*This entire thread is dedicated to Francine*

Chatting with Francine in the Playroom sort of worked in synchronicity with something I've been mulling around in my head for awhile. This year has been a "get things in order" year for me and part of that has included digging out, sorting, and filing all these various and sundry concepts, sketches, notes, and writings I've scribbled around on for years but never followed through on. And there's a lot.

Now why would I do it? I dunno. Maybe I'm just a pure narcissist or maybe I've got this more spiritual perspective on it that rather than just let this stuff sit there and gather dust or disappear into the mists of oblivion I should put it out there so it's actually real in some sense.

In a practical sense, it also helps me firmly establish my copyright claim to any and all of these works because copyright doesn't cover what's in my head until I've expressed it in some tangible form. By posting these online I also have the benefit of a date stamp so it's good for that.

In a less practical, but perhaps more fulfilling sense, I'm hoping that throwing these things out there will inspire me to pursue actually fulfilling any potential on some of the better ideas by following through with them. It also allows me a public arena to gauge reactions from friends and strangers as to what resonates with them and what does not. As well, maybe get some kibitzing going. Nothing inspires me more than when I get going in a back and forth with another creative mind and start working out the details of a project that makes me want to jump right into it.

So, what's forthcoming after this post will be all original sketches and writings that have sprung forth from my diseased and addled mind. Many, if not most, of them are comic book concepts, but some of them are book ideas, children's books, short stories, whatever. They are in various stages of embryonic development. Some are just words; some are just names; some include sketches; some are just characters; others are full-blown story ideas. What they all have in common is that they are my own and as such all stories and characters in this thread are Copyright and Trademarked (if I have a visual attached) Keith Howell from the date of the posting stamp here at IMWAN. I may, and I emphasize may, also toss in the occasional pitch-concept I've come up with that involves pre-existing characters copyrighted to another publisher. In such a case, the concept will be Copyright Keith Howell but the character(s) will be Copyright and Trademarked to its respective rights holder.

So, let there be light. And there was light. And it was good.

I'll be kicking it off in a few with a concept dedicated to a friend of mine named Katie (who's also a "Ms. B" that I call:

MS. BIGFOOT & THE CRYPTIDS

Very nice drawing.

I'm glad you decided to post your work, Professor. I'm looking forward to seeing all your great art.

Thanx.

I do have other stuff at my website profchallenger.com, but I haven't had the time or motivation to update it for a number of months now. But it''s still pretty comprehensive. But it doesn't cover these more personal things that I'm posting here. I may just put a link there that will send anyone interested over to this thread.

Next up...THE KABOOM FAMILY. But for now...I gotta go watch my little girl in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE and then off to a class reunion dance!

Great. I hope you had a good time.

Actually had a pretty good time at the dance.

I did the "Worm" on the dance floor and kicked ass.

Personal pics for those nosies who care http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... af3098c600



I'll work on the KABOOM stuff in the next day or two.

Nice stuff!

CAPT. KABOOM! & THE KABOOM! FAMILY

A basic pastiche of the Marvel Family.

The main characters are:
Capt. Kaboom!
Cassie Kaboom!
Kid Kaboom!

Secondary Characters are:
Chimp Kaboom! (and the Banana Squad)
Atom Bob
Fissionstein

A few villains are:
Prof. Atomicus
Capt. Nega-Boom!
Reducing Agent

In brief, I envision the characters in their heyday as being a product of the 50s and the thrill of the Atomic Age. But as an impetus for a universe to set the characters within, I imagine it set primarily in the modern day, full of cynicism and social decay. This is a world that perceived itself to have a bright future in the midst of the Atomic Age and the Kaboom! family were the figureheads for that optimism, but one day in 1958 they were obliterated when Prof. Atomicus apparently murdered the family with the detonation of an atomic bomb catching all 3 heroes in the heart of it.

The twist, if you could call it that, is that Atom Bob and Fissionstein (struggling heroes of the modern day) dream up a plan to open a time portal back to the split second before the detonation of the bomb in 1958 and pull the 3 heroes into the future before their apparent death -- since the past cannot be changed, the heroes have to move forward in this new and darker future with a goal of reigniting the spirit of hope again.

The very basic concept of Capt. Kaboom is essentially a reverse Billy Batson thing with an old and decrepit man who through a nuclear accident in 1946 regains his youth and receives atomic powered strength and flight. He meets and eventually falls in love with a beautiful African-American woman named Cassandra and they are married and have a baby in 1948. Residual radiation from Cap leads to Cassie gaining similar (but lesser) powers herself and, of course, these are passed on to their son. By 1958, they are a well-known family of heroes with Capt. Kaboom!, Cassie Kaboom!, and ten year-old Kid Kaboom! battling mad scientists and commies and doing it all with a smile on their faces.

Chimp Kaboom! is like Hoppy the Marvel Bunny in that he exists in a whole different reality of funny animal types but its all apes and monkeys. His team is the Banana Squad.

Fissionstein is a brilliant scientist who became disfigured in a bad science experiment accident attempting nuclear fusion. Big, burly, and Frankenstein-like in his look with a lightning-type scar that runs entirely down the middle of his head and body vertically. What he can do is split himself into two equal individuals. And then each of those individuals can split into two equal individuals, and so on and so on. So, he's like Multiple Man that way. But here's the rub. Everytime he splits, he also loses a portion of his IQ. So, the more he splits at one time, the dumber each version of himself running around is. And if he splits too much at one time, he may actually get too stupid to remember how to fuse back.

