PRESENTING
ROGUES OF THE DARK KNIGHT - COLLECTION ONE:
THE GOTHAM SIXTIES ROGUES
THE GOTHAM SIXTIES ROGUES
The ROGUES OF THE DARK KNIGHT are a series of collections of illustrations I've created based on the mythic villains in the Batman universe. It's no secret that I am a huge Batman fan, going all the way back to childhood. I thought it would be fun to create a series of illustrations that captures my excitement and enthusiasm for the Caped Crusader and company, that has grown over the years as the Batman mythos has evolved.
My first interaction with the Dark Knight of Gotham was through the Batman 66' television show, which aired where I lived in syndication. This was my first childhood glimpse into the world of costumed heroes and villains, and it definitely made an impact. Later in life, I began to cherish how silly and simple these characters from my childhood were. Their silliness and exaggeration made it okay for a little kid to enjoy and be entertained by topics and themes that, in a different light, would be too mature and complex.
My first interaction with the Dark Knight of Gotham was through the Batman 66' television show, which aired where I lived in syndication. This was my first childhood glimpse into the world of costumed heroes and villains, and it definitely made an impact. Later in life, I began to cherish how silly and simple these characters from my childhood were. Their silliness and exaggeration made it okay for a little kid to enjoy and be entertained by topics and themes that, in a different light, would be too mature and complex.
I recently got to meet both Adam West (the 66' Batman) and Burt Ward (the 66' Robin) at the Motor City Comic Con in 2016. Even though I am a grown-up, middle-aged man, seeing and talking to these icons of my childhood even for a few minutes put me into a mental time-machine and took me back to those UHF days. It was amazing.
This first collection is my attempt to give other people a chance to see and feel what I experienced when I first saw what became a major inspiration for my artistic life going forward. Hopefully you will find something inspirational and enjoyable from this as well. Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-BATMAN!
This colorful collection was created completely inside Adobe Illustrator, and consists of eight of Gotham 66's most fearsome (and ridiculous) fiends. The example below shows a glimpse of the vector line work that went into each of these portraits.
The clown-prince of crime, the Joker, brilliantly played by Cesar Romero.
The feline seductress, Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman, originally played by Julie Newmar.
The nemesis of the Nile, William Omaha McElroy, a.k.a. King Tut, played by Victor Buono. Art for sale here.
The mind-manipulating, highly delusional Jervis Tetch, a.k.a. the Mad Hatter, played by David Wayne. Art for sale here.
The flamboyant and ostentatious trickster, Edward Nigma, a.k.a. the Riddler, played by Frank Gorshin.
The self-proclaimed "world's smartest criminal", Edgar Heed, a.k.a. Egghead, played by Vincent Price. Art for sale here.
The waddling master of foul play, Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. the Penguin, played by Burgess Meredith.
The Bessarovan villainess, Olga - Queen of the Cossacks, played by Ann Baxter. Art for sale here.
This illustration is a mash-up between the Batman 66' rogues gallery and the Quentin Tarantino film, The Hateful Eight. The lettering was hand-drawn and then traced digitally using Adobe Illustrator. This design was specifically created as t-shirt art. Shirts, posters, and other items for this art are for sale at NeatoShop! Just click here!
Posters, coffee cups, and so much more for these illustrations are for sale at RedBubble. Click here to check it out!