Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Danny Earls, dc comics, gail simone

Danny Earls, From Gail Simone Tweet To Marvel & DC Gigs In Two Months

Danny Earls, courtesy of a tweet from Gail Simone, and some rather fine sample pages, has secured himself gigs with both Marvel and DC Comics.

Published Wed, 01 Mar 2023 14:00:11 -0600

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Wed, 01 Mar 2023 14:51:53 -0600

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2023 is Danny Earls' year it seems. On the 4th of January, Gail Simone tweeted the following, "Okay, dear editors at @DCComics, @marvel, @ImageComics @Dynamite and elsewhere, I am about to do one of you a tremendous favor. :) At @ThoughtBubbleUK, a gentleman brought me one of the most astonishing portfolios I have ever seen in 20 years of cons. His name was @dannyearls16 , and this guy can COOK. His art was amazing, it looks even better in person. I asked him to do up some sample pages of sequentials so I could show them around. I just got them this morning and HOLY ****. Again, I don't know this gentleman, I never met him before him showing up in my line at the con in Harrogate. But this guy was born to do comics. If I had a project in need of an artist at the moment, I'd hire him immediately. Samples below. "

"I never say this specific thing, editors have enough on their plate. But holy crap, someone, HIRE THIS MAN AND HAVE HIM DRAW BATMAN. Or Moon Knight. Or something else amazing! Like NOW. TODAY. @DCComics @Marvel @ImageComics @DarkHorseComics @DynamiteComics PS., everyone follow @dannyearls16 on his twitter and insta for more art. But if he doesn't get scooped up for a major project immediately, there's something very wrong in comics right now."

And then added "And THEN I find out he's a professional soccer player. Danny, you are an interesting dude!"

It's true. Danny Earls is an Irish footballer who was signed as a teenager by Aston Villa and played youth football for the Republic of Ireland. He went on to have a nine-year professional career in the US with the Rochester Rhinos, Colorado Rapids and Pittsburgh Riverhounds. But he has now quit the sport in favour of comic books, with Hellfire being published by Rogue Comics. But it's not Roy Of The Rovers or Billy The Fish that has his attention.

A few days later, Danny Earls added more samples on Twitter. "Hi folks, my name is Danny Earls and I'm a comic book artist from Ireland :)" with the hashtags #portfolioday #PortfolioDay2023."

The first page was from a cover to No/One, published by Image Comics and commissioned by that series creator Kyle Higgins. Danny posted to Instagram, saying " Absolutely delighted to share my very first professional comic book cover for @imagecomics. I can't thank @kyledhiggins enough for this opportunity! Please everyone go and check out NO/ONE – its going to be a fantastic book!"

He got a lot of love from folks such as Lewis LaRosa, John McCrea and Cian Tormey. And as appreciation spread it out there, so the likes of Walter Simonson, and Yildiray Cinar, expressed their admiration of his work. And along the way, something must have taken.

Then on the 22nd of February, he tweeted "Absolutely delighted to have just handed in my first short story for @marvel – can't wait for people to see it". From responses from Jed McKay, it looks like McKay is the writer."

And then yesterday, Danny tweeted "Absolutely can't wait to announce this! Its a childhood dream come true to work for @dcofficial and this character!"

From Gail Simone's tweet to Marvel and DC Comics' story assignments in under two months? That's the power of Gail , folks… and of Danny's work of course. And now it does sound like a storyline from Roy Of The Rovers after all…

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