That one time, when I did a cover for Archie Comics.

That one time, when I did a cover for Archie Comics.

    In early 2024 I was assigned the task of creating a mosaic of Archie for my first cover for Archie Comics. The cover was for the Betty & Veronica: Summer Spectacular, which would be released at San Diego Comic-Con. To capture as much detail as possible, I decided to work on a 24"x26" canvas (twice the size of my normal mosaic work). This turned out to be a massive undertaking and required a lengthy incubation period. After about a week of working on it, I realized I needed help to stay on track and meet the deadline. So, I enlisted the assistance of my friend Breanna, who helped me cut the pieces, allowing me to keep up with the projected turnaround time.

    With a piece this size, you can only work on it for a total of 2 to 3 hours a day. Once enough area is saturated with wallpaper paste, it's dang near impossible to continue to work without placing your hands in a wet area, which will muddy the wallpaper paste due to the natural oils in your hands, so it took me about 3 weeks to complete. 

     You can watch the process in this time lapse video I pieced together over several sessions. 

    Below is the final image used for the cover.  

    And here we have a graded copy for a buyer that came back an astounding 9.9 from CGC Signature Series.
    If you know me, you know I am a sucker for a homage cover, and this piece is no different. But instead of pulling from comic covers that have come before me, I wanted something a little bit more subtle; a deep cut that could stand on its own without relying on the legacy of a dynamic composition that already existed in comics. Thus I found myself creating a parody of Elvis' iconic Jailhouse Rock.

     Let me know in the comments how you think I did. Did I pull it off? Does it work? I'm interested in hearing your thoughts. 

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