In Praise of the Harsh

May 9, 2019
   Believe it or not, I had better things to do. My graphic novel, for one. But I've spent the past three weeks trying to nail down a worthy cover image for our July issue which goes to press today. Talk about cutting it close. Thanks to the patience of my art director and production manager, I finished up the last minute tweaks on my final Billy this morning and sent it off to Dan (his studio is in downtown Phoenix).

The Final Final Billy Cover Image

   Yes, he's a little more demonic and Mick Jagger-ish than I intended but this is what we're going with. One of the other versions had a sweeter visage:

Sweeter Billy

And I did a number of other takes as well:

Billy Walks The Most Dangerous Street In America

And I kept sending them down to Dan and he kept pumping out the covers.

17 covers and counting

Eight versions earlier

   Of course, Dan The Man and I go way back. 

BBB and Dan The Man Along With

Bell family at a Chloride slag pit, 1959

   This morning we ended up here:

   Thanks Dan. Really strong.

"An intellectual is a man who says a simple thing in a difficult way; an artist is a man who says a difficult thing in a simple way."
—Charles Bukowski