Lichtensteins took Heath’s Comic Art and made a fortune. So Heath told his story in comic art.

Roy Lichtenstein has been celebrated by art critics world wide and a somewhat permanent fixture in modern art. See he pretty much is renowned for copying existing pulpy comic art panels with a ever so slight twist to add some new context. However no one has held a prize or recognition to the victims of Lichtenstein’s cut and paste artwork.

One particular victim of Lichtenstein’s fame was Russ Heath, who created the artwork in a panel for DC Comics’ All-American Men of War #89. A panel which Lichtenstein based his famous WHAAM! painting on back in 1963. Russ, pretty much was paid zilch for a painting that copied his artwork, while Roy walked away with millions when WHAAM! got sold.

So in cathartic, therapeutic fashion, Russ Heath drew a comic about his experience. We personally would have gone another route, making a whole other set of onomatopoeia sounds. It definitely brings up questions of art ethics and the often thin line between making creative references and straight-up stealing. Check out Heath’s artwork below about a little piece of art history from a seldom-seen perspective: