Fallback for Daylight Savings Time

Quick creation for falling back to Daylight Savings Time, or as I see it the end of warmer weather and the start of nasty coldness.

[Workflow: Prompt experimentation using Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to create the basic illustrations, then merged left/right together inside Affinity Photo. Added lighting Fx, some texture overlays, and then hand-crafted the fonts and wording.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

That's an un-BRIE-lievable amount (1.4 billion pounds) of cheese!

Snapple Real Facts Illustrated #2088 - The statement about 1.4 billion pounds of government cheese being stored in caves in Missouri is an outdated claim; while a large surplus of cheese did exist in the past and was stored in underground facilities like those in Springfield, the government has since distributed this cheese. The idea of a 1.4 billion-pound stockpile has become an urban myth that is no longer accurate, though the caves are still used for commercial cold storage.

[Workflow: Prompt experimentation using Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to create the basic illustration.  Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer were used last month to create the magazine layout, adjusted every time I make a new illustrated fact.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

Mercury and Venus Have No Moons (and Here Is Why)

Snapple Real Facts Illustrated #1260 - Mercury and Venus are the only planets in our solar system that have no moons. This is because their proximity to the Sun makes it difficult to hold onto a moon, as the Sun's strong gravitational pull could either capture a moon from them or pull it away from their orbits. 

[Workflow: Prompt experimentation using Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to create the basic illustration.  Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer actions to finalize the magazine layout I previously had created (logo, date/issue masthead Fx, designed beaker wallpaper, the future is fruity emblem, etc.)  Fixed up some image errors by AI, then added in additional text elements.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

Brainless Jellyfish

Snapple Real Facts Illustrated #1248 - Incredible but true! Jellyfish are Earth’s amazing creatures capable of swimming and hunting without a centralized brain! Instead, they possess a “diffuse nerve net” that controls their actions. 

[Workflow: Prompt experimentation using Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to create the basic illustration.  Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer actions to finalize the magazine layout I previously had created (logo, date/issue masthead Fx, designed beaker wallpaper, the future is fruity emblem, etc.)  Created a NO-brain image to fit into the left corner.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

The Crafty Side of Halloween: Building a Ghoulish Graveyard

My new image, inspired by a Mike Hoffman sketch, is of a small Halloween diorama, meticulously crafted and set against the backdrop of an artist's studio. The diorama is a playful scene with Frankenstein's monster shambling behind a group of terrified trick-or-treaters set in a graveyard setting. In front of the monster, we see a costumed kid in a Dracula outfit nearby holding a pumpkin pail, as a frog-masked boy lies comically on the ground nearby. Two other children, one wearing a skeleton mask and the other in a ghost costume, appear to be running away in horror. The special effects, with a full moon, creeping graveyard fog, and blackened bats against the sky in the diorama, contrast with the golden, sunny light illuminating from the real-world workshop.  Tools of the trade: paintbrushes, paints, and a sketchbook are scattered around, implying this intricate scene is a work in progress.

[Workflow: I used Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to generate a lot of bits and pieces to be collaged together, found a ton of creative license images to merge in the background, desk, brushes, gravestone etching, etc.  A bunch of Affinity Photo work: creating the fog within the diorama, importing the book pages, creating the lighting from a lamp, fixing shadows on the figures, Frankie's glowing eyes, updating the headstones, among many others.  A lot of heavy masking layers, and Serif Fx with dynamic filters.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

layout sketch ideas

final image v33, zoom in to see all kinds of hidden details

lots of layers + masks

 

Hoffman's source of inspiration

merging in the various figures

2+ fog layers merged, then texture warped

adding gravestone etchings

texture mapping Frankie into the book

adding another kid, a ghost this time

removing lower layers so you can see pieces

the workshop background

every tree needs a raven/crown

SRFI#1041: Forty is a Magically Ordered Number

Snapple Real Facts Illustrated #1041 - Incredible but true! Forty is the only number in the English language whose letters are in alphabetical order! It’s a linguistic marvel! Are you speechless?

[Workflow: Prompt experimentation using Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to create the basic illustration.  Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer activity to finalize the magazine layout I previously created (logo, date/issue masthead Fx, designed beaker wallpaper, the future is fruity emblem, etc.)]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

SRFI#845: Your Whole Life is a Lie: This Everyday Citrus is Sweeter Than You Think!

Snapple Real Facts Illustrated #845 - You Won't Believe Which Fruit Has Less Sugar: Lemon vs. Strawberry Showdown!

