Stephen DeStefano

2010-12-20T05:03:00.000-08:00

Have a good holiday. And don't kill anyone with your big knife.

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO THIS PAST MONTH, AND WHAT I'M DOING NEXT MONDAY

2010-11-15T08:34:00.000-08:00

I've been storyboarding. I've gotten so used to working in design, particularly on Genndy Tartakovsky's SYM-BIONIC TITAN (--yes, let's hear a round of applause for that phenomenal show), that it was a joy to be storyboarding again.

And it's kind of funny that I've gotten so much board work recently, as I'm about to teach a storyboarding for animation class at MoCCA! It's an honor, and a hell of a thrill, and I hope some of ya'll reading this will show up for my class. Here's the link to MoCCA's education program...check it out, yeah? They're offering some pretty interesting classes!

http://www.moccany.org/content/education

Please contribute, if you're at all able, to our beloved cat's medical bills.

2010-11-15T06:28:00.000-08:00

THE REVIEWS ARE IN (AND ARE MOSTLY GOOD)

2010-11-02T05:58:00.000-07:00

LUCKY IN LOVE, the graphic novel with a narrative by George Chieffet and pictures by me, has gotten some high praise. And if you can read Swedish, some moderate praise (but a large part of that is grumbling about the three year wait for Volume Two to be released---hey, I'm drawing as fast as I can, I swear!) Personally, I've been floored by the response of some of my friends and fellow artists. Folks like Bob Fingerman, Jackson Publick, Bill Wray, Shaun McLaughlin, Kevin Langley, Mark Zingerelli, Mark Newgarden and Kim Deitch (KIM DEITCH!) have been generous in their praise and support. Old chum Jamie Rich has been especially vocal about it, and you can read his review amongst the links I'll patch in below. My thanks to Jamie, and to all of the critics for their thoughtful reviews. Take a look, won't you? And if you've read the book, I'd love to hear your thoughts about it. And if you haven't read the book, read what these folks have to say, and think about picking it up. Okay?

http://confessions123.blogspot.com/2010/09/lucky-in-love-poor-mans-history-by.html
http://www.comicsreview.co.uk/nowreadthis/2010/10/07/lucky-in-love-book-1-a-poor-man%E2%80%99s-history/
http://serienytt.se/?p=1126
http://joshuamalbin.com/2010/10/lucky-in-love/
http://www.mania.com/lucky-love-review_article_125097.html

ART FOR SALE!

2010-09-18T05:45:00.000-07:00

Go to the link provided below. If all goes well, it should bring you to the mdh Fine Arts Gallery page featuring my work. There's still pages of LUCKY IN LOVE for sale, as well as some of my work on BIZARRO, POPEYE THE SAILOR, SPONGEBOB, LOONEY TUNES, REN & STIMPY, DEXTER'S LAB and JOHNNY BRAVO.
The show ends today, if you're in the NYC area!

http://www.mdhfinearts.com/mdhfinearts11.asp?collectionID=628&

LOOK AT THIS

2010-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

I used to draw this character!

GET LUCKY TODAY

2010-09-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

LUCKY IN LOVE, VOLUME ONE is on sale at finer comic shops (and hopefully book shops) today. Times being what they are, I understand it's difficult to chose what and what not to purchase. But if you can spare the dough, I do hope you'll consider buying it, and then maybe sharing it with friends and family that can't so much spare the dough. My co-creator George and I would be much obliged, and beyond that, would very much like to hear your thoughts on the book.
Many thanks

THESE ARE NOT MY HANDS

2010-08-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

A Fantagraphics Books staffer checks out the interiors of LUCKY IN LOVE, VOLUME ONE.

Finally, the LUCKY IN LOVE promotional short

2010-08-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, this'll come across as beautifully over the internet as it was crafted. Directed by MIGUEL MARTINEZ-JOFFRE, with color stylization by CARLY MONARDO, this is our promotional film for the graphic novel co-created by GEORGE CHIEFFET and myself, LUCKY IN LOVE, VOLUME ONE: A POOR MAN'S BIOGRAPHY. The book is due out soon in early September from Fantagraphics, and I think it's pretty good.
Enjoy the cartoon, friends!

David-Wasting-Paper: Stephen DeStefano - Cartoonist Survey #144

2010-07-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

I get asked a lot of questions.
Here are some of my answers!

David-Wasting-Paper: Stephen DeStefano - Cartoonist Survey #144

Thanks to David for asking.

IF I FIND OUT YOU WENT TO SAN DIEGO AND DIDN'T COME VISIT ME AT THE FANTAGRAPHICS BOOTH, I'LL SOCK YOU IN THE MUSH

2010-07-17T14:05:00.000-07:00

That being said, I do hope you'll come out to Comic Con and celebrate the near release of the graphic novel I created (with my friend GEORGE CHIEFFET) at the Fantagraphics booth. Publisher Kim Thompson assures me that there will be copies of our book, LUCKY IN LOVE, BOOK ONE: A POOR MAN'S BIOGRAPHY available , and I'd love to get your initial reaction to it. I'll even do a teeny Post-it note sketch for you, if you ask me nicely.
Here's a link to the Fantagraphics Booth schedule:

http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Your-Fantagraphics-Guide-to-Comic-Con-2010.html&Itemid=113;

Looking forward to seeing you there. I'm including a little sneak peak image for you below, of a color study ace artist CARLY MONARDO did for my LUCKY promotional film (which I designed and the brilliant MIGUEL MARTINEZ-JOFFRE directed and animated). Carly and Miguel are two VENTURE BROTHER stalwarts, and the film is completed and quite brilliant. I hope to announce its appearance on the web sometime soon!

Fulle Circle Productions: A Clean Shaven Man: A Popeye Conversation with Stephen DeStefano

2010-07-13T07:32:00.000-07:00

Fulle Circle Productions: A Clean Shaven Man: A Popeye Conversation with Stephen DeStefano

Two Popeyes Punching - Drawings by Stephen DeStefano - eBay (item 200483679854 end time Jun-24-10 19:20:30 PDT)

2010-06-15T04:52:00.000-07:00

Two Popeyes Punching - Drawings by Stephen DeStefano - eBay (item 200483679854 end time Jun-24-10 19:20:30 PDT)

It's not often I have POPEYE THE SAILOR original art to sell, but I've many sketches lying around my office, and decided to put one to good use: my
dear friend, animator and activist TOM BAYNE is running several auctions on eBay with all proceeds going to clean up in the Gulf Coast. As Tom is the animatic supervisor and animation editor on Adult Swim's THE VENTURE BROTHERS, you know there's some really choice VB art that he's auctioning off, including ORIGINAL STORYBOARD DRAWINGS by Jackson Publick himself! I've donated some of my original VB art as well, including a sweet sequence of thumbnails from the last episode of season one, featuring Henchmen 21 and 24.
Anyway, give a look on it, won't you?

