Even though I’m a child of the 1980s, I found most of my heroes in reruns of 1960s and 1970s television shows.  They were all women.  One of those women is Jaime Sommers:  The Bionic Woman, played by Lindsay Wagner, who won an Emmy for her portrayal.

I’ve never been one to enjoy the tired cliché of the alpha-male character.  Lindsay imbued Jaime with a strong sense of feminine energy, intelligence, understanding, and unending compassion that I feel is lacking from so many female heroes of today.  Jaime was part-superhero but all woman, often solving problems primarily with her mind instead of her Bionic parts.  Her Bionics weren’t used to inflict violence.  She was a hero I could, and still do look up to, as well as Lindsay herself.

In the third season of the series, Jaime got a Bionic Dog called Max (aka Maximillion/Maximillian).  That’s who Jaime is running with in this illustration.  Running is, after all, Jaime’s favorite way to de-stress, and dogs are great de-stressors.

I’m very happy to be reliving this great series through Region 2 DVDs as I continue my recuperation from three herniated discs.  It gives me Bionic Inspiration.

The Bionic Woman: Jaime & Max

Available as a t-shirt: http://www.redbubble.com/people/raycaspio/t-shirts/4329390-4-the-return

This is the fourth in my ongoing series of comic book covers based on the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman television show!  I’m particularly proud of this one because when I look at it, THAT is the Wonder Woman in my head.  I’ve finally given it form.  I decided to add the sketch and digital inks that became this illustration.

Episode No. 15 (including the pilot movie):  The Return of Wonder Woman

This episode marked the switch from a World War II setting to the modern day (in this case, 1977), and also a change of networks from ABC to CBS.  The premise was:  Wonder Woman returned to Paradise Island after World War II since the Nazi menace had been taken care of.  In 1977, fate intervenes, and IADC Agent Colonel Steve Trevor crashes on the uncharted body of land in The Bermuda Triangle known as Paradise Island just like his father before him.  Princess Diana rescues him and finds out that she’s still needed in the outside world:  this time, to stop a terrorist plot.

In the “new” series, Major Steve Trevor (Lyle Waggoner) was now Colonel Steve Trevor, Jr., Private Etta Candy (Beatrice Colen) was gone, and Joe Atkinson (Normann Burton) replaced General Blankenship (Richard Eastham) as “the boss” of the series.  That wouldn’t last very long.  Diana Prince was no longer disguised as a mousy secretary:  she was on her way to becoming a stylish woman of the 1970s.  By the end of the series, she’d even ditched the glasses and bun/ponytail she used to disguise herself.  I prefer the CBS series to ABC because of the new confidence Lynda Carter gave Diana Prince and Wonder Woman.  In describing the dualities of the role, Lynda Carter has said she always considered Diana Prince as who the woman really was and Wonder Woman as what she could do.  I heartily agree with that interpretation.

The first time I saw this particular episode was on the old fX Network in 1994 because it never appeared in syndication on the networks in my area before that.  fX edited it down to one hour long episode and one half hour episode, cutting scenes in the process, so I was delighted to finally see it in its entirety when Columbia House released it on VHS.  Of course, now it’s on DVD, but Warner Brothers edited out the opening teaser and the cannon shot that preceded the theme song.  There are a number of odd choices WB made on the DVD release so hopefully one day they’ll actually release the complete series, unedited.

OK, let’s see the art!

This is the third in my ongoing series of comic book covers based on the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman television show!

Episode No. 45 (including the pilot movie):  The Deadly Dolphin

Wonder Woman No. 45: The Deadly Dolphin

This is the second in my ongoing series of comic book covers based on my favorite television show ever, Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman!

Episode No. 44 (including the pilot movie): Skateboard Whiz
“A teenage skateboarder is manipulated into helping an extortionist win at illegal gambling.”

Wonder Woman No. 44: Skateboard Whiz

My illustration of Superman in The Fortress of Solitude. 

Lynda Carter’s “The New Adventures of Wonder Woman” television series could continue…in comic book form, at least!

The New Adventures of Wonder Woman No. 61
11″ x 17″

I always wanted to do an illustration of Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter) and Andros (Dack Rambo) based on The New Adventures of Wonder Woman episode Mind Stealers from Outer Space.  So, here’s an updated Wonder Woman rescuing an updated Andros from an updated Zardor!

The Rescue of Andros
11″ x 17″
Pencils, colors: Ray Caspio
Colors: Kevenn T. Smith

Detail of Wonder Woman:

First, Kevenn T. Smith and I collaborated on an illustration, just like last year!  This one, based on the ABC TV series starring Lynda Carter, has Private Etta Candy (played by Beatrice Colen) and Yeoman Diana Prince (Lynda Carter, of course), who we wanted to make sure were represented in the auction this year.

