Random Art: Some Monday Musings

Posted on March 23, 2015 by geelw

It’s been a little bit since I posted some art, so here you go. This piece was done while waiting for a download to complete and as I was poring over a long list of articles I need to write or finish writing. For some reason, this past month has been a bit rough in terms of finding some focus but that’s most likely due to the weather, my poor throat being out of whack and some other stuff keeping my thoughts split into a bunch of places. In general, my best story ideas pop into my head at random intervals, usually within a few seconds of looking at a product or checking out a link someone’s sent me. This month or so it’s been some great beginnings to articles popping like mad, but no endings in that corn pile. Things are shifting back to normal as of the last few days, so I just need to dip into my notes and play catch up for about a week or two.

Eh, I’ll get my full mojo back soon enough. My motivation has been on vacation, but things on the horizon are looking up, so that trip seems to be coming to a close. Back in a bit…

FUND THIS! Toe Jam & Earl: Back in the Groove Kickstarter

Posted on March 20, 2015 by geelw

Six days to go and I wish I had about a half million bucks to throw at this Kickstarter project just so it could get onto the Wii U as a stretch goal. Still, with just about $70,000 left to go before it’s fully funded as a PC, Mac and Linux game, it’s worth helping get ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove made if you remember the original Sega Genesis/Mega Drive game and its somewhat under appreciated sequel, Panic on Funkotron. Here’s a peek at an early version of Back in the Groove from the game’s KIckstarter page:

In terms of the art style of the new game, I like it quite a lot, but the more colorful and distinct look Panic on Funkotron had made such a strong impression on me that I’m slightly sad to see it not make a complete comeback. That said, those “stacked” levels are awesome to see in that early footage. Also great is the return to the roguelike play of the original that featured randomized levels, enemies and presents. Couch co-op is back, but with four players instead of two and online play is on board for those friendless types who need to reach out and touch someone. Just kidding on that last sentence, but TJ & E was (and is, as I still have my Genesis copy that gets whipped out from time to time) a game that worked best with a buddy next to you on the couch to work with. Or elbow in the ribs at when they weren’t doing what they needed to do.

Anyway, if you like what you see, do what you need to do and tell some friends about this one. They need some old-school retro rap roguelike love in their lives too you know…

Archie vs. Predator? Okay, I’ll Bite.

Posted on March 17, 2015 by geelw

Ha. Oddball legal issues with one of its former employees a few years back aside, Archie Comics is clearly having a great time cooking up all sorts of alternate universes for its characters to mess around in. The latest and possibly greatest thing coming down the pike is this collaboration with Dark Horse Comics, Archie vs. Predator. Yeah, it’s on the way to a comic shop near you soon (as in April 15 at a comic shop near you). Here’s the rundown on what to expect in this four issue mini-series:

HE’S IN RIVERDALE WITH A FEW DAYS TO KILL!

Archie vs. Predator #1 (of 4)

Alex de Campi (W), Fernando Ruiz (P/Cover), Rich Koslowski (I), Jason Millet (C), Eric Powell (Variant cover), and Francesco Francavilla (Variant cover)

On sale April 15

FC, 32 pages

$3.99

Miniseries

America’s favorite teen meets the galaxy’s fiercest hunter! Archie and friends hit Costa Rica for Spring Break, where party games and beach games are soon replaced by the Most Dangerous Game! What mysterious attraction does the gang hold for the trophy-collecting Predator, and will the kids even realize they’re in danger before it claims them all?

The wildest Archie crossover ever (and that’s saying something)!
From Alex de Campi (Grindhouse, My Little Pony)
Variant covers by Eric Powell (The Goon) and Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie)!

If you want more laughs than you can shake a stick with a head on, check out the variant covers and other fun (and feel free to pre-order the book if you’re rolling off your chair laughing) here.

Astro Boy Omnibus 1: Manga Classics 101 At An Everyman Price Point

Posted on March 15, 2015 by geelw

If you already own the complete 23-volume set (which I believe is out of print), you probably don’t need Astro Boy Omnibus 1 at all. If on the other hand you’re new to the manga scene or have never read the late, great Osamu Tezuka’s seminal work, Dark Horse Comics is making sure to get your full attention with this 700-page volume. For $19.99, you’re getting quite a deal that won’t take up a lot of physical space. Yeah, some of us still read and buy real books, folks.

Anyway, September isn’t all that far away when you think about it (yeah, time flies, doesn’t it?), so make sure to keep an eye peeled for this one.

Random Art: “I Coulda Had A Hirschfeld!”

Posted on March 6, 2015 by geelw

Art copyright Don Orehek

So, if you’re old enough and happened to be a New Yorker (or in NYC) during the 1970’s and into the 80’s, there was a chance you could walk into a certain place at a certain time of the year and have a caricature drawn by a world famous (or nearly world famous) cartoonist for FREE. Yes, that’s right. Before the days of “Pay me!” comic convention art, ebay, and heck, the internet, a lucky few locals and tourists smart enough to find out about the event could queue up at The Manhattan Savings Bank for it’s yearly (National) Cartoonist’s Show.