Buy some of The VENTURE BROS. & HELP CLEAN UP THE GULF COAST

2010-06-11T05:05:00.000-07:00

Buy some of The VENTURE BROS. & HELP CLEAN UP THE GULF COAST

Posted by my very good friend, VENTURE BROTHERS animatic supervisor and animation editor, TOM BAYNE. I'm nearly as proud of Tom as I am disgusted with BP. Please buy some VB art, it's for a very, very worthy cause.

LOLA VS. THE LITTLE SH*T

2010-06-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

A cat fight film by Siobhan.

LUCKY IN LOVE, THE CARTOON

2010-06-02T05:56:00.000-07:00

I dunno if I should show you this, but I'm doing it anyway.

Just a little drawing from a very brief animated cartoon I'm working on to promote my book, which I somehow recruited the shockingly talented MIGUEL MARTINEZ-JOFFRE to direct for me. If you don't know Miguel's work, you should---give a look by going to his website, http://www.atomicshelter.com/, after you check out the boobies on this imaginary dame!

PLASTIC MAN IN WEDNESDAY COMICS

2010-05-18T05:06:00.001-07:00

PLASTIC MAN will appear in DC's hardcover collection of their popular WEDNESDAY COMICS, in a strip written by Evan Dorkin and drawn by myself. Editor Mark Chiarello intended to use the strip if one of the regular artists on the project had trouble meeting the weekly deadline, but I'm guessing all of the folks he worked with were punctual, because it wasn't published. Thankfully, this strip is seeing the light of day now, which makes me happy because I think it's good. I got my complimentary copies of the book from DC yesterday, and it's a damned spiffy package.
Here's a little sneak peak of it, with colors by the editor himself, and lettering by Siobhan DeStefano herself----I mucked up the word balloons, I think, they're the only thing I don't like about the strip. Apparently, this should hit stores the first week in June!

**Actually, now that I think of it, I should give some credit to Andy Suriano as well---that's his design of Plas I'm using there. I vowed never again to try and draw like Jack Cole, cuz it's stupid to follow in the tracks of a genius, because your work will always end up looking second rate. I used to swear that one day I'd draw Plas in his 1960's/Jack Sparling/Gil Kane/Win Mortimer style, but I may have given up on that dream, I dunno.

so onto LUCKY IN LOVE, BOOK TWO

2010-05-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Book one of LUCKY IN LOVE is with Kim and his designers at Fantagraphics. They're good people. They're nice to me.
Looks like the book will be out in time for San Diego. If you're going to the convention, check in at the FB booth at some point. Likely I'll be there, either on Friday or Saturday. (Also, I may be on a Cartoon Network panel, for the show I'm currently working on, although I'm not sure I'm allowed to speak too much about that right now.)
I've started drawing book two, LUCKY IN LOVE: LUCKY FOR LIFE. I've done a dozen or so pages of layouts, but took a break from storytelling today to do a little character designing. Check it out, yo.

Book two may not have drawings as dynamic looking as the ones in book one, but that's because George and I will be telling a different kind of story in the second volume. But it'll be just as good, if not better.

LUCKY STARTS

2010-02-01T19:04:00.000-08:00

LUCKY IN LOVE, my graphic novel with writer George Chieffet, is coming along quite nicely, thank you. I've only a few pages left to draw of the final chapter in volume 1 before I deliver to our publisher, Fantagraphics, at the beginning of next month. I got a fairly huge chunk of it done this past month, with much thanks to my employers at Cartoon Network for giving me the time off. A month makes a huge difference when inking 35 pages.
LUCKY is actually a book that's been years in the making, though.
And LUCKY wasn't always LUCKY. Originally he was named "Cholly Potatoes". A year or two after that, he was named "Lefty".
I thought it'd be fun to share some sketches and strips I'd done over the years developing the character---I've tons of this stuff, but here's a little of it to start with.

These drawings are cute, if I say so myself, but George wasn't comfortable with them. "How can you tell a serious story with characters that look like Smurfs", he said.

"A serious story"?
I dunno. Clearly, I hadn't thought about how you told a serious story with characters two heads tall. Thankfully, George's question had reminded me of an idea I'd pitched years ago to David Mazzucchelli and Richmond Lewis, which was: What if you told a Faulkner-esque story in comics, drawn in the style of DAGWOOD AND BLONDIE?
George was much more comfortable with BLONDIE than SMURFS, and our pint-size "Cholly" grew a couple of heads to become the still rather petite "Lefty Testatuda".
Which is kind of close to what he is now, but he still had some growing and changing to do.

More to come...

HOLIDAY ART: Background drawings for STIMPY'S FIRST FART

2009-12-20T07:23:00.001-08:00

I began my career on the REN AND STIMPY SHOW as a background designer, and one of the earliest episodes I worked on in that position was STIMPY'S FIRST FART (was it actually aired on Nickelodeon as SON OF STIMPY? I forget.) John K. had requested I do a whole slew of drawings that had an old fashioned holiday feeling, based on the storyboard. My attempts are shown above. John wasn't happy with them, and years later, I can understand why. While they're moderately competent cartoon drawings, they have no real direction, or feeling. I recall John, in his inimitably annoyed fashion, telling me, "Look at that tree. It's like you just had a pile of crap in your hands and chucked it at a Christmas tree. There's no design, there's just a load of crap.Whatever stuck to it you let stay that way. Is that how you decorate a tree?"

I'm embarrassed to say that I can't recall who drew this for me, Jim Smith or John K. himself. Either way, it's clearly superior (intended as a BG tutorial) to what I'd been drawing. All elements direct the eye towards the characters in the composition. Shapes are bold, and work (for the most part) according to the rules of perspective. There's a lush, organic feeling to it, indicating a very homey and traditional holiday. And note the pail of water towards the bottom. I do recall Jim Smith telling me to always skew shapes slightly, so that they were not functional, but appearing to be functional. This keeps your drawing interesting, without calling too much attention to your shapes. Although both John and Jim attempted to teach me with this and similar drawings, it took me quite a while to internalize the lesson. For years afterwards, I mainly drew pointy, whacky shapes and tried to pass them off as REN AND STIMPY art.

