Lord of the Rings vs. the Muppets

Shown above is a snapshot from ‘The Muppet Show in Ham’s Deep’, which is a window display at a comic book and action figure store located in Toronto, Canada. I always disliked the Lord of the Rings movies because they were too realistic (I grew up on the Rankin-Bass cartoons after all), but I have to say if they did a Muppet version I’d be first in line to buy tickets!

Killer Art for Killing Girl

Shown above is the cover and and interior illustrations by Frank Espinosa for Killing Girl #1. What I love about the artwork here is that it has a fast and sketchy feeling to it, instead the controlled paint within lines quality that most comic books have. Espinosa has brought his illustrations to life by giving them a sense of animation, in fact the style reminds me of the cult classic Stevie and Zoya which was created by Joe Horne for MTV in the 80s. Frank Espinosa’s previous work on Rocketo is also well worth checking out if you have a chance (it was nominated for three Eisner awards), there’s a real sense of whimsy in his artwork which is entertaining.

By the way as much as I’m a fanboy of sequential artwork, the story for Killing Girl which is by Glen Brunswick looks quite grabbing:

“What if the Mafia had their own secret service…? Sara doesn’t remember her real name. What she does know is that she traded away misery as a former prostitute and became a world-class killing machine. When a routine hit goes sour, Sara makes a shocking discovery: Suppressed memories, haunting her since childhood, are in fact TRUE! And her REAL family, presumed dead, may actually still be alive. She begins to wonder about her life that could have been. Is it too late to reclaim her humanity? No one has ever retired from the Cosa Nostra secret service and lived.”

Killing Girl #1 (of 5) will be published by Image and will be at your local comic book store on August 8th.

I Wanna Be Famous

The above music video starts off ultra cute but becomes quite twisted a few minutes into the tune, which is by upcoming diva Jessica Delfino. The animation for the video is by Nick Fox-Gieg who’s based out of Amsterdam.

Read more…

Ladrönn Draws Elephantmen

Shown above is an alternative cover for Elephantmen: War Toys #1 illustrated by José Ladrönn. What I love about this cover is that it has the charm of a Maurice Sendak illustration, but with the loving attention to detail that you might find in the penmanship of David Levine or Murray Tinkelman. Ladrönn is a comic book penciller and inker who’s from Mexico. Most recently he received an Eisner award (Best Painter/Multimedia Artis) for his work with writer and publisher Richard Starkings on Hip Flask: Mystery City, one of a series of Hip Flask one-shots published by Active Images.

Elephantmen: War Toys #1 is the first in a special three-issue mini-series published by Image and will be hitting the comic book stores in August.

Pokemon Fan Art Video

Some very inspired Pokemon fanboy created the above video which shows off cute girl anime characters based on the most popular Pokemon creatures.

28 New Exoplanets Discovered

Above: An artist’s concept of the Neptune-sized planet GJ436b (right) orbiting an M dwarf star, Gliese 436, at a distance of only 3 million miles.

The inner fanboy in me is very pleased to be alive in an era when we’re discovering so many new planets outside the solar system (236 count ’em all!). However I’m sad about two things:

1. That visionaries like H.G. Wells and Issac Asimov never lived to see this day (although they both knew it was coming).

2. And that I’ll never be able to visit any of those planets (although I’d gladly settle for watching someone set foot on Mars before I die).

Anyway here’s some good news:

28 New Exoplanets Discovered

“Astronomers have discovered 28 new planets outside of our solar system, increasing to 236 the number of known exoplanets, revealing that planets can exist around a broad spectrum of stellar types–from tiny, dim stars to giants. “We added 12 percent to the total in the last year, and we’re very proud of that,” said one of the study team members Jason Wright of the University of California at Berkeley. “This provides new planetary systems so that we can study their properties as an ensemble.”

