422. Spider-Man


Lean & lithe, just like a spider.

Had an incredibly awesome night last watching The Goonies at a theater with a bunch of friends, except for Joe G. I hadn’t seen The Goonies since probably the late 80s. I watched it a bunch of times as a kid. Still holds up. Excepting fashion and the odd bit of product placement or a Cyndi Lauper video, it really hasn’t dated itself. I’m not sure it could be made today with technological advances and all, but it’s still super fun, and a lot funnier than I remembered. Definitely count me as a guy who would love to see a modern day, 30 years later sequel with the same cast.

421. The Creeper


So. Five days on, the death of Dave Brockie is still affecting me. My friend Jason and I were discussing it, and we can succinctly sum it as a super-bummer. But even that seems too light. Because it is truly bothering me. Celebrity deaths don’t mean anything to me. Even when someone like Phillip Seymour Hoffman dies, it’s more like “that’s just a real shame, y’dig?”. I do think I’ve managed to figure it out though.

We live in a world where Dave Brockie, in his guise as Oderus Urungus – alien warrior and lead singer of GWAR – can be credited as a Fox News Correspondant. That is ridiculous and awesome, and that is EXACTLY the world I want to be living in.

Brockie was basically – in a way – living the life I wish I could lead. He was an artist who was able to make a living off his talent and skill and was doing it in the most ludicrous fashion possible. He was living the fantasy of every 14 year old artistic boy who had a love of comics, horror, sci-fi and rock’n’roll. He was an artist, a sculptor and performer and took what he did seriously even when what he was doing was the complete oppossite of serious. GWAR has satire and some political and philosophical beliefs that could come through, but then again, there’s little to no subtext in a song called “Fish Fuck”. He got to indulge in his passions, be famous AND anonymous, and make a living being an artist and revelling in the ridiculousness of it all.

There are rumors that police are investigating his death as drug related, and if that turns out to be the case, then I couldn’t imagine a more disappointing situation. But still, the music and imagery of GWAR was a large part of my adult life and it won’t be the same without it as a continuing presence.

So hey, speaking of ridiculous and awesome, let’s talk about The Creeper.

I’ve never been a Steve Ditko fan, despite the fact the he created and co-created a ton of characters in my top 20 favorite superheroes. The Question, Captain Atom, Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Shade the Changing Man, the Ted Kord Blue Beetle (my favorite superhero of all time), and of course, The Creeper.

I’ve come to respect Ditko for sure, but even despite all the above, I’m still not a fan so much. Mostly, my love for all those characters come from other creators doing great things with the core concepts. But still, can’t deny his contribution or the awesome way he draws hands. I know he’s mostly now a crazy Ayn Randian recluse and that probably adds a air of mystique to him and his work.

Anyhoo, a few years ago I bought a hardcover collection of all of Ditko’s Creeper comics. Only recently did I start reading it. The Creeper’s original origin is so overtly complicated, I’m honestly shocked that he’s endured as a character for so many decades. Sure, he’s barely a D-lister, but still.

Of course here’s where I bitch about DC Comics and New 52. You can just make up your own rant here.

420. Papa Emeritus II


I was gonna draw something special for today’s occasion. But I didn’t. Instead, I drew the lead singer of the awesome metal band Ghost (or Ghost B.C. here in ‘murrica). Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

419. The Corinthian


I think I’ve talked about how I’ve only read the first 20 issues of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman multiple times, right? If I haven’t, well, there you go. But even before I read any Sandman, I had seen a picture of The Corinthian and became fascinated with him. To this day, I’m still fascinated with him. The imagery of his character – and Two-Face – probably has influenced my more “stream of consciousness” sketches than anything else. This was by request, sorta. I was axed if I had ever drawn him, and so instead of answering, I just drew him.

418

417. H.D.S.


Recently an awesome person gave me some new paper to try. One sheet of that was called “Yupo” – which is a thing I say when being affirmative and excitable. It was a cool paper, really smooth and made me feel weird to draw on. I’ll have to see if I can get a couple more sheets.

So anyhoo. I’m trying to muster up courage to draw more likenesses. And of course, I like drawing interesting folks, and there ain’t too many folks much more interesting looking than a Harry Dean Stanton, star of Joss Whedon’s Avengers movie. I know it mostly doesn’t look like him. Why are you being so mean? You’re a monster.

416


The things in my head don’t come out the way I ever intend on paper.

415


Doodled this in a friend of a friend’s sketchbook.

My pal Joe and I went to see Veronica Mars today. It was a delightful movie. My memory of the television program is hazy, but it didn’t really matter. I remembered just enough to get some little things, but otherwise it’s perfectlu open to a wider audience. I didn’t contribute to the Kickstarter because it felt gross. But I’d recommend the movie to anyone, even if you’ve never seen the show.

March M.O.D.O.K. Madness

  • Filed under Artwork

  • March 21, 2014

My 2nd contribution to the March M.O.D.O.K. Madness website.

414. Halloween III


Random thought: Sometimes I want to start writing one of these things with the phrase “Once again”, but I stop myself because I know that I’ll immediately follow it with “back is the incredible, the rhyme animal, the incredible D, Public Enemy Number One. Five-O said, ‘Freeze!’ and I got numb.”

But fighting against my basic instincts:

Once again, I bring you another DVD cover for Baron Von Porkchop’s Terrifying Tales of the Macabre! This is a new release for the third annual Halloween episode (not so secret confession: Halloween 3: Season of the Witch is the only Halloween movie I like).

The Baron will be at HorrorHound Cincinnati this weekend selling this and other DVDs along with his handlers Matt & Juliet. You guys don’t need to wait around in a 6 hour line to meet Bruce Campbell. Go meet the Baron. He’s free and a nicer guy to talk to.