From the Archives: Little and Big

Here is a pair of demons I created to have Morbid Angel fight in a short comic book page sequence for my portfolio.

{Graphite & Sharpie}

Featured Creature: Key of Vz

I must tender my apologies this week.  I've been struggling the past two weeks with summer migraines and I've gotten rather behind on things.  There is a piece of fiction coming for this piece that I will post soon.  Until then, please enjoy the gruesome mystery of the Key of Vz.

New Abstract: The Altar of His Command

His presence precedes him.

New Abstract: Red Wizard Meditation

In the womb of deep earth,
the hearthfire is gently stoked.
In the flickering,
ghosts of the future are seen.

Preview: Storage 24

I actually watched the full movie of this one recently.  It was alright.  I have always kind of been afraid of storage facilities.  All those repeating corridors.  eep.

From the Archives: Morbid Angel

Featured Creature: Chaska of the Chaldean Abyss

Excerpt from Liam Hofstadter's report for the Department of Extranormal Phenomena (DEP), Superhuman and Supernatural Threats in the New Millennium:

"The Vykhrova Prirvu is a magickal container said to contain a portal to the whirling abyss.  Highly prized within the occult community, it grants its bearer a variety of powerful effects.  Adept mages use these containers to absorb spells cast at them by opposing wizards.  Any mage in possession of such an item is said to be nearly unstoppable.  The spells for creating such an artifact are complex and costly, but the gain to the bearer is by far worth the effort as the magus becomes impervious to magickal attack.

New Abstract: Within the Forest of Flames

 

New Abstract: Devestation Sentinel

Patrolling the razor wire perimeters of the seas of blood, it dispatches those unwary souls who cross its borders.

Skin Crawling Comics Update 05.30.13

I finished the colors for "Buried" for the Skin Crawling Comics anthology earlier this week.  I must say it has been excellent experience.  Everyone has been super supportive of my endless questions and they genuinely seem to like my work.

This has been a bit of a revelation for me concerning being a colorist for comics.  It's an aspect of comic book work that I've only dipped my toes in this year.  It seems to be ideally suited to my point of view and approach to art.  Coloring requires one of my favorite tools, Photoshop, and the essence of it, mixing color, is something I do for recreation.  I'd never considered it before as an entry point into comics.  Who knew.  I've loved every minute! 

Enough about me though, here is another recent interview on FanboyComics about Skin Crawling Comics with Gerald Rathkolb and Danielle Gransaull for their story "The Night Market".  See more Gerald's work at Anime World Order Podcast  and more of Danielle's work at Life With Death.

The Buried team:

Bryant Dillon - Writer
Chris Thorne - Artist

Adam Wollet - Letterer

Rachel Pandich - Editor
Gerald Rathkolb - Editor

More on Skin Crawling Comics on the web

Press Release ~ Interview ~ Facebook ~ Podcast ~ #SkinCrawingComics

Cover


More Skin Crawling Comics Creators

Carl Boehm
Paul Chapman
NJ Valente

Return in Red Trailer

Return in Red is one of my favorite low budgets horror films.  It has some excellent eerie scenes and a very creepy premise.

UPDATE: The Featured Creature Gallery

I've just updated the Featured Creature Gallery with a fresh coat of text.  I've also restructured the slideshow so that the posts show in reverse sequential order.  Hopefully this will make viewing easier and now you won't have to wade through all the older images to see the latest piece.  Thanks for viewing! 

New Gallery: Psyche Delectus Tenebrarum

I've neglected my abstract work for some time and feel it needs a little TLC.  I realized that the Featured Creature shouldn't get all the gallery action at Zombie Bites, so I'm constructing a gallery for my psychedelic abstract works.  It is in the baby stages of construction at this point, so it's a little rough around the edges.

