of the club and then ate a huge meal of spit-roasted meats and, I'm sure, some pot-luck style variety of other dishes. I kept looking for that loincloth guy afterwards but we didn't see him in the dining lodge. I like to think he sat, cross legged with his loyal dog by his side; eating a leg of bison with no utensils, no barbecue sauce or salt. Just roasted smoky charred meat. He'd toss the rest to his dog when he was finished, then lay back and watch the stars appear in the sky through the hole in the top of his teepee.

Happy Loincloth Thursday!

j.

p.s. The drawing? Oh yeah. The drawing is ol' Josh as a Tarzan type. I've always wanted to do a jungle series and now I've got a fantastically fun character in Rim'Ah. He'll be joined by a chimpanzee, naturally, though not in the typical "Cheetah/Tarzan" relationship. Fear not fans of loinclothery, Rim'Ah shall return!

Luc the Tulip!

Something different today. A few years ago I met Luc Latulippe through the Internet. Luc is an amazingly talented illustrator who's been working in the industry for years and years and years ;) Seriously, I've seen his work everywhere and I always love it. You've seen his work too, you just didn't know it! Luc is everywhere!

But besides being a fantastic artist he's also a slice of delicious Beefcake! Looking at some pictures of him that I saw online, I couldn't believe that I hadn't yet drawn him. Or at least tried to. He's quite yummy. SO just for kicks I doodled up a Superhero alter-ego for Latulippe, giving him a bit of leather gear and some fancy schmancy metal bracelets. I see The Tulip as a gentle giant of a Hero gifted with incredible strength and an unfailing need to right wrongs.

After finishing this drawing I noticed how like a He-Man toy my cartoonier Man-atomy is. I quite like the extreme proportions but in reality The Tulip would have trouble staying upright! Good thing this is just a cartoon world!

best,
j.

Y'wanna B'Wana?

A buddy of mine loves the B'Wana Beast. I drew this as a card image for him and then completely forgot to give it to him on his birthday. I even postponed putting it up on my blog before his birthday so that if he happened to be checking out my blog last week it wouldn't ruin the surprise.
The actual B'Wana Beast comic book is fairly lame. I only have one issue but the art is not so hot and the stories are borderline stupid. But B'Wana himself is a guy in a loin cloth which merits checking out even in the worst of situations.

best,
j.

If the Sub-Mariner reaches the water, he'll become INVINCIBLE!

Final Namor pic in retro-colour! Recently I've been working on a few pin-up type images recreating some of my favourite scenes from comics past. This is sort of the cover image from Fantastic Four #4...although I didn't actually find that cover until I'd finished the inks on my own version. I knew the scene I wanted to draw but looked only in the essential collection for a panel of Namor kidnapping Sue...I don't know how I missed the cover until too late but that's the way it went.

To tell the truth I'm glad I drew more from memory than directly copying. This way it feels more like my own thing rather than a Kirby re-do.

Eventually I'll be sending my pin-ups to my art dealer Albert Moy. I've finally added a link to his site over on the right. Dunno why it's taken me so long to advertise my association with Mr. Moy!! Crazy. Check out his site if you're interested in any of my comic book work. There are some nice Wolverine pages drawn by Darwyn that I inked and some of our Spider-Man work, plus all the Spirit pages.

best,
j.

The Savage Sub-Mariner!

I've had Namor on the brain (must be the swimsuit) so I drew up another Namor image. Okay, so this one's got a little Cheesecake in with the Beef but I'm sure you guys can handle it :)
I always loved that Namor wanted to steal Sue away from Reed. I couldn't find the exact issue in my collection but I'm sure at one point he picked her up and was about to reach the water before he was stopped by the FF...or by Sue's gentle pleading.

Namor's face kinda bothers me...it's a little too dull. When I ink it I think I'll rework his expression and then I'll post the inks when it's done.

j.

Bruce Wayne!

This wednesday, comic book day, sees the release of Justice League: The New Frontier. It's a single issue special put out to coincide with the DVD release of the New Frontier movie (you all got that, right?) I was in San Francisco recently for the premiere screening of the movie and thought it was fantastic.
The comic book has art from the film, a kickass new Batman/Superman story by Darwyn Cooke, a Robin tale drawn by New Frontier Director Dave Bullock (with inks by Mike Cho) and a Wonder Woman story by me! I finally got to draw Wonder Woman! It's a dream come true. So why am I posting a picture of Bruce Wayne? Because this is a Beefcake blog, and because ol' Brucie appears in the story in a really cute way!


Here's the fantastic Darwyn Cooke cover so you won't miss it at the shops this wednesday.

best,
j.