Don't tell Tom!

A Jert + Bluhm Collaboration




*click on images to enlarge

you can also see the pages full size at joebluhm.blogspot.com

This is a four page comic that recently appeared in the latest issue of the caricaturists quarterly magazine Exaggerated Features. It is a collaboration with myself writing and providing art direction and Joe Bluhm drawing and digitally painting.

This comic started out as an idea in my sketchbook from there I developed it into a series of loosely sketched rough drafts.
below is a (very LOW quality) page from the 3rd rough draft



After I was happy with the the pacing and the dialogue I then mapped out and sketched each individual panel, .....I like to treat each panel of a comic as important as the page itself. It's during this stage that I fine tuned all the gesture and movement of the characters and I double checked the dialogue.
below are some panels from the final strip with my original direction sketches underneath the finished drawings.










after I finished mapping out each individual panel, I then mapped out the final page compositions.
I designated each panel with a number to help make communication with Joe easier.


After all this Joe and I discussed the color scheme and design of the project. I told him that funny and interesting characters were more important to me than achieving a perfect likeness' (but to my surprise and joy he was still able to pull really good likenesses) After our initial planning discussions he began Penciling the pages and submitting them to me for approval. After I signed off on the pencils he then Inked and colored the pages.
below are some "in progress" pages Joe sent to me during the inking process


I had a lot of fun doing this project with Joe and the final product is VERY ( and I mean very) close to how I envisioned it.

there are two big questions about this comic that I've gotten from the people that have seen it already. Let me try to answer them now

1. "Jeremy, Why didn't you draw this yourself?"

the answer to that question is I didn't have the time to map out , draw , and finish this comic myself by the e.f. deadline, becaaaaaaaaaaaause among other things I am currently working on writing and drawing my first comic book. I'll have to give more information about that as I get closer to printing:) I also have been looking for an excuse to work with Joe Bluhm because I am absolutely blown away with his incredible abilities.

2. "How did Tom and Ed like it?"

Ed found it flattering, I think (at least that's what he told me:))

and Tom tweeted to Joe on Twitter :

" yes. Loved your comic. Fact that Jert was an irresponsible asshole not news to me, however."

Well that sound like a ringing endorsement to me:)

I like trying new things and this was a positive experience for me....

lemme know what YOU think....leave a comment:)