28 Comments
Nov 30, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

I always liked the captions on those "How to draw..." variants. The Matt Murdock discovery one especially made me smile.

Expand full comment
author

Yeah! Maybe I'll post all of those as well! I tried to get Marvel to collect them into their own single issue since I did at least twenty of them. But Marvel hates money!!!!

Expand full comment

oh same! I love that one too!!

Expand full comment
Nov 30, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

Yeah, you should definitely do a newsletter on Spider-Man: Life Story, as those are quite interesting from a design perspective.

Expand full comment
author

Yeah! I loved working on that book. Felt like the sky was the limit

Expand full comment
Nov 30, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

You really nailed it too. The only other thing that comes to mind that simultaneously so seriously engages with continuity, but also has a real sense of indie originality, is X-Men: Grand Design. I wish there were more projects like these, as well as even more radical departures like the incredible Strange Tales anthology.

Expand full comment
Nov 30, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

Count me in for *anything* regarding your process!

Expand full comment
Dec 1, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

I know this is from the other newsletter you linked, but your Original Sins story still cracks me up to this day. So good. I'm also seconding the person who brought up the How-To-Draw covers, those were fantastic as well.

Expand full comment
Dec 6, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

The Daredevil #1 "Know Fear" variant is one my favorites!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks! I originally just did it for myself as a bit of promo, but then Marvel wanted to give me money to make it a variant!

Expand full comment
Dec 2, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

So right after that Howard the Duck / Detective Chimp cross-over finally happens, you could do the "Very Aunts" cross-over team-up of Aunt May (Spider-Man), Aunt Harriet (Batman), Aunt Fritzi (Nancy), and -- I don't know -- maybe Aunt Zelda (Sabrina) (I'm blanking on others at the moment, but I'm very sure there are more). Giant Handbags! Day Drinking! Pinches on Infinite Cheeks! It writes itself, really. Easy money.

Expand full comment
author

don't forget Aunt-Man

Expand full comment

Ah, well-played. It was right there! He doesn't lose his money at the horse track -- he just shrinks that money with Funcle Particles.

Expand full comment
Nov 30, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

The Secret Wars Too one immediately came to mind. Glad you mentioned it. Doom is especially adorable.

Expand full comment
author

At the time I was also approached to draw Hickman's story in the book which would have been a DREAM, but I was too busy on Sex Criminals!

Expand full comment
Nov 30, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

That's the REAL sex crime... wait, no.

Expand full comment
Nov 30, 2022·edited Nov 30, 2022

I only collect Daredevil variants and this last year about killed me. 29 variants for Daredevil #1. I sold my kids to get them all!

Expand full comment
author

oh my god I'm so sorry

you could have just spent that money on hypnotherapy to break the need to collect them!!!!

Expand full comment

That Die Hard Gwenpool Holiday cover is so awesome. I laugh every time I see it.

Expand full comment
author

It's a personal favourite of mine!

Expand full comment

I'm upset that you are making me want to buy variants. How dare you, Chip?! HOW DARE YOU?! This feels like some sort of...ruse to sell your variants!

(I love the Secret Wars one. And the #310 one. I had never seen them before!)

Expand full comment
author

that's the thing with variants! THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THEM

Expand full comment

I'm looking forward to giving you even more money to sign it. Hooray capitalism?

Expand full comment

dear chip,

these are all great!

i particularly love silver surfer using the board as a tongue depressor!

also have you considered creating a character called the Depressor?

turns out it's the silver surfer on that cover. (sorry for the spoilers of the thing you're going to write)

thanks for arting!

love,

myq

Expand full comment
founding

I am mostly immune to variants but I had to get that Silver Surfer one back in the day and I regret nothing

Expand full comment
author

it must be worth a fortune now!!!!!!!

Expand full comment
founding
Nov 30, 2022Liked by Chip Zdarsky

I took it out of its plastic prison and touched it with my fingers and read it! My fingers are very greasy! It’s worth nothing!

Expand full comment
author

you fool

Expand full comment