Marvel Monday – My ’70s Captain America Sketchcover

Hey, gang- I’ve got another Reb Brown/Captain America sketchcover for this post.

I’ve gotten to meet Reb a couple of times now, and have drawn his ’70s TV version of Captain America a few times over the years.

One of them was even used for the cover of TwoMorrows Publishing‘s “Retro-Fan Magazine” #9.

This one is based on images from the second TV film, “Captain America II: Death Too Soon” which featured him in his more “comics accurate” costume. We have CHiPs and highway safety to thank for the helmet.

Although I did get a big kick out of seeing Chris Evans put the shield on the front of the bike in “Captain America: The First Avenger” and Black Widow do the same in “Avengers: Age Of Ultron”.

I started off in pencil on a blank variant Marvel Comics “Captain America” #695 sketchcover. I sized the image in Photoshop, printed it out, traced the basics of the face/helmet using an LED lightsheet, and then drew in the details freehand. I like to use either a click pencil or just a #2 yellow pencil. Once the pencil drawing was done I went in with a light blue marker to start filling in the background.

I used several different shades of blue on the background and Captain America costume.

I also used several shades of flesh/brown on the face, and some greys for the shading of the costume. I used a variety of colored markers on this illustration including Copic, Weisbrandt, and Touchnew markers.

For the line art I used a black 03 Pigma Micron pen. For some of the curves I used my clear French curve.

For the highlights I used a white #10 Gelly Roll pen and a white Prismacolor pencil.

I did the same process for the back of the comic, including using Photoshop to size and arrange the images of Cap. I did change the left/center image of him on the motorcylce to his costume from the first movie to the second one. I wanted it to all be from the same TV flick.

Lots of blue in the sky, costume, and bike! I worked light to dark, but would go back and forth to blend colors.

After the blue, I used reds, more flesh/brown, and shades of grey for the costume, face, and bike.

Again I used the 03 Pigma Micron pen for the black lines (an 01 for the finer ones on the glider), and the white Gelly Roll pen and Prismacolor pencil for the highlights and clouds.

Once it was all done I sprayed it with Krylon Workable Fixative, let it dry, then scanned it into my computer.

I recommend doing this outdoors, or someplace well ventilated. I usually spray back and forth about a foot away from the comic and do light overlapping passes.

I’ll have lots more sketchcovers and sketchcards available at events around town such as the Crosstown Zine Fest and Memphis Comic Expo this fall. Hope to see you all there.

Lin

EDIT: Okay, this Captain America cover has already sold. I do have these below available for purchase. Shipping is $10 for USPS domestic Priority mail. Can combine for one shipping fee. Email me at lin(at)linworkman(dot)com.

Cookie Monster MSCA zine – $35.00