LUCKY AT WAR: Reference

2009-12-15T21:02:00.000-08:00

I'm still working on my novel, and I realize I haven't given much hint as to what it's about yet. It's pretty epic, I think, following a man's life from his teenage years in the early nineteen-forties, up through his old age in the present day. All of chapter 2 recounts Lucky's ( that's our hero, Lucky) time in the Pacific, during World War II, and drawing it was a daunting task. First off, writer GEORGE CHIEFFET is a huge WW 2 buff---George absolutely knows his beans about this era. If something looked phony to me he'd tell me it was the bunk, in no uncertain terms. I didn't want to get to that point anyhow. I knew if I was going to sell this chapter with the gravity and intensity that I'd wanted, I'd have to do some research.
Not HEAVY research. I'm not that industrious. But I did peruse Google's image search for several hours, looking for everything from B-29's to Hawaiian rugs.
Here are some images from my reference file, along with a few choice panels from Chapter two.

LUCKY DRAWING: Art that inspires me while drawing my graphic novel

2009-12-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

I've been a professional cartoonist for a long time, about 25 years, and I've picked up a trick or two. When I began drawing LUCKY IN LOVE, I wanted to integrate all of my cartooning knowledge, but I also wanted to forget some of it. I wanted to pare down, and get to the very essence of cartooning. I wanted my work to be elegant, and simple, but very powerful. I wanted my storytelling to be as clear and precise as possible, and I didn't want to manipulate my audience in the least. I wanted to tell my story plainly and economically, to simply explain what was happening. I did not want to clutter up my pages or panels. I wanted breathing room, air---negative space, really, to help the reader along.
So much of what I see in modern comics is right in the readers face, as if characters were behind plate glass pushing their noses amid sweat and steam, trying to get their point across. Sometimes that can be effective, but I wanted to get away from that. I want my readers to feel, I don't want to tell them what to feel.
Towards that end, when drawing LUCKY, I'm most inspired by some of the early cartooning masters---folks who successfully and powerfully told their stories, before "in your face" became popular. Above are some of the strips from my reference files, which help keep me focused in reaching my cartooning goals!

Long Time No Post, OR, LUCKY IN LOVE Vol. 1

2009-11-23T05:49:00.000-08:00

Hello, Blogosphere!

....
so, what's new?
Everybody good? You workin'?

I haven't been here in a long time, huh?
Sorry, I've been busy.

Actually, very busy. These days I'm designing on Genndy Tartakovsky's new Cartoon Network production, SYMBIONIC TITAN, which is a terrific job. And also, I've been drawing a graphic novel.
I'm pretty proud of the novel, really. I've been working on it for a while. My good friend, George Chieffet wrote the narrative, and I lettered and drew the whole thing. In fact, I'm still lettering and drawing the whole thing. But I need to get it done soon, as the good folks at FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS (h'lo, Kim!) have promised to publish it. It's due to hit bookstores in June of 2010, and in fact, can be pre-ordered right this minute on Amazon.com.
Please to look at my drawings. They're all from chapter one, the first of three in volume one (volume two will be published sometime around 2013).
Enjoy, and please let me know what you think!

Also, my apologies to folks that have written interested in commissions and artwork---unfortunately, my schedule has been quite dense, and I no longer find the time to draw side projects. Of course, there's probably always time during the day to properly and politely respond to your requests, and if you had written and did not hear back from me, I regret any inconveniences I may have caused you.
Thanks for your patience, everyone!
~SDe

THE ESSENTIAL KILLRAVEN

2008-09-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

So, I just finished reading KILLRAVEN, all the KILLRAVENS from the 70's.

And I enjoyed myself, but still don't kind of get it.

I think the basic concept of it is this: if H. G. Wells decided to write a sequel to his WAR OF THE WORLDS, he'd probably put CONAN in it, and have Conan go on these KAMANDI like adventures, all the time having Conan speak as if he were SPARTACUS.

I think that's the basic premise to KILLRAVEN.

Personally, I think a real opportunity was lost here, that Marvel dropped the ball on an interesting concept---What if Earth were conquered by another planet, and how would mankind have survived and thrived after that? Killraven talks a lot about "freemen" and "freedom", but more often he kills rat-people, and fights lots of things with tentacles.

But I'm glad I read it.

It was one of those Marvel Comics from the 70's that always creeped me out a bit. It seemed a little TOO adult (actually, it's pretty darned juvenile).

But the art's real pretty, through most of it. I've always liked Craig Russell's artwork, and it's fun to see him grow in the book's pages, from someone trying to draw like Steranko to an artist with pretty much his own style.

What'll I read next?

I don't know.

I want to read all of the OMEGA THE UNKNOWNS, but honestly can't get behind Jim Mooney's artwork. It's, I'm sorry, it's just too dull to me.

Likely I'll take on THE ESSENTIAL POWERMAN next. Sweet Christmas!

Does anyone have any other recommendations for good, weird 70's Marvel, other than that?

I'm all ears, dudes.

BILLY QUIZBOY AND PETE WHITE

2008-09-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

Another commissioned piece I drew recently.

I'm still available, if anyone's interested.....

THE OTHER HALF OF THE UNIVERSE

2008-09-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

Similar to my recent post about meeting Jack Kirby, I also have a STEVE DITKO Story.

So I'm 16 years old, right, and I'm working for the second summer in a row at DC Comics. This time I'm in the export department, and I'm really fucking up at the job, but no one's bothering me about it, and in fact, I'm getting good, free, old comics left and right, because acting department chief JACK C. HARRIS says I can go through the export stash of comics, and if I find doubles they're mine to have. You can believe I found doubles. Anyway, Jack was a good guy to me, the first dude I ever saw who wore blue jeans together with a buttoned shirt and tie that wasn't Billy Joel, and he was also still doing a little comic book writing on the side in addition to running the export department.

One day it's lunchtime, and Jack's out. This little fellow comes looking for him. I remember him as little, maybe he wasn't. But he looked kind of like this:

A guy with a kind of working class build, sporting a short-sleeve shirt and simple trousers. He seemed quiet. I told him Jack was at lunch, and he said he'd wait in Jack's office, and I'm like "okay". He stays a while, I remember passing him by once or twice, and finally Jack returns from lunch and the two of them are talking.

Then later the guy leaves, and Jack's all like "You do know who that was, right", and I'm all "no", and he says it was Steve Ditko.

I was young, but I knew that was pretty impressive. Not only did I know Steve Ditko was important, I was also a big fan. I mean, yeah, I liked Greg LaRoque back then, but I also knew the work of a true genius when I saw it. Afterwards, it hit me that even just SEEING Steve Ditko was a bit of a big deal, and I wished I'd taken a better look at him. He just seemed like a guy, a small working class guy.

