This is my artwork for Winterkill, a two episode Strontium Dog story written by Dr. Bob (a.k.a. Amanda Kear) for the 2000 AD's ZARJAZ magazine edited by Andrew J. Lewis. The story features Carlos Ezquerra's character Johnny Alpha at the time of Portrait of a Mutant. I also designed the cover for the first issue of ZARJAZ.
ZARJAZ Issue 1 containing Strontium Dog, Winterkill Episode 1, you can buy it here
Winterkill Episode 2 in ZARJAZ Issue 2, you can buy it here
Throughout the creative journey of creating Winterkill, Andrew’s insightful feedback helped me craft engaging panel layouts. I wanted to ensure that Amanda's vision shone through in every panel. Our open communication allowed us to strike a balance, capturing the essence of Carlos Ezquerra's world, the creator of Strontium Dog. In addition to drawing some of his iconic characters, I had the opportunity to design new ones like Ant Sally, Judy Hench, Fox Tail and more. Bringing these characters to life pushed my creativity and added my own flair to the Strontium Dog saga.
About the cover I designed, Andrew said, in a recent interview with TripWire Magazine, that the "initial sketch of Johnny Alpha and his Mutant Army charging into a blizzard was so striking that I knew it was going to make an absolutely knockout cover." His trust in my artistic approach motivated me to elevate my work, and I found myself increasingly drawn to Johnny Alpha’s complex character as he leads a mutant revolution against oppression.
Check out my article below in LinkedIn for more details about my experience working in Zarjaz!