Sylvain Chomet Makes The Simpsons Worth Watching Again…

Posted on March 6, 2014 by geelw

Ha. In case you don’t know who Mr. Chomet is, drop everything (well, not your phone or tablet or laptop if you’re somehow reading this in transit or while sitting in a coffee house of some sort) and go rent his wonderful animated films The Triplets of Belleville and The Illusionist, I’ll wait (La la laaaa, la dee dah, la la la laaaa). Oh, you’re back. Anyway, what he’s done with Homer and his family is amazing and YES, I’d LOVE to see how he’d handle a complete episode. Granted, the time that would take would be pretty ridiculous, but given that nothing seems to stop The Simpsons from dying again, it won’t matter how long it takes to get completed after all. Or hell, at least let’s see a Treehouse of Horror short from the guy (which will still take almost forever to get made)…

Random Art: Winter, You’re Still Here? Fine Then…

Posted on March 5, 2014 by geelw

Hmmmm. This winter has been more annoying than previous ones for a few reasons, but at least I’m getting some revenge of a sort on this stupid weather. You get not one, but TWO trees to ogle this week (whee), thanks to me being a bit under the weather (ha ho) yesterday and needing to burn off a few mental calories. Wait, there are mental calories? Well… there are NOW. Hmmm. I need to stop talking to myself in these posts, as it sounds as if I have a few people in the room half the time I’m posting stuff. Hey, sometimes you ARE your own best friend, right? RIGHT?

I thought so…

RoboCop Versus The Terminator IS BACK (Thanks, Dark Horse Comics!)

Posted on March 1, 2014 by geelw

This July, Dark Horse comics is bringing back one of the classic books of the 80’s with not one, but two editions of Frank Miller and Walt Simonson’s RoboCop versus The Terminator. The book will be available at select comic shops and online in both a $24.99* hardcover version (featuring a new Simonson cover) on July 2, 2014 and a oversize LIMITED Gallery Edition for $125.00* on July 9, 2014. Miller’s story ties OCP to the creation of Skynet and Simonson’s energetic, stylized art lends the story some massive power as the two characters cross paths a few time before a killer finale.

If you’re wondering what’s the price jump all about, the Gallery Edition will be printed the same size as the original art, and include reproductions of pencil sketches and promotional artwork for the series. I say if you’re a comics fan with an interest in seeing and learning from one of the best artists in the business, this investment will be a great one. I’ve been a fan of the man’s work since the 1970’s, but my root beer budget means I’ll settle for the hardcover (ah well). I’ll have to ask in that Gallery Edition is getting a digital release or at least a download for preview/review purposes because I can look at Walt’s art all day and night.

(*or LESS if you use those handy links provided!)

Star Trek: New Visions #1: Byrne is Back On Trek!

Posted on March 1, 2014 by geelw

Last year’s Star Trek Annual 2013 was a complete sell out for IDW at retail (you can still get a digital copy here) and of course, that means legendary writer/artist/creator of new and awesome Trek content John Byrne is coming back with another photonovel this year. Even better, it seems that this Enterprise (pun intended) is now a bi-monthly series titled Star Trek: New Visions.

This time out, Byrne is expanding the popular episode “Mirror, Mirror” with a sequel, “The Mirror, Cracked” which takes place after the episode when the Enterprise crew discovers not everyone left the ship after that life-altering trip into the mirror dimension. As IDW hasn’t yet provided any pages (boo!), you’ll have to ogle that cover above and/or go download the Annual to see Byrne’s rather amazing photo manipulation and asset creation for yourself. The man’s a classic Trek fan through and through and it shows in the care he put into every panel. Hey at $7.99 per issue, it better be some awesome Trekking, right? The 48-page, full-color book, debuts in May 2014 and given the speed at which the annual disappeared from comic shops, I’d say pre-ordering is in order.

STRIPPED: Mr. Bill Is Back On The Boards For This Comic Documentary

Posted on February 27, 2014 by geelw

Ever since Calvin & Hobbes disappeared from newspapers in 1995, the great Bill Watterson has been missed by many fans of his work. However, as you can see here, the man is back with a funny poster for the serious documentary about the dying print newspaper comics business, STRIPPED, now available for pre-order (ironically) on iTunes. Me, I’ll hold out for a Blu-Ray/DVD release because I like owning my movies and holding them in my grubby little hands. I hope people watching this now on their small screens can appreciate what’s being said and maybe think about how they consume their media in the future. But of course, you can’t beat convenience and enforced evolution colliding as they squeeze out some who formerly made a decent living doing what they love. Ah, my old fogey card is showing here, I guess…

