Running behind on commentaries, so will double-dip today with a Twitter storm about how I spent—or, uncharitably, misspent—the last 3 weeks.

Some relevant backstory: Back in 2013, wrote and penciled a 10-page Scarlet Witch/ Domino team-up in the A+X (Avengers + X-Men) anthology.

The results worked out well enough, but I have no recollection of whether or not that A+X story was difficult to draw. *OMINOUS 4SHADOWING*

Recently, I was offered the intriguing opportunity to contribute a 10-page back-up story for the upcoming (9/28) Deadpool Annual.

Deadpool’s a fun character who offers more narrative flexibility than almost any other character in the Marvel universe, so I said, “Why not?”

I could write and lay out a 10-page Deadpool story in 4-5 days, no problem, presumably for another artist to draw. Easy peasy, right? Right.

Ah, but herein lies the disaster: In a decision blending wild optimism with comically poor judgment, I volunteered to draw the story, too.

This wasn’t just dumb, but alarmingly, disturbingly dumb. The artistic equivalent of the always unnerving statement, “Here, hold my beer.”

What’s next? “Pretty sure I can jump the Snake River Canyon on a minibike!” “Hey, watch me stop a bullet using only the power of my chi!”

Good to know that Present-Day Me is just as capable of inexplicable stupidity as Past Me ever was. (Actually, it’s NOT good to know that.)

The last time I penciled in full-size comics format? 2013, as I said. The time before that? 2004, for half of the last 3 Livewires issues.

I should hasten to add that I turned around the art fast enough to make deadline. @ryan_kinnaird_ is coloring up the last 2 pages right now.

Alas, the process of penciling—and inking!—the Deadpool story’s mere 10pp was dramatically more challenging than I’d naively anticipated.  

In retrospect, struggling to figure out what the hell I was thinking. My motives from only a month ago are frighteningly opaque to me now.

I’ve been thinking about working on a full-color book again at some point, especially since I have a favorite pitch that MUST be in color.

This Deadpool story wouldn’t be a valid test for that future project, though, as I’d be only peripherally involved in the latter’s artwork. 

I’ve been pounding out Empowered pages so easily & quickly for so long that maybe I thought I could still pencil “old-style” pages at will.

SPOILER: I was very, very wrong in that apparent assumption, as I discovered almost immediately to my completely predictable dismay. Oops!

Drawing full-size comic pages using my old technique of tight layouts blown up and repenciled on standard art board? Utterly unlike Empowered. 

This project set a new record for rapid transformation from “Well, this should be an interesting effort” to “SWEET JESUS, WHAT HAVE I DONE?”

Another possibility, phrased delicately: I’ve seen some mainstream comics lately with art that, ah, did not look terribly time-consuming.

Some titles made me idly think, “If I could get away with work like THIS, I could probably write & pencil a monthly book again for a bit.”

That really was just an idle thought, howeva, and not something I was seriously considering. Nonetheless, a laughably misguided sentiment.

“Sneaking” rushed, low-detail art past an editor isn’t the issue, I soon realized. I have no possibility of sneaking such artwork past ME.

My own judgment is the limitation, not that of editors or peers or readers. Unable to knowingly and deliberately pound out substandard work.

God knows Empowered has featured some badly flawed work, but I wasn’t actively attempting to hack out product. No, really!

Am constantly burning time on drawing details and corrections that I know no one will possibly notice—but I would, which is the real problem.

I tried to dial down my normal perfectionism for these Deadpool pages, but to no avail. Redrawn corrections, patches, overlays soon ensued.

The only major time-saving concession in the story’s artwork: One character lacks highlights in her dark hair and costume. GROUNDBREAKING!

And I only did THAT because I noticed Tetsuro Ueyama occasionally leaving off all highlights on the lead character in Solevision Mitsuyoshi.

Allotted myself a hilariously optimistic 2 weeks out of my EMP10 schedule to write and draw a 10pp Deadpool story. Took 3 weeks, of course.

Not helping: I wound up INKING the g-d story, too. The siren songs of my beloved PITT Artist Pens proved too sweet to resist, apparently.

If I’d stuck to a pencils-only format like 2013’s Scarlet Witch/Domino A+X story, might’ve drawn this in closer to 2 weeks. Alas, did not.

Drawing this story was a valuable learning experience, albeit of the aversive variety, as in, “DON’T EVER TRY THIS AGAIN, DUMBASS.”

Rediscovered immediately why, 16 years ago(!), I was eager to quit drawing full-size comic pages after wrapping up the last Dirty Pair mini.

For me, drawing in this conventional comics format straight-up blows, y’all. My hat is off to you badasses who still labor in this idiom.

With Empowered’s format, I stumbled across an art technique that still works for me. Alas, it doesn’t translate to drawing regular comics. 

Empowered v.10 has posed some difficult art challenges for me—but was a carefree walk in the park compared to drawing these mere 10 pages. 

Penciling and inking full-size again was puzzlingly grueling and strenuous. Found myself groggy, dazed, stressed-out after the first week.

Had to max out my work hours, so I ditched all forms of exercise over the last 3 weeks. Not surprisingly, my body deteriorated horrifically. 

The anomalous work of inking, I think, exacted a particular toll on my drawing hand’s fingertips, which are presently quite messed up. 

The tinging jolts in my fingertips will eventually go away, I’m sure, as I’ve experienced them before, though certainly not recently.

Luckily I’m not drawing full-time for the next few days, as I need to write another Empowered Guest Artist script. (Typing’s tough, though.)

I should clarify that writing and laying out this Deadpool story was fun. (Re)penciling, inking and partially lettering it: NOT fun, folks.

So I’d recommend checking out this Deadpool Annual back-up story, as you’re unlikely to ever see me pencil and ink a regular comic again. 

Tomorrow, more about the actual Deadpool story itself—as opposed to me whining & moaning about my godawful judgment in electing to draw it. 

-Adam Warren