Captain Berlin saves the day....

...and kicks some Nazi butts! This retro-style illustration is the warm-up to the "Captain Berlin vs. Hitler" DVD booklet, sporting a 8 page origin story of the "Retter der Welt" created by director Joerg Buttgereit of "Necromantik" fame. Concieved by Joerg, Levin Kurio and me it shed some light of the first entcounter of the Captain with the dictator... Style wise I tried to channel Jack Kirby (co-creator of Captain America) and used some of his action poses and mannerisms, so the obvious similarities are intentional. The basic coloration was done by Levin Kurio, I added the yellowed paper, the heavy dots and the imperfections on the line art with Photoshop. The low-res Jpeg here unfortunately kills the vintage 4-color dot effect....

More Captain Berlin coming soon!

Goodbye Michael.....

Strange day indeed, another part of my youth died today: Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. Even I found his antics, especially the past years, quite alienating, but his album "Thriller" is still one of my favorite records. Every song a gem, but this track (and its perfect video directed by John Landis and Vincent Price rapping) is the greatest EVER:

Rest in peace, Michael. Hope you are now in your own perfect "Neverland". A strange day indeed....

Another Angel is in heaven now....

A true 70ties icon and one of my childhood heroines has passed away: Farrah Fawcett, one of the original "Charlie's Angels" cast members, a fighter in real life and on the screen - a brave Lady to the end....R.I.P.

More Giant Monsters from the far east: Gomess of Ultra-Q

Billiken is one of the pioneer GK Companies, since the late 80ties they producing topnotch vinyl models of American and Japanese Movie/TV characters. I this case here it's Gomess of the vintage Nippon TV series "Ultra-Q". He starred in the first episode. Looks familiar, don't he? He was made from an old Godzilla costume, SFX wizard Eji Tsuburaya wanted to save some serious Yen and just redecorated an old suit he had lying around. 

Billiken's model kit is spot on, detailed and even the rubber suit feeling is still there. Painted with acrylics and Airbrush.

Destroy all Monsters!

One more finished commission: Godzilla's oldest friend/foe Angilas/Anguirus in his brandnew 1968 costume from the Toho flick "Destroy all Monsters" (1968) by the Japanese Company IMAGE.

This resin kit is more on the small side, but due to spikes quite hard to handle. Painted with acrylics, airbrush and Games Workshop washes.

Wonderfest'09 build up #2: Lon Chaney as Quasimodo bust

Next build up from this years Wonderfest haul: Silver Screen Icons Hunchback of Notre Dame bust from the vintage silent screen version starring Lon Chaney. Sculpted by Mark VanTyne in 1:4 scale and cast in resin. Painted with acrylics using Airbrush, splatters and pastels.

Even more Monstrology Models: Petro the Mad Monster

Here is another classic Monstrolgy Model from the Collection: Glenn Strange as the Petro  from the movie "The Mad Monster" (1942). Monstrology Models line of obscure resin model kit is now in the capable hands of Fritz Frising of Long Island, NY . They are now available on his website here.

7th Voyage of Sindbad: The Cyclops....

Finally after collecting dust on the shelf for over two years I finally finished this nice kit from "Tower of London", sculpted by Joe Laudati....

The Cyclops has haunted numerous kiddies nightmares since his first appearance in Nathan Juran's "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" 1958. Stop-Motion wizard Ray Harryhausen breathed life into the ancient creature of lore. A flawless design and unforgettable performance indeed.

Painted with arcylics, airbrush and pastels. Unfortunately out of production.

More Monstrology Models: The Apeman and the Haunted Strangler... !!!

More GK-History: Karloff as "The Haunted Strangler" bust and Lugosi as "The Apeman". Both sculpted by Jon Wang showing his love for really obscure vintage movies. Both are in 1:6 scale and rare as hell, thanks to Jon Wang for "The Apeman" and Ebay for the "Strangler".

Monstrology Models presents: Miss Shock !!!

Here is a little, charming piece of GK-History: Monstrology Models "Miss Shock" 1:6 scale resin bust. Sculpted in the early 90ties by owner Jon Wang it was one of his first releases. By today's standards the sculpt looks a bit soft, but it has a kind of "fine art" approach I really like. Thanks to Jon and Fritz  I finally could add her to my collection.

Miss Shock was Supercollector and Hollywood apeman Bob Burns wife Kathy in gory make up; she appeared in several TV shows scaring the audiences. If you're interested I can recommend George Chastain's web site dedicated to the TV Horror hosts of the past. Don't forget to browse through his gallery filled with terrific  artwork ....Check it out here!

The Salty Sea Dogs ...

Box art illustration for a line of funny Pirate model kit busts sculpted by the uebertalented  Andy Bergholtz. Typography isn't the greatest and subject to changes, but it's still unpublished to this day. Acrylics on paper, 2008.

Steaming bedrooms and "magic" potions....

The German Sex merchant Beate Uhse's life was highlighted in an article for the Berlin magazine Zitty  in 1999. They asked for a humorous portrait and received it.  Mrs. Uhse kept German bedrooms steaming since the the opening of the world's first Sex shop in 1962, selling pictorial orientated literature, naughty toys, mischievous underwear and magic potions. She passed away in 2001. 

Wonderfest'09 build up #1: Frankenstein's Monster bust (Wrightson style)

The first post Wonderfest build up finished: Bad Karma Shane McGowin's new Frankenstein's Monster bust (Wrightson style) sculpted by GK veteran Shawn Naegle.

He bought the sculpt recently from Spoiled Brat Models Dale who failed to get it casted.... it was my last minute purchase before the shows ended.

It's made of resin, 1:4 scale, painted with airbrush, splatters and pastels....mainly.