2 artists, 1 script! Gutters with different layouts

Gutters with Ryan Sohmer and crew, is a hilarious, time sensitive editorial cartoon lampooning the comic book industry and the heroes and characters that dwell within.  I've done a number of strips for them, and count myself as one of their semi-regular contributors.

My cool and affable editor Jeff Moss asked me to draw Gutters # 559 last week and I agreed to do it. I knew I'd be up north at a cottage and unable to access the internet, but during the time away I planned to get all the pencils done. I'd then ink it up on Sunday night when I got back. This way I hit my deadline and the colorist and letterer would have Monday to work their magic.

I got the script and sent an email to confirm I was all set and would be away - just before I drove out of range on Friday.  Unfortunately... my confirmation email got blocked by the spam filters at Gutters HQ. Poor Jeff sent a few emails over the weekend asking if I got it, and was everything OK?  None of these I saw until I got back into cell range on Sunday afternoon. Since this is a time sensitive strip, and he needs to get a page out there on schedule, Jeff's last email on Sunday morning was a "sorry, but since we haven't heard from you, I have to give it to another artist so it'll be done by Tuesday."

While this sucked for me, I completely understand. Editors are ALWAYS concerned about artists flaking out and leaving them to pick up the pieces. Artists being hard to reach near deadlines is like Kryptonite for editors.

Why am I telling you all of this? It's the story of how the art below is now an 'unpublished' Gutters #559 page from me. It's pencils only, as there is no point in inking it now!   ;-) 

I put it up here for those hardcore comic art (and comic scripting!) fans who like to see how different artists might interpret the same script.  Since the script isn't mine to show, I cant post it here without permission...but if you compare the dialogue and read it carefully, you'll get an idea of what we were asked to draw.

Compare my pencils below to the final PUBLISHED page right here. 

I hope you find this as interesting as I do, Rob Dumo made some interesting artistic choices that are different than mine, but just as valid. Not only that...he made a great page to boot!

Oh, and since Jeff is such a cool guy, you'll be seeing me in the Gutters again very soon...stay tuned to my twitter, this blog, or just book mark the gutters main page!