The Line it is Drawn #109 – Comic Book Characters and the Works of Shakespeare! | Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources

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The Line it is Drawn #109 – Comic Book Characters and the Works of Shakespeare!

by Brian Cronin | October 4, 2012 @ 3:04 PM | 28 Comments |

Go follow Comics Should Be Good on Twitter (if you have Twitter, that is – if you don’t, you can go sign up). Here is our Twitter page… http://twitter.com/csbg. And here are the Comics Should Be Good writers who are on Twitter (the links go to the person’s Twitter account) – myself, Greg Hatcher, Chad Nevett, Kelly Thompson, Sonia Harris Danielle Leigh, Melinda Beasi, Michelle Smith, Bill Reed and Scott!

I update the blog’s Twitter account updates whenever a new post is put up on the blog, so it’s an easy way to keep up with the blog. In addition, I post new content on the blog’s Twitter account.

Now on to the bit!

So every week, I ask a question here. You reply to it on our Twitter page (just write @csbg with your reply) and our blog sketch artists will each pick one of your suggestions and I will post them here every week. So every week you will have a new question and you will see the choices picked from the previous week. Here is an archive of all the previous editions of The Line It Is Drawn!

To qualify, you have to be following us when you reply – so go follow us and then give your answer to the following question/challenge (All suggestions due by 9:00 AM Pacific this Friday).

The topic is…

In honor of the 20th Anniversary of Batman: The Animated Series, suggest comic book characters that you’d like to see come to Gotham and be drawn in the B:TAS style.

Read on for the sketches that came about courtesy of the last question/challenge!

Based on a suggestion from Thea, mash-up comic book characters with the plays of William Shakespeare. Batman as Hamlet, Luke Cage as Othello, etc.

Enjoy!

I’ll put them in alphabetical order based on the name of the Twitter user who made the suggestion.

All copyright and trademarks of the following characters are held by their respective owners!

First off, though, let me note a fond farewell to Jason “Gonzo” Gonzalez. Jason’s a really busy guy and has had to take a few months off in the past, but this time around he just doesn’t see himself being able to get back into the swing of things in the future, so he decided to withdraw from contributing. We’ll miss you, Jason! You were awesome. Be sure to keep track of his awesomeness at his website here. Nature, of course, abhors a vacuum, so at the end of today’s installment you’ll meet Gonzo’s replacement.

B_2quared suggested:

Zatara and Zatanna as Prospero and Miranda

Nick Perks is the artist for this one. Here is his website.

(click on the image to enlarge)

BeccaBlast suggested:

Deadpool and Deathstroke cause a Comedy of Errors when they keep getting mistaken for each other.

Marco D’Alfonso drew this one. Here is his website.

BeccaBlast suggested:

Spider-Man/Hamlet — should he kill Norman, or not? With Gwen as Ophelia, Harry/Laertes, and Uncle Ben as the Ghost of course

Sean McFarland is the artist for this one. Here is his website.

(click on the image to enlarge)

BigMike20X6 suggested:

Ghost Rider as Yorick’s skull in Hamlet

Phillip Sevy drew this one. Here is his website.

(click on the image to enlarge)

BigMike20X6 suggested:

Peter Porker, Spider-Hamlet.

John Trumbull drew this one. Here is his website.

(click on the image to enlarge)

BigMike20X6 suggested:

Jack Kirby presents: Julius Caesar in the Fourth World

Cynthia “Thea” Rodgers drew this one. Her website is here.

(click on the image to enlarge)

kevinchiat suggested:

Batman as Oberon and Robin as Puck.

Chaz Folgar is the artist for this one. Here is his website.

(click on the image to enlarge)

kevinsmithj suggested:

Volstagg as Falstaff, from “Henry IV”, with Thor as Prince Hal and Odin as Henry IV himself.

Brendan Tobin is the artist for this one. Here is his website.

(click on the image to enlarge)

olokinprime suggested:

Superman and Wonder Woman as Romeo and Juliet

Steve Howard is the artist for this one. Here is his website.

