"Abe Sapien ~ The Devil Does Not Jest" #1 Variant Cover

~~ Click on the image for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

here's the 4th and last cover I did for the Mignolaverse titles: ABE SAPIEN ~ THE DEVIL DOES NOT JEST #1. (out in September 2011)
This is def my fav cover of the set and one of my favorite covers I have done in general :)

Hope you guys dig it and have a wonderful Pulp Sunday everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Abe Sapien ~ The Devil Does Not Jest #1 (Francesco Francavilla Variant cover)
Buried in a demonologist's basement is a deep, dark family secret, where horrific occult practices prove to be life threatening for Abe Sapien.

* An early Abe adventure

* Abe is pitted against demonic family curse!

* From the pages of Hellboy!

Writer: Mike Mignola, John Arcudi
Artist: James Harren
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Cover Artist: Dave Johnson, Francesco Francavilla (variant)

Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla

The Mignolaverse 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.


~~ 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.



~~ 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).



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

U.S.R.A.'s RT-24 in "3D" ;)

Click on the image for the larger view!!!


Hello Pulp Friends,

I am kinda new to this sculpting this so apologies in advance for anything that might offend professional sculptors :)
I recently bought some clay-like material (have been wanting to try scultping for a while now) and finally got around doing something today, putting my "sick time" to a good use, I hope.

I give you the U.S.R.A. RT-24's head This is 15/20 min of work, just the beginning. Planning to smooth it up a bit and do upper chest (kinda bust) but I hope you like what you see so far :)

EDIT: started to put the 3d model to a good use and did this quick shot of an RT-24 this morning. Having a model, specially with a robot, will help tremendously in the making of the pages. Hope you guys dig it.

Cheers,
Francesco

U.S.R.A. (United States Robot Army) created, TM & © 2010-2011 Francesco Francavilla.
Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla

Click on the image for the larger view!!!

Click on the image for the larger view!!!

U.S.R.A. ~ Coming in 2012

Click on the image for the larger BIG POSTER!!! ;)


Hello Pulp Friends,

let's make this official so we have a specific date (well, year) to look forward to :)
Of course I will be sharing some more concepts and stuff here and there as I develop this, but plan is to have a GN out sometime in 2012. Got a strong synopsis for the first GN so now it all comes down to carefully scheduling this in between of the many other projects :)

Hope you guys are as excited as I am about U.S.R.A.

Cheers,
Francesco

U.S.R.A. (United States Robot Army) created, TM & © 2010-2011 Francesco Francavilla.
Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla

NIGHT DROP

(click on the above image for the larger Sunday papers view)

Hello Pulp Friends,

I did the above strip for Comic Twart a few weeks ago, but considering that today is Memorial Day, I thought it would be appropriate to post it in here as well (especially for those of you who don't check the other blog regularly). As you know, ww2 Cap is still a fave of mine (remember the Mona Lisa tale I did some time ago?)

Hope everyone is having a safe holiday weekend.

Cheers,
Francesco

Story & Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla

U.S.R.A. ~ RT-24 Pilot Training Manual

Click on the image for the larger BIG POSTER!!! ;)

Click on the image for the larger BIG POSTER!!! ;)


Hello Pulp Friends,

What better than bringing back the U.S.R.A. to celebrate this Memorial Weekend? :)
Yes, i have been developing this concept since the last time you guys have seen it here on the pages of Pulp Sunday. Can't tell much more at the moment, but I thought to take some time this morning to put together the cover/poster you see above.
Hope you guys dig it and wish you all a wonderful holiday weekend.

And yes, expect more from U.S.R.A. :)

Cheers,
Francesco

EDIT: I did a slightly different version and I am a bit torn now on which one works best: the above cover is simpler and maybe stronger, but the new cover might be more eye catching (plus recalls a bit - faded - the colors of the flag).
Which one do you guys prefer?

FF

U.S.R.A. (United States Robot Army) created, TM & © 2010-2011 Francesco Francavilla.
Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla

Warlord of Mars - Fall of Barsoom #2 Cover

~~ Click on the image for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

I can finally share the second cover I did for the WARLORD OF MARS - FALL OF BARSOOM series. Hope you guys still dig the approach ont hese :)
I literally can't wait to show you guys cover #3 I did last week and which I believe to be the best I have done for this series so far :)

I have also seen some of the interior pages of issue 1 and this is gonna be a good looking book, trust me :)

Here's the solicits for this issue:
WARLORD OF MARS: FALL OF BARSOOM #2
Written by Robert Place Napton
Art by Roberto Castro
Covers by JOE JUSKO & FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA

Scientist Tak Nan Lee resumes work on the desperately needed Atmosphere Plant as he tries to befriend the Red Martian woman he rescued from the Green Horde. Meanwhile, thousands of Greens march on the White Martian city of Thark! The story that tells the fall of Barsoom 100,000 years before John Carter continues!

Have a wonderful PULP SUNDAY everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2011 Francesco Francavilla