In ART OPS, the new Vertigo series by Shaun Simon and Michael Allred, the best works of art don’t just have something to say—they have things to do. In this world, art often isn’t content to rest in its frame, and often it escapes, becoming a living, breathing part of our world. Which made us wonder… if you had the chance to spend a day hanging out with a famous work of art, which one would it be?

We posed that very question to the Art Ops creative team. Here’s the art they’d choose for a night of painting the town…

Shaun Simon (writer and co-creator)

I have a print of Norman Rockwell's The Connoisseur hanging in my hallway. I don't believe the man is looking at a painting – I believe he is looking at his own reflection. But it would be nice to tap him on the shoulder and see if I'm right. (Click here to see the painting.)


Michael Allred (artist and co-creator)

The Scream (above), because he looks like he'd be great fun to hang out with. Life of the party!
 

Matt Brundage (artist, issues #2-4)

NC Wyeth is my favorite painter and who wouldn't want to hang out with ole Saint Nick? (Click here to see the painting.)


Laura Allred (colorist)

Michelangelo's David (above). I think he's pretty. Or at least he WAS pretty until we got hold of him.


Todd Klein (letterer)

"Hang out with" suggests a person rather than a place, so in that case, I'd choose the person in the iconic 1940 painting by Hugh J. Ward above, created to hang in the office of the publisher, now on permanent display in the library of Lehman College, the Bronx, NY. I bet that would be an interesting time!
 

Shelly Bond (editor)

There is a photo by the amazing Amy Arbus taken in the lower east side in the early 80s. It was said that when he performed live, Joe Strummer and his 1966 Fender Telecaster were inseparable—as if it were a welcome congenital appendage.  Wish I could have been a witness…or the swooning uncool girl who was accidentally cropped off the photo on his left-hand side. (Click here to see the photo.)


Molly Mahan (assistant editor)

This isn’t my favorite work of art (although the Pre-Raphaelites are pretty rocking), but I’d want to hang with John William Waterhouse’s 1894 painting of Ophelia (above). We’d spend the day braiding flowers into one another’s hair and talk about how bad a boyfriend Hamlet is, and that while killing her father was totally lame of him, it isn’t worth killing herself over.
 

ART OPS #1 is now available in print and as a digital download. For more on the series, be sure to read our exclusive interview with Michael Allred.