Steve, to me, is the other half of the Marvel Universe. If Jack is all that's powerful and heroic, the true Wagnerian noise of Marvel, Steve is the dark undercurrent, the dissonant tone. The truly human tone. I should get that new Fantagraphics book about him. I should've gotten a better look at him back then.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK KING KIRBY

2008-08-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

I met Jack once.

I was at the San Diego Con years ago, right? And I'm standing near a crowd that goes around the length of the room, they're all there to see Jim Lee. And I don't want to see Mr. Lee, but to each his own. Then over the hall loud speaker, a voice comes on and sez, "Jack Kirby will be signing at such and such a booth in five minutes", and I'm like, OH SHIT~! I wasn't too far from that booth, and so I booked over there. I'm gonna meet the King, or, at least I hope to meet the King, because I figure there'd be an even bigger crowd for him than for Jim Lee.

So, I get to this booth, and there's like five people in line. To meet the King. And there's Jack, this tiny little old man, cute as a button really. But five people? Jesus, this guy's responsible for....everything in this room!

But really, I felt lucky, because I knew I'd get to meet and speak with him.

So, it's my turn.

And I tell him how much I love his work, and ask him if he really felt uncomfortable rubbing the hump on the kid's back (his only biographical work was about his days as a Lower East Side street tough, and all the kids on the block would go to this humpbacked kid to get a little luck off of him). And Jack sez, "yeah, I didn't want to do it. I guess I was sensitive, y'know?" Cute as a button, this little old dude.

So I said to him, "Look, I just want you to know how much your work has influenced mine", and he realizes I'm a pro, and he looks at my pro badge, glances at it, and says to me, "thanks. I like your work too."

Which struck me as hilarious.

Mr. and Mrs. THE MONARCH

2008-08-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

Another VB commission I did recently.
And speaking of the Ventures, I wanted to clarify a bit about my last post. I described Siobhan's photo as showing "the people that make the show so good", when in reality, those are but SOME of the people that make that show so good. To suggest that only five people, as gifted as they may be, are completely responsible for a television show is kind of a nutty idea, really. In fact, the real-world Team Venture is staffed by some of the most talented folks in the New York animation community! I'll try and name all of them here for you, although I'm sure I'll muck up the spelling of their names, and I apologize for that.
On the design staff we have Martin Wittig, Matt Jenkins and Danny Hynes. Actually, on season 3 (remember, Jackson's in production on season 4 at the moment), the third designer was Douglas Lovelace, and then after Douglas was another Danny, "Kano" Kimanyen.
Danny Hynes was also on the crack storyboard revision team for season 3, along with Lauren Mondardo, Jon Roscetti and Rick Lacy, supervised by the always lovely Siobhan Mullen. The revision team was particularly heroic last season, at least in my eyes. Storyboards have only begun on season 4, so revisions won't begin for a month or two.
The color staff is lead by Liz Artinian, and working with her is Dayo, Chris and Lauren's twin sister, Carly Monardo.
Background design is managed by George Fort. George's team is Chris, Ray and Denny, super-talented all!
The timing staff is supervised by Nick Demayo, and features the talents of Jen, Kimson and Ian.
Rachel Simon is the producer, and Patrick "PeeDee" Shindell is the production manager. Adam and Alex were both on the production staff, and somehow managed to keep a straight face (and maneuver looming deadlines) while sitting next to the ever hilarious PeeDee. Originally, the production manager on season 3 was Cathy Kwan, but when she moved on to greener pastures, PeeDee stepped in and did an awesome job.
Lastly (as far as in-house staff is concerned) is show "editor" Tom Bayne, who I'm lucky enough to share an office with, along with Jackson himself. Tom is a great guy, just great, and killer talented (I do believe I referred to him as a "genius" previously on this blog).
If I've forgotten anyone, please give a shout. Really, you can see all of these names and more if you'll sit through the show's end credits. But then you'd have to squint really hard and read really really fast. And, seriously, all of these people deserve a big, big hand. If you're a Venture fan, give it up for these folks when feeling grateful for the show.
....
Other news:
MONDAY'S STRIP is kind of gone. Sorry. I've just got a bit too much on my plate at the moment. It was fun, and I'm glad everyone enjoyed it while I produced it. Thanks, really.
And about commissions, and the BLOGGIN' BASEMENT---those're not completely gone, but, again, I'm just a bit time-poor lately to pursue either. Still, I've found some pretty choice
stuff to entice you folks inclined to buy art right now. Pretty choice stuff....
later!

MY MOTHER THANKS YOU, MY FATHER THANKS YOU, MY SISTER THANKS YOU, BUT MOST OF ALL....

2008-07-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

Entmann thanks you.

I appreciate all the kind compliments regarding my voice work.

Personally, I've yet to see the episode, as I find listening to my own voice icky.

I meant to post designer Chris George's original sketch of Entmann up, but I forgot it at the office.

Still, I want ya'll to remember, I am making myself available for commissions, and in fact am working on a pretty sweet Monarch/Dr. G sketch right now.

I AM ENTMANN.....coo coo ka joob

2008-07-13T06:16:00.000-07:00

Please watch the VENTURE BROTHERS this evening. I donated my meager voice talents to a character prominently featured in tonight's episode. The character's name is "Entmann". If you're a fan of silver age comic books, I think you'll find him pretty funny.

Knowing how crazy you kids are for all things VENTURE, I'm reposting a photo found on shiversmetimbers.blogspot.com, featuring the true TEAM VENTURE. These are the people that make the show so good. Going clockwise and starting at midnight, Storyboard Supervisor SIOBHAN MULLEN, Producer RACHEL SIMON, Co-conspiritor and Chief Medical Officer DOC HAMMER, Art Director & Color Supervisor LIZ ARTINIAN, and Chief Conspiritor JACKSON PUBLICK.

In glorious super-black and white.

FINALLY...MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-07-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

Written by my very dearest friends,
Anonymous and Carbunkle's Kids.

Lettered by Shivers.
Enjoy!

THURSDAY'S "MONDAY'S STRIP"

2008-07-09T04:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've got a gag. I need a little more time is all.

MONDAY'S STRIP...WHAT MONDAY'S STRIP?

2008-07-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

Seems I promised to draw one for today.

Hm.

Well, I don't have one.

My apologies!

I didn't do one.

I'll do one tomorrow.

Once I think of a gag.

Does anyone out there have a good gag?

DESTEFANO'S BLOGGIN BASEMENT

2008-06-29T18:44:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna try something a little new.
If it doesn't work out, I'll ditch it, but I'm trying it anyway, and we'll see how it goes.

