Of Resurrection and Damnation and the Lady in Waiting

And shall come forth; they that are damned, unto the resurrection of life, unto a new age, the Age of Justus.

I'm pretty sure that's Nick Justus, in that image over on the left hand side. Now, don't misunderstand. It's not art BY Nick Justus, as in art rendered by his own hand. Rather, it is art OF Nick Justus, rendered by the hand of a friend and fellow Kubert School classmate of his, Gavin Smith, of the previously mentioned Four Horsemen fame.

To see the big picture, to behold the revelation of Nick's place in the greater scheme of things, where Gavin's particular art piece in question is concerned, one must be prepared to trek unto the Realm of the Gavin. You seek a place called Human City. Specifically, your destination is the image found here.

Nick Justus can probably relate to what it feels like to be a zombie. Or, as the term is more popularly referred to, these days, a walker. Life has its way of gripping us - of squeezing the life out of us. What we are left with, in those moments, is the tangible essence of mere existence.

Which is all the more reason why Nick Justus should - and must - seek release from the iron grip of life's everyday, ordinary, mind-numbing routine and ritual through his art.

While Nick Justus' artistic creations of Jesus E. Lee and Dick Fistus have been battling zombies (amongst other things) in his comic book creation, the Jesus E. Lee series, there's more than just a little poetic justice captured in Gavin Smith's decision to render Nick Justice and their Kubert School compatriots in zombie form.

Unlike how things work out in The Walking Dead television series (which I happen to be a fan of, by the way), in real life, whether we "turn" or not is ultimately dependent upon our own decision-making process as an individual. As a fan, I have no vested interest in Nick Justus ever choosing to allow the humdrummery of life to get the best of him, nor in him choosing to allow the never-ending drone of reality's dull edge to usurp his vigor for creating art from him.

A blank canvas or a blank sheet of paper poses a challenge to the artist. On countless occasions, Nick Justus has risen to the occasion, the occasion of converting blank space into something beautiful - into tangible works of actual art.

Thus, from out of nothing has Nick Justus proven himself to be a master of creating something - something of value, something of artistic worth. The Master Artist, our Creator, has given life unto each of us, breathing our souls into us like so much blown glass. All too often, it is tempting to give place to the comfort that a boring existence seeks to entice us to embrace. Life has a way of seeming almost meaningless, in the process, when we surrender to such temptations.

Yet, through his veins flow vigor and force and energy, this Nick Justus fellow. Like Doctor Strange or Doctor Fate, this resident artist-in-admiration must channel the sum totality of all of his talent and skill and ability, of all that he has ever learned, into his love for the art that he creates. Art is ever his eternal lady in waiting. He casts furtive glances, even as he often contents himself to ignore her. Yet, his muse incarnate, ever she awaits.

She awaits the touch that is only his to give. His art is a gift to the world, but more importantly, a gift to himself. Wrought by the creative Hand of God, Himself, Nick Justus' talent - his innate artistic talent - is something that he should exult in, at every available moment, at every available opportunity.

Verily, I say unto you, which is greater? The masterpiece? Or the master which creates it?

And so it is with Nick Justus and his art.

Art is his resurrection unto life. Mundane existence does not befit him.

The Book of Nick

And I saw, and behold a dark horse, and his name that sat on him was Justus. And there was given unto him a great pen.

The Four Horsemen

What better place to start, than some place other than the beginning? That's Nick Justus, over on the right hand side of this photo encountered on Anthony Marques Tumblr site. Now, whether the reference posted thereon alludes to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse or to the Four Horsemen of professional wrestling fame, either way, the title of Horseman was already conferred upon Nick Justus, ere I ever encountered him or his artwork.

A Horseman this way rides, or more accurately, it is his art that rides this way, riding aboard the Internet and finding its way to me. It is fitting, indeed, that a title of this notoriety should likewise find its way to this man who is Nick Justus, and delivered by those who know him better than myself.

Recognize.

It was through Nick Justus that I encountered the artwork of the other three Horsemen pictured above - Anthony Marques, Craig C. Cermak II, and Gavin Smith.

What's in that book that Nick Justus has in front of him, in the photo above? Only the Shadow knows - the Shadow and Nick Justus, himself, no doubt. Is there an accounting for which individual pieces of art that this book, in question, contains? Is that the Nick Justus Art Bible? Or, does such a thing exist?

What masterpieces remain to be seen by the eyes of men, both from the future yet to come, and from the past that remain unrevealed and still sealed from fans such as I?

And will the Age of Justus herald in a closer peek at that book - The Book of Nick?

The Dawning of a New Age - The Age of Justus

And in the Thirteenth Year, God said, "Let there be Justus!" And a new age dawned. And the morning and the evening were the Twentieth Day of the Thirteenth Year of the Second Millennium, as counted by the Scribes of the Digital Disciples, and as foretold by the Prophets of Print.

That's one recounting of it, anyway.

Because the world is full of injustice, and because true justice only emanates from God and not man, that leaves only Justus - Nick Justus.

To be certain, this blog is not about religion. Nick Justus' art is not a religious experience. It's not even about souls - though it is about soulful. Soulful talent.

The artistic talent of a one Nick Justus - an individual that God, in His infinite wisdom, saw fit to bestow the gift of artistry on.

Fast forward to the present day, and we find that this artistic scion of Dillwyn, Virginia has trekked to the state that bears his initials, NJ. That's right, fans-to-be and fans-that-shall-come-lately, I'm talking about none other than the Garden State, New Jersey.

With the original Garden of Eden having been corrupted by the sins of our forebears, Adam and Eve, that left our resident artist-in-admiration with little choice but to carve out a new Eden of his own. Thus did a Son of the South become a Son of the North. The one. The same. Nick Justus.

Certified publicly on his very own Facebook page as what he, himself, described as his "one fan," we ever are true and devout fans of the talent, skill, and techniques that stand self-evident in the artistic renderings of this very same Nick Justus.

Why refer to myself as "fans" and "we," if I am but one person? Verily, I say unto thee, "We are fans - me, myself, and I."

Because, sometimes, being a fan just isn't good enough!

And that's the way that it is with Nick Justus' art. I just can't get enough. I'm always wanting more. And Nick Justus is just too damned good at what he does to not have fans with fervor.

Know, one and all, that you stand invited to join me on this journey, on this trek toward Justus, on this blog across the great artistic landscape that flows forth from the man whose God-given talents and artistic accomplishments inspired a need within me to pay tribute where tribute is due.

Welcome to the dawning of a new age - The Age of Justus!