Bob Larkin: Doc Savage vs. The Shadow (2011)

“So, Bob, what do you think about a drawing of Doc Savage and The Shadow in a Mexican standoff?” I asked as I made plans for assembling the contents of The Bob Larkin Sketchbook.

Published in 2011 by my company, StarWarp Concepts, it’s his first-ever collection of pencil art from various projects—some of which you’ve seen in their final painted forms right here at this blog. But when I looked over the material Bob had provided, I thought it important to have some brand-new art included, particularly of the character he’s most known for: Doc Savage. And pitting Doc against his Conde Nast pulp brother, The Shadow, seemed like a natural fit.

Except for one thing…

“What’s a Mexican standoff?” Bob asked.

Oh.

“Okay. You ever see a John Woo movie, like Face/Off or Broken Arrow,” I asked, “where two guys are standing at arm’s length, with guns pointed in each other’s faces? That’s a Mexican standoff! How about Doc and The Shadow doing one of those? It’d make a helluva center spread for the book.”

Bob thought about it for a second. “Yeah. Okay.”

He’s so easy to work with.

The result is the piece you see here. Of course, to properly see it in all its penciled, two-page glory, you’d have to order a copy of The Bob Larkin Sketchbook, available now from StarWarp Concepts. Like, right now.

I am nothing if not subtle. ;-)

There’s a link over here in the left-hand sidebar. Go ahead and click it. You know you want to buy it…

Steve Roman