InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Did YOU frame Roger Rabbit?!"

icon_uk (icon_uk) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-05-13 19:13:00

Entry tags:

char: joker, char: robin/nightwing/dick grayson, creator: freddie williams ii, creator: nathan ohlendorf, in-joke: bondage, medium: fanart

Wooo hooo! My latest commission - Freddie Williams II
Okay, well it's here, and once again, though I might be biased, I think I've really hit the jackpot with my commission! :)

Freddie Williams II is, as others have noted, an utter joy to deal with as a commission artist and I can't recommend him strongly enough.

When I asked for a Robin and villain piece, he asked if he could use the Joker, and since I couldn't recall ever seeing him do the Joker before, I was interested to see how it went. I suggested a few possibilities as to scenario, and he adored this idea in particular.

And I think it's safe to say his gleefulness carried on into the quality of the work, no?

(This image links through to the full size version at my CAF site, I'm interested in seeing what it does to my page hit count! :) )

My idea was that as he's kidnapped Robin so often, the Joker would want to keep the magic alive as it were,wouldn't want Robin to start getting complacent, so perhaps some theme nights for his captive, to keep at least one of them amused until Batman showed up.

"Board Game Night" seemed like a suitably Joker-ish concept, and what better than the old "Operation" game, with his own unique twist... Here he is setting up the game, maybe planning to invite a couple of henchmen to play, or Harley...

Robin (I asked for classic Robin) is both cute and terrified and his take on the Joker is magnificent, that's REAL nightmare fuel right there!

So what will the Joker go for on his turn; The smart mouth? The red breast? The drumstick? Pulling a wishbone?

The level of detail here is insane! Aside from things like the grillework and ther detailing on the scaled briefs, it took me a couple of minutes to realise that Robin isn't just strapped to a table, but is actually strapped onto a giant replica of the Operation gameboard.... Cover quality artwork IMHO!

Freddie commented that it's the favourite commission piece he's done in ages (Maybe he says that about them all :-D ), and not only he, but his wife loved it to bits! The lady has taste!

And for those interested in such things, here is the preliminary sketch Freddie sent through that made me realise how much fun this was going to be!

And just to show I'm not ALL about the cute sidekick in dire peril, here's a great little piece that was done for me by Nathan Ohlendorf, showcasing the amazing wandering wardrobe of Dick Grayson....

If this needs a comic scan added, please let me know, I might see if I can dig one up anyway, just to be on the safe side.

(Post a new comment)

	taggerung301 2009-05-13 01:29 pm UTC (link)
	Wow, that is some great art Very disturbing, but great nonetheless (Reply to this)

	sistermagpie 2009-05-13 01:32 pm UTC (link)
	You are just like the Santa Claus of tied-up-Robin stocking stuffers! This is awesome! Look at those scaly shorts and his adorable little face! The Joker does look terrifying and yet board game night is ALWAYS FUNNY! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	icon_uk 2009-05-14 06:18 am UTC (link)
	Well, I did once feature a tied up Robin in a giant Christmas stocking as part of a fic I wrote! Now I want to see it drawn! :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	jarodrussell 2009-05-13 01:35 pm UTC (link)
	The Joker left his utility belt on? That...that makes Doctor Developer sad. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	icon_uk 2009-05-13 01:38 pm UTC (link)
	Well, it only works if you can get your hands free to access it. Plus of course, remember that Robin is nearly always the bait, not the target, Joker WANT'S Batman to find him, and has possibly even triggered Robin's rescue beacon already. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	jarodrussell 2009-05-13 01:43 pm UTC (link)
	Well, it only works if you can get your hands free to access it. Which I assume is quite possible since his elbows and neck aren't restrained. (And I am totally trying to sound like a jerk here, please don't take this seriously. That's a nice commission. The detail, the style, etc. is brilliant.) (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	icon_uk 2009-05-13 01:45 pm UTC (link)
	I'm assuming there's a strap across his throat that the cape collar partially hides. Oh and it's okay, I know you weren't being malicious (and even if you didn't like it, that would still be a valid opinion anyway) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	greenmask 2009-05-13 01:44 pm UTC (link)
	Maybe he re-filled it. What would the Joker put in pockets? Probably nothing useful, and probably nothing nice. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	icon_uk 2009-05-13 01:47 pm UTC (link)
	You've never read "The Joker's Utility Belt"? :) Fun story (and turned into a 1960's Batman TV series episode too!) (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	greenmask 2009-05-13 02:41 pm UTC (link)
	I haven't. But now I will! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	icon_uk 2009-05-14 04:55 pm UTC (link)
	Actually thinking about it, I love the idea of Robin escaping from the Joker's ropes, facing down his gang, reaching into his utility belt for a batarang, and finding the Joker has lined his belt pouches with superglue and he's now more stuck than he was when he was tied up! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	greenmask 2009-05-14 05:14 pm UTC (link)
	XD Robin defeated by glue. I love it! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	(Anonymous) 2009-05-13 02:10 pm UTC (link)
	That is very disturbing! I love it! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	heehaw_tng 2009-05-13 02:30 pm UTC (link)
	Freddie is a wonderful guy, and terrific artist. This piece proves that yet again! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	icon_uk 2009-05-13 02:32 pm UTC (link)
	Couldn't agree more! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	greenmask 2009-05-13 02:41 pm UTC (link)
	That's a pretty marvelous concept! It's horrible, but it really is funny. But horrible. But funny! Very Joker indeed, I spose. Bravo! And Robin's expression is just priceless. (Reply to this)

freddylloyd
2009-05-13 02:54 pm UTC (link)

I recently listened to an interview with Williams on one of the Batman-oriented podcasts. He has a book coming out in September about creating comics art on the computer from start to finish: DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics.

But, Williams realized, that approach would leave him with no originals to sell into the collector's market, so he also put a couple of pages aside each issue to do on paper. And he does commissions like this.

Do you see a significant difference in style between it and Williams's typical comic-book pages (i.e., those most likely to have been done all digitally)?

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	icon_uk 2009-05-13 05:26 pm UTC (link)
	Interesting question, I don't think I could have spotted the difference between digital and hand-drawn within an issue, and I can't say I notice the difference here. The shading on the background is very hand-drawn (it lost a little of the subtlety in the scan) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	oath5 2009-05-13 06:11 pm UTC (link)
	Wow Freddie's art's always been okay in my opinion, but he should actually hand draw things! Much much better looking! It has much more energy, his stuff otherwise looks shiny and pretty but sometimes the staticness or blockiness of their poses, not to mention reuse of templates and illustrations.......the computer is just lazy! (Reply to this)