(click on the image to enlarge)

tauriqmoosa suggested:

POSION IVY as HIPPOLYTA

Daniel Cox drew this one. Here is his website.

thefarlander suggested:

MacBeth cannot be slain by man of woman born- this poses little concern to wonderwoman

Nick Perks is also the artist for this one. Here is his website.

(click on the image to enlarge)

therealAstrozac suggested:

Batman and Catwoman as Romeo and Juliet

Axel Medellin drew this one. His website is here.

therealAstrozac suggested:

Luthor and Superman as the Two Gentlemen of Metropolis

Xum Yukinori drew this one. Here is his website.

(click on the image to enlarge)

BigMike20X6 suggested:

Prospero’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Ariel, Caliban, Orlando et al) meet the heroes of Marvel 1602

Welcome our newest Line it is Drawn contributor, Paul Hostetler! You can check out Paul’s work at his blog here.

(click on the image to enlarge)

Great stuff, everyone! Welcome, Paul!

Go make suggestions, folks!

Tagged: Marco D’Alfonso

Comments below

28 Comments

b2quared

October 4, 2012 at 3:09 pm

Love the addition of the Thunderbolt to the Zatanna/Zatara mash-up.

buttler

October 4, 2012 at 3:15 pm

As a theater critic, I have to point out that that’s totally Poison Ivy as Titania, not Hippolyta–but Titania’s a much more appropriate choice.

I feel like that Thor Henry IV is pretty much exactly what happened in the actual Thor series in the ’70s, at least in the flashback stories, so the whole feel of the piece is dead on.

And I love Mooseterio so damn much.

Freeze you later,
buttler

rob t.

October 4, 2012 at 3:22 pm

Xum Yukinori, you rock!

Elpie

October 4, 2012 at 3:26 pm

Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome.

The Crazed Spruce

October 4, 2012 at 3:35 pm

The coffee stains on “Two Gentlemen of Metropolis” were a nice touch.

Dean Hacker

October 4, 2012 at 3:55 pm

Great work as always, but my God am I tired of seeing a Deadpool every week.

Omar Karindu

October 4, 2012 at 3:57 pm

Love the addition of the Thunderbolt to the Zatanna/Zatara mash-up.

Not to mention the Ultra-Humanite as Caliban.

Thad

October 4, 2012 at 4:00 pm

Where? All I saw was two Deathstrokes.

Daniel Cox

October 4, 2012 at 4:03 pm

Nick: And you thought this was gonna be a bad idea? Looks great — love the mood.
Marco: Love it. Great gag and modern version of the theatre poster. Deadpool/Deathdstroke: the resemblance is uncanny — nice one Liefeld.
Sean: Awesome. Well drawn and like the costume’s too. Ghost-Ben is freaky!
Phil: Haha. Cracked me up (it did suck, but so have most of his recent films…Knowing anybody)? Good likeness!
John: Not a Spider-ham fan, but I dig the thick lines you’ve used. Makes me feel…happy!
Thea: Powerful! Like the inking and nice touch with the old book motif. Long trail of blood coming from his back!
Chaz: Crazy, wicked, quirky goodness from the man. Love the bendy arms on Robin:)
Brendan: Love it. Really well drawn (especially the top half and Volstagg). Nice texture use too…gorgeous!
Steve: Very fitting. Love the muted colours and the costume’s are fantastic. Great stuff!
Cox: Pass mark…this time!
Nick: Scary. I am Amazonian, hear me roar. Like the use of the lighting too. Have you got PS yet?
Axel: Cute! NIce touches with the wink and Selina grabbing his belt on the way out. Colouring is great!
Xum: These cover mockups are your bag, baby! Well drawn and funny too. What’s the condition of this book?
Jason: Cool that you are trying a new style. Wait…what? Who?

Great job Liners!

Marco D'Alfonso

October 4, 2012 at 4:16 pm

dean hacker.. i’m very sorry i didn’t take your feelings into consideration when i made my choice this week… i am ashamed.. but while you’re at it tell people to stop making deadpool suggestions…

also! awesome job this week all! love me some spider hamlet! and welcome to TLIID Paul!

Nobody

October 4, 2012 at 4:43 pm

Where is the fourth world?

