brett culp

my collection

brettculp — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 22:21:30 +0000

I have always loved comic books. My passion for both superheroes & art has led me to collect original artwork from comics.

The images on this site are scans of artwork from my collection. These are the original pen & ink drawings that the artists sent to the publisher for coloring.

Most of this work has been published. Some are re-creations that I have commissioned from the original artist.

So far, the collection is small. I have been selling many of my old comic books to pay for these one-of-a-kind collectibles. I hope that over time the collection will grow, & I will have many more pieces to share.

Enjoy the art, & please leave comments about the pieces that you enjoy.

Warmly,

Brett
brett@brettculp.com

solar, by barry windsor-smith (1992)

brettculp — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 22:10:54 +0000

Some of my favorite characters & stories appeared in the comic books published by Valiant. I collected these issues during high school, & I have fond memories of my weekly trips to the comic book shop to pick up the new issues. This publisher created a fictional universe that climaxed in a massive “cross-over” called Unity. All the individual titles were building up to tell one gigantic story.

The finale of this cross-over was told in Unity #1, illustrated by comic art legend Barry Windsor-Smith. This is one of the most beautiful pages from that issue, & looking at it reminds me of the joy I have received from these stories.

batman, by jim lee (2003)

brettculp — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 22:10:17 +0000

Jim Lee is the rock star of superhero storytelling. His first work on Batman in 2001 with writer Jeph Loeb re-energized the series with a story called “Hush” that touched every part of the Dark Knight’s mythology. Lee’s art from this run has defined Batman’s graphic image ever since.

While this page does not showcase the dense illustrations that are the trademark of Lee’s style, I love the mystery, beauty, & storytelling power of these panels.

superman, by matt wagner (2003)

brettculp — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:49:28 +0000

Matt Wagner handled both the writing & art chores on a mini-series called “Trinity” that featured Superman, Batman, & Wonder Woman. His illustrations are a beautiful combination of the vintage style of Golden Age comics & Modern Age approaches to layout & detail.

This is a 2-page spread that showcases a classic scene of Superman in action.

batman, by dick giordano (1990)

brettculp — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:47:53 +0000

Dick Giordano was one of the most influencial comic book creators of the Bronze Age of comic books. His work with penciler Neal Adams on Batman in the late 60s & early 70s redefined the character for a new generation of readers. He became managing editor of DC in 1981 & helped relaunch many of the company’s landmark characters.

This page represents one of Giordano’s last contributions to the legacy of Batman since his retirement from mainstream comics in the early 90′s.

the dark knight returns #3, cgc 10.0 (1986)

brettculp — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 02:34:43 +0000

OK, so this isn’t a piece of original art. But I didn’t want to leave out the best book in my collection.

A recent trend in comic book collecting is having your valuable issues “graded” by a third-party company. This company evaluates the condition of the comic and seals it in a clear plastic case with the grade clearly displayed. This validates & guarantees the condition of the book, and it has clarified how few “mint” comic books actually exist.

In my opinion, the most historically important Batman story in modern comics is Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns” from 1986. This mini-series revolutionized not only Batman but the entire superhero genre. It is consistently ranked by experts among the Top 10 most influential comic books of the past 25 years.

Of the thousands of copies that have been professional graded, only one book in “The Dark Knight Returns” series has ever received a perfect “Gem Mint” 10.0 grade. I was excited to add this book to my collection last year.

spider-man, by jim jimenez

brettculp — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 22:19:56 +0000

I just bought this page on ebay. It’s on the way. I will have a larger scan available when it arrives.

x-o manowar, by bob layton

brettculp — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 21:51:31 +0000

My favorite character in the Valiant universe is X-O Manowar. It tells the story of a barbarian who is brought into modern society & gains control of the most powerful weapon in the world. Imagine putting Tarzan inside the Iron Man suit.

The cover for the first issue was illustrated by celebrated artist Bob Layton, who was instrumental in creating the character. While the original art of this cover is not available for purchase, I did some research & contacted Layton. He accepted a commission from me to illustrate an exact re-creation of this cover. I am thrilled with the finished result!

spider-man, by ron adrian

brettculp — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:02:27 +0000

These detailed pencils by Ron Adrian were digitally inked & colored to become part of a trading card series for Marvel. This piece is only 3″ by 5″.