OUTBOUND

Cover illustration for Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction

May 03, 2025

A spaceship with spherical bow—reminiscent of the Discovery from 2001: A Space Odyssey— maneuvers past an oblong asteroid. The ship is so close in the foreground that part is off panel. The rock behind it is set on a diagonal rising to the right with a flaring sun in the distance. On the asteroid's surface is a dome. Other structures hint at a colony or starbase. A line of thin red windows indicates the bridge. Not far above two communication dishes rise. A cluster of cylinders run along the long shaft of the ship. From the aft, solar panels extend out to both sides. — OUTBOUND (1974), Oil on Primed Illustration Board - 20" x 15"

An early oil painting done for myself. I was attending the Art Center at the time, but this was painted outside school.

The painting won first place for “Science Fiction Art—Professional” in the art show at the World SF Convention that year, and it ended up being part of my first professional sale to Marvel, who bought it right out my portfolio.

Marvel being Marvel, though, I’d barely come home when someone called me from their offices. They wanted me to pick up the painting, take it home, make changes, and bring it back. The spacemen aren’t in the painting. I put them in for that week then scrubbed them off again.

After that I knew my dealings with them were going to be brief.

That being said, I still felt proud when I saw both of Marvel’s new black and white mags on our local news stand with my art on their covers!

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Additional images from OUTBOUND

LEFT: Detail from OUTBOUND featuring a ship reminiscent of the Discovery from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. RIGHT: Background detail from OUTBOUND featuring a closer look at the asteroid's surface. A dome and other structures hint at a colony or starbase there. — Details from OUTBOUND

Magazine cover for UNKNOWN WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTION #3, published by Curtis (Marvel). — *Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction* #3, May 1975

Today is Free Comic Book Day!

The first Saturday in May is Free Comic Book Day. Stop by your local comic shop today (5/3) and grab some free comics! Lots of signings and cool events are taking place. Take the kids. Make it a regular habit!