New Mash-Up

Don't know WHY I've never done this before, or why anyone else hasn't....
So obvious...!

"Edgar Allen POGO" mash-up of Edgar Allen Pose and Walt Kelly's comic strip character.

Another Fun Character Design

I give you...
The McKRAKEN...!!

Happy Birthday, Walt!!

POGO!

Today would have been the birthday of WALT KELLY, former DISNEY animator/artist and creator of the long-running "POGO" comic. The award-winning classic comic featured an opossum and various other anthropomorphic characters in a swamp setting. Read more about him HERE.

POGO Sunday Comic

ANOTHER Worthy "KICKSTARTER" Project

Check it out!
Comic about disabled war veterans with PTSD and life-altering injuries that fight crime, co-written by amputee and TV actor...
Read about it HERE .

A "Darker, Edgier Mickey"....?

Nice Read about "Characters".....
A good opinion piece about continuity, story, and personality.

Gritty, Icky Mickey

Check it out HERE.

MOEBIUS, Classic Comic Artist, Succumbs

Legendary French comic book/fantasy artist Jean Giraud, better known as "MOEBIUS", passed away this morning. He was 73.
Talk about an influential artist. I remember first seeing his work in the 70's "HEAVY METAL" magazine, and being just blown away. His composition and line work was extraordinary, and his ARZACH character (below) was even featured in the HEAVY METAL Movie.

Read the article in COMIC BOOK RESOURCES HERE .

How Did I Miss "Big Bang Theory"...?

 While drawing/working on projects out in my little music-room-turned-office/studio a few weeks ago, I had the television on as 'background noise'. Usually, I'm listening-to and/or watching Guy's Big Bite; Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, or else Simpsons & Family Guy re-runs. Typically, Family Guy was the lead-in to CONAN (Conan O'Brien) on TBS.
 This particular evening, I happened to catch a two-hour, four-episode block of a show called "The Big Bang Theory". I was pleasantly surprised, and THOROUGHLY entertained.

  The premise revolves around a group of upper-level intelligent (MENSA-type) twenty/thirty-somethings who are all comic/sci-fi enthusiasts ( what some would call 'geeks'). In their down-time, they hang out at the local comic book store. The show is FILLED with comic, cartoon, sci-fi, and cultural references that flash me back to a time and group of people that I used to know.

 The show is VERY entertaining, and I was compelled to e-mail several friends from my past to see if they had discovered it, as well. They laughed at me and said they had them on dvd, referring to episodes that were reminiscent of people we all knew and specific events that we either witnessed or were (usually willing) participants.

How in the world did I MISS this...? I will definitely be catching up on the re-runs, and I highly recommend it.

Speaking of being surprised, I forgot how much I enjoyed the "STAR TREK" movie re-boot from a couple of years ago. FX played it last night while I was working, and I was compelled to watch it again.

...And I enjoyed it again. Live long & prosper!

R.I.P. John Severin, Comics Legend

 The great John Severin passed away Sunday at age 90. He was one of my favorite cartoon artists EVER! I was first made aware of Severin from the "CRACKED" magazines my older brother Kevin would buy up at the corner store when we would make our monthly 'comics run' in the early 70's.

 His caricatures and style were inspiring to an impressionable young doodler like me. I was in awe of his line work and ability to get a likeness, yet maintain his definitive style. Below is a marriage of two of my favorite things from my youth: Cracked Severin art and Planet of the Apes:

I used to wonder: 'Man! This guy is GREAT! Why isn't he drawing REAL comics...?' Of course, this was before I was aware that he was a prolific member of MARVEL's "Bullpen" in the 60's & early 70's.

Read an article about him HERE .

Thanks, John, for your contributions to the comics industry!

R.I.P. "Ziggy" Creator Tom Wilson

Read the entire article from Animation Magazine HERE ..!

Legendary Comic Artist Dick Giordano Dies

Self portrait by Dick Giordano for Nov. 2003 tome

DC NEWS: SILVER AGE INKER/EDITOR DICK GIORDANO PASSES AWAY

- Comic Books Resources (www.comicbookresources.com/) reports that Dick Giordano, legendary penciler, inker, and editor for DC Comics has passed away at age 77. A freelance penciler and inker from the 1950's into 1965, Giordanobecame editor in chief of Charlton Comics, the company in which Steve Ditko created characters under his watch such as the Question and Captain Atom. He also gave first breaks to other legendary artistic talents such as Jim Aparo and writer Denny O' Neil. A New York native, by the end of the 1960's he had been hired by DC as an editor as well as an inker, always producing by deadline. He often worked alongside Neal Adams on runs on BATMAN as well asGREEN ARROW/GREEN LANTERN, among other projects such as SUPERMAN VS. SPIDER-MAN and SUPERMAN VS. MUHAMMAD ALI. He became Executive Editor in 1983 and held that position until 1993. During that reign, the two most famous works he authorized were "CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS", which helped create and cement the "cross over event" in comics, as well as Alan Moore's "WATCHMEN", where he encouragedMoore to create characters based on Charlton Comics characters rather than use those characters outright, to make it more timeless. Talent such as Marv Wolfman heralded Giordano as a "line editor" - an editor who advises without heavy handed orders. In his later years, he worked for Hero Initiative, an organization which seeks to help old retired comic book creators and artists. Current DCartist and Wildstorm editor Jim Lee stated how it was Giordano's brief words of encouragement in a rejection letter that helped Jim Lee continue to plug away and try to enter the industry (which he did, at Marvel Comics). Current top DC editor Dan DiDio called Giordano "an inspiration" and Diane Nelson, president of DC Entertainment, stated that, "Dick Giordano has left a lasting legacy as a comic book artist and as a DC Comics executive." His long time collaborator and friend Neal Adamsstated, "Inking my work was the LEAST significant thing that Dick did for-meant to me. I loved Dick like a brother and a friend. He cared for and loved me. I was made better by him. For a time, we were partners, on a handshake. NO ONE didn't like Dick Giordano and respect him. Who can say that? Look at that face. JUST,...look at it." Another giant of the comic industry, gone. R.I.P.

"The KING of COMICS"

I was returning some books to the library that I use for photo reference when I am designing, and happened upon a couple that caught my attention. The first was this image that jumped at me off of the shelf:
"King of Comics" is a rousing explosion of drawings and biographical information on one of the most prolific and influential comic book artists of all time, Jack 'King' Kirby. This coffee-table book not only tells of his career in the pulp fiction industry, but is PACKED with sketches, inked panels, doodles, roughs, and forgotten works. It also exposes a window into the seedy behind-the-scenes of the early comics industry.

Though, admittedly, I wasn't a fan of his style when I was a young boy, walking with my older brother up to the corner store to read and buy (not necessarily in that order) comics. I was used to the simple, cartoony DC style. As a self-appointed 'purist', I didn't understand the appeal. I didn't realize he almost single-handedly revolutionized the medium.

Not only did he create or co-create MOST of the classic Marvel Universe heroes, he cut a swath through DC in the early 70's, as well! And he was a TRUE visionary: Check out the 'New Gods' series, and note the "Mother Box". Closest thing to a cel-phone, gps, blackberry or any of the modern devices you'll ever see.

He dreamed it up in the 1970's.