Mr. Kotter!

In late 1975, inspired by both the new show WELCOME BACK, KOTTER, and a TV Guide cover illo, here is my attempt to draw comedian Gabe Kaplan.

I don't think I had ever tried caricature before, despite being exposed to it in MAD magazine and such, but I was very taken by that particular Guide cover, and tried to copy it. I was most interested in HOW the artist capture the things that "said" Horshack, Kotter, etc...All those facial traits and body language....

I seem to have paid a great deal of attention to the eyes, hairline, eyebrows....curls for the hair texture....

You can see my failed attempts to capture the likeness of Arnold Horshack to the left of the drawing...Looks oddly like an aged Fonzie...

A few years back, I read a wonderfully funny book by Kaplan, KOTTER'S BACK, which details his oddball prank letters to firms and establishments that take hi absolutely seriously. Great fun.

"Get Us Out From Under..."

"Wonder Woman!"

Yes, done the day after the 1975 TV premiere of "The New, Original Wonder Woman," this was my attempt to capture the events of that TV epic. One of the few masterpieces of my youth that HAD to be colored, it was so darned special.

Yep, any 10-year old  reared on superhero comics starts out drawing females as guys with chest bumps, and I was no exception. Wondy looks like a linebacker! Dig that poor face-down dude to the left! Ouch! Looks like WW invaded a torture S/M den and trashed it! 

If you look closely, you can also see the famous "invisible jet" in the window..

I also added the graphic "popping stars" motif, from the comics-like graphics of the film...complete with logo..Maybe I thought this could be a "movie poster" type of illustration?

But, what great legs, huh?

Everyone's Got Something To Hide.....

'cept for me and my Monkee!

Some pics of me with Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, David Jones, and (sorta) Michael Nesmith at various 90s events...

Michael's pic is one I took at his live concert in Atlanta. I later sent him a print to sign, at his Pacific Arts location. Much to my surprise, he signed it for me!

The Monkeemobile was stationed at a Barris car museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee at the time....

The Goblin Remembers!

Ok, due to the requests of hundreds (from Sam Hundreds, the kid down the street), I'm back with more of my old artwork. This one's a doozy.

I was so into "re-creating" comic covers as a kid, so here's one from around 1974. Marvel was bringing back the Green Golbin in the comics then, in the guise of Harry Osborn, and this is my entrant into that little fun scene.

I love how I tried to introduce some new Goblin "inventions!" Looks like Spidey is trying to bust thru some sorta bag or force field Gobby is using....

I THINK that's a chair that's getting roughed up in the battle. They don't make 'em like they usta...Not much on backgrounds then. C'mon. Backgrounds were boooo-ring!

Again, meticulous attention to cover detail, such as logo and little corner box icon, which here looks like a tiny Spider-Man mite peeking in over the thought balloon! Heh.

So much for me trying to hide my signature in the art, ala John Romita Sr! VERY subtle!

Student Art!

I teach a twice-weekly cartooning class, and am always surprised by the art and creativity of my students....

With no further comments from me, here are images of Batman and his crew, and a new look at Spongebob...

Woody!

My take on obnoxious favorite Woody Woodpecker.

A Tale of Two Batmen!

Let me get this straight up front. I love Neal Adams' work. Always have, since I was a kid in the early 70s. He's an incredibly talented draftsman.

As an adult, I just don't see the merits, tho, of approaching superheroes in such a super-rendered style. It seems silly and over-worked and overdone. Maybe because I'm sick of the last 2 decades of comics, with this as a major trend.

This new attitude may have emerged during my tenure as one of the merchandise artists for the BATMAN-THE ANIMATED SERIES products and merchandise. Made me tale another look at the seemingly easier (it's not-try it) visual approach to figures and design that's all about what you can leave OUT (a sign of a true master, said the late Alex Toth), and not what you put in.

A few months back, I took the grossly over-boiled Neal Adams cover to a recent BATMAN hardcover book, and re-worked it in the "Animated" style (roughly). Squint at both drawings. One stands out as a bold figure in action, and the other? A mess of thin lines, jittery hatching, and syrupy colors. Too much.

This style also allows the artist to get to what makes a character like Batman visually appealing. Think of how you thought of the character at age 7 or so. The dark masses of black. The ears. The glove fins. The chest insignia. The action poses. Speak to those cool iconic points in the drawing, and you get to the heart of the character.