The planets are among 37 new objects spotted within the past year. Seven of the objects are failed stars called brown dwarfs, with masses that dwarf the largest, Jupiter-sized planets but too small to sustain the nuclear reactions necessary for stellar ignition. John Johnson of the University of California at Berkeley and his colleagues presented the findings here today at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS).

Astronomers don’t directly spot extrasolar planets, but rather look for stellar wobbles caused by orbiting planets. The planet’s size and distance from the parent star affect how strong or weak of a wobble, and more sophisticated techniques for measuring the stellar wobbles has led to an ever-lengthening list of such outer planets. Now they can detect wobbles of a meter per second compared with the 10-meter limit just 15 years ago.”

Tales of the New Republic

This animated Star Wars teaser claims to be not an official Lucasfilm production, but man if this is a fanboy powered tribute it’s one of the best Star Wars tributes that I’ve ever seen:

By the way on a related note here’s a sneak peak the new official animated seriesStar Wars: The Clone Wars.

Daddy was a Wookie

Shown above is a snapshot of Star Wars fandom from 1979:

Bret Pardo, wearing a Chewbacca costume, pushing daughter in stroller at movie theatre in North Hollywood, Calif., 1979

“OUT OF THIS WORLD–Seven-month-old Stephanie Pardo is pushed by Chewbacca (her costumed father Bret) to join forces with several Darth Vaders at contest in North Hollywood to mark opening of the third engagement of “Star Wars” at southland theaters. Everyone appearing in costume was admitted to film free.”

…it’s funny to think that Stephanie must be 27 years old today. But I bet that Bret still loves Star Wars, because some things don’t change.

Adopt a Pink Elephant

You know the last time I spotted an elephant this cute was Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street:

I.W.G. Nehanda the Pink Elephant

“New from Rocketworld, Nehanda the Pink Elephant. Armed with a RPG and silver capped tusks, this Pink Pachyderm, is ready to defend her Savanna. As always a portion of the sales of these figures goes to aid wildlife groups.”

Read more…

The Family Guy vs. Star Wars

It looks like some luck fanboys and fangurls will get a sneak preview of this episode this weekend:

‘Family Guy’ meets ‘Star Wars’
Toon kicking off season with approved spoof

“Fox’s animated hit will kick off its fifth season this September with an hourlong episode that retells the “Star Wars” saga using “Family Guy” characters. Lucasfilm has blessed the event, which will have the Griffin family acting out all the key scenes and narrative from “Star Wars: A New Hope,” the first installment of the franchise. “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane is a major “Star Wars” fan and was personally involved in getting Lucasfilm on board, an exec from 20th Century Fox TV said.

Not surprisingly, family patriarch Peter Griffin will play the role of Han Solo, while mom Lois will appear as Princess Leia. Evil baby Stewie will be Darth Vader, natch. Brian the family dog will serve as Chewbaca, while son Chris is Luke. Robots R2-D2 and C-3PO will be handled by Cleveland and Quagmire, respectively, while creepy old guy Herbert gets the Obi- Wan character.

Plot of the episode has the Griffin family stuck at home during a blackout. With no TV to entertain them, Peter decides to tell a story — leading to the “Star Wars” flashback. Planning for the seg began more than a year ago, with the “Family Guy” execs getting Lucasfilm on board. MacFarlane is set to show off footage from the episode at this weekend’s Star Wars mega-convention in Los Angeles.”

Learn the Lucky Star Dance

Step 1: Find the highest quality Lucky Star opening title that you can hunt down:

Step 2: Then study the your dance moves by looking at a slowed down version of the dance:

Step 3: Shoot video, upload to YouTube and net fame awaits you:

Read more…

Celebrity Star Wars

Above: Marilyn Monroe, Princess of Alderon by TracyJo.

There an entertaining Celebrity Star Wars Photoshop contest worth checking out at worth1000.com.

Akino Kondoh

I discovered the above video while exploring DailyMotion, the animation is by Akino Kondoh who is an artist from Japan. The title of the video is “May Be a Train” and while I’m not crazy about the music I love the surrealistic quality of the animation which reminds me a great deal of the work of illustrator Edward Gorey.

