We all have our childhood influences; in my case it was comic books that grabbed me first. They were the spark plug that got me into drawing and design, and all these years later, even though I haven’t read a comic book in ages, the characters still hold a very special place in my heart and in my imagination. Given the proliferation of superhero movies in recent years, I’m obviously not alone in these sentiments. But alas, something gets lost amidst all the CGI, the tracking shots, the high-megawatt Hollywood stars and, of course the unrelenting hype.

These hand drawn cards speak to my inner comic dork in a way that no Hollywood blockbuster ever could. Simple, soulful, and heartfelt, they remind me of what the world looks like through eight year old eyes. In fact, the illustration style is more reminiscent of a childrens book than a comic book which works brings out a side of the characters that the movies miss.  They’re drawn by Matt Kaufenberg, a graphic designer/illustrator from Minnesota, who goes by the name Skutterfly on the internet. (Of course, he would have a duel identity.)

For practically the same price as an IMAX movie ticket, you can own one of these originals. Kaufenberg sells them for $20 each and it seems he’s willing to custom-make cards on commission as well. From where I sit, that seems like a steal.

Batman, Plastic Man, Spidey, Wolvie and many, many more await you after the jump.