Big Mike

October 4, 2012 at 5:09 pm

Is it gloating to say ‘Woo hoo, I got the first art from the new guy?’ Hehe.
And also, woooooo, Its a John Trumbull Spidey Hat Trick! 3 awesome Spidey pieces in a row!
So many awesome pieces this week… and I’m not a big fan of Shakespeare.
And finally, Marco, never stop drawing what you love. Your Deadpool is always a joy.

Tori

October 4, 2012 at 5:26 pm

I love Diana’s dress in Steve’s piece. So beautiful!

Roman

October 4, 2012 at 5:27 pm

Superman’s “Romeo” costume is better than his New 52 design. Good job all around guys, I especially loved Spider-Hamlet (both variations). “Haertes” is great.

John Trumbull

October 4, 2012 at 5:35 pm

Superman’s “Romeo” costume is better than his New 52 design.

Well, to be fair, it’s pretty easy to beat a guy in jeans & a t-shirt with a towel wrapped around his neck. I’ve seen 6-year-olds with more impressive Superman costumes.

Stephane S.

October 4, 2012 at 5:55 pm

Kudos to Thea Rodgers for using actual Kirby costume designs for Julius Ceasar:
http://thetheatergeek.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/jack-kirby-designs-costumes-for-julius-caesar/

Well played!

BeccaBlast

October 4, 2012 at 6:07 pm

Nice to know that those years as an English lit major paid off with a couple of suggestions this week!

Nick — T-Bolt as Ariel is inspired! And God help whomever got Zatara that ticked off! (Did he have a brother in the comics?)

Marco embraced the Comedy of Errors totally — even remembering that there were TWO pairs of “identical”characters! The way Slade is reaching for his sword, the reworking of the theatre masks — very well executed, if you can excuse the pun. And if you can’t; well, tragedy tomorrow — comedy tonight!

The expression on Norman’s face — Claudius may be the biggest rat bastard in all of Shakespeare, and Sean’s Norman SO wants to be that! Mind-f***ing Peter even while on his knees… Excellent use of the colors and motifs in their armor, and Captain Polonius and Gwenphelia remind us that Spidey is almost as good as Will at piling up a body count. “Nobody dies”? More like “Nobody survives”! Who are Rosencrantz & Guildenstern? Jean DeWolff and Kraven?

Mr. Sevy — I suspect that even Nicolas Cage would look at this and say, “Yeah, can’t argue with that.” I hope it goes viral.

Does this mean I have to dig up old issues of Spider-Ham just to see if there really is a Moosesterio? And if there is, why was this book cancelled?

Thea, that Kirby homage is spot on — I can actually see that book existing as a Classics Illustrated. Brutus never struck me as that imposing…

Daniel Cox does an awesome Ivy as Titania — love the imaging of the leaves as attendant faeries — now to find the right mismatch for her to play Bottom…

I have yet to tire of seeing Sean do Machine Man, Marco do Deadpool, JT do Spidey — or Steve Howard do Wonder Woman. Can we please get him to redesign her costume? He draws Diana better than anyone who’s initials aren’t C. C.

All right, everyone, say it with me: “Turn, hellhound, TURN!” Not the new origin? Well, it’s not the new costume either — and Nick makes you think that in this world, Macbeth killed Macduff FIRST — he was the easier target!

“With love’s light wings” — and heavy boobs — (I kid, Axel, I kid!) — “I did o’erperch these walls!” May have been RomeoBat’s line originally, but it sure doth worketh better for Seliniet.

I’ve always suspected Xum has stuff like this, just lying around the house, using it for coasters until we bug him for a submission… I wanna live in that house.

And, wow, welcome to the new guy! Don Quixote in an LXG? I am so there… and the Torch WISHES he could make it with Ariel! Pete’s allergic reaction to his spider bite is awesome — almost Aragones level! Glad you are with us, even if that means Gonzo has returned to his home world! Wait, wrong Gonzo? Well, welcome anyway!

John Trumbull

October 4, 2012 at 6:48 pm

Does this mean I have to dig up old issues of Spider-Ham just to see if there really is a Moosesterio? And if there is, why was this book cancelled?

Becca, Becca, BECCA… Have I ever lied to you?

http://dailysplashpage.blogspot.com/2011/04/rogue-animals.html