Bacon

I love bacon. My favorite is Pancetta, from a shop called Boccalonne in San Francisco. I wanted to draw bacon today. But it didn't come out very well, so I drew Boris Karloff instead.

Happy Turkey Day!

Enjoy a big, fat bird...

Zombie Nightmare Resurrected!

At long last, the 1986 cult classic ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE has arrived on DVD! Now available at Amazon.com, this was my first starring role, playing "Detective Frank Sorrel" opposite Adam West as "Captain Churchman." Also starring Tia Carrere, John-Mikl Thor, John Fasano and Shawn Levy. Extras include brand new interviews with me and my old pal Fasano, and a full-length audio commentary which alone is worth the price of the DVD.

Order your copy today at Amazon: Zombie Nightmare

A Little Advice From Betty Armstrong

Fay Masterson schools me about danger...

Lugosi Lives Eternal!

Just because I felt like it. Bela Lugosi, rendered in vine charcoal, as Count Dracula from my favorite movie of all time, ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN. I consider Bela's performance in this film to actually be superior to the original 1931 DRACULA.

The Sketchy Things Website Revamped

Come visit the remodeled sketchythings.com. It's cleaner and neater. Like when your folks made you clean your room, only more fun.

Moderating The Living Dead

This year celebrated the 25th anniversary of Dan O'Bannon's classic RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD.  I had the great pleasure of hosting two reunion panels, one at Monsterpalooza in Burbank, CA, and one at Wonderfest in Louisville, KY. Here are a couple of shots from both shows, courtesy Bill Edwards and Shawn Tabor.

Monsterpalooza -From left to right:

Frank, Don Calfa, Thom Matthews, James Karen,

Clu Gulager, Beverly Randolph, William Stout,
Tony Gardner, Jewel Shepard and Brian Peck.

Wonderfest - Frank, James Karen,

William Stout and Linnea Quigley

Too bad we didn't enjoy ourselves, huh?

Even More Recenter Activities!

My computer very recently had a fatal meltdown, which kept me from posting for a bit, but all is back to normal. So here are a few more shots of recent events in my crazy Monster World!

Signing at the San Diego Comic Con with actor Redfield
and director Larry Blamire.

Panel discussion with James Karen at Wonderfest 2010.

Hanging with Ain't It Cool News' Harry Knowles...

...and the lovely and talented Belle Dee Bilbrey.

FAMOUS MONSTERS LIVES!

Here's a look at the program cover I did for the first FAMOUS MONSTERS Convention in 17 years, held last month in Indiana! It was great fun to be able to include old friends and acquaintances like Ken Foree, Tom Savini, Bill Hinzman, Sharon Cecatti and, of course, Uncle Forry Ackerman. Big thanks to Jessie Lilley, Michael Heisler and Phil Kim for giving me the opportunity to participate in the resurrection of the magazine that started it all. Here's to a long and successful run!

Recent Activities!

Between screenwriting and artwork, things have been rather busy lately. But there has been a little time for fun with good friends. Here a few photos of recent play time...

David J. Schow's birthday celebration. R.A. Maliahoff, Frank Darabont and his friend Adina,
myself, Bernie and Liz Wrightson.

R.A., Cathi Holland, myself, Tom Holland, David Schow and Dave Parker.

Schow, Dietz, Darabont and Drew Struzan.

At Monsterpalooza with Don Calfa (photo by Beverly Randolph).

My LOST SKELETON RETURNS AGAIN cast-mates Susan McConnell,
me and Trish Geiger at Comic-Con in San Diego.

Peter Cushing

Just because. You know what I mean.

Hammer Gals!

Here are a few sketches celebrating the lovely ladies from the Hammer horror films of the 1960's and 1970's. The first two were created for Dick Klemenson's wonderful magazine LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS, dedicated to all things Hammer. The third was drawn for a calendar I created years ago called "Chiller Cheesecake."

Jeanne Roland

Valerie Leon

Veronica Carlson

The Monster Beastro

Here are a few fun sketches I did while working on Delbert Winans' MONSTER BEASTRO project. It's a shame that Delbert left us before he could see his dream realized. That would have been one cool restaurant. All the images below were to illustrate the menu.

THE THING Sandwich

The KONG Burger

The BLACK LAGOON Mai Tai

 

Space Beasties!

Two more from "Keep Watching The Skies." I was really tempted to draw in the wires that held up THE GIANT CLAW. But instead, here's a shot of what the giant goofybird might have looked like as a chick.

THE GIANT CLAW
AND
THE TINY CLAW!

And IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE!

