Back In the Game

Here is one of my favorite comic super heroes....(wait for it) DYAN-GIRL! What I like most about her is that (not only is she homage to Ms. Marvel) but is designed to be a realistic version of a single mom who has super powers. Her original story arc, though tragic is interesting. As for design Harold Edge gave her some swagg by adding high heeled boots with a metal kick plate and cog syled heels. The thick leather outerbelt says style while she is wearing a metallic looking corset to give her some back support. The gloves are what are cool too, they scream "female" by simulating how women wear pull their long sleeve shirts down over their hands (I dont know of any straight guys that do that). You can learn more about Dyna-Girl at RedHanded Studio's kickstarter program. While you are there, donate $5. These guys have been putting out quality web comics for the past few years free. Its time we start giving back so that they can continue to provide us with the entertainment we love and enjoy. DYNA-GIRL is going to be BACK IN THE GAME! (soon we hope...)

As for my design take, I tried to keep with Harold Edge's original design. What more can you add? I cleaned up her logo in Illustrator and added a RedHanded studio ball cap and baseball bat as props. Her physical shape is pretty much a MesoMorph that has dropped a kid and trying to get back into shape. So her legs are thick and bulky as well as broader shoulders and back. Her mid section is a problem because, I guess she gained a few pounds dropping a baby and getting out of fighting crime full time. Colors are added by Dony Armstrong  whom I affectionately call The Jedi Colorist. All I can say about Dony is that his becoming one of my best friends, not just because he rescues my art and brings it to living color. But he has the true heart of a Man of God. 

CometGirl!

Here she is in all of her radiant glory...Angelite Comic's COMET GIRL. I did this piece to practice inking one of my favorite artist (and friend's) artwork... The astonishing Melchizedek Todd! Mel has a very unique style that is accentuated by loose living lines and heavily influenced by fluidity, motion, emotion & perspective. His art is powerful because you dont see much of this in mainstream comics. Unfortunately I am still trying to figure out how to ink his stuff and keep his line accents, because my style is more stylized with bolder tighter detailed lines (a side effect of my OCD I guess).  As for Angelite Comics and its visionary creator David Rothschiller, you can read more about them here! 

Jadian!

Some Fan art for Craig from CCAS. His comic is called The First Christian Comic and features Jadian. Craig has not put out much about this comic. I used my flats and cell shading technique in coloring this one. I tried to give her my spin on the costume but it was more difficult. It seems that in the original character sketches he has calls for a "Holiness" looking superhero, even down to the flowing choir robe,  pleated skirt, ruffles and head covering. Not sure how functional that works for a superhero. I hope it works out for her. 

It's Captain Sun!

Two pieces of fan art for Pastor Bryce Morgan's Rescue Me. I did the colors all by my self! This was  training project I did for myself to learn how to Flat (the lower illustration is how my flats look prior to going to the colorist). The top illustration is me practicing digital airbrushing. Rescue Me is another children's piece. The graphic novel is written as a devotional for children and uses the super hero characters to teach essential Biblical concepts. So its not a "Christian Comic" per se but more of a creative teaching mechanism. It has a wholesome message and good looking stylized artwork by Mitch Martin. I liked what I saw and did some fan art for them. I gave ol' Captain Sun my spin and tried to give him a more functional and realistic uniform. For more on Rescue Me or to order the book (WHICH HAS ME FEATURED IN THE FAN ART SECTION!) go to http://itscaptainsun.com/

concept art / pin up for HellYeah! I am illustrating this project as we speak. It is coming along better than I expected. This project is proving to be therapeutic in that I can push myself as a comic/graphic novel artist.