From the Archives: The Man Who Fought The Clock

This was a supporting character in one of my dark superhero stories, but I had considered at one point telling his tale separately as a singular horror piece.  He is nearly driven mad by his fight to preserve the world from a dark supernatural force.  He finds the ultimate enemy hidden behind the forces of power and corruption. It manifests to him as clocks.

Featured Creature: Priest of Vz

" In the dream, I was at a business meeting or presentation of some sort.  There was a large crowd of people surrounding a meeting table.  The presenter kept losing his place and starting the presentation over. 

I was distracted by a man in a black suit standing at the window and away from the group.  He was looking out across the cityscape with his back to the group.  He had his hands joined behind his back and occasionally I thought I heard him whisper something.  The presenter bumbled his speech again as I rose to ask the man to join us.

New Abstract: The Forge of Gebruah

Deep within the sphere of Judgement and Fear, we pass through the pressurized eye of the cosmic needle and into the purifying furnace of the Sun.  The Forge of Geburah burns away all that is not necessity.

New Abstract: Sophia in the Throne Room of the AllBook

In the Throne room of the AllBook, 
Whispered prayers congeal into the grammar of existence.
Each character etched in its pages becomes a Life,
each written paragraph a World,
each chapter a Universe.

Sophia sings into the pages of the AllBook
and the stars alight at the touch of her breath.
Sophia sings into the pages of the AllBook
and at the end of all time collapses into nothingness.
Sophia sings into the pages of the AllBook
and within the throne room,
Sophia sings into the pages of the AllBook.

Infozombie Podcast: Skin Crawling Comics

Here is an excellent podcast from Infozombie where Carl Boehm, Paul Chapman, Rachel Pandich chat about Skin Crawling Comics and publishing in general.  Check Out Carl at Infozombie and Paul at  The Greatest Movie Ever! Podcast and The Silicon Chickens Project.

From the Archives: Vampire Hunter

Here's a vampire hunter from a story world I was developing some time ago.  In this world, most of the protagonists and antagonists were vampires.  He was to be a bit of an ass and difficult to get along with.

Featured Creature: Slave of Vz

Following is one of the 911 call records from the Santee 57 Incident that occurred the evening of May 1st, 2012 at 9:12PM EST:

"Dispatcher:  911 Where is your emergency?

Male Caller: There's been an accident!

Dispatcher:  What's your location Sir?

Male Caller:  I'm at the Santee 57 Motel.  A woman just crashed her suburban into the side of the motel.  She was thrown out, She's lying face down.

New Abstract: On The Verge

Unforeseen and unremarked, the moment of revelation approaches.

New Abstract: Wizard in The Blue Room

He swims the infinite sea.

Skin Crawling Comics Update 05.16.13

Here's the inked cover image for Skin Crawling Comics by NJValente.  You can also check out more of his artwork at deviantart: NJValente.

Somebody Got My Letter: Fist of Jesus

Support the Fist of Jesus, You know you want to.

From the Archives: The Phalman

"Androgynous but with a high level of brute strength, the Phalman is a savage and dangerous entity.  No one knows exactly where it came from or if its species is other than human.  Some speculate that it is a demon in the form of a man, others say that is like a werewolf but in a perpetual state of madness and savagery."

Featured Creature: Prisoner of Vz

From Marge Hollander's Digest of Demons and Devils: 

The Chornoho Zabuttya, the hood of oblivion, is described in the ancient Die Tür Des Bösen as a curse of the highest order.  It is considered a Doom.  The exact method of creation of a Prisoner of Vz is unknown as there are no recorded survivors of this curse. There have been only five recorded sightings of a prisoner of Vz.

New Abstract: The Empty Man

Chaos swirls around him
consuming even the most simple of moments
in an escalating conflagration.

New Abstract: He Bears His Light

The weight of understanding creates the necessity of its own strength

My Skin Crawling Comics Update

Just a quick update on my progress with the work I'm doing on the Skin Crawling Comics Anthology story, Buried.  I'm digging in deep with the coloring and learning a lot as I go.  This is my first experience with coloring comic book work to be printed.  In the past, I've done lots of print work for newspaper and some penciling and inking for comics, but this is my first opportunity to do coloring.  There are so many things to learn my brain itches...or maybe it's just time to shower.