I’d heard about this back in the early 80’s and wanted to go, but never could find time to get downtown until 1987 when I was working in Manhattan. If I’m not mistaken, a friend of mine had gone either the previous year or the year before and lucked out big time, getting Al Hirschfeld to draw him. Who wouldn’t want a Hirschfeld for nothing? I recall not knowing who was going to be at the 1987 event, and with only an hour for lunch, I figured (correctly) that the more popular cartoonists would get the longest lines. I don’t remember every artist at the event (there were no cell phone cameras back then and I didn’t think to pack a camera with me on a warm summer day to record history), but I eventually made it in front of three of them and the results you’re seeing below the jump…
Continue reading →

Random Art: Unfinished Business- Incomplete With Too Much Heat

Posted on March 6, 2015 by geelw

Thankfully, other than a few more days next week of colder temperatures, it would seem that this stupid winter has run its course*. I generally don’t get too ill during the season (or I don’t get sick at all), but the last couple of weeks have been rough thanks to wide temperature variations from day to day and the dopey new boiler put into the building about a year or so ago that works all too well. Hey, some like it hot, but I think constant indoor temperatures in the early summer numbers haven’t been the best thing for me. Of course, in a city where too many people don’t have proper heat, complaining about it being too warm in the apartment is a bit odd. On the other hand, one result of all that heat has been my wretched throat condition over the past week or so. It’s clearing up okay, but I certainly didn’t get much sleep last night thanks to all that water and tea with honey I’d sucked down to sooth my fur throat. I guess the good thin is I got more exercise running back and forth to the bathroom than I got walking through the freshly fallen snow yesterday. Ah-ha-ha.

Eh, have a very incomplete tree sketch. I may as well post something more interesting than this post.

*Of course, watch me be totally wrong if we get hit with a last gasp snow blitz right before spring hits. I’ll be the one screaming so loudly your windows shake no matter where you are when that happens.

Random Art: Oh, Look! An Update!

Posted on March 1, 2015 by geelw

Well, maybe not the update you wanted, but it’s an update nonetheless. I ended up spending the bulk of today dealing with sluggish internet while researching a bunch of stuff for some upcoming articles and not doing much actual writing. Boo. Well, I have more than enough in the way of notes now. I just need time to compile those and some images into something worth reading. In the meantime, I finished that sketch from yesterday early Sunday morning, but just got around to posting it now. And so it goes. Back tomorrow. There’s a bunch of snow on the ground, but it’s mostly stopped and with the temperatures going up tomorrow, should be a nicely mushy mess to walk around in. Ah well…

Random Art: Head Cold, Remedy Required

Posted on February 26, 2015 by geelw

I think this extra dopey and drawn out winter has frozen my brain or something. I have a huge list of stuff to do and it’s as if my head is filled with Cra-Z-Sand or something. Well, this too shall pass as it normally does, but it seems to be worse this year and more annoying because the ideas are piling up faster than I can get them out. Eh, I just need a vacation or some quiet time, is all. Or some helper monkeys to keep pouring coffee into me and poking me with fencing foils (with the rubber tips on, of course!). Hmmm. Well, let’s get the brain wagon back into gear and see if that hill can be surmounted. Giddyap!

Bravo for IDW! Alex Toth’s Classic Gets A Collection Worth Owning

Posted on February 22, 2015 by geelw

File this under “It’s about time!” and “Thanks again, IDW Publishing!” as Alex Toth’s excellent Bravo For Adventure finally gets a solid-looking complete edition absolutely worth a buy. Toth’s work as a cartoonist and character designer is legendary, but his illustrated stories are for a number of fans, some of the most visually outstanding and memorable.

Headed to a comic shop or online book retailer in July, this 100-page 9.5″ x 13″ hardcover contains the original 48-page story from 1975 along with two other stories featuring Toth’s handsomely heroic creation Jesse Bravo, a slew of never before seen sketches and even color samples from the Bravo tale that was to originally be published back in 1975. The man was and is called “The Genius” by his loyal fans for good reason. Whether looking at a single panel or entire story he worked on, there’s a sense or realism and stylization blended together with a phenomenal use of black and white and a solid sense of storytelling. Anyway, keep an eye peeled for this one when the summer sun is strong, as it’s a great read from one of the best classic comic illustrators ever.

Random Art: Things Fall Apart In Some Awfully Productive Ways, Don’t They?

Posted on February 8, 2015 by geelw

Ha. Well, so much for a much more productive Sunday. Actually, I ended up doing too much research on an article for another site to the point that the short humor piece I started out with is now bigger than it probably should be. Oops. That’s what happens when you take your game history more seriously than the rest of the internet does. Oh well. I’m pooped, but still need to dig up a bunch of images, clean up the text a bit and roll it into something readable starting early Monday morning. Three shorter articles I’ve started need to be completed and then I get to… do some more writing for my site before Toy Fair rolls into town this weekend. I think breathing is in the mix at some point, as is sleeping and maybe eating. But we’ll see where that goes.

Anyway, some terrible “artwork” to share above. Noting but some mucking around with a random paint program I found on a disc. Ooh, I just remembered The Walking Dead AND Better Call Saul are on AMC tonight. Well, what I’ll be doing for the rest of this Sunday night has just been decided. Provided I remember to stop working and sit down in front of the TV. At least it’s on now as background noise. Looney Tunes, F. T. W., kids.