Israel Skelton has been sculpting and creating for more than 20 years, ever since he made Thor's hammer out of a CedarWorks swing set mallet. (He wrapped the handle in medical gauze, colored it with marker and ruled the backyard.)

Today, he works in a multitude of mediums - wood, metal, clay, stone - with a specialty in life-size comic replicas. Largely self-taught, he has pieces in private collections all over the country.

Israel is available for commission and prototype work. True to its name, his is a one-man studio, but several times he's called on the most talented people he knows. His friends.

Many thanks go out to Tom Bartunek, Peter Gill, Jerry Waite, Don Deschene, Scott Gooding, Andy Palange, Mike St. Germain, Jose Leiva, Corey LaFlamme and Gibran Vogue Graham.

Skelton Crew Studio designs aren't limited to the comic world. Other works include jewelry, tattoos, wedding cake toppers, show lighting and one glorious stone lakeside cottage.

Israel lives in rural Maine with his wife and four adorably stubborn Welsh corgis.