Wenesday 8-27-2008 I'll be doing 10 Marvel Masterpieces 3 Artist Proof Sketch Cards which I can sell, if I choose to. So... If you are interested in an original MM3 sketch card drawn by me, I have 6 slots left. These cards are highly coveted by collectors. Send me an email if you are interested. I'll draw the character of your choice, but there are some rules I have to go by: They have to be Marvel characters. No nudity/ sexual content. No movie versions/ likenesses. I have to get approval on the cards before I can release them.
Thursday 8-14-2008 Wednesday 7-16-2008 In the past month, the comic book industry has lost two great people. One an artist, the other, a wife of an artist. On June 27th 2008, Michael Turner, creator of Fathom and Soulfire, co-creator of Witchblade, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Mike was a popular artist, a very good artist, and from what I've read about him and heard from friends that knew him personally, he was one of the best guys you could ever meet. I only met him once, it was my first con. I didn't talk to him long, but I can think back to then and it confirms every nice word I have ever heard about him. Michael Turner was one of my favorite artists. I loved the way he drew. When I started attending the Kubert School, I strayed further and further from his work, mainly because I found myself wanting to draw just like him. I wanted to find my own "style." He has inspired many new artists, as well as helped many artists get their start in the business. He founded his own company, Aspen MLT. He was so successful, and talented. He was far more talented than many artists working in the industry today. He will be missed but his work will live on. Thanks Mike, thanks for the inspiration, and the stories and art. You will be missed. The second hits a bit harder, personally. Muriel Kubert, wife of legendary comic book illustrator Joe Kubert, passed away on July 8th, 2008. I did not have the pleasure of knowing Mrs. Kubert, but I did have the opportunity to learn from and get to know her sons Adam, and Andy, and her husband Joe. Mrs. Kubert, along with Joe, founded the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. in 1976. The only time I met her was at graduation. She was one of the kindest people I had ever met. If it weren't for her, the Kubert School would have never existed and I may not have been where I am today as far as my career goes. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Kubert family. I am sorry for your loss. Those wishing to send their condolences to Michael Turner's family are encouraged to send them to: Aspen MLT, Inc. Aspen Comics also encourages anyone wishing to make a charitable donation in Turner’s name can do so to his requested charities, The American Cancer Society or The Make-A-Wish Foundation Donations may be made in Muriel Kubert's name to Compassionate Care Hospice, 400 W. Blackwell St., Dover, N.J. 07801. ____________________________///////////////// Saturday 6-7-2008 I found this on facebook (My responses are in parentheses)…
You know you are from Palm Springs if you…. * Can’t STAND when other people complain, “OMG, it’s like, SOoO hot outside!” as soon as the temperature breaks 80. * Still get excited when it rains. * Have ever attempted to / succesfully cooked an egg on the sidewalk or the asphalt. * Went to an “outdoors” High School. * Now feels spoiled to live by an ocean, river, or lake. * Regularly hit up the dunes at Glamis, or had a regular spot at “The River”. * Spent their weekends driving to at least Pomona, Riverside, LA, the OC, or San Diego to get to any good clubs, concert venues, or attractions. * Regularly went to the weekend street fair at COD, or Thursday night street fair and acquired incense, cutting boards in the shapes of animals, awesome paintings of space made with spray paint, religious paraphenelia, or just listened to that weird-ass indian music. (Haha Mr. Palmer and Michelle’s korian cutting boards - R.I.P. Russ Palmer). * Remembers when Rancho 16 was brand-new. * Grew up with the Tram, The Living Desert, and remembers when OASIS waterpark was only $8.00 to get in. * Has ever hiked the Indian Canyons, the trail behind the Desert Museum, the Painted Canyons, or the Oasis. * Know that there is no smell on god’s green earth worse than the Salton Sea. * Just tells everyone they’re from Palm Springs, because no one knows where anything else is. * Has ever heard, “So, Palm Springs…. WHERE exactly is that?”, and made the San Diego - Palm Springs - L.A. triangle to demonstrate. * Is STILL afraid of Edom Hill, or ever went to Midget Town. * Learned spanish in elementary school, either from friends, or from a classmate’s parent who came in and taught the class. * Know the GOOD ice cream guys come with a little cart, not a f*ckin truck. * Know “the mall” is ONLY the Palm Desert Mall. * Ever camped at Joshua Tree. * Gets sad that your new city is too