Even the Elder Ones get a little sappy at Christmas.

A marker sketch of a photo showing a volcanic explosion from space. I dug the way it sort of bubbled up on top.

The new issue of ROYAL FLUSH is out and it’s got an incredible interview Jeff Newelt recorded with Ahmet Zappa about the friendship his dad, Frank, struck up with Jack Kirby! When I was asked to do an illustration for the piece, my mind was completely blown that two of my early cultural heroes hung out back in the day. If only they’d had a chance to collaborate!

Above, is the finished piece; my imaginary portrait of Frank Zappa as if drawn by Jack Kirby in his NEW GODS period. Hope you like!

UPDATE:  The LA TIMES blog, HERO COMPLEX, has jumped on the Kirby/Zappa story!

The Smith Magazine folks have organized a mind-bending birthday tribute to Harvey Pekar, getting over ninety artists to contribute original head shots of that famous mug. Here’s mine (with a tip of the hat to fellow collage fiend, Jack Kirby).

Pencils to the cover of ARMY@LOVE #6.

The business end of the eyeless Star-Nosed Mole. Marker in sketchbook from photo.

Don’t know what it is about that old paperback cover with dozens of tiny blurry photos. Even though I can’t make out any detail I just seem to enjoy sketching these ancient masks.

I don’t have a clue as to which era and culture they came from. While I sketch my mind is wandering and wondering about the artist who hands-on made the original artifact back who-knows-when. What were those eye-slits all about? And why the distortion?

Time for some color after that long black and white Midsummer’s Dream. This is a Photoshop collage from a project which I’ll be telling you more about soon.

From that all-important first sample portfolio; when I’d just graduated from art school and was trying to land work in Manhattan. Ink, airbrush and pencil, 1979.