I’m in awe, truly. I’ve been known to sketch from time to time, but this guy takes it to a whole new level. And it’s not just the art. He creates these little scenario vignettes around each piece that make them extra icky or fantastical or bizarre. Take this for instance about the Baron — the first image above:

The serfs grow increasingly tired of the brutal and irrational treatment they are subjected to at the hands of their lord. The Baron is a feudal knight of a militant and formerly prosperous feifdom with coffers swollen by recent land grabs. During a campaign for further territory acquisition the Baron was made aware of a tomb on the outskirts of a neighboring lord’s manor. While rumored to contain the dowry and burial tributes of a wealthy aristocratic couple struck down in their prime by a virulent and pernicious illness that had wracked the local countryside, it was said that grave robbers have superstitiously avoided the loot. After the Baron had dashed their remains about the crypt, while ordering the collection of anything of value, he returned to his own estates. He began refusing to be seen outside of his armour, and a horrific stench began emanating from both his person and his quarters. He had his smithy refashion and modify his armour in seemingly illogical ways which should have rendered it unwearable by a normal person. Servant girls consistently went missing when attending him in his private chambers, and he became a rare sight outside those rooms. His lands lay in disarray and his subjects starve and flounder.

My only question is, why hasn’t this guy been given a top-drawer graphic novel project yet? Vertigo, get this guy on board NOW.

Speaking of Vertigo, we just got 4 new graphic novels today — Superman: Secret Identity, Rising Stars: Born In Fire (written by the creator of Babylon 5), and League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen 1 and 2. I’ll do a graphic novel review post sometime soon here…

Anyway, KEITH THOMPSON. Go to his site, buy some prints, and keep the man in business doing his thing.

Update: Anna in the comments mentioned American McGee’s “Alice” — a dark gothic video game version of the Alice In Wonderland story. Here’s a link to some art by Normal Feschle, the concept artist that worked on the game with McGee at Electronic Arts.