My wife and children surprised me with the single greatest Father’s Day gift any comic book geek could dream of. My wife commissioned local artist, Billy Penn (Hot Shot & Mighty Girl, Savage Dragon), to do a comic book cover featuring me. Behold the astonishing result…

Click the image for a larger version. On the left is me as I currently am, on the right is me as I was 20 years ago, hence the title, “Shag of Two Eras”. In the middle in mortal peril are my nine year old step-son and three year old daughter.

An amazing illustration! My family presented me with an 11×17 framed print of the cover on Father’s Day morning. I was totally stunned. Even now, hours later, I can’t take my eyes off it. What an incredibly thoughtful gift to give to a comic book geek like me.

In case you’re not familiar with the homage, check out the cover of Flash #123 below (September 1961). This is one of the most important comic books in publishing history.

Just for reference, here are pictures of me nowadays and back in 1988.

I’ve known the artist, Billy Penn, for over 15 years. He shopped at the comic book store I managed when he was in high school. Now he’s a high school art teacher himself. He’s incredibly skilled and has a few published works, including Platinum Studio’s Hot Shot and Mighty Girl original graphic novel, and a back-up story in Savage Dragon #130. I’ve always been impressed with the way he draws faces. They are so wonderfully expressive!

I’m amazed at Billy’s attention to detail in the commission he did for my wife! He reproduced so many details from the Flash cover while making them specific to me. Some fun details that you might miss include: the shape of the comic logo, the ONCE UPON A GEEK circle in the top left, the date and the comics code authority seal, the body language of the Flashes and the two Shags, the skyline of my hometown in the background, all the goofy 80’s trappings legitimately worn by me back then, and the accuracy of my children’s eye color and clothing.

As I mentioned, I was completely surprised and stunned. What an unbelievable gift!!! Its comic books and my children… all rolled up into one. My wife is an amazing woman. This is a gift I’ll cherish forever.