Grandma

Every now and then a family treasure pops up. This poster of my grandmother, the Queen of Irish Song, is one of them. She's wearing the Brooch of Tara given to her by the mayor of Dublin around 1902. Being born long after she was gone it is sweet to collect bits of history such as this.

The horror...the horror

Robin and I survived the crippling heat and humidity of Kentucky as well as the Fright Night Film Fest where I was a celebrity guest, signing Dark Star posters and the like.

Along the way I got to show off my nine year old student Dawson's mummy shirt. I fit right in.

Robin's coming along on this adventure adding to everyone's enjoyment, including her own. When we watched a skinny kid in a Darth Vader outfit shuffling through the lobby dejectedly we nearly wet our pants laughing. Just one of a thousand unique moments.

I drew a lot of cartoons for folks over the course of the three day festival. Eventually I realized I needed to draw one for myself. After all, a journey this long deserves documentation....From Sesame Street to Elm Street...

San Diego Comic Con

With the San Diego Comic Con getting under way I pause to appreciate the cartoon Sergio Aragones did for me in 1976 down there. It hangs over my desk, chastising me daily.

Last year's logo

I attended the county fair recently and came across a logo I created last year for their Wine Garden. It was designed for buttons and stickers. I was surprised to find it so big.

Upside down

I was teaching young Dawson about the anatomy of the eye today and how images are initially flipped upside down on the retina after passing through the lens and then rectified within the brain. He began staring at my head intently in order to invert it. You gotta be careful what you tell kids these days.

APPREHENDED!

View this photo at your own legal risk. I have just been apprehended by the Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising Legal Department for violation of intellectual property. The owners of the dogs pictured already have their t-shirts. I hope they won't be hunted down as well. The irony in all this is that years ago when I was Supervising Animator and Sequence Director on TWICE UPON A TIME we brought a 19 year old on board as a camera assistant by the name of David Fincher. Now if I can only talk David into autographing my friend's t-shirts they'll be worth a fortune.

That fateful day

I think I just discovered a photo of the day I decided to be a cartoonist. I don't think I've worn a suit and tie since then.

Caption Contest

Last week I learned of a local cartoon caption contest. I entered. I won. What did I win? The right say I won. A quick victory lap and then back to work.

So that's where I am!

Empire, the British film magazine, answers the question WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The answer is, "right here typing this blog entry". This page is from the April 2011 issue and reviews the recently released DVD version of Dark Star that contains a massive amount of extras. Thanks to Volker Engel, Oscar winning FX genius behind Independence Day, for scanning this and sending it to me. (The April issue of Empire has yet to make it out here in the hinterlands yet)

My mummy shirt

Now I'm sporting my very own Dawson mummy shirt. This kid will probably have his own clothing empire by the time he's 10.

Deposed

Tyrannical cartoonist deposed by angry young mob. Okay. A mob of one. One nine year old. Okay, so my student Dawson is taking over my studio. I was forced to bow to international pressure.

 

 

Dawson's mummy

No matter what drawing task I give nine-year-old Dawson every week it always turns into some sort of zombie. He just can't help himself. This week's anatomy exercise emerged as a mummy. Just another day at the office.

The Blue Ball Caper

KT (in the background) seems to have lost track of her two favorite blue balls. She's apparently spotted a red one but knows damn well it's not hers. Where in the world could her balls have gone? Meanwhile Cassie seems to have abandoned her customary mouthful of four tennis balls in favor of....."Your Honor, I submit this photograph as Exhibit A for the prosecution."

So long Jack.

In the early 70s I worked for Computer Image in Los Angeles where I created a kids TV series pilot with Jack LaLanne called Fit & Fun Time. It combined live action (I directed Jack in front of blue screen at an LA TV station) combined with some of the first computer animation (which I directed in Denver, using a room full of enormous Honeywell tape bank computers).

Jack would come to meetings and give me a thump in the chest with the back of his hand and ask, "How ya doin, Boy Genius?" I rarely had enough wind left in me to answer.

Jack was the real deal. The guy was fit. One day at his house he had his maid give me a tour of his basement gym. She told me he worked out down there from 4AM to 6AM every morning. On some mornings she told me his pal Clint Eastwood would come over and they'd work out together.

Jack died today. He almost seemed immortal. He was a role model who never fell off his pedestal. It just gave out underneath him. So long Jack. Happy trails.

Latest book cover

This is my latest book cover for Steve Bhaerman (AKA Swami Beyondananda). For more Tomfoolery you can visit his website at www.wakeuplaughing.com (At your own risk!)

Havana cemetery

After seeing cousin Evin's recent photo tour of a Parisian cemetery I wanted to share some of my photos from last year's trip to Havana. I believe their cemetery is the seventh largest in the world. I found this first photo to be one of the most touching I've ever seen at a grave. One could wander this cemetery for hours. The photo with me in it is at the grave site of Ibrahim Ferrer (of Buena Vista Social Club fame). This full size Pieta is one of two to be found there.

Happy Moo Year

We ushered in the new year at  the home of the great-great-granddaughter of Mrs. O'Leary, whose cow is purported to have burned down Chicago. (I hate it when that happens) This cartoon is now part of their family legacy.

That beard tickles!

Warren had a long naughty-or-nice conversation with Santa this year. It all turned out okay but next year he plans to bring a lawyer with him.

If you live in the Sonoma County area and need photography go to russelleventphotography.com.

Super fan Parker

When two year old Parker's grandma told us she demands to see video of "talking dog" every day it meant we needed to travel out to Jenner to catch up with her while she was visiting from Seattle. She and Warren Peace (AKA Talking Dog) had a great time together. She even gave Warren two sticky stars on his nose. What more do you want?

Summer's farewell

The soft light of morning in the trees is a real gift and helps assuage the knowledge that the last of the warm weather is upon us. Soon the rains will come.