Alan Moore’s ‘Watchmen‘ series has become the marker for what a comic book can be, a standard to try and surpass. A lot can be said for the book — it’s a bleak meditation on heroism, paranoia, and atomic annihilation. The heroes here, the Watchmen, are a group of damaged people, each with a streak of love for the common good.
Dr. Manhattan was a great man who becomes a greater man — an enlightened man to the point of not being a man at all. Once he’s attained boundless knowledge and understanding, that’s when his humanity begins to be questioned. He’s one of the greatest characters in the pop culture canon, a truly perfect entity in chronic zen-state.
Illustrator Kevin Tong took the character of Dr. Manhattan and deconstructed his story and pieced it back together in one of his finest posters.
Tong is an avid chronicler of his process and created a short video detailing the creation of ‘Dr. Manhattan,’ from pencil sketch to final product.
‘Dr. Manhattan’ (regular) by Kevin Tong
‘Dr. Manhattan’ (variant) by Kevin Tong
‘Dr. Manhattan’ (detail) by Kevin Tong
‘Dr. Manhattan’ (detail) by Kevin Tong
‘Dr. Manhattan’ original sketch by Kevin Tong from Mondo’s Ansin & Tong Show
Kevin Tong’s original drawings for ‘Dr. Manhattan’ on display at his Mondo gallery show with Martin Ansin
‘Dr. Manhattan’ original sketch by Kevin Tong from Mondo’s Ansin & Tong Show
‘Dr. Manhattan’ (close up) original sketch by Kevin Tong from Mondo’s Ansin & Tong Show
For more process videos from Kevin Tong, visit his YouTube Channel.
Previously on Evil Tender — Interview: Illustrator Kevin Tong at Mondo SXSW
Previously on Evil Tender — Interview: The Focused Illustrations of Kevin Tong
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