Christopher Moeller is an illustrator and comics artist who is one of the foremost proponents of fully-painted comics art. Rather than the traditional um… lines and colors format, each panel is a painted image. Many painted-comics artists use watercolor (see my post about Alex Ross), but Moeller uses an opaque medium (it looks like acrylic or possibly gouache). There are only a handful of artists who can really make this work and Moeller is superb at it.
Moeller has done a number of painted comics stories, numerous comic book covers as well as illustrations for games, gaming cards and posters. There is checklist of his work (from 1991-2003) on the site. There are also prints and original art available.
In the late 90′s he illustrated (and wrote, or co-wrote with Kevin Moeller) an extended painted-comics science fiction series that builds on his interest in military history to create a rich setting for stories of interstellar conflict and intrigue. The stories have been collected in two graphic novels: Iron Empires Volume 1: Faith Conquers and Iron Empires Volume 2: Sheva’s War. There is a site devoted to the series, but it’s still incomplete. There is a preview of Volume 1 and Volume 2 on the Dark Horse Comics site.
DC comics has just released Book One of a two-issue superhero/sci-fi series, written and painted by Moeller: JLA Classified: Cold Steel.
I’m checking out that 8-panel piece above. What work is this?
It’s from Book 2 of JLA Classified: Cold Steel (linked in the post). Book 1 was in stores when I wrote the original post, Book 2 should be out in a week or two.
Belated thanx! And Happy New Year in 2006 and beyond!
I did not get a chance to stop by a comic shop because of work. Can you tell me WHAT IS THAT on the end panel? I don’t want to get cataracts from squinting. Can’t enlarge the photo. What it is? A ship? What the hell is it? It looks cool but I don’t know what it is. It looks like it is hovering above a body of water. It looks KEWL though!
It’s Batman in space armor coming at you more or less head-on. His cape is sort of streamers instead of one sheet. Go here for an enlarged version.
Holy shit! Excuse me…sorry. Thanx!!! Aw, man, C. Moeller godammn love the imagery!!! Love it!!!!! Thanx again!!! Big ups!!
Gawd. It’s got this weird science-fiction/monster epic feel to it!!! It’s like I’m seeing something imagined right!!!!!!