Bitter Crusade: "Constantinople burns"

BITTER CRUSADE  
 
I really threw myself into this batch of work. I hadn’t really done any medieval illustrations for quite some time and it’s always fun to go back and touch on those sword-n-armor roots.  
 
I made a big fat trip down to Columbus’s Main Library (a phenomenal library, by the way) and got a stack of books for reference about thirty feet high. I had to get books on the crusades, Constantinople, the Dark Ages, Venice, medieval ships, and armor for knights from that era. I do not vouch for my historical accuracy on any of this but it’s as close I could get without going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands.  
 
I think I patterned my blacks pretty nicely. I dreamily picture all these pieces with those deep, rich colors that are used in Mike Mignola comics (Hellboy, of course comes to mind). How about that little fiend in the lower right of the monster parade? He looks like he could be a really annoying jerk.