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When comics artists draw women they unleash some incredible fantasies. These fantasies have read the minds of millions of boys and girls across the world (and no, that’s hardly something to worry about ;) ).

Comic book artists are known for overemphasizing the female form. The comic book pinups are inhumanly structured and impossibly costumed and that’s what makes them so much fun. This is a tribute to some good artists and some bad girls, taking The Pinup Shop Blog to the darker side of pinups.

Joe Jusko - Vampirella

There are so many beautiful depictions of Vampirella, it’s difficult to choose. Throughout the years, the character hasn't changed much. The depictions are almost always smoky and dramatic, so it’s no wonder Vampirella is such a muse to so many people.

My favorite Vampirella artist is Joe Jusko. Jusko an incredible craftsman, The anatomic detail is astonishing and it's safe to say that Jusko's Vampirella is based on real models, which makes it all the more believable. In the case of Jusko’s Vampirella, she’s always dark, always sexy, always realistic and many times ironic, like in this haunting homage to the artist, by the artist.

William Tucci - Shi

I'm a bit of a Japanophile, so anything Japanese (both modern and antique) is fascinating to me. Shi is just a visually interesting character. With her face made up like a geisha and her clothes hinting to a samurai heritage (not in this specific picture), Tucci really closes in on those details.

Tucci is more of a graphic artist, reminiscent of those 80’s kitsch posters, which gives his work a unique edge. This, however, doesn’t lessen from his more realistic work, which is just as mesmerizing.

Adam Hughes - Catwoman and Wonderwoman
Adam Hughes does some unbelievable digital work. It’s not all gold, but there’s a lot of it. And in most cases it is astonishing. Hughes has dabbled with pretty much every character that’s on my personal favorites list and does a hell of a job, so here are a few samples.

What I like the most about Hughes is his sense of humor. He can be dramatic and create a dark ambient, but his best work is his ironic and comic pieces, like the Wonder Woman Meets Wonder Woman piece, above.

The variation in style is also fascinating with Hughes' work- his preciseness of composition and color, however, is not limited to his graphic work (like Catwoman, above) , but is very much present in his more realistic work, as well. In his Vampirella, you can actually see the separation of color areas.

Michael Turner - Storm and Red Sonja

Michael Turner as an incredible body of work. In keeping with the comics style, Turner is capable of anything. From realistic, to graphic to down-right childish.

I love this specific cover of Storm- it’s powerful and sexy, and still stays in that comic book style. Turner Has a real flare for dramatic and action images, and this cover is no exception.

Sometimes, however, Turner will create something truly touching, such as this Red Sonja piece. You can tell the artist truly understands his craft, by the completeness of his decisions. Turner makes his more sensitive pieces in a more realistic style, but keeps his strokes soft. In this depiction of Red Sonja, it's not only the subject matter that makes you feel the drama, but also the style of painting, Turner chose.

When it comes to comic book pinups and classic pinups, it's not only the subject matter that connects the two. It's also the attitude towards them. Comic artists are very often perceived as "pervs who have a breast fixation", while that may be true, in some cases, in many cases this is completely off base. Comics artists are leaving huge bodies of work behind, and are a fascinating insight to our culture.