Star Wars Stockpile

This is a great slide show from a Star Wars collection that a devoted fanboy has put together over the years which includes everything from a Star Wars slot machine to a Lego Darth Vader:

Ultimate Star Wars Fanboy Stashes a Galaxy of Cool Collectibles

“Meet Steve Sansweet, the ultimate fanboy. Thirty-some years ago, he started collecting all things Star Wars while working as a staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Now he has a 5,000-square-foot, climate-controlled barn in Northern California packed with goodies from the iconic space saga. His stockpile is rivaled only by the personal stash of George Lucas himself.”

Persepolis

For anyone who missed it Persepolis was a graphic novel (by Marjane Satrapi) that came out a few years ago and showed the life of a girl growing up in the shadow of the Iranian revolution of 1979. Well it looks like Persepolis is now headed for the big screen, it will be nice to see an animated film that will make people think:

Persepolis

“Any stragglers still unconvinced that animation can be an exciting medium for both adults and kids will run out of arguments in the face of “Persepolis.” Like the four-volume series of graphic novels on which it’s based, this autobiographical tour de force is completely accessible and art of a very high order. First-person tale of congenitally rebellious Marjane Satrapi, who was 8 years old when the Islamic Revolution transformed her native Teheran, boasts a bold lyricism spanning great joy and immense sorrow. In both concept and execution, hand-drawn toon is a winner. Sony Classics will release an English-dubbed version Stateside.

France-based Satrapi, who co-directed with fellow illustrator Vincent Paronnaud, is a sterling example of what good advice “Write (and draw) what you know” can be in gifted hands. Pic’s specificity is what renders it universal.From Baltimore to Beijing, anybody who ever had a family, a government and/or aspirations for personal happiness should be able to relate.

Narrative, which starts in 1978 and continues into the 1990s, could have been just another coming-of-age tale, but Satrapi and Paronnaud navigate their sharp melding of form and content with assurance. Result zips along with considerable humor, much of it self-deprecating, interspersed with darker material. Animation perfectly translates Satrapi’s deceptively simple black and white drawings. Much like Art Spiegelman’s anthropomorphic cats and mice vis-a-vis the history of the Shoah in “Maus,” Satrapi’s expressive, pleasingly pared down style lends itself to the pleasures of everyday life as well as the horrors of war and state repression. Original books used only stark black and white; shades of gray and evocative backgrounds are added for the screen, along with subtle patches of color in select settings.

Made entirely in France, three-year project required the skills of Gaul’s last working animation tracers (armed with felt-tip pens) and looks terrific on a budget of $8.1 million.”

…by the way check out the official website here.

Warth of Khan in 5 Seconds

Ohhhhh, Admiral Kirk you say? I say this film was Star Trek at it’s best, so you can keep your Pepsi Generation tea sipping starship captains…

Kitty in a Kabuki Kimono

Seen above is the Sanrio Hello Kitty Legendary Kabuki Heroine Netsuke Cell Phone Strap which is available from strapya-world.com. I love their product discription:

Hello Kitty tries world famous Japanese spectacle, Kabuki. She becomes a legendary Kabuki heroine. Her gorgeous kimono is fantastic!

The Amazing Art of Jo Kotula

Jo Kotula (1910-98) was a very talented artist best known for his aviation related artwork, and a favorite of model airplane enthusiasts for his dramatic cover paintings that graced the covers of Model Airplane News. Shown above are illustrations for a series of ads for Vanadium Corp. of America.

The first illustration is from 1958 and shows how “alloys bring the future closer”. The second illustration from 1959 showcases airborne tow trucks. And the last rendering from 1960 shows how to bring the drab swamps of New Jersey into the next century. I love the streamlined look of Kotula’s artwork, it also has a wonderful sense of mid-century optimism that makes me smile.