Interviews...But no autograph's please

Justin Martin interviewed me for R-Squared Comics
http://www.rsquaredcomicz.com/2012/09/23/christian-comic-creator-interview-59-d-l-maffett/

Ken Rainey interviewed me for Clash entertainment.
http://www.clashentertainment.com/career/16-career/7510-debony-l-dl-maffett-senior-deputy-sheriff

Thank you guys for honoring me. I appreciate the attention.

crazy days in jail

This was a joke for one of my co workers. Counselor Kay looks surprisingly like Sarah Gilbert (like fraternal twin sister). We were joking around in the mental health area of the jail when I came up with this piece. I designed it while she was making he rounds. When I printed it out she said, "How the hell did you get my picture when I wan't looking?" I told her I didn't, I googled Sara Gilbert. We laughed the rest of the entire shift about it. This has been a running joke for nearly 3 months now...

RollaDerby

Here is a contract piece for a fellow CCAS member named Craig. He requested a Roller Derby caricature. The contract called for a Roller Derby Player wearing Pittsburgh Steeler's Colors. So I thought... "hmmm, blitz wears steelers colors, and she is a character in the fictional town of Steel City where she was a Cheerleader for the SteelJax. I wanted to explore a possible spin off of a spin off using her as a very short one shot showing her going on a crime spree. I am thinking of using the Rollar Derby concept in that story. For more on Craig's comic project check him out at http://www.the1stchristiansuperhero.com

Dony Armstrong is to do the final airbrush over these flats. stay posted.   

Mission to the 3 Suns Alternate Cover

here is the blue lines and inks for an alternate cover for Reagan and RJ in Space : Mission to the 3 Suns. This is a very kid friendly christian comic created by Richard Collins. For more info and to check out the book go to http://www.raeganandrjinspace.com. The final is being colored by Dony Armstrong. Then I am adding the background and text.  The characters in the comic are adorable, I wanted to try to give them some visual character and depth. They range for 13 to 11 years old. I mixed up the ages a bit to allow for a little more variation in the cover. Plus kids rarely look their ages these days anyway. . I stayed up all night penciling, inking and doing the flats.This has been a pretty bad day and I this project gave me something wholesome to focus on. I loved doing this project because it renewed my hope in the wonder of a child's innocence. Please support Richard get a book for a kid you love for Christmas or by 10 of them for your children's ministry. It would cost you under $20 (and you spent that at starbucks this weekend for coffee while you shopped...)

here is the final project with Dony Armstrong's colors added.

you can buy the final copy here

http://www.amazon.com/Mission-Suns-Raegan-Space-Mini-Adventure/dp/148182953X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356395724&sr=1-1&keywords=mission+to+the+3+suns

How can she breath in that thing?

BombShell in her Cat Suit Costume. this was recycled from an older costume I designed in 1992. Sophie needed a costume because Phil started to use her as an active hero in the HellYeah! script. So I had to hook a sista up.

beginnings of a cover

HellYeah! Here he is... walking away from it all...or is he? this idea came from the Capitol Doodles. I am going to make it into a very 70s looking action movie poster for a teaser cover. I am thinking of going with this as a costume for the graphic novel. T-Shirt, Jeans and Biker Cut Vest, there will be a scene were he is shirtless wearing his karate pants or maybe just jeans and biker boots. Dunno yet, I will leave it up to my new main man Phil Knox (the writer) to decide.

Doodles while sitting at the GA Capitol

I am involved in a community leadership program and we had the opportunity to visit the GA Capitol and hear some of our legislators speak. Again my hand got really bored with what they were saying and started doodling ideas for the upcoming HellYeah! Project. I paid attention to what the legistlators said. I promised. I even asked questions. What I got from the meeting... money talks, votes have some input and if you want to make a difference  look back to 1776 when our country was founded believe in what the founding fathers said and stick to it. Support term limits and push for strict ethics. Most importantly, legislative office should NEVER be a career choice, it should be a calling of one who wants to serve his our her community and make it better, not to see how long one can stay in power.

BombShell

BombShell has been a work in progress for some time now. She was originally going to be used as a character in "One Lost Coin " but she will better work out in HellYeah!. Her original design and character will be a NiaVerse character, with a totally different look and persona, but will probably have the same name. I am still working on getting my races to look more accurate while maintaining my own comicbook art style. God is good, in that he is allowing me to explore different ways to create characters.