SUPERMAN RETURNS page 9 and 10

This is the artwork for pages 9 and 10 of the "SUPERMAN RETURNS: THANK YOU, SUPERMAN!" board book that I illustrated for DC Comics and Meredith Publishing. The artwork inside the book was done as double page spreads, with text added later.

Backstory: I had just gotten out of the hospital after undergoing two major surgeries for Cronic Diverticulitis, so I brought in two very good friends to assist me on the book. John Trumbull and Andrew Park were the two best friends I made at the JOE KUBERT SCHOOL, and their talented help on this book proved that! Thanks to their assistance, our combined efforts pulled off a very nice looking book that both DC Comics and Meredith were very happy with!

Since the book was aimed at preschool kids, the look needed to be simplistic. The editors wanted it to look animated in style, "even more simplified than Bruce Timm stuff, if possible". Superman also had to favor Brandon Routh somewhat, the face of the Man of Steel in the new movie. I tried to give the book that look, and came up with a Superman that I feel captures a bit of Brandon Routh, but still feels like a classic take as well. At first the new movie costume bugged me, but after a while, I got pretty used to drawing it (even the seams in the suit, which I never liked-heh). The book is still available on AMAZON.COM, and is very reasonably priced, so pick up a copy!!

Thanks to John and Andrew, and to DC editors Chris Cerasi and John Morgan and Meredith Editor, Don Curry for all their assistance!

Loston