Four Fabulous Comic Covers

Sadly, not written by Steve Gerber.

The original and the best.

Not my favorite incarnation, but a funny picture nonetheless.

This is Frank Frazetta as we know him.

These and much more available at Tom Heroes(be sure to check out his Nintendo Ads as well).

Labyrinth

Why couldn't the Marvel comic be as good as the poster? Ridiculous, since a former Marvel Talent --the great Mike Ploog--designed most of the puppets and such. Not even the covers for the comic are good.

Click to enlarge.

Kaspar the Dead Baby

"From Crazy #8. I believe it was written by Marv Wolfman and drawn by Marie Severin. A particularly vicious parody that warped a lot of kids back in the '70s. It won a Shazam award for Best Humor Story in 1974."
-Robyn (scans_daily)

Now I really want there to be an Essential Crazy from Marvel. Also, Marie Severin is a damn good cartoonist(John . K was right). Mark me down for an Essential Not Brand Echh! too.

Yor: The Hunter from the Future (Poster)

I've never seen this movie, but I sure do enjoy this poster( and yet have no idea who it's by). But, if its as "bad"* as such great films as Commando, Halloween III: Season of the Witch(essay forthcoming), and Fire and Ice, I might check it out as soon as I can.

*As claimed by CHUD

Cartoons (vintage even)

Now this is more like it. The Fleischers, Bob Clampett, and an awesome World war II Donald Duck cartoon. Sure, they're available on the internet archive and youtube, but it's more convenient here and the video quality doesn't suck(respectively).

Vintage Tooncast

Audience pleasing done right (in its own way)

Daicon 4 (04:22)

To state the obvious, it's impossible today to talk about animation in the US (indeed the world) without mentioning anime. Why it is so popular is matter of debate (though Eddie Fitzgerald has good points here, here, and here ), although honestly, if you had to watch robotech or the snorks, which would you prefer? Granted the former is not cartoony or particularly formed of anything animation can and should do, but it is just more interesting than the crap people put up with in that time. Same as now. The trailer alone for Paprika looks better than shrek and sharktale combined. Another thing about anime that makes it work is that because so few people can come together and make something happen there is more of an individual feeling. Also, because there is again, so few workers and no crusty management (Japan respects its artists) they understand what the fans want and how to please them.

Both examples are shown in the short above. Although I don't personally care for the main character (a little too bland), the amusing cut style and oomph of the music more than make up for it. What's really special about this short is that the handfuls (four to six, depending on who you hear from) do the work of a far greater collective. This, the early Hanna Barbera and (to a far, far greater extent) Wizards all show creativity, not mass influx, make quality product. And again, why did they do this? To make the fans happy, by making themselves satisfied. They were fans. They cared about the art and trusted their instincts. And out of this small group came Gainaxe, who went on to make heads turn with FLCl and Neon Genesis Evangelion. From these five minutes. Sadly, some of that fun is lost on the current company, as with many studios (later Hanna Barbera) when their ranks swell.

So despite my somewhat lack of true enthusiasm for this short, I applaud it for being relentlessly forward in its entertainment capacity, showing that fans and admirers of animation can change the circumstances they live in. Something American animators sorely need to wake up and realize.

Bonus:
Another Fitzgerald post, which captures my feelings about anime perfectly,

Well thought out opinion on the piece: The Origin of the Species

A Moebius and his Dragoon

I guess you do learn something new every day. Today I found out the great Moebius did some of the concept art and the cover for the Panzer Dragoon (also great). Unfortunetly the cover only came out in Japan, and we Americans were stuck with a boring, terrible looking cgi cover,which I won't dignify by showing. Now, I ask you, isn't this appealing and make you want to buy the game? It does for me.

Here's the pure cover
And some more artwork