My career began with RIFTS, well not quite exactly – there were a few tiny local freelance jobs here and there to pay the bills – but it was Palladium Books’ RIFTS and the kindness of Kevin SIembieda that really catapulted my career and allowed me to make my life what it is today. Kevin also allowed me so much freedom that i became spoiled for future freelance work. I never had to run a rough or concept by him. He trusted me. He allowed me to write and illustrate my own story set in his world based on a rough premise i pitched him… the man is too kind!
Well it’s now RIFTS’ 20 year anniversary… and i couldn’t help but lend my talents to the man, and world, that gave me my humble beginnings…
SO my idea, was a set of three limited edition prints that would capture what RIFTS was to me. To do this i would also utilize my last stamp on the RIFTS universe; Machinations of Doom. The cast of MOD; Johnny, Anika, Bodakhan, Shakes, OJ, Moses, Bowie, and Doc Heston; hold a special place in my heart. it was my first published graphic novel, and the characters were mine. Well, they belong to Kevin, but you know what i mean 
As the tale was told, MOD was only part one. Part two involved the cast confronting Dr. Desmond Bradford and having an all out battle with the Coalition. When the trade collection of MOD came out in 2007 a lot of “what if” storylines were presented… now, with this print set, i’d like to present snapshots of where i would have taken things.
i’ve roughed out two of the prints which, as i said, focus on what RIFTS meant to me.
THE BAZAAR, is the first. The abundance of alien races in RIFTS always made for a good time when wanting to draw up some fun characters. There were millions to choose from – and if some didn’t fit the bill you made up your own. Though Kevin wasn’t to keen on the latter (jokingly of course) as it meant he then had to stat the race out and find a place for them in the world. I was happy to leave behind some fan favourites to pepper the universe before i left my RIFTS days behind me. Well this scened gives me a chance to set up the MOD players in a scene peppered with the multitudes of races…
THE BATTLE, would be the second. One thing i always liked about RIFTS, which ran similar to what i loved about the Star Wars universe, was that of the underdog vs. the empire, David vs. Goliath if you will. With all their machines and armies, will all their power, the Coalition still ran up against rebels, freedom fighters, mercs – people fighting the oppression of their militaristic government of the new world – and succeeding!
Each print catches a moment in time in a story that was never told.
but what of the third piece to round out the batch? i’m still not sure about that one – perhaps the release of the omega beasts? Another thought was to illustrate a cover (pictured at top of post) i designed and sketched out back in 2001 for the series that never happened… anyways, as the project progresses i will share bits and pieces.
what are your thoughts?
ps/ the doodles below (click to enlarge) are my original concepts, which i then scanned into the computer and did tighter digital sketches over. i don’t usually work this way, but with the complexity of the pieces this allowed me to more easily play with the staging. once satisfied i will then print out the tighter roughs and lightbox them onto a larger piece of bristol and begin penciling away….
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Jesus, you TX guys are trying to be professional? Most your line-up is on hiatus. Come on, this is SAD.
Jesus, you TX guys are trying to be professional? Most your line-up is on hiatus. Come on, this is SAD.