I've got a lot of stuff, y'know, a lot of original artwork. Like multiple drawers full. 'Mazing Man artwork, and Looney Tunes artwork. Hero Hotline artwork. Not much Popeye artwork, really, because the originals belong to King Features. But, crikey, I've got a lot of stuff.

And I'm going to start selling it.
Now, in the past, I've shied away from selling my stuff. I dunno, I guess it kind of embarrassed me. But screw that noise, I'm going to sell stuff anyway. I'll also take commissions, something I'd NEVER done before, but I had such a good experience with it recently (see the VB piece below), that I've decided to open myself up to it.
So, check out the new extension I've created to this blog, called DESTEFANO'S BLOGGIN BASEMENT (heh....get it? Bloggin'.....BARGAIN.....ha. Hhhhh.) There's a link over there, somewhere, by the other links. And I think I'm selling good stuff.
And I appreciate your time, and interest, and your looking at my work.
Thanks.

DESTEFANO VENTURES FORTH....(and, FOURTH!)

2008-06-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

This is a copy of a commissioned piece I completed a couple of weeks ago. My apologies, though, to the buyer, as well as to Jackson Publick.
Brock, I now realize, is off model.
His mullet is too long.

Even so, it's appropriate that I post this, as this month marks my return to the dangerous world of the VB's as design and storyboard supervisor for SEASON 4 of THE VENTURE BROTHERS. I should note that, while my credit on season 3 reads "Art Director", it's not completely appropriate, as both Mr. Publick and the astoundingly talented color supervisor LIZ ARTINIAN could easily be credited as "Art Directors" on the show as well. But show producer RACHEL SIMONS asked me what I wanted my credit to be, and I got all ballsy with the opportunity.

GRINS AND SMILES AND GIGGLES AND LAUGHS

2008-06-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

Did anyone besides me eat this mid to late 70's kid's cereal?
Delish!

RECCARDI RENS

2008-06-23T18:55:00.000-07:00

For me, no one drew a better Ren Hoek than Chris Reccardi.

That bastard.

MONDAY'S STRIP...?

2008-06-23T04:27:00.000-07:00

Friends,

I'm so happy that everyone's been enjoying MONDAY'S STRIP.

But--having gone back into production on the VENTURE BROTHERS last week, free time to work on personal projects is scarce and precious.

I do enjoy producing MONDAY'S STRIP, though, and rather than give it up altogether, I've decided to cut back on its frequency. Look for it to appear the first Monday of every month from now on, appearing next on July 7th!

I'll blog a few odds and ends later this evening, which I think you'll enjoy!

Thanks again,

Stephen de

MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-06-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Siobhan for her lettering skills in Photoshop!

POPEYE VOL. 3

2008-06-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

To answer Tony DiStefano's question (despite the fact that we're not related), that IS my drawing on the cover of the latest Warner Home Video DVD set, as hinted at a while ago here on this blog. I'm posting my original sketch, which package designer JEFF SCHULZ felt needed a little spinach infused muscle. I'm extremely excited about my work appearing on this package, as all of the art featured on it will be ALL NEW (and brilliantly showcased by the above mentioned Mr. Schulz). I've been drawing Popeye for maybe 20 years now, but I think I've gotten to draw him in his Navy Whites maybe once. I'm pleased with my drawings, and hope you feel they compliment and do justice to the extraordinary cartoons on the DVD's themselves.
Honestly, I love drawing these characters.

MONDAY'S STRIP...ON TUESDAY

2008-06-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

Sincerest apologies for the delay.
Especially for as lame a gag as this.

DELAYED MONDAY

2008-06-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

OOfah!
It's a little too hot for me to get a Monday Strip to you folks this evening (my studio is about 90 degrees at the moment). My apologies, but I will get one up for you all tomorrow. Many thanks for your patience and kindness!
SDE

LO LO LO la LOLA

2008-06-04T05:57:00.000-07:00

Anyway, you can find the song over on my new radio feature thingy, over on your right.
And, yes, I'm one of those bloggers who'll post photos of their cats. Especially in shots as charming as these, taken (of course) by Shivers.

MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-06-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-05-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-05-19T20:52:00.001-07:00

Drawn while listening to the Small Faces.

SWEE'PEA, HORRIFIED

2008-05-17T09:16:00.001-07:00

...or maybe he's just flirting with Bill Presing's painting....

PRESING IN THE MAIL

2008-05-17T09:13:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I received this lovely gift from Pixar Story Artist (and former VENTURE BROTHERS Storyboard Supervisor) BILL PRESING. Pretty cool, eh?

MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-05-12T19:13:00.001-07:00

Many thanks to Shivers for her invaluable help with this strip.

MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-05-05T19:15:00.001-07:00

What I'm working on....

2008-05-03T07:33:00.001-07:00

Can't show you the whole thing yet.

But I think a lot of you'll like this...

MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-04-28T19:54:00.000-07:00

OH, SNAP!!!

2008-04-28T18:35:00.001-07:00

I'm pretty sure DC owes me some money, man....

*(Thanks to chum Karl Heitmuller for pointing out that DC owes me money. Also thanks to Karl for having as cool a name as "Karl Heitmuller", which is almost as cool a name as my doctor has, being named "Doctor Knoepflmacher". Seriously.)

But, really DC. At least give a guy a freaking freebee.

Damn.

MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-04-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

LATER FOR YOU, JONATHAN LETHEM

2008-04-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed your book when you were talking about LUKE CAGE and stuff, but around page 300

I just got bored.

And you know what? I was kind of enjoying the OMEGA THE UNKNOWN book you were helping out on, but now I'm finding that kind of boring too.

And also, earlier this week, I saw the collected OMEGA THE UNKNOWN, the original Steve (BABY) Gerber series, at the Strand, and I didn't get it, but later realized I wanted it, and when I went back, it wasn't there. Too late! Bought by someone else!

But that one I don't blame on you, Jonathan Lethem.

Portrait of the Artist as a Baldy.

2008-04-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

That's Siobhan's hand in the mirror.
Also, dig the groovie panoramic view of my workspace!
I've got Popeye toys!

MONDAY'S STRIP

2008-04-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

Stupid.

Just cuz I felt like doing something.

READ A WOODCUT NOVEL

2008-04-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

I've been reading woodcut novels lately (many of which were given to me as birthday gifts by regular blog-reader and dear friend JOHN HERTEL), and if you're a comics fan, I highly recommend you pick up a few as well. The precursor to the modern graphic novel, most of these wordless books were completed between the first and second world wars. While they range from emotionally potent to downright corny, on the whole they show a generous amount of inventiveness.
Lynd Ward's work is probably the most famous of the woodcut novelists, and I've read a few of his books, GOD'S MAN, MADMAN'S DRUM and a couple of others, but while I marvel at his technical facility as a draftsman, I find his stories somewhat overwrought, simplistic and occasionally hard to follow.