Random Art: OK, It’s Have a Tree TUESDAY Now? Um, Maybe…

Posted on February 25, 2014 by geelw

Yes, I know it’s not Thursday yet, but I have an excuse or two handy for this one. I was cooking dinner earlier and as I was waiting for some water to boil for pasta, I started randomly doodling away in MS Paint and the next thing you know, I got this out of it. I was going to save this for Thursday’s tree picture, but figured I’d drop in in now because my post count is so low this month. Yes, I still have a bunch of posts to bang out, but I forgot February is only 28 days (oops) and it looks like some of that stuff will gently slide into the first week of March. Eh, I may as change the name of this non-feature to “Tree of the Week” or something corny like that. We’ll see…

Random Art: Eh, Have A Tree Thursday Seems Like A Good Idea…

Posted on February 20, 2014 by geelw

So, shhhhhh! Shut up and enjoy the view, already. Yeah, it’s still winter out. Yuck. If I’m not buried under a pile of stuff, maybe there’s a picture coming next week. We’ll see. At least the forecast is shaking it up a bit. Instead of cold and snow tomorrow, it’s going to be in the 40’s and raining most of the day. Won-derful. It’s a good thing I’m too old to be emo or else I’d put on some old 90’s mix tapes and toss a few old neckties over the shower curtain rod. Bleh. Spring can’t get here fast enough (sings: “nothing but flowers…”)

Oh, Ha. Oops. I Forgot to Give You All A Card. Sort Of…

Posted on December 26, 2013 by geelw

So, yeah – that’s my non-denominational and generic holiday card above. I already posted this image on facebook a few days or a week back, but forgot to run it here (duh!). It’s actually an old watercolor I did oh, back around 1998 or so (if not earlier that decade). I used to hand-paint dozens of these and send them out to people I knew, but I simply haven’t been able to find the time to do this in quite some time. Back then, each one was different in size because I used assorted scraps from a pile of assorted watercolor paper I’d collected from the art store I worked at (they normally discarded these bits and pieces, but I decided to recycle!) , but had more or less the same image. Anyway, Happy/Merry Whatever and Peace somewhere or other (but here on earth first, as it’s nice to actually enjoy some silence once in a while)… Back in a bit.

MUST-READS: Beautiful Lego Will Make You Want To Become A Plastic Architect…

Posted on November 8, 2013 by geelw

The cover alone of Mike Doyle’s Beautiful Lego is a showstopper, but inside this 280-page $29.99 paperback are some of the most incredible examples of LEGO art you’ll ever seen in such a wide range of categories and styles that it’s impossible to NOT be rendered utterly speechless every few pages. Doyle’s own work is spectacular and rages from that stunning cover image to gorgeously ruined half-destroyed homes constructed in black, white and gray LEGO pieces.

Many other supremely talented artists contribute work as well ranging from realistic looking buildings and vehicles, cute animal builds, plenty of surprising characters from comics and movies, sci-fi spaceships, robots and mecha and other creations ranging from mosaics to surreal “Meta” works. And if you happen to be a Monty Python fan, there are a few very humorous recreations of skits that will have you grinning before you read the captions. The question “Why LEGO?” is answered by some of the artists here and it seems the answers all go back to the core element of guys and gals wanting to make those hard plastic shapes do things they’re not made to do and some more in-depth answers that are pretty deep if you’re one of those who thinks LEGOs aren’t made for artistic purposes.

And yes, don’t be surprised if about halfway through this book you find yourself wanting to check that hall closet to see if there’s that dusty old box of LEGO bricks still hanging out on that top shelf. Of course, you’ll probably be a bit rusty compared to Doyle and the other outstanding artists here, but thankfully, there’s a book for that as well from the fine folks at no starch press. Hmmmm.. I do happen to have space to build stuff, but I need the time and LEGOs. A whole LOT of LEGOs. And a whole LOT of money to buy those LEGOs. And a willing assistant. Wait, do I have time for a new hobby these days? Hmmmm… OK, and a WORKING time machine (most probably made from LEGOs)…

NYCC 2013: IDW’s 2014 Lineup: Kirby, Steranko, Gibbons. Your Wallet’s Gone (And They’re Not Done Yet)…

Posted on October 12, 2013 by geelw

Every time I get a press release from IDW Comics, I fear opening it just because I just KNOW that it’s going to be for one of their spectacular new classic comic collections and I’ll want to add it to my already too long want list. Nevertheless, I forge ahead, click and drool away, knowing I can’t afford any of them, but hoping I’ll actually get to get my grubby paws on a copy someone I know buys when they see it here on the site. Anyway, the company’s 2014 lineup is rolling out in the form of a few press releases (below the jump), so ogle those covers above for as long as you like and then pawn off a kidney (preferably not yours). These books will be in the usual limited run actual art size editions IDW is well known for. OK, put on your reading shoes – you’ve got some press releases to pore over!

Continue reading →