I couldn’t wait to tackle this commission from David Holden. Unfortunately The Green Hornet never had much of a “Rogues Gallery.” He mainly fought the mob on their own turf.
But David’s inspired suggestion was a delight to draw. It’s a great idea: The Hornet is in Gotham City, trying to infiltrate the local mob. Only this mob is run by the colorful group of Batman’s most dangerous villains. Batman is nowhere to be found, so The Hornet is on his own (with Kato, of course!) Hence, the title: “When The Bat’s away, The Hornet’s at bay.” That goofy little title is a tip-of-the-hat to the campy TV show of the 60s. But the image is all Golden Age!
It’s always a treat to revisit some of my favorite characters. The next step was to give this piece a very “retro” coloring job. The faux cover even fooled some die-hard Green Hornet collectors. Will Batman reappear in time to help The Hornet and Kato? Or is the Bat in danger and in need of The Hornet’s help?
Stay tuned… something tells me there’s a sequel afoot!