UPDATE Night of the Living Dead: Barbara Zombie Greyscale

Here we have the greyscale of an earlier drawing of Barbara from the original Night of the Living Dead, after we see her dragged into an undead horde.  With there being no living flesh left at the old farm house, she is wandering off into the night to find something fresh.

From the Archives: Neon Vampire

Here's something I recently drew at the library in between other things.  I hadn't done any fresh sharpie work in a bit and decided to play to loosen up and pass the time.  I've been so focused lately on more realistic lighting for the Featured Creatures that on this one I just wanted to cut loose and go more emotive.

{Sharpie}

Featured Creature: The Spawn of Vz

"Slowly, I moved into the room.  The smell of mildew and rot was overwhelming.  I covered my mouth and nose with my shirt sleeve, trying not to gag.  The floor was a sea of trash: half eaten pizza crusts, emptied soup cans, a bicycle tire, myriad candy bar wrappers, a soiled shirt, empty soda cans and bottles, a child's stuffed animal, wadded paper and boxes, and several filthy overturned buckets.  As I crossed into the room, large dark shapes skittered out of my path, disappearing into the canyons of trash.

New Abstract: The Observer

Gently, from the cocoon of the past, the future emerges.

New Abstract: Becoming Stranger

My past is not my future,
my mind is not my heart,
my skin in not my soul.
The temple of my life's meaning 
is the full action of my existence.
It cannot be measured by me 
until my passing into silence
and even then 
I have no assurances of truth.
 
I am a stranger to myself, 
but sometimes,
through the clouds, 
I catch glimpses.

The Evil Within Trailer

New from Bethesda.

From the Archives: Digital Zombie Self-Portrait

In this piece I was trying to develop a digital style to help create comics more easily.  This method turned out to be much more involved and time consuming than simple hand drawing.  I do like the final look of this piece, but it took way too much time to get to arrive at this state.

Featured Creature: The Devil's Square, Hooded Figure

Excerpt from Liam Hofstadter's report for the Department of Extranormal Phenomena (DEP), Superhuman and Supernatural Threats in the New Millennium: 

"This hooded figure has been observed on multiple occasions interacting with the Devil's Square team.  We are unsure of its exact association with that group, but the creature is obviously other dimensional in origin. However, it does not match records of any known species currently operating within the earth sphere. 

New Abstract: Abrasax at the Door to the Realm of Mirrors

He breathed a whisper upon the apparatus.
It shimmered and rippled,
its oscillations murmuring with a quiet ecstatic sigh.
Enfolding into his reflection,
the uncreated Father kissed himself into the world.

New Abstract: Fires of the Forsaken

"In the distance, the clouds of their campfires could be seen, filling the air with oily black smoke.  They were burning everything they could find, just to stay warm, just to stay alive.  It seemed as though the whole world were on fire."

Out of the Chaos of April: Skin Crawling Comics

Within the turbulent chaos of the month of April, I was very lucky to have a shiny happy moment come to me.  There were two actually, but you've already heard about my lifesaving laptop.  My other bright spot is that I recently have joined the ranks of creators involved in the Skin Crawling Comics horror anthology.

The CISPA Blackout May Be Over....

Feeling uncomfortable yet?  Wait until CISPA passes.

The Blackout against CISPA may be over but battle stills rages.  If your privacy is important to you, I urge you to investigate the nature of CISPA and contact your representatives as soon as possible.

HELP STOP CISPA!

CISPA MUST BE STOPPED!

New Abstract: Gift of the Red Angel

During February and March I was doing a good bit of work with the Geburah sphere of the Kabbalah and this image is one of the results of those studies.  This may even be yet another image of Khamael.