Take a BREAK With the Monkees! Rare 1996 Reunion Article and Pics!

When the reunited Monkees (Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones) hit Charlotte, North Carolina on a concert tour stop in 1996, the local free newspaper, BREAK, was there to deliver the inside story of the band to the uninitiated! Tho mostly consisting of cribbed info from the three books (one by Davy himself) on the group that were available then, this long-form article still delivers the abridged story to the local masses, also priming the pump for the Monkees' shows in the area! During this time, the band also made a "meet-and-greet" appearance at the now-defunct Media Play store, and Micky also held a gallery showing of his artwork while in NC! Click each image below to enlarge and read!

Notice how the above heavily-Photoshopped cover indulges in more than a little
sensationalism, in order to grab the eyes of passers-by and potential readers!

The above pic, tho a reunion photo, comes from
the 1986 tour, not the 1996 concerts.

BONUS! Click below to enlarge these two clippings from NC area papers, detailing Micky's art gallery showing while in Charlotte!

BONUS BONUS! Click below to see me, posing with Micky Dolenz, during his 1996 gallery art display event in Charlotte, North Carolina!

BONUS BONUS BONUS! Click below to see rare video coverage of the Monkees' 1996 NC visit! Their concert! Store signings! Micky's art show!

Batman vs. The Joker! 1975 Albert Bigley Art! "Go Robin!" DC Comics?!

Enough with the e-mails and calls! I give in! Here is yet another fabulous (?) blast from my past to your present (huh?)! Dig this bombastic 1975 illo by a 10-year-old me, depicting mucho mile-high mayhem! It's Batman and Robin, launching into furious action against the Joker and his multiple minions! But--Is Batman crashing thru that tiny window in the background? What is the Joker perched upon? Why are so many people missing their legs? Why is the foreground thug shooting at the bad guys? Click to enlarge, Bat-fans!

BONUS! Look below to see my inspiration for Batman's above pose! This is the bulky box that housed the 1974 Mego "Batcave" playset, a gift I received the previous Christmas, so...

BONUS BONUS! Or, was this (below) my inspiration? Here is a panel from 1968's WORLD'S FINEST COMICS #180, drawn by Ross Andru! I had this as a back-issue then, so...Or was this '68 pose the inspiration for the '74 Mego artist, which I saw, and...Yeah. 

Davy Jones! With Fans in 1966! With Al Bigley in 1998! Video! Monkees!

Observing one year since the passing of dynamic Davy Jones, here are even more rare images from his pandemonium-packed past! Click below to enlarge each!

Above: The Monkees romp it up on the set of the EVERYWHERE A SHEIK, SHEIK episode in 1967!

Above: Davy was always generous with his time and
efforts, not only in the 60s (as seen above), but
right up to his 2012 passing...

Above two pics: Davy on stage with the Monkees in 1968!

The Monkees reunite in 1989, to receive their "star" on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame! They flank Monkees producer Bert Schneider in this rare pic!

Above: Al Bigley (me!) meets Davy at a 1998 North Carolina event! 

BONUS! Click below to view this ultra-rare video of Davy meeting and greeting fans at a 1998 event in Greensboro, North Carolina! I shot this footage myself, and it displays Davy's love and devotion to his followers, as he made sure everyone (including me) received autographs, pictures, and a bit of his time! Note also how Davy (always the entertainer) played to my camera at times!

"Batman Dies Big!" 1976 Albert Bigley Original Comic Art! DC Comics?!

Another blockbuster from my artistic past! For some odd reason, I was possessed to re-create the 1968 BATMAN tale, "Die Small--Die Big!" I only had the later 1975 "Super Spec" reprint, but that sure didn't stop me from bogarting the awe-inspiring art (originally by Bob Brown and Joe Giella)! Did I feel I needed practice drawing actual comics pages with real storytelling? Did I have a new twist for the story in mind? Who knows, but it's fun to look at these two pages (all I managed to do before moving on to more exciting pastures), drawn by me at age 11! Not even the first time I tried this, either! Click to enlarge!

Odd how I cut out characters and dialog I musta thought were superfluous! Who has time for
all that extra writing?