SKULL

SKULL

8pp mini-comix on white card stock
Published by Thru Black Holes Comix and The Dale Lee Planet
Copyright © 2003 by Michael Roden and Andy Nukes
Published August 2003
Print-run: 30 copies

This truly amazing mini-comix extends the already-considerable range of the creative imagination of MICHAEL RODEN.

I tried some different techniques here. First of all as you can see from the photos, I have incorporated actual hand carved skulls I made into the artwork. These have brass hinged jaws. The middle one [the one on page 6] has ivory teeth. … The centerspread is a real unpublished Ed Dorn photo of the ocean where he lived. The backgrounds for pages 1, 2, & 3 are experiments I did in gray watercolors. … In a sense I have failed to bring across the quality that I was looking for. But I still think that the over-all effect has that stark feeling that I was after.
MR: letter to DLC dated 6/9/03

Because of the contrasting textures and shading, the book was a challenge to print. But the end result is a starkly beautiful visit to a macabre world of strange landscapes and skull-headed people. In addition to the astonishingly cool MR hand-carved skulls, a number of pages also incorporate images from the ANDY NUKES STICKER SET.

The page titles (below) are taken from MR: letter to DLC dated 6/9/03.

cover Skull Cover

Wonderfully atmospheric scene set against a watercolor background.

page 2 Checkerboard Land

Amazing scene incorporating a photograph of a hand-carved MR skull against an eerie watercolor background.

page 3 The Dead Lady

This astonishing scene served as the inspiration for the amazing DEAD LADY SCULPTURE.

pages 4 & 5 Ocean Scene

Another wonderfully atmospheric scene, this one placed against a photo of the ocean taken by MR friend ED H. DORN.

page 6 Mexican Skull Horse

One of my favorite pages in this wonderful book!

page 7 Credits Page

In addition to the credits there is a nice half-page collage-drawing.

page 8 Chain Man

Another incredible collage scene incorporating one of the MR skulls.

Resource Notes:
Thanks to MR for the mock-up copy and the opportunity to work together on this amazing project!

History:
Page posted to the online MICHAEL RODEN CATALOG 9-11-03.