Cover Work

My cover work has mostly focused on lesser-known pulp and superhero characters — often ones I hadn’t even heard of before I was asked to illustrate them. That unfamiliarity turned out to be a gift: it let me approach each assignment with fresh eyes, digging into the character’s essence without fan bias. I work traditionally, using oil, gouache, and pencil on mylar, then finish the pieces digitally. It’s a hybrid process that allows for texture and atmosphere while keeping the final image flexible for print. These covers represent a small but meaningful part of my body of work — and each one gave me a new way to explore character, mood, and myth.

My Unexpected Journey with The Spider

I first connected with Joe Gentile at Moonstone Books around 2006. He offered me the chance to illustrate a graphic novel called The Spider: Judgment Knight. I wasn’t familiar with The Spider at the time, but quickly learned he was cut from the same cloth as The Shadow — a pulp icon I did know and thought was incredibly cool.

The book’s format was unusual: each two-page spread featured a single illustration paired with narrative text beneath it. I liked the concept — it felt cinematic and gave me room to build atmosphere, so I jumped in. I was happy with how the project turned out, and when Joe asked me to take on a second book, The Spider: Satan’s Seven Swordsmen, I didn’t hesitate.

This led to more Spider-related work, including covers for Moonstone’s ongoing comic book series and a cover for Sherlock Holmes Mysteries.

At one point, I was painting a cover for a Spider anthology when Joe lost the license — the rights reverted back to Joel Frieman. Joe suggested I repurpose the artwork for The Bat, if I just repainted the face. But the face was the heart of the painting. I passed. That piece remains one of my favorites, and I didn’t want to gut it just to keep it in circulation.

About a year later, Joel Frieman reached out. He’d seen my earlier work as the licensor and asked if I’d illustrate a new cover — the result became Satan’s Murder Machine. In the later Spider novels, the character donned a robotic armor, which Stan Lee later cited as part of the inspiration for Iron Man.

Sadly, Joel passed away not long after the book was published. The rights passed to his brother, and that might have been the end of it — except in 2019, writer Will Murray came across my site. He had negotiated the rights for three books with Joel’s brother and was looking for a cover artist. He had worked with Moonstone, knew my work from the covers of his stories, and spotted the unused Spider painting I’d refused to alter. He asked if it was still available — it was — and it became Fury in Steel.

Will’s been great to work with, and we’ve continued collaborating since. I’m proud of what I’ve contributed to The Spider universe — it’s a niche universe, sure, but I have my own corner.