Wisconsinite

I'm heading up to Wisconsin again, from the 20th to the 27th of November. I'm sure I'll see plenty of folks that look just like this while I'm up there.

..P.S. Anyone interested in getting into trouble with me while I'm up there can give me a call, or communicate with me via the comments section of this blog. I won't have access to my email. I'll be back to Florida soon, have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

I can't explain this..

...just accept it for what it is.

301

I just recently saw the movie 300 for the first time. It's a visual feast, full of blood and violence and action and...uh, adult situations. It's basically "TESTOSTERONE: THE MOVIE".

The film is an adaptation of the graphic novel 300 by Frank Miller. 300 is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae in which Leonidas, King of the Spartans rallies 300 fierce and noble Spartans to fight to against the vast Persian Empire.

But why only 300 Spartans? Why not 301? Is there a reason one more man couldn't be included? Turns out it's because he's this guy:

Happy Halloween

DURKIN DONUTS

When my kids were learning to read, I always got a kick out of driving by Dunkin Donuts because every time they would shout "DURKIN DONUTS" from the back seat. Something as cute and brilliant as that always went uncorrected and to this day, although they both know the difference and are excellent readers, we still call it Durkin Donuts.


Several posts ago, I made a Durkin Donuts logo and, like 98 percent of what I say, made a joke. I thought it would be funny to have it on a t-shirt and even suggested for someone to give it to me for my birthday. Well, my birthday came and went and I forgot about the shirt until just a few days ago I got a pleasant surprise...

So thanks to my dear friends the Parhams for what could quite possibly be my favorite shirt in my vast t-shirt arsenal.

The Cheese Stands Alone.

I've been a Green Bay Packer fan my whole life. It's not my fault, I don't know any better. When you're raised in Wisconsin as I was, it is the law. You must be a Packer's fan or you will be kicked out of the state. I can't talk about what they do to you if you're a Chicago Bears fan.

They're having a phenomenal season this year, currently they are 5-1. Quarterback Brett Favre is breaking records all over the place. But the most intriguing element of the Green Bay Packers is the fans.

The Packers' fan base is famously dedicated, regardless of the team's performance. Every Packers game at Lambeau Field has been sold out since 1960. Despite the Packers having one of the smallest TV markets, the Packers have developed one of the largest fan bases in the NFL. The Packers have one of the longest waiting lists for season tickets in professional sports. The current wait time for season tickets is approximately 35 years. For this reason, it is not unusual for fans to designate a recipient of their season tickets in their wills or place newborn infants on the waiting list after receiving birth certificates.

Packers fans are often referred to as cheeseheads. The term is often used to refer to people from the state of Wisconsin in general (because of its cheese production), but is also used to refer to Green Bay Packers fans in particular. The name originated in 1987 as an insult from Chicago White Sox fans at a Milwaukee Brewers game. In years since and particularly beginning in 1994, the name and the hats called "cheeseheads" have also been embraced by Packers fans.

Here is a cheesehead, in all of his glory. Go Pack!!

It Came From The Food Court.

Here's another memory sketch of a lady (?) I saw at the food court. I call her Aunt Esther.

Geekline

I had this idea for a self-promotional piece. As a geek of sorts, I was thinking about how we the geeks always end up in lines. We line up for store openings when new merchandise hits. We line up at theaters when the latest blockbuster comes out. We line up for tickets at conventions and once we get there, we line up for convention exclusives, autographs, and food. So I drew a cross-section of geeks, notice the lanyards. I'm still goofing around with it, and there's always room in line for a few more. Click image for a larger view.

Me in about 5 years...

...if I don't watch out. Just having some fun. I saw a guy hanging out by the pool the other day and he inspired this.

Mousepile

This was fun. Lots of fun.

Happy Grandparent's Day.

Mecha-Rex

My 11 year old son Alex and I were driving around the other day talking about his story idea, DINOBOY. We were trying to come up with some villian concepts, and thought of a Tyrannosaurus Rex with big robotic arms controlled by his stubby little arms. I came up with this design, just for fun.

A few days off.

Heading up to my home state of Wisconsin for a few days. I need a break and I miss my family. Expect me to come back refreshed and focused. I'm leaving CaveDuck here to watch things for me while I'm gone. It is unwise to provoke CaveDuck. You have been warned.

Only slackers post once a month.

Guess that shows you what I am. But I have been busy, with fun and profitable results. At least I have a few things to share with you; just some more random stuff.

The reluctant grandpa. A recent sighting at one of the resorts. Someone please help him.Staying true to my Irish heritage. One of my distant relatives

Gator.


I want this on a T-shirt. My birthday is September 27th. I wear a large.

Yikes! I gotta post something in April!

Jeez, it's been a month since I've posted something. Where has April gone? I've been real busy this month. Good news is, I'm getting a lot of work. Bad news is, I don't have much to post lately. But I do have a few things:

First is a gentleman I drew at a recent gig. It's on my camera phone, so the photo quality isn't great, but you get the idea.Second is a viking, just for fun.

More stuff.

Just some more random goofy stuff. And when I say random, I mean random.

...and goofy.

Check out the horrible perspective on the chair.

The great thing about coloring in dinosaurs is that no one can tell you their colors are inaccurate.

Here's a study for a B.B. King painting I'm doing.

"Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?"

Mr. Greystoke.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Press "Play". It's magically delicious!

Miscellany...

I can't really post any Black Cat Bone stuff right now, everything I have is in various stages of completion and I'd rather show you finished artwork. But I do want to post SOMETHING, so here's some miscellaneous sketchbook stuff.

Some cat having lunch. What's with the cats? I don't even LIKE cats. Oh well, they're fun to draw.

Some handsome devil.

Megacon Orlando '07 wrapup

Had a great time at Megacon this year. I was very inspired by the artwork I saw and I'm excited to finish issue one. I didn't take too many pictures, and have only a few appropriate enough to show here. When I wasn't walking around talking myself out of buying EVERYTHING, and looking at the artists in artist's alley, I was helping Michael Duron watch his table and visiting with the gang at Ka-Blam and Indyplanet.

This is their booth, I took this from reaaaalllllllly far away, but that's Jenny and Barry Gregory and Rene and Thomas Florimonte. They're going to publish Black Cat Bone for me, the first issue coming out some time in the year 2015 or so.

MegaCon Orlando 2007

This weekend is MegaCon. I'll be there Saturday and Sunday supporting my friends Barry and Jenni Gregory and Thomas Florimonte and Mike "Locoduck" Duron. Come geek out with us. www.megaconvention.com I'll have a full report on Monday. (by Monday I mean Wednesday.)