Seeking a DVD distributor for the Cartoon Cuties Static-Mation shorts...

 After completing the first cycle of YouTube video shorts, the plan now is to collect the videos into an official DVD release. Still searching for a distributor, but I've drawn up some cover artwork to accompany the project...

A Quick Look: GODZILLA VS MEGALON (1973/76 - color)

   Although it has never been held in the highest regard, GODZILLA VS MEGALON remains one of the biggest hits of the franchise, and one of the most visible entries. Spies from an underground kingdom launch an assault on the surface world via their living instrument of revenge, the giant insect Megalon. To guide the creature in it's invasion, they steal a robot from a Japanese toy inventor. The good guys manage to regain control of the robot and send him off to collect Godzilla. Meanwhile, the meanies from beneath the earth contract with spacemen to bring Gigan into the fray. US audiences first saw Gigan here, only to be re-introduced to the character when GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND finally came over the next year! Heavily influenced by the explosion of popular costumed superheroes on Japanese TV, the film focuses mainly on the humanoid robot Jet Jaguar. Godzilla basically functions as a guest star in his own movie! Cinema Shares imported the film in 1976, when it went head to head against the remake of KING KONG (one reason the US poster art features the recently-finished twin towers). The film, released in a couple of different cuts, was a smash hit and became a staple at kiddie matinees. When the film came to television, it was a ratings bonanza (in one event hosted by John Belushi wearing a Godzilla costume). Later, the film was a huge hit on home video. By that time, the dubbed version had fallen into public domain, so just about every video label had a release of the picture. Due to this status, the film became an experiment on Mystery Science Theater 3000. The episode was issued on disk, but by that time the rights had been restored and the disks were pulled. As result, they command a high price when you run across 'em. Recently, the film finally saw a widescreen release hit DVD, although for some idiotic reason, the titles remain in Japanese! The widescreen print featuring the English titles had already been floating around the Sci-Fi Channel for a few years!

Commission piece that was really fun...

 

  I was asked to draw Minerva Mink in the style of airplane nose art. It was a fun commission, and I colored my scan of the piece just for fun. The drawing itself is black and white. The original version is below...

 

A Quick Look: DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1968 - color)

   DESTROY ALL MONSTERS was the giant monster equivalent of those Rat Pack movies of the 60's. Originally figured as a last hurrah for the Godzilla franchise, the Toho studio threw together just about every giant monster they had in their stable. The plot concerned a future invasion by space women who used mind control devices to subvert scientists into assisting them in world conquest. To facilitate this, they unleash the world's giant monsters and set them to destroying our major cities. The film did so well that Godzilla would continue his activities well into the next decade and eventually far beyond. Due to unspecified legal trouble, the film was missing in action for decades, becoming legend among fans who longed to see the film (outside of Japan, anyway). Finally, around the turn of the century, the film surfaced on the Sci-Fi Channel, presented in a lovely scope transfer. The only real drawback was that this print was the International version. Fortunately, the AIP dub has finally been restored to the film on recent DVD releases. It was a long time in coming, but the ultimate Godzilla movie is finally on our shelves where it belongs!

A Quick Look: 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH (1957)

In addition to some nifty crime thrillers (and a ton of westerns), Columbia also offered up some pretty cool science fiction/monster pictures in the 50's. 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH is one of the most famous, and considered by many to be animator Ray Harryhausen's master work of the black and white era (of which this would be the last). The story concerns an astronaut who returns to Earth with a sample of Venusian animal life in a sealed container. When a small boy discovers the container after the rocket crashes into the sea, an ever-growing dinosaur-like creature is unleashed upon the world. Ultimately, the adventure ends up in Rome. William Hopper is the courageous astronaut, who the same year would find himself facing THE DEADLY MANTIS over at Universal International. Harryhausen's monster (known as the Ymir, though the word is never spoken in the film) was reportedly his favorite character and puppet. The creature possesses almost no malice, but it keeps getting poked and shot and cornered into attacking. One of the most unique movie monsters of the atomic age, and the Roman setting adds some international spice. (Speaking of Rome, lovers of unusual movies should check out 2015's RISEN. It approaches the Resurrection of the Christ from the Roman perspective, played like a detective story. Very impressive, and worth a look.)