Personally, I much prefer the work of Frans Masareel. His novels like THE CITY, PASSIONATE JOURNEY and THE SUN read much more like poetry, or even a visualization of music, rather than as prose. I love reading his work--I've never read anything like it before.

His work, along with Ward's, is reprinted in GRAPHIC WITNESS, a compilation of some of the best woodcut novels. Also reprinted in the book are novels by Giacomo Patri (the exceptional WHITE COLLAR) and Laurence Hyde (SOUTHERN CROSS).

SOUTHERN CROSS has also been reprinted in the past year by Drawn and Quarterly in quite a beautiful edition, and it's well worth getting. Like Ward, Hyde attempts to tell a complex and structured story, and while it's operatic in its tone, it actually succeeds in being emotionally potent. I've found his work, and particularly the work of Masareel to be quite inspiring.

FRESH SPINS

2008-04-12T18:17:00.000-07:00

After finishing Season 1 of the VENTURES, I stayed on at the producing studio (Noodle Soup, now known as World Leaders Entertainment) to storyboard and co-design FRESH SPINS. This was a direct to video retelling of RUMPLESTILTSKIN. The designs you see here were variations on drawings done by Pixar's BILL PRESING, who was the original board artist on the production.
I've never seen the completed cartoon, but I am fond of these pitch drawings I came up with.

DRAW! SKETCH! (a sketch for the cover of DRAW!)

2008-03-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

This was my final sketch for the issue of Mike Manley's DRAW! Magazine that I was featured in, several years ago. While the drawing has its problems, most of which were beautifully fixed once BILL WRAY had painted it for publication, I still get a kick out of what I did here. Actually, there's a lot of good stuff going on, from the concept itself, on down to the drybrush technique I managed to pull off using a lousy, worn out Sharpie.

I don't always suck! Yay!

FOR MELISSA

2008-03-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

Whose birthday party I couldn't get to last night.

PLUG!

2008-03-08T13:48:00.001-08:00

You may have seen this image posted by our friend JERRY BECK on cartoonbrew.com. It's the cover to the upcoming Warner Video DVD release of Hanna-Barbera's POPEYE cartoons from the 70's.

Yatetta yatetta.

I'm posting it here because I think it looks kind of swell. I drew it, yes, but it was designed by JEFFREY SCHULZ, of Command Z Design. Jeffrey's also the guy who made my drawings on the Fleischer-Popeye DVD's look so darned slick.

Thanks to Jerry for the plug, to Jeff for the opportunity to do good work with him, and to pal FRANK CARUSO at King Features for continuing to set me up with sweet Popeye gigs.

PUZZLE TIME

2008-03-08T13:43:00.000-08:00

My goodness, children! Even though I know I drew this illustration (for religious publisher Guideposts), I did it so long ago--back in the 80's, in fact-- I've no idea HOW MANY MATCHES they requested I put into the final art.

CAN YOU HELP ME COUNT THE MATCHES?

...........

(blecch. look what a crummy job I did of eyeballing the ellipse on the bicycle's front wheel.)

WOODY WOODPECKER SKETCHES

2008-03-08T13:29:00.000-08:00

Back in the late 90's, when Universal decided to revive Woody Woodpecker for television, show-runner and fellow Popeye maniac BOB JACQUES asked me to draw the series' model pack. It was an immense amount of fun. Bob supplied me with old Lantz cartoons (Bob has a famously encyclopedic brain for--as well as an excellent collection of--classic cartoons) , and I got to still-frame through some very beautiful Freddie Moore and Emery Hawkins animation, copying their poses to cobble together the exact right Woody we wanted. In the end, I'm not sure the final product reflected those efforts, but I do look back on that job with fond memories.

One of the more fun aspects of creating the series look was re-imagining lesser tier Woody-villains like "Ms. Meany" and "Dooley".

VENTURE EPHEMERA

2008-03-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

Two of my favorite Jackson Publick Post-It doodles.

THAT DAMNED KURTZMAN, II

2008-03-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

I was wondering where this was---finally found my second Harvey Kurtzman LITTLE ANNIE FANNY sketch. Again, the organic composition on this drawing floors me.

LAYOUTS

2008-03-03T19:07:00.000-08:00

Occasionally, I get offers from friends and fellow comics professionals to do layouts for them. Jobs like these are always fun for me.

The first layout here is actually of an unused page for a JINGLE BELLE story SHANE GLINES had drawn for PAUL DINI. It was a short story, printed years ago, and Shane followed most of my layouts very closely, but opted to go much more simply on this page in the final art.

The next two pages were for a DEXTER'S LAB job by friends BILL WRAY (penciller and inker) and fellow INSTANT PIANIST and scripter, ROBBIE BUSCH.

THE RUSTY VENTURE SHOW: OPENING SEQUENCE

2008-02-28T19:12:00.000-08:00

More models and layouts from the Rusty TV show. Thanks to all who responded to these posts.

Next week, onto more cartoony stuff. Take care everyone!

HOW TO DRAW THE VENTURE BROTHERS, PART THREE: HANK AND DEAN

2008-02-27T20:16:00.000-08:00

PLUS: Layouts from the old RUSTY VENTURE TV SHOW, never before seen!

TOMORROW--more layouts and models from the RUSTY VENTURE TV SHOW!

HOW TO DRAW THE VENTURE BROTHERS, PART TWO: BROCK!

2008-02-26T19:14:00.000-08:00

I should point out that Jackson Publick himself did many of the drawings on the pages posted here, with me inking the final art. Mr. Publick is one of those renaissance men, producing, directing, co-scripting, designing, boarding and voicing each and every episode of the VB saga. How he has time to work with the homeless, teach Muy Thai and cater gourmet lunches every Friday at the producing studio is beyond me, but he manages!

Tomorrow, the final two pages of my tutorial, with lessons on drawing Hank and Dean, and perhaps a few models I designed for Season 3. See you then, and many thanks for all the kind words you've left since last night.

HOW TO DRAW THE VENTURE BROTHERS

2008-02-25T19:24:00.000-08:00

One of the first things I drew as Storyboard and Design Supervisor for Season 3 of the VB's. Here are the first four pages of a ten page tutorial.

Tomorrow: DRAW BROCK...DRAW DEATH!

DESTEFANO RETURNS!

