TOPSY-TURVY: Spy Vs. Spy

The Spy Vs. Spy Comic Strip from MAD Magazine celebrated 50 years last year, dating all the way back to 1961.  Antonio Prohias, a Cuban cartoonist, created the spies and pitted them against one another in the epic and endless game of cat and mouse, of black and white, of assassination and covert destruction.  The violence and flip flopping action was consistent and made the title the enterprise it is today with trading cards, video games, and animation all rooting from the original black & white strip, to which MAD gave a world-wide audience!

If you're just dropping by in this young year, I'm neck deep in superhero and comic lore for two art projects this month, one of which this preview is for today.  On Saturday, January 28th, Joe Melanson will be curating My Hero | My Villain which will be a ONE NIGHT ONLY extravaganza of visual delight.  Comic vendors, LIVE Body Painting, LIVE Music, LIVE Photography and More will keep you busy where I hope you find my own new works including this TOPSY-TURVY: Spy Vs. Spy which will be framed to hang in either direction!  I have to get it colored along with more brand spanking new illustrations AND four Superhero Paintings which will be on display WITH interactive headphones to listen to original tracks my boy TEADS is mixing up!

Click HERE to RSVP on the Facebook Event Page!

Bomb Linework / Ink on Bristol / 2012

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Illustration Friday: The Military Skeleton

The Military Skeleton / inks on paper / 2007

Earlier this year, I gave you a preview of a series of illustrations I have put on indefinite hiatus for a number of reasons- The Ballad of the Skeletons, based on the poem by Allen Ginsberg.  At some point, I'll revisit these works and illustrate all 80+ skeletons of this massive project.  Today,  I felt compelled to share another one with you which immediately came to mind for Illustration Friday.  The theme of this week's artistic escapade is "Launch."

"Said the Military Skeleton,

Buy Star Bombs."

-Allen Ginsberg, Ballad of the Skeletons

We live in a country which launches a military offensive at a bare minimum of once per Presidential administration. We always have to have an enemy- a bad guy for the public to demonize, hate and call to be hunted down like a dog to justify the majority of our military operations.  Why do we need this constant state of fear of impending attacks?  To keep us in line with the program of being proud of war.  We need it to be necessary and justified because our country profits from war.  Companies have made out like bandits since WWI from manufacturing arms, ammunition, uniforms, nonperishable foods and a whole variety of other toys, gadgets and necessities of war.  Capitalism seeks to profit from every industry, hence the term, "war profiteering."  Big Business wants us at war and needs us at war, which is why we're ALWAYS at war.   I could go on all day long on this subject but a more recent example of my grievance with our military industrial complex is thoroughly covered the documentary, Iraq for Sale, which I've posted for you here today...

"Let us call a truce to terror. Let us invoke the blessings of peace. And as we build an international capacity to keep peace, let us join in dismantling the national capacity to wage war."

- John F. Kennedy, September 25, 1961

[Click HERE for a stream of all of my Illustration Friday entries!]

Going Nuclear

"Going Nuclear"

2010 / inks on paper










I felt this was a fitting post considering today's headlines citing plans for new nuclear power facilities here in the United States (while wanting to sanction Iran for the same.) I have to say despite the dangers, I'd like to trust our technological advancements to providing this alternative energy source. The gas crisis has started and will climax in our lifetimes hopefully bringing better means of powering our lives but Nuclear power is the closest alternative we have at hand right now.



"Join or..."

2005 / Acrylics on Wood