Anyone recognize this Tick drawing? 0

[zhamlau]

Hey, seen others post this type of question with some success, figured I’d try.

I got this tick drawing in a lot of published art from various decades. It’s very well done and has the x marks for black inking meaning someone intended it to be finished in a specific way. Anyone recognize the image, or the signature/style? It could be a very tight pencil to some commission meant to be inked, but it would be the only commission in the 100+ pieces in the lot so I’m suspect of that. 
 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Edited September 5, 2023 by zhamlau

[comiconxion]

This looks like an adaption of events in issue #5 of the original series.  There's a story about how Max Banks (Edlund's regular inker at the time and whose real name is something else) had penciled that issue as a fill-in while Edlund was on vacation.  The first version of the pencils he submitted was a different style than what Edlund had been drawing so Bob Polio had him re-draw the whole issue.  He wasn't happy about that and I think it was the breaking point that led to him leaving the book.  That doesn't look like Banks' signature so I doubt it's a rejected cover or splash from that issue, but it reminded me of that story.  You may want to ask Bob Polio if he knows what it is.

[Bronty]

Good call, you could do worse than to ask Don if there aren’t any other suggestions.   It’s not unlike his work.  

[Michael Browning]

It's definitely not Don Simpson.