I (heart) Gea Philes! yeah, yeah, so does everyone…

Posted in from the writer on August 30th, 2008

Okay, I recently saw this image uploaded to artist Gea Philes’ facebook and frankly it is one of my favorite illustrations ever!! Cute girl, Dracula, and some deadly-delicious Boba… It’s got everything!

I was lucky to meet Gea at the Chiller Theater convention a few years ago, and am very glad to have stayed in touch. Her sinister sense of humor, and the quality of her artistic skill combine to make the best damn art on the east coast! Check out her official website!

Gea was also one of the artists featured in the Greasers Ghouls and Gals art show at the Melt Gallery when Motor City Volume 1 was released, and as you can imagine, her piece sold before the show even opened to the public!

I thought since I was showing Neckface some love last week, what better time to revisit my super-art-crush on all things GeaPhiles! If you poke around the web you’ll find I’m not the only one, I found an excellent interview here at Agent Lover.

I want to know when we’re going to get to see a solo show of her work! New York or LA, I’ll be there!

Keep an eye out for the art of Gea Philes! You won’t be sorry… (insert sinister laugh here)

I’m afraid of Neckface, or… Motor City Under Attack!

Posted in from the writer on August 24th, 2008

Okay, not really, actually I love Neckface!  And he has a show up right now at the New Image Gallery in Los Angeles.  Monsters, demons, creature things, and now the most scary character of all has entered his work… Clowns.

I first came across Neckface on the many walls, buildings, lamp posts, and signs of Williamsburgh Brooklyn.  Something about the art and message never took itself too seriously, it appealed to the 14 year old trouble-maker in me.  I love his work, so stopping by the opening night party of his show at New Image was a real treat, getting to meet him and get a book signed wasn’t too bad either, a heck of a nice guy that Neckface.

Just who is this Neckface?

Now… I wanted to get these pics up earlier, but my computer has been under attack on all fronts, hard drive problems, corruption from evil forces on this very blog you love to read and enjoy, and various other computer related slaps in my face.  But, we have rebuilt.  We are better, stronger.  Thanks to help from 5000! and some dude at the genius bar.

Looking at the future, looking at the past

Posted in from the writer on August 10th, 2008

It seems I am never here in the now. My head is always in the past or the future. I love thinking about what did happen, or what could happen… matter of fact I don’t often think about what is happening. Until it’s past anyway… Okay, enough philosophy. What brings me to all this you may ask?

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A couple years back when Jetti and I were hard at work on the first chapters of Motor City Volume One, we were asked to throw together a concept for a video game, for a video game company that was interested in our work.

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I dusted off an old script, one based off of a role playing game I had created for my friends way back in junior high… You got it, the Freaks and Geeks version of Gavin was drinking cans of Mountain Dew, and sitting in his parents dining room playing role playing games with his pals way back when.

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But, it was concept I always wanted to do more with, and this video game pitch was the chance. I thought it would be fun to show off this hidden treasure from our past.

Will we ever see this property turned into something bigger and released officially? I really don’t know, we are super busy on a new secret project that will run between volumes of Motor City. And after Motor City Volume 2, who knows?

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But for now, check out some of this concept art we did in the past, for a world that takes place in the future…

36 Views of Mr. Joker… Comic Con 2008

Posted in from the writer on July 28th, 2008

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What can I say… Comic Con this year belonged to one man. The Joker. To be more specific, Heath Ledger’s Joker, if you were under 35 that is. And if you were over, you were either a razor-tongued conservatively-dressed movie exec or dressed as Indiana Jones.

Motor City’s Jettila Lewis counted around 35 Jokers. Just behind that she counted around 28 Indiana Jones.

The weekend had it’s highlights. But I must say, having worked the entire convention, and being a convention patron the last 18 years of my life, I was a little worried this year. The isles which contained comic book dealers, often vacant, the isles which contained indie and small press comic book artists and writers… vacant. The further you walked toward Hollywood’s chocolate factory like section, the more you found people. But not the people you would think. This year more than any, I saw comic con packed with non genre type fans. Is this good or bad I really don’t know. Is the change in climate at the very least frustrating? Yes.