2008-02-24T19:01:00.001-08:00

I RETURN, AS SEEN IN THIS KRAZY KARAOKE PHOTO (possibly taken by the lovely SIOBHAN MULLEN).

If you think seeing me burst through a wall and singing Springsteen's DANCING IN THE DARK is thrilling, (and it is), wait'll you see the upcoming posts I got in store for ya'll.

Seriously, it's nice to be posting again, (thank you, JACKSON PUBLICK for the nagging encouragement) I'll get something juicier up for tomorrow evening. The VENTURE BROTHERS SEASON 3 is over for me now, I'm a free agent for the next several months (and I welcome all serious offers for freelance work) while waiting for SEASON 4 to start. In theory, I should have plenty of time to post regularly here, as well as work on my very secret and dear-to-my heart project. Which I've been working on for several years. Which I'll share with the Blogosphere shortly, I'm sure.

Good to be back, everyone. Many thanks for the posts in my absence.

SDe

BUON NATALE

2007-12-25T10:37:00.001-08:00

And to celebrate, here are scans of pages from an old Christmas card I'd written and drawn!

My very sincerest wishes to all who read this for a New Year of Peace and Good Will.

Merry Christmas, Stephen DeStefano

GO TEAM VENTURE!!!

2007-12-04T19:41:00.000-08:00

A few random storyboard pages and panels from the upcoming VENTURE BROTHERS, Season 3.

I CONFESS

2007-11-20T20:30:00.000-08:00

It was me. I was the one who redesigned Black Canary's costume in the mid-eighties. I did away with the fishnet stockings. I gave her the godawful headband and the cowl neck. I'm not proud of it. But you've got to understand--this was Post-CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS DC. Everything was going to be new, and whatever wasn't new, would soon have to be. Or so it seemed. I was still a teenager back then, lurking the halls of DC, trying to get my first regular series, 'MAZING MAN off the ground. And I originally got my job at DC by designing characters. Len Wein said that Black Canary was going to have to be redesigned anyhow. And I didn't see why, because I always thought her costume was so nifty. But, I figured, hell, if it HAS to be redesigned, let me be the one to do it. My original sketch was different, all grey and black, no blue. No headband, but a feathered head piece. Bad ass feathered head piece, not a pansy one. Len and Marv Wolfman asked me to change it. And then they bought it. And then Brian Bolland burned it.

Also around that time, I redesigned Elongated Man. This one seems to have faired a little better with the fans as well as the pros. Brian Bolland never burned this costume. Carmine Infantino drew it once or twice. Bruce Timm and his designers and producers even used it for their JUSTICE LEAGUE series (surprise Bruce! I work for you even when you don't know I work for you!). It's even been used on Mattel toys. I'm kind of proud of that. I should get money for that.

Sometime, remind me to tell you the story of how I redesigned the FLASH for Len and Marv.

An all new Flash, not a speedster, but like a laser-guy, for the Post-Crisis Universe. It never got off the ground.

TOM BAYNE IS A GENIUS

2007-11-17T07:18:00.000-08:00

VENTURE BROTHERS film editor Tom Bayne is a genius. Check out this kookie film he created in a weekend while he was a student at SVA. It slays me.

POLLY AND HER PALS DAILY

2007-11-05T21:18:00.001-08:00

No, I don't own a Cliff Sterrett original (don't I wish)! This piece from my collection is by Paul Fung, one of my favorite of the classic comics ghost artists. Fung went on to draw BLONDIE comic books for years, quite beautifully I think. Yet another piece of inexhaustible inspiration, for me.

I DRAW CAPTAIN CARROT

2007-11-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

Yeah. I digitally painted Captain Carrot. So what?
It's my time. And the character's making something of a comeback at DC these days.
And I like to draw funny animals. I've drawn all sorts of funny stuff at DC, but
never Captain Carrot. Or his Zoo Crew.
I felt like taking a couple of hours to draw in Photoshop.
So?
And my girlfriend's not here.
So?

ED WHEELAN

2007-11-05T20:29:00.000-08:00

Gosh, but I like his stuff.
Bits and pieces of a scan of an original I own.
Very corny, but very inspiring.

FINAL PAGE OF SCANDAL

2007-10-24T04:21:00.000-07:00

WOTTA GREAT MAGAZINE COVER

2007-10-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

The sculpture featured on the cover is credited to 1950's marionette master Bill Baird.
So peachy keen, it makes you want to sock someone in the mush.

ONE MORE "OTHER PEOPLE'S CHARACTERS"

2007-10-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

A photocopy, but still, I like this drawing, done within the last 10 years, of several Flintstones characters off to fight a fire.

OTHER PEOPLE'S CHARACTERS

2007-09-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

A very Floyd Gottfredson MR. MXYZPTLK (this is how I orignally wanted to draw him for DC's BIZARRO, several years back), some Woody, Barney and one of Bud Blake's characters (drawn during a particularly dull meeting) and POPEYE AND OLIVE, hyperstylized (I haven't posted this before, have I? I don't think I have. No, I'm pretty sure not.)
I just finished watching some of the supplemental stuff on the Popeye DVD set, and enjoyed it immensely. Anyone out there that loves Popeye really should do themselves a favor and get the set, it's quite good.

I WENT TO IRELAND

2007-09-23T13:56:00.001-07:00

Like you give a whoop.
But I had a good time, so I give a whoop!
I lounged with a blade of grass in my kisser, went to the bog, hung out with a tipsy scholar (no myth--they exist there!), converted the heathens to the ways of the Merry Marvel Marching Society, and had a wonderful time with the gorgeously sunglassed Shivers Mullen, who took all these photos.

that damned KURTZMAN

2007-09-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

This is an original Harvey Kurtzman PLAYBOY sketch, which I purchased many years ago.
While I'm not a huge fan of his post-MAD work (aside from the JUNGLE, which is genius to me), I do marvel at how Harvey always managed to compose kinetic crowd scenes like this one. While it's a little hard to tell what's going on in this sketch, let alone what's up from down, I just love how organically all the figures work together.

INSTANT PIANO FLIER

2007-08-30T09:14:00.001-07:00

Robbie Busch and I created this flier to advertise the coming of INSTANT PIANO at the San Diego Convention, way back in '94.
Robbie drew Mark Badger's characters, as well as his own, while I drew and lettered everything else. Evan came up with the Neil Gaiman crack, but I don't get it.

