Sunday, June 5, 2011

The Mignolaverse Back Cover

Variant Back Cover
~~ Click on the image for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

as you know, I realized a set of 4 variant covers for Mike Mignola and Dark Horse for the issue 1s of 4 different new miniseries: "Hellboy: The Fury" #1, "BPRD: Monsters" #1, "Baltimore: The Curse Bell" #1, and "Abe Sapien: The Devil Does Not Jest" #1.
The Mignolaverse books always have an image on the back cover: such image can be a small illo Mike did specifically for the mini, or it can be a panel from the interior art (usually this happens when Mike has a guest artist drawing interiors).
When DH approached me to do these variants, they also commissioned me a 5th illo, the one to go on the back cover of these books.
Since we are looking at several minis, I wanted the image on the back being a little nod to all 4 characters protagonist of these stories.

Variant Back Cover
~~ Click on the image for biggie ~~

Hence I provided DH and Mike with the above sketch, a panel showcasing HB, Abe, Liz, and Lord Baltimore (yep, you can see his peg leg in the painting ;)). I also provided DH with a second option, something a little different from the classic panel or little illo: a (almost) full page icon of the Right Hand of Doom (symbolizing HB) holding a cube that has a fish, a bat, and a flame (symbolizing Abe, Baltimore, and Liz) on the 3 surfaces facing us. Needless to say, MM and DH loved the idea so we run with it.

Variant Back Cover Variant Back Cover

~~ Click on the image for biggie ~~

I did a stylized version of it for the back cover and a more realistic one. At the end we all decided for the stylized version.
This was the very first thing I drew before getting to work on the cover, hence once we had the illo done, I decided to incorporate it on the front cover and it has became a bit the logo for the whole set of covers. (you can see it in the top left corner of the cover).

Variant Back Cover

The cover for the ABE book you ask? Well, I am leaving that to Dark Horse to reveal it (don't worry, it will happen very soon)> All I can say is that that cover is one of mine and DH&MM's favorite of the set :)

Hope you guys enjoyed this and if you wanna see more making of, check out the making of the FURY cover here on the DH blog.

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

All Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla

3 comments:

Nash said...

These are absolutely gorgeous! Ugh your killin me man I can't wait to see the Abe Sapien covers!!

Stefano Brandetti said...

Excellent work Mr.Francavilla!

Unknown said...

Captures the Mignola spirit rather well, I'd say!