It's May the Forth, so Happy Star Warps day everyone! Here's a classic shot of Ken Benoble-one, Hank Solo and Luke Sandhater. May the Warps be with you, one and all!
Monday, May 4, 2020
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Christmas is a Love Story
The kids these days - and by kids I also mean middle-aged nostalgonauts, have apparently taken to dubbing a certain Bruce Willis movie a 'Christmas Movie.' Fair enough - I can't argue, as to shout against all that would also be to shout against some other fine Yuletide romps, like Gremlins, Batman Returns - and even Shazam! has Santa in it. It's a movie about children, wishes, magic and families - of course it's a Christmas movie!
But similar things could be said for songs. We adopt songs for our times, and reinvent songs to fit our times. I was agog this week to discover, for example, that my chosen musical bete noir of Nativity-tide, the veritable dog in the manger if you will, said Jingle Bells - is many times not Christmas. It's a Thanksgiving song, apparently. But here we are. And sometimes songs slip into Christmas by intent, despite some ropey sentiment (cough!DoTheyKnowIt'sChristmascough!) and, in the following case, by timing and visuals.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood's The Power of Love, the third and greatest of the singles troika going by that name in 1985, is now 35 years old. Sweet Baby Jesus. Released in November of that year, it crept into the public consciousness and made FGtH's third consecutive number one from their debut album. Thematically, it's not Christian in focus or Christmas in theme, but I cant hear it without thinking of the Godley and Creme video and its multi-ethnic magi, imagining the lyrics to be the sentiments of a bewildered and bowlderised Joseph, who loves this girl, but like her is just being carried helplessly along by a greater tide. Back in its native home that video (not to mention single sleeve) did the job, almost, and it would have made the coveted Christmas Number One slot but for Sir Bob Geldof and chums. Never mind. Enjoy this at the close of another brutal year- the sweeping strings, lulling piano, children's cartoon bogeymen, and those vocals. Dampen down the inhumanity and misfortune that 2019 wrought, and hope for better things to come. Let yourself be beautiful, indeed.
I had a girlfriend once who thought this song was warbling drivel. Always knew she was a wrong'un.
"I always felt like 'The Power of Love' was the record that would save me in this life. There is a biblical aspect to its spirituality and passion; the fact that love is the only thing that matters in the end."
- Holly Johnson
But similar things could be said for songs. We adopt songs for our times, and reinvent songs to fit our times. I was agog this week to discover, for example, that my chosen musical bete noir of Nativity-tide, the veritable dog in the manger if you will, said Jingle Bells - is many times not Christmas. It's a Thanksgiving song, apparently. But here we are. And sometimes songs slip into Christmas by intent, despite some ropey sentiment (cough!DoTheyKnowIt'sChristmascough!) and, in the following case, by timing and visuals.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood's The Power of Love, the third and greatest of the singles troika going by that name in 1985, is now 35 years old. Sweet Baby Jesus. Released in November of that year, it crept into the public consciousness and made FGtH's third consecutive number one from their debut album. Thematically, it's not Christian in focus or Christmas in theme, but I cant hear it without thinking of the Godley and Creme video and its multi-ethnic magi, imagining the lyrics to be the sentiments of a bewildered and bowlderised Joseph, who loves this girl, but like her is just being carried helplessly along by a greater tide. Back in its native home that video (not to mention single sleeve) did the job, almost, and it would have made the coveted Christmas Number One slot but for Sir Bob Geldof and chums. Never mind. Enjoy this at the close of another brutal year- the sweeping strings, lulling piano, children's cartoon bogeymen, and those vocals. Dampen down the inhumanity and misfortune that 2019 wrought, and hope for better things to come. Let yourself be beautiful, indeed.
I had a girlfriend once who thought this song was warbling drivel. Always knew she was a wrong'un.
"I always felt like 'The Power of Love' was the record that would save me in this life. There is a biblical aspect to its spirituality and passion; the fact that love is the only thing that matters in the end."
- Holly Johnson
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Drokktober 2019. Day 31
Oof! Last day of Drokktober 2019, and the theme is The Death of Dredd. Fatality by Fattie it is.
Done in a hurry to get the bloody thing over with by the deadline, I fluffed the big tummy, which should be the feature of the illustration. Gah. And so ends Drokktober 2019! Will there be a 2020 - and will I return? Maybe. It's a marathon, to be sure, so training, pacing, and getting ideas down well in advance (or as will as can be done) is a definite advantage. This pooper of an image seems an anti-climactic one to end on, but...
Yeah. Why not?
New Jack City
It's Halloween again! Time to get carving...
This year I was helped just a little bit more by Jet Jr, who's still not quite coordinated enough to be trusted with sharp implements, but did his darnedest, and once again, designed his own hinkypunk. Check out that Nike swoosh grin! In fact, Junior was going for a Pac-o-Lantern, being arcade game mad at the moment, but the lopsidedness of the fruit made for a wonky smile - and it the more charming for it, I reckon.
While the junior pumpkin is a bit tipsy-shaped, there's a good reason. It was home-schooled, and home-reeared, by virtue of my unpatented pumpkin ladder! Do I have a picture of it?
Somewhere, I'm sure. It's folded up, now, ready for next season's batch (this year's wasn't actually that succesful, with the junior version being the only viable one.) Pics when it happens.
In the mean-time... Boo!
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Drokktober 2019. Day 30
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Drokktober 2019. Day 29
Whee! We're nearing the end. Day 29 is "Dredd vs the independents. Any character from newspaper strips or independent comic books"
Nobody was going to draw the most famous chin in NZ newspaper strips - Wal Footrot's up against Jo Dredd's. So I did.
Monday, October 28, 2019
Drokktober 2019: Day 28
Today's theme called for Dredd's silliest villain.
Dredd's had lots of fun, funny, groan-inducing and very silly villains, but Jonni Kiss takes the cake. To a resounding silence from the audience I outlined why Garth Ennis' assassin who cannot die and is too cool for school was Dredd's silliest villain (Dredd gets his man, naturally) Let's say he was no Orlok.
This is a stink illustration - I've had trouble with similar facial angles, and also the slog of the challenge is getting to me a bit now. Not many days to go!
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