I think my friend William Davis (www.incorporatedincorporated.com) put it best today, “For years and years we all bitched that comics didn’t get the respect they deserved… Well, now we’re getting what we wished for.”

And is it cool to go to a theater and see The Dark Knight and have it actually be like a comic book? Yes. And is it cool to have a summer where Iron Man, Hulk, Hellboy 2, and the Dark Knight come out and are pretty darn faithful to the comics they were based on? Yes. Is it cool, that you can where a T-shirt with the USS Enterprise on it and the girls around you actually think it’s cute. Yes.

Is it nice to have a gathering for the arts you love? Of course, and as a freshman-professional is it nice to have a meeting and networking place to meet the people you admire or want to work with? Of course.

But I fear the event itself has outgrown the content of the event, or the reason the event existed in the first place. So many people had wandered in (to the sold out show) stumbling through like zombies wanting free schwag. They didn’t care what, as long as it was free. They didn’t care what movie, property, content, or origin of the item, as long as it was handed to them and fit in their insanely oversized goodie bag.

Now I feel I have a little more insight into the weary independent film voices who have had to flee Sundance. Paris Hilton at comic con?! What’s next? Giftbag-suites in hotels where celeb’s go for designer goodie bags? Get your diamond studded “super hero” cellphone case!

I think there will be a price to pay. Nerd Culture is kind of like the Punk Rock of the 70s 80s, the Hip Hop Culture of the 80s 90s, or the Alternative Culture of the 90s… It’s lived long (and prosper…) just under the radar of mainstream of acceptance, but now that it IS pop culture… it’s just a matter of time till it’s corrupted and taken out of the hands of those who kept it alive all these years. Or at the very least it will burn itself out, there will be a rough period for those still interested, and then it will re-grow as counter culture again. I think the change in flow at comic con 2008 was a sign of all of this.

It’s both good and bad for all of us who are fans or creators. As a patron of comic con 2008 one thing was very clear to me. Things have changed… But then again, things always change don’t they?

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Frankly… our friend Todd is Odd.

Posted in from the writer on July 19th, 2008

Writer Todd Livingston, friend of Motor City, and enemy to ghouls everywhere is at it again. He’s just released The Odd Squad with Devil’s Due, and we here at Motor City think you need to check it out.

Face it, you can never have enough monster books in your collecton, and here is another fine tale of those who combat the supernatural…

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When the security of the nation is threatened by supernatural forces that transform citizens into strange and unusual creatures, the defunct Office of Dimensional Defense (O.D.D.) is reinstated with eccentric UFO-ologist Charlotte Springs as its new director. Quickly, she tries to recruit the best paranormal investigators in the country to complete her team. However, they’re NOT AVAILABLE and she must settle for less than second best. Now, the fate of the world is in the hands of these clueless underdogs that includes a geeky grad student, a Vegas charlatan psychic, and Charlotte’s ditsy (but hot) sister as the ODD Squad confronts life-altering danger, bold face skepticism, flying lingerie models, and a shadowy agency that doesn’t want the truth exposed. Created and written by Nick Capetanakis & Todd Livingston. Illustrated and lettered by Brendon & Brian Fraim. Colored by Matt Webb.

Make friends with the Odd Squad on myspace!

Next week is comic con, so march on down to your local comic store, pick up The Odd Squad, and then you’ll have something to read, while on the way to the big convention. It will help get you in the mood!

Speaking of Comic Con 2008, Motor City will be there! I’ll be down the entire convention, and Jetti (the hacksaw) Lewis will be down there for part of the weekend. So if you see us, and we’re not busy fighting evil, say hello!

Lost Kubricks, Ghostbusters Kubricks, how about Motor City?

Posted in from the writer on July 5th, 2008

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I love me some Medicom Kubricks! And after a long drought of the small pieces of plastic goodness, it looks like some cool sets are coming out this year. First of all, I am very excited to see there were samples at the Tokyo Toy Fair of Ghostbusters Kubricks! Very Exciting.