Artwork found via plan59.com.

Galaxy Express Figurines

I think the last time I watched Galaxy Express 999 was when ‘New Wave” was *cough* new! However there must be some old time anime fanboys out there (well at least in Japan) because a new collection of figurines based on the Adieu Galaxy Express movie has been released:

Galaxy Express 999 “Good Bye” Collection Figure – 4~5”

“The ‘Galaxy Express 999 [Good Bye] Collection Figure’ is based on the Japanese manga written and illustrated/drawn by Leiji Matsumoto, as well as various anime films and TV series based on it. s a twleve piece assortment (full color and rare color) of 4-5” scale trading figures and includes three secret items. Each figure comes in a closed box along with a handy ten piece counter display case.

The collection will be available in July with a SRP of $7.60. Organic Hobby is one of the largest Hobby and Toys makers/manufacturers in Japan and is also very popular for its specialty in “Anime & Manga” industry. Organic Hobby, Inc (U.S Office) is introducing these and other unique products based on J-POP culture to U.S. markets and customers. All of our company’s product can be found throughout our official distributors such as AAA Anime, Diamond, Double Dragon, Entertainment Earth, BBCW, Yes Anime, etc…”

Manga Award Planned for Gaijin Authors

If you love to draw manga and dream of being “big in Japan” here’s your chance:

Manga award planned for foreign authors

“An international manga award to honor foreign authors of Japanese-style comics is due to be established, with an award ceremony planned for July, it was learned Tuesday. The award, being promoted by Foreign Minister Taro Aso, a self-professed manga fan, will be set up by an organizing committee whose members include the Japan Foundation. Aso said he hoped the award would promote Japanese pop culture.

“I want to make the award like the Nobel Prize of manga, to enhance the voice of Japanese pop culture and subculture,” Aso said in comments made after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning. Candidates for the prize will come from general applications and recommendations by publishers in Japan and overseas. A panel including manga authors Machiko Satonaka, Takashi Yanase and Tetsuya Chiba, and former editors of well-known Japanese comic magazines will select the winning entries on June 22. Top works will be given the “international manga award” and other prizes. The award ceremony is scheduled for July 2, in Tokyo.”

Lucky Star Sells Pocky

Shown above is a commercial for Pocky which features characters from the anime show Raki Suta (Lucky Star). Pretty catchy tune, no?

Aliens Invade India

Shown above is funny ad produced in India for Fevicol, which is a well known local glue product.

Found via Masala Time.

Earth Guide

The Earth Guide from the Japan Science and Technology Agency is a beautiful infographic that answers some basic astronomy questions. This flash website features some nice illustration and a very slick looking interface, it’s well worth a visit for armchair space explorers:

The Earth Guide

Found via neatorama.com.

Les Lascars to Jump to Film

Les Lascars (shown above) is an urban oriented animated show from France, it will be nice to see it come to the States as a film:

French cartoon turns hip-hop
Movie based on cult TV series ‘Les Lascars’

“French suburban hip-hop culture is coming to the bigscreen in an all-star animated pic voiced by the likes Diam’s, France’s biggest-selling pop artist. Voice talents include Diane Krueger, mistress of ceremonies at this year’s Cannes, and Vincent Cassel. The €10 million ($13.5 million) pic includes an American version, with such artists as L.A. rapper Fat Lip.

The French version, which includes improvised humor, is practically finished, and animation will begin this summer. Pic will be distributed by Bac Films, subsid of producer Millimages, with coin from Canal Plus and pubcaster France 2, co-producing.

Movie is based on the cult TV series “Les Lascars” — which aired on MTV as “Round da Way.” The 30 x 1 min Gallic show was an instant hit when it aired on Canal Plus seven years ago, but has grown to become an Internet phenom, with pirated Arab and Creole-language versions, as well as the original French and English versions, popular on sites such as YouTube. Show was most watched program on Orange and SFR mobile phones last year, with more than 600,000 hits.”