STAR WARS Friday: The Final Chapter!

Here is the FINAL CHAPTER of my 1980 comic book version of what I thought RETURN OF THE JEDI might be when I was 14 years old. If you need to catch up...

Chapter 1 is here
Chapter 2 is here
Chapters 3 & 4 are here
Chapter 5 is here
Chapter 6 is here
Chapter 7 is here
Chapter 8 is here.

UPDATE! The contest guessing what Ralph McQuarrie painting inspired a panel from from chapters 3 & 4 is closed. Congratulations Mike Headley, you get bragging rights (I wish it was more)! For the right answer, click here.

Click on pages to enlarge.

A Suburban Tale of Horror (not for the squeamish)

The other day, I was finishing up some kitchen chores at the sink. Little did I know the garbage disposal, the dishwasher and a unseen growing clog in the drain would soon create a horror movie moment.

After turning the washer on I decided to take a shower (I know the thought of that scares you but that's not the worst of it). I was getting clean until...



the water stopped draining.



It rose to my ankles.


Suddenly a dark ooze began to appear.



It clouded all in a split second, a foul stench followed.



Bits of broccoli, other old food, gobs of hair plus unidentified stuff floated to the surface.


Even the plumber winced in disgust when he arrived to fix things.

INDY HAS ARRIVED!

INDY Countdown: JUST HOURS AWAY!

Did any other 1983 High School senior quote Indy in their yearbook?



Yea, mileage is misspelled. Typos were abundant in that yearbook. My middle initial is actually "C " for Christopher.

My yearbook quote was so nerdy and embarrassing that the family had to move 2000 miles to make a fresh start in Los Angeles. My brother Ted was a freshman at the time.

Ted's picture in the same yearbook had nothing to do with it...

Stefania's Critter Cafe

The future Sister in law has turned the backyard into a small cafe catering to the hipster, suburban animal crowd. The menu includes imported birdseed, organic peanuts, fresh fruit and bottled water.

It's become so popular that some critters arrive early and hang out, waiting for it to open every morning...




I would not be surprised one day seeing birds and squirrels in the backyard with tiny laptops working on their screenplays asking Stefania for "sunflower seed" lattes.

INDY Countdown: 3 days

TV and the Web is a "spoiler" minefield now. The movie has been shown to the press and reviews are showing up everywhere. A friend e-mailed me warning I should avoid Myspace and Facebook as well because certain people are revealing details in their "quotes".

I'm actually becoming a paranoid and afraid to go out in public worried of overhearing some random INDY 4 conversation at the grocery store. Actually, scratch that. I am a paranoid and afraid to go out in public...but...what if I wasn't?

INDY Countdown: 6 days

My friend Jag works in Hong Kong right now. She took this great picture for me. Now I know how to write Indiana Jones in Chinese.

INDY Countdown: 8 days

I'm going to frame this picture and hang in my room next to all the INDY action figures I'm going to collect...

Tomb Stone Polish

Want a quick, hour and a half killing procrastination project to avoid doing the 1001 things your supposed to be doing? Here's a "step by step" to read (adding more time to the your procrastination).

I've collected tons of odd bottles over time. I've started to remake them into a Witch's supply for Halloween.

1) Using polymer clay, I sculpted a medallion on a bottle just using a sharp pencil. I baked it on the bottle but I don't recommend this, I took the chance. The trick to not cracking the glass was baking it at a low temp. for a longer time till done ( I did remove the cork).


2) I then added wash after wash of watered down grey paint till it worked for me. The wash was important to allow the color to flow into the small details as thick paint would just fill them in and disappear. What's fun to discover here, at this small scale, is how your fingerprints in the clay add to the texture.


3) Once dry, I used a white prisma color pencil to highlight the details. It works like "dry brushing" but you have more control, especially with a small thing like this. Of course, then clean excess paint run off from bottle.



4) Finished when adding a murky looking oil in the bottle with food coloring and water.

Late 80's Investment.

Back in the late '80's many artists stopped trying to challenge their artistic skills and reverted to a "6 year old" drawing style. It proved popular and chic.

I was an 80's slave to trends and commissioned celebrated artist D. J. Waddell to create a portrait of myself. In those days (thanks to numerous Wall Street takeovers) I had money to burn. Her work was expensive.



It's now valued at 500 gajillion bajillion dollars in sentimental money.

Creature from the Black Lagoon

Another old sketchbook page I reworked adding color...


I've always felt people see the Creature from the Black Lagoon as a B list old Universal movie monster. Dracula, Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman are the classic A list, but the Creature and the Mummy are often seen as just part of their entourage.

The Creature has 4 major things going for him...

1- He was a trilogy of films with a continued storyline. Just like many of today's movies.

2- He was originally shot in 3-D helping to create the popular '50s gimmick. It's making a big comeback now.

3- His third movie has a creepy storyline hinting at mutant DNA ala modern movies. I may be reading into it too much though.

4- He's fun to draw in your sketchbook. You'll have a blast using him as a subject.