Etta Figures it Out?
8.5″ x 11″ on Bristol Board
Ray Caspio:  Pencils
Kevenn T. Smith:  Inks and Colors (Prismacolor)

This is my solo piece.  Wonder Woman often falls prey to cheesecake-y depictions, so I thought I’d turn the tables and supply her with a bevy of beefcake boys – love interests of past and present:  Andros (played by Dack Rambo on the Lynda Carter TV series), Steve Trevor, Beowulf, Tom Tresser/Nemesis, Trevor Barnes, and Hermes.  Think of it as her Mr. Amazon 2008 contest.

Mr. Amazon 2008
11.75″ x 8.75″ on Bristol Board
Ink

Enter NOW Woman to present this year’s conference theme: No Capes, No Masks, No Boundaries: Super-Women Unite!

She’ll be appearing on the Conference’s program book, flyers, and internet promotions.

I am extremely proud to have worked with an organization of NOW’s caliber. It’s my honor to be associated with such a remarkable group of women; superheroes in their own right.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees at the Conference and The Intrepid Awards Gala.

Illustration and costume design ©2008 Ray Caspio.
NOW Logo ©National Organization for Women.

The sketches are now up for auction on eBay, so I hope you’ll take a look and place a bid (or two, or three, or four) to help the little rugrats!

Here a SimpleViewer Flash gallery should be displayed. Click here to open the post in your browser to see the gallery.

Other contributing artists include:

Aaron Lopresti, Aaron Sowd,Adam DeKraker, Adi Granov, Al Bigley, Allison Sohn, Andrew Wildman, Angel Gabriele, Arley Tucker, Batton Lash, Bill Maus, Billy Tan, Billy Tucci, Bob Almond, Bob Layton, Brendon & Brian Fraim, Brian Murray, Brian Postman, Cadence Comic Art, Cassandra Lovell, Chad Spilker, Chris Summers, Craig Boldman, Dan Panosian, Dan Parent, Daniel Chon, Dave Simons, David Faught, David Hahn, Derek Furman, Drew Johnson, Ed Benes, Ed Quinby, Fabio Redivo, Frankie Washington, Fred Hembeck, Gary Barker, Gene Espy, Geof Isherwood, Geoffrey Shane, Greg Horn, Greg LaRocque, Greg Moutafis, Greg Woronchak, Guy Davis, Herb Trimpe, Howard Bender, Hugh Vogt, Ian Sokoliwski, Jamal Igle, James Lyle, Javier Lugo, Jay Fotos, Jeff Newman, Jeff Shultz, Jeremy Dale, Jerry Loomis, Jessica Hickman, Jim Mahfood, John McCrea, Joe Singleton, John Johnston, John Watson, Kathleen Webb, Keith Dotson, Ken Branch, Ken Hunt, Khoi Pham, Marc Wolfe, Marc Lewis, Mark Bloodworth, Mark Spears, Matt Maguire, Matt Wagner, Michael Borkowski, Michael Dooney, Michael Munshaw, Mike DeCarlo, Mike Lilly, Mike Vosburg, Mikel Whelan, Nat Jones, Nate Lovett, Nate Taylor, Norm Breyfogle, Paul Gulacy, Randy Emberlin, Ray-Anthony Height, Rich Bonk, Rich Koslowski, Rich Molinelli, Robert Summers, Robt Snyder, Rudy Vasquez, Ryan Sook, Sal Velluto, Scott Christian Sava, Scott Johnson, Sean Forney, Shane Peters, Shaun Ward, Shawn McManus, Sherry McCarty, Stan Goldberg, Stephanie Olivieri, Steve Lieber, Steve Lydic, Todd Nauck, Tom Fleming, Tom Hodges, Travis Bundy, Troy Parke, Uko Smith.

After 1-1/2 years, this piece is finally complete! In 2006, I researched, penciled and inked this illustration depicting Wonder Woman and Diana Prince in her most definitive costumes since 1941. A comprehensive history of Wonder Woman’s look hasn’t been done since George Perez’s 1990’s poster, and even then it wasn’t approached from the original artists’ styles. Over the past few months, Kevenn T. Smith and I have been working on the colors in Photoshop. Between my drawing and his color expertise, we produced this result.

Almost every definitive version of Diana that has appeared in the comic book and other media is in this drawing, drawn by me but based on the original artists’ artwork: H.G. Peter, George Perez, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Mike Deodato, Phil Jimenez, Terry Dodson, Jose Delbo, Ross Andru, Irv Novick, Curt Swan, Don Heck, Gene Colan, Jill Thompson, Mike Sekowsky, Alex Toth, Bruce Timm, and Darwyn Cooke. In addition, I included the Lynda Carter and Cathy Lee Crosby versions of Wonder Woman because no true history of Diana would be complete without them. Earth-2 Wonder Woman is based on Lynda Carter since there really isn’t a definitive depiction of her. Lynda Carter (including her Diana Prince and the motorcycle outfit), Cathy Lee Crosby, and Earth-2 are in my art style and not based on another artists’ work.

Wonder Woman 1941-2008
Pencils and inks by Ray Caspio
Colors by Kevenn T. Smith and Ray Caspio
10″ x 15″ printed art space. Final piece measures 11″ x 17″ with black border.
Pencil, ink, Photoshop CS2

Wonder Woman is copyright and property of DC Comics.