JB, I am currently going through a collection of comics that I picked up for the shop, and as I am wont to do, I was skimming through a comic book every now and then that I enjoyed, or that caught my eye. Anyway, I happened to come upon "Man of Steel" #3 from 1986, and naturally, I skimmed through it. It's been some time since I last read the issue, so I forgot about a couple of panels that I've always was curious about. I wonder, are the two panels below early examples of your computer art?

Here's the selected panels:



The chemical particles look "digital" to me, as does the lines on the piece of thread.

Also, I think it's safe to assume that Magpie's two henchmen, "Carling" and "Gruenback" are based on a young Mike Carlin and Mark Gruenwald, right?

Edited: For clarity.

The art (or part of it) is indeed early CRI, and you have correctly guessed the idenities of Magpie's henchmen.

You know, I keep thinking that you should get more credit for being a pioneer in computer art in comics, JB. You have been doing a lot of neat tricks with computers in your work for nearly 20 years now.

Was there any other mainstream comics artist that used computers in their work before you? I can't think of one. I recall that there was some small independent comic book with computer art (The title of which escapes me), and the "Crash" graphic novel with Iron Man, but that's about all I can think of.

Edited: misspellings. Whoops!

Mike Saenz did SHATTER entirely on a Mac. That came out (from First Comics, I think) around the same time I was doing my stuff. Probably just before, actually.

Mine has tended to get less notice because I use the computer stuff as a special effect, eschewing suggestions that I do whole books that way.

credit or blame? Starting a trend that led to all the computer lettering and coloring.

Be seeing you,
Brian