and from the "really, really cool gig department..."

ok, I'll admit I've been a comic book fan since I was 14 years old.

Comics, as they say, have been very good to me. Over the years I've worked at DC, Marvel and freelanced for just about every comics company in between.

I've had plenty of phenominal highlights as DC's Art Director, and as a comics artist, but this might very well be the coolest one: I just painted the cover to the 40th Anniversary Comic Book Price Guide!

Holy smokes, I've been buying that thing since 1974, and now my image of Batman will grace the cover to this milestone issue!

Ain't life grand?

I've been holding off posting the cover here until Gemstone Publishing posted it first, and since they did indeed post it yesterday, here she be....hope you dig.

ps...big shout out to the fabulous Jeff Vaughn at Gemstone, one of the GREAT guys in the biz!

Also, thanks to Misters Geppi and Overstreet for your very kind words.

here's the full article at the Gemstone/Diamond site:

http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/public/default.asp?t=1&m=1&c=34&s=259&ai=91147&ssd=1%2F28%2F2010&sp=chiarello&sd=1/22/10&arch=y

oh, yeah, just in case you're wondering, yes, this is a painting (not digital), and yes, those classic covers were a bitch to paint!

blame it on uncle norman...

Spent this past new year's weekend caught up in a blizzard up in Stockbridge, Mass. One of my favorite places on earth, home of the incredible Norman Rockwell Museum.

Of course, when in Stockbridge, you HAVE TO stay at the Red Lion Inn, the loveliest, spookiest, charmingist Inn in America. Sit by the fireplace in the lobby and enjoy a hot cider, friend.

Also ate at Theresa's, possibly the most famous unknown restaurant in the world. huh? Well, ok, it used to be called 'Alice's Restaurant.' Yes, THE Alice's Restaurant. And yes, it IS 'just a half a mile from the railroad track.'

The Rockwell Museum was running a show featuring a lot of Norman's photo reference, to coincide with the recent publication of the wonderful book "Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera" written by Ron Schick (go buy it, now!).

What's YOUR favorite Rockwell? (IMPOSSIBLE question, right?) I'm partial to "Freedom From Fear"...

but also this one from 'Tom Sawyer' is a fave...

...and this one too!...

and one more...

how about you???