From The Vault - 2005 The Trap Door Maker

Back in 2005 Peter Bregman, a guy who was one of my art directors at the Geppetto Marketing Group, was getting ready to unleash his graphic novel, The Trap Door Maker, on an unsuspecting public.

The story dealt with Erik, the man who would one day become the Phantom of the Opera, and his adventures before he found his way into that fateful opera house. It was a three issue series and, after the publication of the first issue, he asked me if I'd like to do a pin-up for the second issue.

This is what I came up with.

Later, after Peter got some feedback from his first issue, a lot of fans pointed out that his version of Erik looked a bit too bulky and muscular. He asked me if I'd go back in and slim down my pin-up a bit. But, because I did the piece for free and as a favor it was one of the few times that I worked with Peter where I felt comfortable saying no. If he didn't want to use the piece, that was fine by me.

Plus, I find it's best never to listen to a few naysayers when you're doing your own projects. There are always going to be a vocal few who try and tell you what you should and shouldn't do. Even on your own project. But, that's why you're doing your own project in the first place. So no one can tell you what to do.