bright to see stars. (Downside to NYC). * Has ever seen snakes, bats, roadrunners, and/or scorpions in their natural environment (like, your backyard). * Can get a tan anytime April - October. * Thinks it’s freezing when it dips below 60. * Has traveled to places with snow, prepped with only a hoodie and sandals, OR, moved somewhere else and had to buy a whole new wardrobe. (Man… I HATE Jersey). * Remember Sunny Bono’s funeral and when Bob Hope died. * Remember the 2 seasons of caterpillar / butterfly swarms, and not being able to walk or drive ANYWHERE without squishing something. * Have ever watched the Racers in downtown PS. * Is used to wearing shorts out at night, and laugh when friends ask, “But it’s cool when the sun goes down, right?” * Has ever gone a day, a week, or a WHOLE SUMMER without air conditioning in the car, or worse, in the HOUSE. * Has ever been in the prior situation, and slept with ice packs in their bed out of sheer desperation. * Fed ducks at the Civic Center, or took their dogs to the dog park. * Hated that billboard, “If you had used the Palm Springs International Airport, you’d be there already!” * Ever had a Date Shake. * Went to the casino when they turned 18. * Know the term “Snowbirds,” and HATE THEM. * Went to Coachella Fest BEFORE it was huge and 100 bucks/day, and knows Coachella for what it REALLY is (i.e. dirty and scummy, NOT hipster and unique). * Get scared on the big drops in the new rotating tram cars. (Haven’t been on them since they got the new cars). * Know every single entrance and exit to every hotel pool. * Knows roughly 70% of the staff at Ben & Jerry’s, Islands, or the Cheesecake Factory at any given time. * Can tell you where to turn on Dinah Shore, Bob Hope, and Gene Autry to get from here to there,, but still know almost nothing about any of those people. (Actually, I know who they are… c’mon). * Know that there is only one freeway in the entire valley, and still get lost once we leave our neighborhood. * Know where the Towncenter is (and it’s NOT in the center of town). * Can differentiate 100* from 110* from 120* from 126*… and hate when people tell you the desert is no big deal, because it’s a “dry heat”. * Has attended a birthday party at Camelot, before it was Boomers! * Is threatened by the word, “SuperWalmart”. * Know what REAL mexican food tastes like, and/or had someone’s mexican grandma personally make some for you. * is familiar with UCOD. * Know where the cops hide out on the I-10. * Have “burned rubber”, or gotten their car stuck in the sand somewhere, trying to do stupid sh*t with their truck. (Guilty). * Get excited to see windmills in movies. * Know what the nudist bridge is. * Feel like they’re in a vast, barren wasteland when not surrounded by mountains. * Rocky’s Pawn Shop…. just hock it to Rock! * Have ever warned a friend who was coming to visit about the heat. And warned them again. And warned them, “No, seriously, it’s REALLY hot. We’re gonna be inside most of the time, so I don’t want you to hear you complain.” And then listened to them complain the entire weekend about how they were going to die. * Can describe “the scene” in painstakingly accurate detail. * Have literally FELT THEMSELVES getting a sunburn, but still only bust out the sunscreen when going to the beach. * Learned NEVER to try and get the mail without shoes on. * Has lit off fireworks in an empty lot, a backyard, or the street in front of their house. * Failed their driver’s test at the Palm Springs DMV, but passed with fffllyyyyiiinngg colors in Indio. (I can see that happening). * Has been to a concert at the Southwest Community church. * Was scandalized / saddened to hear about Mr. Cope, and the Principal from Sunny Sands. (I remember it but thankfully wasn’t involved. Never had him as a teacher, friends did though). * Is sick of the “vintage” palm tree decor look. (?). * “Yes, I’m from Palm Springs. Actually, it’s not EXACTLY Palm Springs, it’s this little city right near there called… well, i mean, it’s part of the same valley…. you know what? it’s Palm Springs. Oh, you have a SECOND home there? Wow, that’s… great…. oh, no, I don’t play golf…. No, I don’t really know about that course… yeah, the weather can be ok, sure… ok, I just, need to go….” * Has been to/ walked in the Golf Cart parade. (Both) * Has had a birthday party at Bubba Bears (A few friends did). (Lived in the same neighborhood). * Will always be a DESERT RAT! ____________________________///////////////// Tuesday 6-3-2008 ____________________________///////////////// Wednesday 5-28-2008 ____________________________///////////////// Monday 5-12-2008 Many thanks go out to Tim Kecherson, Ben Caimano, and Gabe Bridwell for their help with some of the coding. You guys rock! Now that I've got an idea of how to update this thing, you can expect more regular updates. ____________________________/////////////////
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