INDY Countdown: 12 days

When I was a little kid, I was jealous of my classmates who had cool lunch boxes. I never had one because we lived 1 block from my school and I always went home for lunch everyday. As I got older, I had a running joke with my Mom that I missed part of my youth never having one.

In my first year of college, the lunch menu was so so. I told Mom that sometimes I missed the lunches she made in grammer school. As a going away gift when I went back for Sophmore year in '84 she gave me this...


Lunch was not included.

Graveyard Cat and The Count

I've been having fun adding color with photoshop to old sketches today.

STAR WARS Thursday: Chapter 8

The story continues with chapter 8 today of my 1980 comic book version of what I thought RETURN OF THE JEDI might be when I was 14 years old. If you need to catch up, chapter 1 is here, chapter 2 is here , chapters 3 & 4 are here , chapter 5 is here, chapter 6 is here and chapter 7 is here (or just scroll down).

The contest guessing what Ralph McQuarrie painting inspired a panel from from chapters 3 & 4 is yes... still open. Sorry, Rene from last week's entry, you were wrong. All can enter as many times as you like! Wink, wink...some links above will help you use the force and find the answer.

When we last left our heros...Luke and Vader began a lightsaber duel to the death!

Click on pages to enlarge.







NEXT WEEK - the thrilling end!

INDY Countdown: 14 days

I've noticed that early reviews of INDY 4 are starting to show up online. I'm not reading them.

I will haunt anyone after my death who e-mails, text messages or even makes an expression on their face (seeing you in person) about any spoilers even after opening day...I'm not seeing it till Sunday, 3 days after

THAT GOES DOUBLE for friend RENE... you e-mailed an Iron Man surprise spoiler and I have no trust opening any e-mails from you now without warning.

Halloween in May

I'm already thinking about Halloween, who doesn't in May right? Here's an illustration I've been working on based off an old sketch. It's still a work in progress...


I've also got a favorite new blog, www.pumpkinrot.blogspot.com. It's Halloween there all the time and really captures the spirit of the holiday.

INDY Countdown: 15 days

Already got the tickets. Gotta love the Archlight Cinemas...reserved seating!

Do not buy Knit Aid!

I worked with Vickie Howell on DIY's Knitty Gritty. She's become a knitting icon and has a new book out now called Knit Aid.

DO NOT BUY HER BOOK !

She made my life a living hell. Here are some behind the scene TV secrets while working with her....

-Vickie never used the same knitting needles twice. A fresh pair was expected for every shot.

-Vickie would make the entire staff wear "witch" noses so she would be the prettiest person on set.

- Vickie's hands are not real. Close ups are actually computer animated replicas done months later in post production.

- Vickie would demand the producers sing "Greased Lighting" from the show GREASE for her amusement at lunch and fire any member of the crew who did not know the words in the demanded sing along.

- Vickie forced the art department to repaint the set to compliment her color fingernail polish that week.

- She gave the crew STARBUCK COFFEE gift cards as Christmas gifts one season but they were coded so you actually owed STARBUCK's money when you used them.

The Eeny Meeny Miney Show!

My friends in the comedy group MIGHTY McPILGRIM have created a monthly online video show called the EENY MEENY MINEY SHOW. See all the episodes and more on their home site here or on FUNNY OR DIE here (vote for them).

Here's a funny tasting small portion of their stuff...

Cinco De Mayo

INDY Countdown: 17 days

Obviously Indy 4 is a merchandising tsunami and I'm jonesing (pun painfully intended) to start collecting the new action figures.

I have to applaud Hasbro. On their Indiana Jones toy website kids can click on the little plastic relics from Indy's archeology adventures and go to National Geographic's website learning about the true history and legends of the items.

Sure, it's all cross promotion but I like the extra effort to help kid's gain actual knowledge while they stuff chow down on Indy themed M&M's and Burger King food.

I dare you...

not to smile and enjoy the opening credits from this old Saturday morning cartoon show...

INDY Countdown: 19 days

If you've not seen it yet, the new trailer for INDY 4 is out. I really feel the excitement I did in the 80's...just hearing the signature "fist fight" sound effects makes me grin. Click on link below.

The new and improved INDY 4 trailer

Saturday Morning Video

It's IRON MAN weekend. The world is buzzing. What a huge step forward for an old comic book kid like me. This cartoon series from the late 60's was as close to mainstream as he got when I was growing up when it was aired in re-runs.

A drawing for the Fiancee from Devin.

The San Fernando Valley Cat Eating Blue Bird
(Crayon on copy paper with green googly eye)

STAR WARS Thursday: Chapter 7

The story continues with chapter 7 today of my 1980 comic book version of what I thought RETURN OF THE JEDI might be when I was 14 years old. If you need to catch up, chapter 1 is here, chapter 2 is here , chapters 3 & 4 are here , chapter 5 is here, and chapter 6 is here (or just scroll down). The contest for bragging rights from chapters 3 & 4 is still open. None have guessed right yet ( you can enter as many times as you like).

When we last left our heros, they had just stumbled upon the planet DONAR, home for the entire Imperial military!

Click on pages to enlarge.



NEXT WEEK! Letting the Wookie win!