Gigantic Beasts And Colossal Breasts

Two more sketches from "Keep Watching The Skies!" Everything was bigger in the 1950's....

WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST

Allison Hayes from ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN

Master Of The World

I was very happy with the 15 sketches I did for Bill Warren's recent "Keep Watching The Skies" update. In fact, I believe them to be some of the best "sketchy things"-style pieces I've ever done. But the book is so massive (over 1,000 pages!), my poor drawings get lost in the leviathan. So I'm going to post them here, starting today with Vincent Price as Robur from MASTER OF THE WORLD.

San Diego Comic-Con

Great news for fans of THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA and the films of Larry Blamire! Shout! Factory will be launching the DVD release of the much-anticpated sequel, THE LOST SKELETON RETURNS AGAIN at the San Diego Comic-Con in July. There will be a signing on Thursday, July 22nd at 2 p.m. at the Shout! booth (#3749) with myself, Larry Blamire and several other cast members. This is the only opportunity to pick up a copy of this terrific film - and Larry's other new film, DARK AND STORMY NIGHT - before the street date of August 17th.

If you're attending Comic-Con this year, please stop by on Thursday at 2 p.m. and say hello, and grab your copy of these very funny films before they sell out. If you're not going to be at the Con, you can pre-order the DVD's at Amazon:

The Lost Skeleton Returns Again

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003IRUFCA/ref=s9_simh_gw_p74_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0ZY6730CNAV3XRV9MEGD&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Smoke And Mirrors

Two fun examples of a little computer manipulation. Claude Rains as THE INVISBLE MAN was done by drawing the head and body seperately, then knocking down the transparency of the head drawing. Lon Chaney's PHANTOM was altered with a "blur" tool to recreate the fuzzy, scary image from the original film.

Happy Anniversary, Norman Bates

To celebrate this week's 50th anniversary of Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO, I present this page from my 5th book, MY FAVORITE SKETCHY THINGS. Why? Because we all go a little mad sometimes...

Back To The Watercolor!

Here's a recent commission of CHRISTOPHER LLOYD as "Doc Brown" from the BACK TO THE FUTURE trilogy. Richard Cromwell of Florida has hired my several times, often when he expects to be meeting a celebrity at an upcoming convention. This was created in anticipation of his meeting the talented Mr. Lloyd, and with the hope that he would sign it. I have to be honest - this was my second attempt. The first one...well...just didn't work. I had to start from scratch, and I'm glad I did. This one is funnier and the likeness works. I was surprised at how difficult this character was to nail down. I expected him to be quite easy. Just goes to show...you can never tell until you start putting it on the paper...

Hammer Time!

This tribute piece of PETER CUSHING and CHRISTOPHER LEE was a commission for serious collector David Haft. I am privileged to have met both of the gentlemen depicted in this piece. The Hammer films were some of the first horror movies that I saw in a movie theatre, and so hold a special place in my heart.

The Thing Of It Is...

I didn't really love John Carpenter's 1981 remake of THE THING when I first saw it. But over the years I have come to appreciate it more and more. I now consider it one of my very favorite horror/sci-fi films. So I was more than happy to create this commission piece for fan John McShane. John is already considering a companion piece, featuring the rest of the cast...proving that "one Thing leads to another..."

Wonderfest 2010

Another Wonderful Wonderfest. Here are just a few photos that express my joy of being a returning guest for twelve years now:

New artist Lee Copeland was selling these fabulous caricatures of me, and also had one of fellow guest William Stout. I love it, because it looks like me on any given Wonderfest morning!:



This shot was taken by Anita Pace, as I moderated the RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD Q&A panel, with my friends Jim Karen (pictured), Bill Stout and Linnea Quigley:

A candid shot taken in the Guest Room. Look how happy I am to be there!

Me, Crazy Joe Nejberger and Bill at the Sunday Night Banquet, taken by Beau Kaelin:

My dear friends Tim and Donna Lucas, publishers of VIDEO WATCHDOG magazine. I love these folks with all my heart...

More photos to come...Big thanks and big love to Dave Conover, Donnie Waddell, John Davis and Dave Hodge for continuing to include me in their WF family!

Wonderfest Sketches

With Wonderfest 2010 looming on the horizon, I thought I'd take a look back at some of the images I've created for this fabulous convention in the past. The Louisville, KY event is still my favorite event of the year. This year I will be moderating a 25th anniversary celebration of the classic RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, with my friends production designer William Stout and actors James Karen and Linnea Quigley. It's being held May 15-16 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Louisville. Hope to see some of you there!