The Blackwing 64 is a tribute to comic books and the innovative minds that bring them to life. The process of creating some of the most loved and iconic comic book heroes begins with a pencil, but it doesn’t end there. From ideation to the printed product, comic books go through various steps and stages during their production. Most comics start with a penciler that sketches the initial drawings. Separately, a letterer formats the typefaces and draws the in-panel text. Then, those penciled images are outlined by an inker who lays down additional details to help translate the pencil sketches into something to be printed. And lastly, before the comics are printed, a colorist adds the necessary colors to the black-and-white inked drawings.

We teamed up with our good friend Kickliy, a comic writer and artist from Minnesota, to showcase these individual tasks in the form of a 3-page comic. Using the Blackwing Vol. 64, Kickliy developed a Blackwing-inspired character and story. View Kickliy’s process and the final product below:

About Kickliy:

Kickliy is an award-winning comic book creator. His work appears in Image and Dargaud Comics. He also owns and operates A4MN, a small publisher based in Minnesota.

Where to find Kickliy:

Instagram.com/yilkcik

Patreon.com/kickliy

A4MN.com