▁Brian ▁Marshall , ▁Mike ▁Harris , ▁and ▁Robert ▁Loren ▁F lem ing . ▁Cover ▁p enc iling ▁and ▁more ▁interior ▁in king ▁for ▁Marvel ▁and ▁occasionally ▁DC ▁followed . ▁His ▁first ▁story ▁p enc iling ▁for ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁major ▁com ics ▁companies ▁was ▁the ▁three - issue ▁Howard ▁the ▁D uck : ▁The ▁Movie ▁( Dec ember ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁- ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 7 ), ▁adapt ing ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁film ▁Howard ▁the ▁D uck , ▁and ▁which ▁he ▁self - ink ed . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁Baker ▁also ▁attempted ▁to ▁sell ▁humor ▁spot ▁illustr ations , ▁but ▁was ▁rejected ▁by ▁the ▁major ▁newspaper ▁synd ic ates . ▁Jim ▁Sal ic rup , ▁a ▁Marvel ▁editor , ▁did ▁commission ▁him ▁" to ▁write ▁a ▁few ▁one - panel ▁g ags ▁about ▁[ the ▁super h ero ▁team ] ▁the ▁X - Men ", ▁titled ▁" It ' s ▁Gen etic " ▁and ▁appearing ▁in ▁the ▁Marvel - produ ced ▁fan ▁magazine ▁Marvel ▁Age . ▁ ▁First ▁graph ic ▁novel ▁At ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁fre el ance ▁artist ▁Ron ▁Font es , ▁an ▁editor ▁at ▁the ▁Dol ph in ▁im print ▁of ▁the ▁publishing ▁house ▁Double day ▁expressed ▁interest ▁in ▁Baker ' s ▁sample ▁stri ps ▁of ▁the ▁character ▁Cow boy ▁W ally , ▁" and ▁asked ▁if ▁I ▁had ▁any ▁more . ▁I ▁li ed ▁and ▁said ▁I ▁did ." ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 2 8 - page ▁graph