And if that isn’t enough, how about the Lost Kubricks which are coming out later this year. I am not a super fan of the show like some people, but I sure would like to get my hands on the Jack, Lock, or Hurley Kubs, how awesome… and I hear there may be a chase figure of Ben!

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Kubrick has made some very unusual figures in the past, from Tron to Amelie, even cool classic monsters like Wolfman and Invisible Man (one of the coolest).

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So how about a Motor City Kubrick?! I think a member of the 133rd could hold their own as a Kub… Well, thanks to Denversaur we at least have this custom one, armed with a ghoul-smashing baseball bat!

What are Kubricks you may ask..? More info right here

Gundam Seed’s Murrue Ramius, sexy pinup time!

Posted in from the writer on June 21st, 2008

Motor City artist Jettila Lewis is known for her outstanding pinups, and this one of Murrue Ramius slightly out of uniform is no exception.

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I am just about finished watching Seed, I know, I know, I am behind, everybody else is probably watching Gundam 00, but hey, I’m a busy guy, got graphic novels to write and stuff…

Anyway, one of my favorite anime characters is the sexy captain of the Archangel, Murrue Ramius, and I was more than happy when Jetti decided to do this pinup. Hope everybody else enjoys as well.

Murrue is thrust into the role of the captain of the Earth Alliance assault ship Archangel, after the ship’s original commanding officers are killed during a ZAFT assault on the Heliopolis space colony. More info on the wikipedia page

RIP Stan Winston

Posted in from the writer on June 16th, 2008

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Stan Winston died yesterday. I think anyone reading this blog knows what a great artist he was.

“Working with such directors as Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Tim Burton in a career spanning four decades, Winston created some of the most memorable visual effects in cinematic history. He helped bring the dinosaurs from “Jurassic Park,” the extraterrestrials from “Aliens, the robots from “Terminator” and even “Edward Scissorhands” to the big screen, and was a pioneer in merging real-world effects with computer imaging.”

Stan Winston died yesterday after a battle with cancer. He was 62.

I’m gonna miss his creatures on the big screen most of all.

As a teenager (and fanboy) I met him at a convention and he was a really nice guy, very kind, and genuine.

Motor City: Volume One Hits the Big Apple!!

Posted in from the writer on June 13th, 2008

I am pleased to announce that Motor City is now being carried at Midtown Comics and Jim Hanley’s Universe in New York City. So now you can find our book at not only St. Marks Comics, not only Jim Hanley’s but also Midtown Comics! That’s three great places to make a comic pit stop, New York!

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And if you fear the Hulk smashing up NYC this weekend and are planning on staying indoors you can order your book from Midtown Comics Website here.

Motor City at Midtown Comics.

A big thanks to these fine stores for carrying our bad-ass-greaser-stomping-ghoul-monster action book! Phew!! What a mouth full.

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Hey Hey Rock and Roll!!

Posted in from the writer on June 10th, 2008

Hey Everyone. Sorry to drop out for a bit. But rest assured, like a hand busting out from a freshly made grave, or a zombie roaming the night, I am back!

Jetti and I have started work on a super-secret project, which will occupy our time between volumes of Motor City. More on that soon.

I have been working with folks in retail and distribution to get Motor City: Volume One at a comic store, or book store near you, so please keep checking for it, asking for it, or feel free to hit up our webstore on the official site.

I was doing some research today and came across a fantastic image gallery I wanted to share with all you cats.

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Photographs from Willam E. Jones, a gallery entitled “Is It Really So Strange?”

Shiftlessbody.com, Is It Really So Strange Image Gallery.

Okay, hope everyone is all revved up for summer 2008!!! I think I want to do a contest! Shall we? Hmmm, how about fan art?

Email your versions of Motor City characters, monsters, pinups, cars, etc… anything Motor City related to info@motorcitycomic.com, and I’ll post em up on the blog. Jetti and I will pick out favorites, and those winners will recieve some Motor City schwagg!!