That's not everything, but it's a good overview. Now I'll upload some character sketches. I can't find my sketches for Atomicus and Fissionstein. I may need to do some new ones for those at some point.

COWBOY PIRATE

Just one of those goofy concepts that pops into my mind sometimes.

"Big Tex" is the Cowboy Pirate. A rogue. Not a bad guy, by any means, but greedy and clever. Spent enough time on the high seas to claim his bonafides as a pirate, but now roams the wild west and $$$$$. He is accompanied by a good friend, and welcome bodyguard, he found floating in the ocean many years ago. This would be the creature brought to life by Dr. Frankenstein. He now goes by the name of "Grendel" and is an intelligent and highly irritable, but intensely loyal, partner to Big Tex. Grendel is a bit of a mimic and has spent a number of years with Big Tex now to the point that he now speaks with that same South Texas drawl as Big Tex. I imagine most of their adventures revolving around some scheme to get cash that goes slightly awry and involves some good old-fashioned fisticuffs, gunfights, damsels in distress, wild indians, corrupt sheriffs, and lots of running away as the better part of valor.

I like those Kaboom designs quite a bit.

Thanx Ross. Appreciate it.

Color scheme in my head right now is purple and white. But I'm not totally sold on that scheme yet. I just want to avoid the Capt. Marvel red or the Superman blue and green doesn't work for me and yellow and orange seem a little...weak.

I guess I really need to finish some and start playing with color on it. Maybe after I finish cataloging this stuff.

What great stuff, Professor. Lovin' it.

Thank you! I'm gonna keep 'em coming for awhile.

I think purple and white -- particularly if you use a hue of purple that leans towards the red, like a nice magenta -- can look pretty awesome.

I will keep that in mind. Good suggestion.

Of course, that depends on the costume design -- consider Elongated Man's purple-and-white costume in the '80s.

ewww

Definitely not leaning towards THAT direction.

Ok. Got busy and behind on this project of posting. I can't get time to scan at the moment, but I will take a moment to go ahead and put the textual info first and then try to scan sketches to accompany it this weekend or early next week. This next one was one purposefully envisioned as a "Cosmic" series inspired by a Jack Kirby sensibility and design approach. I call it:

JA-ZONN & THE NEW ARGONAUTS

Concept:
Intergalactic search for the Cube of Creation (aka Pandora's Box) and Golden Fleece by the extra-planetary descendants of the legendary Greek Gods & Heroes that leads them in their quest back to Earth.

Settings:
Outer Space and Earth - Modern Day.

Argo - Planetary home of the descendants of the legendary Greek Gods & Heroes. The surface of Argo has been a a Utopian society of god-like humanoids and fantastic creatures living in harmony -- until an insidious spirit of dischord and evil began to atrophy the culture and the world.

Montolympia -- The residence of the ruling class for the surface world of Argo.

Celestial City - The center of activity for the surface world of Argo. Celestial City covers nearly the entire surface of Argo by expanding out from Montolympia which occupies the exact center point of the city.

Unnderworld - Home of the darker side of the legendary Gods & Heroes as well as horrifying beasts and monsters. It is located directly within the center of the planet Argo

Characters:
Capt. Ja-Zonn Prometheus -- Classic hero mold. Strong, handsome, natural leader. Rumored to be direct descendant of the God Prometheus but believes himself to be son of Hadeez.

Dr. Herkules -- Rumor is that he is the actual Hercules of Myth who retains his superhuman strength but has supplemented his physical strength over the millennia by training his mind which had originally been his greatest weakness. Now he is not only the strongest of the Argonauts, he is the wisest counsel to Ja-Zonn. He chooses neither to confirm or deny the rumor finding that the pervasive uncertainty and inquistiveness of his compatriots serves him well.

Pandorra - Ruler of Unnderworld. Twin sister of Ja-Zonn

Hadeez - Deceased first ruler of Underrworld. Father of Ja-Zonn & Pandorra.

Zustra - Ruler of Argo.

Bellonna - Vicious and respected warrior. Supposed sister of Ares.

Assorted Characters with Undetermined Roles as of yet:

Gryphonn
Kymerra
Sintarr
Menotarr
Ikarius
Vulkann
Appollion
Artimus
Harmonia
Hyubris
Mercureus
Satyricus
Star Chaser
Giants
Gorghonn
Andromedaa

I have some other sketches, but right now just put my hand on very rough ideas for Ja-Zonn, Herkules, and Pandorra. Will see if I can track down some others after I get these scanned in this weekend. But input on the concept itself is appreciated.

3 very rough Kirby-inspired sketches for the New Argonauts concept.

A quickie. This is something I did for a BLACK TERROR OMNIBUS that was supposed to come out from AGE OF ADVENTURE. That never materialized for some reason, but I kind of dug the pin-up I did, so I'll post it here. It was done in tight pencils rather than ink. Logo I designed in Photoshop.

The concept in my mind was that the "Black Terror" is a legacy identity like The Phantom. And this would be the Black Terror of the Groovy late 60s-early 70s. Concept in a nutshell being that she's a nurse who befriends the aged original BT during his final days. He gifts her with the chemical formula that originally led to his super strength, stamina, etc. She becomes the Groovy New Black Terror.

Oh. And one more thing. I just added a page to my website spotlighting a few select full-color gameboard designs I've done for an educational publisher.

http://profchallenger.com/gameboards.aspx

I haven't hyperlinked the images yet to see bigger versions, but I think it still gives a good sampling of some of the stuff I do that is outside the comic book realm.