The new Alex Ross Hardcover

[samurainoir]

Anyone else seen this yet?

Some fantastic stuff. Not quite amongst the most brilliant of Mr Chip Kidd's book designs, but he certainly did a great job in selecting and organizing all that great material.

Fascinating look at his rejected proposals, including a series called "Say My Name... SHAZAM!" that was really influenced by the seventies show and seemed a bit similar to the Captain Marvel Jr 12 task series in concept (but looks miles away in proposed execution).

Also an "Imaginary Stories" Batboy title that ties into Zero Hour of all things!

Also reveals the new Batwoman design was actually Ross' proposal to bring Barbara Gordan back in costume! She'd take a dip in the Lazarus Pit and come back a bit edgier and "vampiric" in attitude.

[thunderbolt]

Man, where's your usual pics? I want to see Batboy!!

[Earth 2 Chris]

Sounds like an interesting read! Mythology is a well-done, (and of course beautiful) book.

Chris

[johnnystorm]

I was looking over this the other night at Borders- I think I might pick it up. lots of interesting proposals, etc, and not all the usual posed stuff Ross pumps out for Dynamite.

[samurainoir]

Ross proposed a throwback to the seventies Batman covers.

Plus there was a rejected Homage to the Tabloid sized Legion cover that would have crossed LSH with JSA!

[samurainoir]

Man, where's your usual pics? I want to see Batboy!!

Batboy actually is the least interesting visually in that series... he's merely a kid in a Batman suit.

MUCH more interesting is his designs of the JLA comprised of the former original Titans.

Also in there is a rejected Gladiator inspired Aquaman costume with an orange half tunic which was supposed to be a compromise between the Orange Shirt and Shirtless look.

[samurainoir]

Seventies TV Show inspired Shazam!


Barbara Gordon Batwoman!

[thunderbolt]

Didn't know he did the design work for the current Bat-Woman

[Earth 2 Chris]

I think I had read somewhere that Ross did design the Batwoman togs for Batgirl.

Captain Marvel needs to lay off the hair gel though.

Love that Batman cover using the old 70s/80s logo!

Chris

[The Toyroom]

I gotta pick this book up....

[Brazoo]

Has Ross ever done a non-painted comic? I always really like his b&w sketches.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Has Ross ever done a non-painted comic? I always really like his b&w sketches.

Didn't he do that Kingdom Come Superman JSA special in pencils?

There was a great interview with Bruce Timm years ago in Comicology, where he says he wish Ross would "throw his damn camera away. It's holding him back." Timm cited that Ross often did bang-up sketches right out of his head, but relied to heavily for reference photos in his painting. Sometimes, I have to agree.

Chris

[thunderbolt]

^^^ Yeah, the JSA Kingdom Superman issue was all pencil Ross. He still fudged it and used the camera for it.

[samurainoir]

He's done a few Bruce Timm style things, I think a Superman Adventures cover?



Here is he channeling Alex Toth.


Another bit of trivia I found interesting... his Brainiac is partially based on Grant Morrison!

[samurainoir]

And Bone of all things....