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.”

Lucky Star meets Cowboy Bebop

Shown above is a parody of the opening of Cowboy Bebop featuring characters from Raki Suta (Lucky Star):

“Lucky Star’s story portrays the lives of several school girls attending a Japanese high school with a very loose humor tone. The main heroine is Konata Izumi, an athletic and intelligent girl who, despite these attributes, is not in a sports club, and has low grades. Her laziness at school is due to her love for anime and video games and lack of interest in anything else. The serialization began with the four main characters in their first year of high school: Konata Izumi, Kagami Hiiragi, Tsukasa Hiiragi, and Miyuki Takara. As the story progresses, they move onto their second and third year.”

Radio Controlled Dalek

The Dr. Who fanboy in me (the Tom Baker years of course) loves this little item! For just $60 you can terrorize your co-workers at meetings with your own radio controlled Dalek from ThinkGeek:

Radio Controlled Daleks

“Finally you too can act out your Dalek fantasies with these detailed R/C replicas. Each R/C Dalek stands 12 inches high and is happiest when gliding around your home shouting “EX-TER-MIN-ATE!” and hunting for the Doctor. Complete with tank-like controls and digitized grating dalek voices you’ll feel just like you’re in your own low-budget BBC telly show.”

Beatnik Robot

From the Los Angeles Times on July 29, 1965:

“Author Lawrence Lipton, chronicler of the beatnik scene, demonstrates his “robot,” Duhab (detector of undesirable habitues). Lipton says robot ferrets out the undesirables-including censors and book-burners.”

…it looks like we can use a few of those robots today! By the way there’s a real Twilight Zone quality to that photo too.

Found via boingboing.net.

Fanboys Delayed

According to this article the film Fanboys has been delayed and won’t come out until January 2008:

Fanboys Pushed Back To January 2008

“Fanboys has been delayed. As a Star Wars fan, I am devastated. Fanboys is the love letter to the greatest movie franchise of all time. And this year marks the 30th Anniversary. I wanted the film to be my gift back to Star Wars and to the fan community. But ultimately the shift in release will be a good thing for the movie. We made Fanboys for under five million dollars. And the studio has given us the go-ahead to do the things to it that we couldnt do with our initial limited schedule and budget. There are one or two hilarious things that I wanted to shoot and they are giving me the funds to do it. Which is great!!! As a filmmaker, it’s not often someone says — here’s more money – what else do you want to do? But that’s the situation we are in. Unfortunately, I dont get the actors back together for four months! (The one drawback to having such a hot young cast at the top of their game.) But rest assured fans won’t escape Fanboys this year. We kick it off with our presence at Celebration IV in a big way (sneak-peaking scenes, releasing our prequel comic book and teaser poster)… then we will heat things up at the San Diego Comic-Con in July. And from there we just keep building toward January. I am so excited to unleash this movie. It’s going to be huge!”

…I blame the slacker culture associated with Star Wars for the delay, you know full well that a film about Star Trek fanboys would be out on time! Not so high and mighty are we now with our Death Star vs. the Enterprise showdown arguements?

Animated Calvin & Hobbes

I was pretty impressed by the above animation was created by a student at the CFP Milano film school as final film thesis project. From a fanboy point of view I’d say that the animator deserves an A+!

Animator’s Boot Camp

If you’re near NYC on Saturday (May 19th) and want to get into animation you’re going to want to check this event out:

Animator’s Boot Camp & Field Manual Workshop

Is Your Animation Career Set on Idle? Don’t Let It Stall! Learn the secrets and strategies you need to know to be successful in today’s marketplace. Immerse yourself in a day of stories, insights and best practices in the burgeoning and diverse field of animation. We’ll bring you news you can use from the professionals in the trenches. So whether you are a student or a practicing professional, get the tools, tips and talking points you’ll need to get your career to the next level.

Read more…

Domo Arigatou, Beer Roboto!

Now if only some evil scientist would unleash an army of beer robots on an unsuspecting public…

Fanboy Belt Buckles

The above goodies are available at Think Geek. I’d only suggest wearing the Darth Vader buckle to a sci fi convention, however the Nintento controller buckle would score cool points at any hipster bar.

Found via geek24.com.

An Animated Cover by Skott Young

The above cover illustration is by Skott Young for issue #38 of the New X-Men. What’s wonderful about this cover illustration is how animated it is, every single character is frozen in the middle of an epic struggle with big hairy monsters. The scene has quite a bit of life because Skott isn’t afraid to push the anatomy of his actors to convey motion. I also like the fact that there’s no center of attention, so your eye is allowed to wander through the acrobatic chaos of the scene.

Star Wars Continuity Errors Collection

It’s takes a real fanboy to catch all of this stuff! I’m surprised Lucas hasn’t used CG to retouch all of these details…

Djurdjevic Draws Blade

Seen above is the cover illustration of the Blade #9 by Marko Djurdjevic. The plot of the book revolves around Blade going to England regarding his mysterious past, and of course this means that the guest star is Union Jack. I love the graphic approach that Djurdjevic uses on this cover, it’s as much about the typography and layout as it is about the characters. However that said I appreciate the amount of detail that he’s put into the characters, and even the wonderful touch of that Bearskin hat which doesn’t look the slightest bit silly in the scene.