At an exhibition some years ago, Jordu Schell and I were comparing notes on work that truly made us shudder. Jordu is a master VFX artist and sculptor who has a long history in the "horror" business. I wondered if there were things that really scared him.

I confessed to him that scenes of Mordred feasting on victims in The Dark Tower were among the most horrific moments I’d ever read. I tried to convey how brilliantly King described the boy when he changed into a spider-creature; that parts of his spider-self would begin to manifest when he had trouble controlling his impulses.

Later that day, Jordu smiled as he handed me a sketch of his interpretation—a lumpy headed spider-boy. As chance would have it, I came across it recently and painted my own version of Mordred based on his drawing just in time for Stephen King’s birthday!

I made a few additions to fit the scene, including a hint of the Red King's deserted castle and a gathering of rooks and crows. I even gave Mordred a nose, but I had to keep the football-shaped head and his deliciously evil grin.