Best known for creating The Crow, the 1989 comic series on which numerous movies, comic books, toys and a TV show have been based, it’s been a few years since we’ve heard a squawk from James O’Barr or his most famous creation. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been busy working on new material. Though he’s not officially part of this year’s Dragon*Con, O’Barr will be appearing at two New Evolutionary Movement/Neon Armour art events and an in-store at Criminal Records in Atlanta this weekend. As he prepares for the torturous task of using naked women as a canvas, he talks to Wrestling with Pop Culture about these events and other upcoming projects.

What can you tell me about body painting event you’re doing on Saturday night? Have you done much painting on human flesh?

I’ve never actually done painting on the model before. I’ve never painted a woman with anything you couldn’t lick off afterwards. But I like a challenge, and I like this challenge of making everybody in the room look bad. It’s an artistic will to provoke type thing. When you get a bunch of artists together, we always try to show each other up, so everybody brings their A game.

The talent involved with this show is pretty impressive. Have you ever worked with any of these guys before?

I’ve known David Mack for 15 years now and I’m friend with Bill Sienkiewicz, too. But he’s always on the opposite coast as me, so I don’t know him as well as David.

You’re best known for creating The Crow. It’s been a while since there have been any new Crow comics or movies. What have you been working on more recently? Any chance there will ever ben new Crow stories from the character’s creator?

My Crow book was self contained. It had a definite ending and I really didn’t have anything else to add to it. People wanted more Crow comics, so I let other people kind of play in that universe. But I really had nothing else to add to it.

I took some time off to be self indulgent and learn how to paint. I’ve done a lot of book covers and album covers and things like that. Just in the past few years I’ve gotten back into comics. I miss telling a story.

What can you tell me about the comics you’ve been working on?

I have five books in the works right now, but none of them have come out. I just finished an Author’s Edition of The Crow that’s got 35 pages of new stuff in it. So it’s finally the way I wanted it. There are things I wasn’t capable of doing 20 years ago. I didn’t change the story, I didn’t do the George Lucas thing and just go in and shine a bunch of things up. I actually added more layers to it so this version of the story has a little more depth, I think.

What are the other books you’re working on and when will they be coming out?

I have a 1940s film noir book I’m working. But my big project right now is this gothic Western thing I’ve been working on called Sundown. It’s kind of been my pet project for ten years now. It’s fully painted in these widescreen anamorphic panels. It’s not like a typical comic that has six square panels and a rectangle on a page. The whole thing is done in widescreen shots and everything is by hand, so it’s taken a while. It’s a 300 page book with a pretty complex storyline.

While you’re in Atlanta, you’re also doing a more intimate figure drawing event on Friday at the DooGallery. How will that differ from the body painting event?

We’re not drawing on the models at that event, but we’re going to have a bunch of girls come in and model for us. So one night I’m going to be drawing naked women and the next night I’m going to be drawing on naked women, which is kind of a win-win situation for me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to pull off that tortured artists affectation this weekend.

Yeah, that will be tough. I don’t know if you follow pro wrestling, but I’m sure you’re familiar with Sting. Though he is now doing more of a Heath Ledger-like Joker gimmick, he has become known for his Crow-inspired look. What are your thoughts on your influence on his look and persona?

I’ve met him and he’s a pretty nice guy, but I’ve never actually seen any of his events. When people first started saying, “He looks like Sting,” I kept thinking, “Sting from the Police?” I was pretty unaware it at first, but I just consider it flattery. Everyone knows where it came from. I just kind of look on it with amusement because it doesn’t affect me in any way.

He actually lives about an hour from me and he wanted me to do some artwork for him. I don’t think he quite understood that I would be doing a parody of myself, or giving him validation, if I did that. I was really uncomfortable with it, so it didn’t happen. But, best of luck to him.

I think Heath Ledger owes me some royalties, too. But he was the best thing in that movie. Anytime they went off the Joker, I just wanted them to go back. I couldn’t have cared less about Two-Face. But it’s the same thing. I think people know where the inspiration came from.

Figure Drawing with David Mack, Bill Sienkiewicz, James O’Barr, Peter Steigerwald and Joe Benitez. $20. 7 p.m. Sept. 2. DooGallery, 205 Holtzclaw St., Unit J, Atlanta, Ga. www.doogallery.com.

In-store appearance. Free. 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 3. Criminal Records, 1154-A Euclid Ave. NE, Atlanta, Ga. 404-215-9511, www.criminalatl.com.

Legends of the Underground Body Art Show. $10. 10 p.m. Sept. 3. The New American Shakespeare Tavern, 499 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, Ga. 404-874-5299, www.shakespearetavern.com.