Here it is: The cover of the first issue of Plank-of-Wood Boy. Okay, so technically, it’s the second first issue cover… the first first issue cover was drawn back in 2007 for a completely different storyline. Unfortunately, due to a lack of foresight on my part, I lost the original copy of that comic and only have the web-version, which is a resolution much too small (612×792) to ever print at regular comic book size (1989×3075). Also, the art was only so-so.
With this relaunch of Plank-of-Wood Boy, I am planning ahead and making sure I (a) have the right size and shape for potentially printing in the future (b) have back ups in the event all hell breaks loose, and (c) spend a little more time on the art and layout. I don’t guarantee the art will be amazing, but at least I’ll have put a little more effort and thought into it.
Case in point: For this cover, I sketched it out by hand, then scanned it and inked it digitally. I wanted to give it a retro/vintage feel (huge fan of comics from the 40′s and 50′s), so I opted for a watercolor effect, which I think turned out okay. The cover is also a throwback to when it was standard practice to have a flat background behind the title, so the art would not take up the entire page. And, of course, the melodramatic theme is very much a throwback to old-fashioned romance comics.
Of note is that Plank-of-Wood Boy is NOT pictured on this cover. Most people probably think that the sentient plank of wood shown on the cover is him… but it’s not!
Don’t worry… all will be explained.