THE SUPER-SONS

2007-08-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

This is for Matt (Don't Call Me "Pee-Pee") Peters, VENTURE BROTHERS storyboard artist extraordinaire, and comics fan. Matt's one of the few people I know other than myself who loved the Super-Sons concept from DC's WORLD'S FINEST COMICS of the 1970's. I know this looks like Superman and Batman, but it's really SUPERMAN AND BATMAN JUNIOR. My versions of them anyway. A while ago, I had the idea in my head that I'd pitch this to Cartoon Network.

REN AND STIMPY COLOR KEYS

2007-08-25T14:40:00.001-07:00

Some pieces I was lucky enough to collect during my days out west, painted by Bill Wray, Scott Wills and Victoria Jensen.
These paintings are fairly small, so it's cool to see them scanned and digitally published in such a large format.

FRANK MILLER ROCKS!

2007-08-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite originals from my collection. Cartoon storytelling doesn't get more charming than this.
The strip was called BARNEY BAXTER--the fuzzy guy in panels 3 and 4 a character named Gopher Gus, and indeed, the creator of this strip was a fellow named "Frank Miller". I much prefer his work to that of the more famous cartoonist toting that name around today (Although, I do own a piece of HIS art as well....)

MORE SCANDAL!

2007-08-25T14:31:00.001-07:00

Page two from that Paradox Press story I'd blogged a couple months ago.
I'm proud of the Flintstones panel, as well as the Greek Tragedy I drew....

CHRIS DUFFY GIVES GOOD BIRTHDAY CARDS

2007-08-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

In fact, this is one of the best birthday cards I ever got. I don't remember when I got it, but Chris Duffy gave it to me, anyhow, drew it for me and gave it to me, in fact.
The contents are...a little esoteric. You need to have a working knowledge of Marvel Comics from the 60's. And maybe the 70's.
And Chris knows I'm a sucker for that flat topped, fine finned sea-king, NAMOR, THE SUB-MARINER. (That's MAH-rin-er. Not Ma-REE-ner. Which is what I thought it was when I was little. Now, if anyone can rightly tell me how to pronounce "Magneto", I'll die a happy fella.)
Hey, you know, Chris is the comics editor of Nickelodeon Magazine, and he's also started his own blog, which is this:
http://comicbooksareinteresting.blogspot.com/
I encourage you to visit Chris there, often.

BORING DRAWN TOGETHER

2007-08-20T05:32:00.000-07:00

The first bit of work I did for DRAWN TOGETHER were actual comic pages, drawn in the style of classic SUPERMAN artist, Wayne Boring. Some of this works, some doesn't, but it was fun to draw in that style. The layout here is actually by DT director, Pete Avanzino. I came in and Boring'ed it up.

POPEYE ON MY SHELF

2007-08-04T12:01:00.001-07:00

Two more photos by Shivers Mullen. For whatever reason, she seems to find the crapola I have in my house interesting. Personally, I think the photos she takes of my crapola are more interesting than the actual crapola itself.
But, speaking of Popeye, I had a blast promoting the new Fleischer DVD set out in San Diego. The Warner's Video people were extremely kind to me, as was my old King Features pal Frank Caruso. It was fun to see old friends Bob Jacques, John Loter, Karl Kesel, Ron Randall, Barbara Kesel, Marv Wolfman, Chris Mitchell and Bill Presing again. My thanks to Blog Buddies Smo, Pete Lazarski and Marc Crisafulli for coming to the Popeye Panel. And especially terrific for me was having dinner with my "kids", Pete Browngardt and Phil Rynda. Perhaps I won't wait another 15 years to go to Comic Con again!

BROCK SPEAKS

2007-08-04T11:57:00.001-07:00

Poses and Mouth Charts for the Episode 29, Season 3 of the Venture Brothers. Drawings by me and Jackson Publick.

and let's not forget...WHIFFLE PIFFLE!!!

2007-07-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Is that how you spell his name? Anyway, he's the little fellow cheerfully carrying the lobster to Betty and Pudgy. One of the Fleischer Studio's lesser stars, but I like him all the same, so included him in this promotion piece King provided to the Palm Restaraunt chain. (Speaking of the Palm, if you're ever in New York City, go to the original Palm on the east side. As you enter, directly to your right you'll see a painting of Betty Boop I did on their famously cartoon cluttered walls. Then go stuff yourself silly, which is not too diffucult a thing to do at the Palm).
Once again, folks, I'm off to San Diego this week, and will be on the Popeye Panel on Thursday. Hope to see you all there!
Sde.

from the "BOY, I'VE HAD A WEIRD CAREER" dept.

2007-07-21T09:52:00.001-07:00

Not a hoax or an imaginary concept, these are images from King Features' "GRUNGE POPEYE" 1995 licensing push.
At least I got to draw Bluto, instead of the insipid Brutus (see my post regarding this particular prejudice further into my blog.)

SHOCKING DISPLAY OF EXTRANEOUS TIME

2007-07-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

It used to bug me, while freelancing for King Features, that I had to draw BRUTUS, a character I had little respect for, instead of BLUTO, a character I quite loved. This is like about 20 years ago.

CLASSIC COMICS CHARACTER COLLECTIBLES

2007-07-21T09:28:00.001-07:00

These are cherished and dusty in my home.
And why did Dark Horse stop making them before they got around to producing WASH TUBBS and CAP'N EASY?
Photos by the staggeringly talented Shivers Mullen.

VENTURE BROTHERS---SEASON 3 TEASER IMAGES

2007-07-21T09:23:00.001-07:00

The first storyboard out of the season 3 gate was finished this past week, and it's spectacular. No one, repeat, no one will be disappointed watching any of the VB's this coming season.
I've no idea when it starts airing.
The above drawings are by myself and the incomparable Mr. Jackson Publick.

POPEYE (what else is new?) and SAN DIEGO

2007-07-06T08:51:00.000-07:00

First of all, my apologies for having been away from my blog for so long.
And my thanks to Jackson Publick for pointing out that I've been away from my blog for so long.

Here, I'm posting two Popeye pieces most of you've probably never seen before. The first pic is something I did for Jerry Beck's APATOONS, several years ago. As Jerry posted recently on CARTOON BREW, he'll be on a panel at the San Diego Con celebrating Popeye's career, and touting the release of Warner Video's awesome new DVD set. The news is, I also will be on that panel, attending San Diego for the first time in, no shit, fifteen years. San Diego used to weird me out, and honestly, I'm a little nervous about attending, but am also looking forward to the panel. It's on Thursday morning of the con, which seems like a weird time to me, but, whatever. Thanks to the folks at Warner for promising to fly me out there, and of course, to King Features' Frank Caruso, who insisted I go. Please, please, if you're attending the con, stop by and say hello.
The second drawing is a rough of the only new piece I did for the forthcoming POPEYE DVD packaging.