[Workflow: Prompt experimentation using Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to create the basic illustration.  Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer activity to finalize the magazine layout I previously created (logo, date/issue masthead Fx, designed beaker wallpaper, the future is fruity emblem, etc.)]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

 

Superman, Batman, Mister Miracle, and The Flash in Front of the Hall of Justice LEGO Set.

Does anyone remember the late 1970s/early 1980s, when you watched reruns of Super Friends on TV and then made your own LEGO sets to go with it? 

[Workflow: Nano banana for base image, rest of human work within Affinity for fixing the instruction manual, adding the four LEGO set characters, adding laser beams to Superman, adding the fire from the table, and adding The Flash running so fast we see him blurred across the screen. Additional background cleanups as needed.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

Pete Transformed into They Live Alien

I created a possible YouTube intro screen for Pete Bickford's (mostly) weekly ComicBaseTV livestream channel. Pete is even wearing Roddy Piper's clothes from the cult classic THEY LIVE movie.

[Workflow: Nano banana for helping provide elements to expand the poster, then everything else done by hand in Affinity for fonts, face mapping, poster merge, etc.]

Hi-rez image (Pete Lives) link [2160px tall]

Hi-rez image (Metropolis Poster) link [2160px tall]

my source image to be altered

source for metropolis poster

SRFI#49: The Straight Truth About the Hump

Snapple Real Facts Illustrated #49 - Despite its hump, a camel has a straight spine.

[Workflow: Prompt experimentation using Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to create the basic illustration.  Lots of Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer activity to create the magazine layout, created logo, date/issue masthead Fx, designed beaker wallpaper, the future is fruity emblem, etc.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

Peanuts Homage - Charlie Brown in 3D Reading a Comic Book

Charlie Brown in 3D was created while in a Slack discussion forum with Robbie Weinberg.

[Workflow: I fed Peanuts sample art into Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to create a 3D version. I then imported it into Affinity Photo to clean up a few issues found while creating the background elements (poster, toys, etc), and I also used Topaz Gigapixel to upscale some elements of the image flow as needed.]

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trade dressed image (currently unused in CB2026)

ComicBase Splash Loader Screen: Mystery Comic Store

I created a variant splash loading page for the new ComicBase 2026 that features a young Pete Bickford standing outside his local comic book store.  The art credit for the program is attached below.

[Workflow: Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) to create the base look. I then imported it into Affinity Photo to clean up a few issues found while creating the background elements (books, poster, sky, etc), and I also used Topaz Gigapixel to upscale some flow as needed.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

trade dressed image as seen in CB2026

uncropped original virgin image

lilyisthatyou - HALO digital CD release custom cover art

I took the existing CD digital single cover work for "HALO" and made several small enhancements using my Affinity Photo + Designer tools.   Buy your copy of the music over at lilyisthatyou's music/merchandise site.

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Dasha - What Happens Now?

The stock album cover for "WHAT HAPPENS NOW? (Deluxe)" was a simple image of Dasha sitting on a horse without any album text, so I made text labeling adjustments, including adding her belt buckle from the back cover to her outfit. Be sure to grab your copy over at Dasha's promotional site.

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Maren Morris - Dreamsicle

The stock album cover for "DREAMSICLE" felt a bit lacking for my iPod needs, so I made some minor adjustments. I expanded the image footprint to incorporate the missing title for the music CD, enhancing its overall appearance and ensuring it looks complete on my device.  Go buy your copy over at Maren Morris' own promotional site.

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Tweaked cover art for Karley Scott Collins' album artwork for 'Write One' (version 2)

I took the "WRITE ONE" CD album cover art and fed it through a few image prompts to get some ideas, then took the pieces I liked from 4 different generations and then spliced them into the minor updates within Affinity Photo. Be sure to grab your copy of her music over at Karley Scott Collins.

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Heartless by Julia Cole

The stock digital EP cover for "HEARTLESS" didn't quite inspire me, so I made a few minor adjustments. I added some layered text and a sunburst effect to enhance its visual appeal. Be sure to grab your copy over at Julia Cole's promotional site!

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Absolute Batman Versus a Flamethrower

I took a single panel from DC Comics Absolute Batman #5 drawn by Nick Dragotta with colors by Frank Martin. I made some alterations and enhancements to create a frame-busting wide-screen version of Batman fending off an attack from a flamethrower.

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

panel sourced from this page

Batman Kneeling in the Rain on a Rooftop in Gotham City.

I took a single panel from DC Comics Absolute Batman #5 , drawn by Nick Dragotta, and used it as an input source for a NightCafe image prompt to create a version of Batman kneeling on a rooftop.   I then found several images online and merged/masked them into the final picture with Affinity Photo.

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]