DJ Food / DJ Shadow - Flashback

Perfect for a Sunday night! Created by DJ Food for the XFM radio DJ Shadow special 20/09/12.

MAGICK EYE 2

This one by Garry Leach with a nod to Bill Ward and below, it's Shaky Kane.

Coming Soon: Jason Atomic & Garry Leach present MAGICK EYE 2: A salacious slice of Halloween Cheesecake and Horror at the Orbital Comics Gallery, 8 Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JA. Oct 18th - Nov 18th. Featuring work by: Junko Mizuno, Rockin’ JellyBean, Rufus Dayglo, Graham Humphreys, Gaye Black, Shaky Kane, Dennis Franklin, Tom Spencer, Billy Chainsaw, Carl Stimpson, Matt Valentine, Steve Cook, Jason Atomic, Garry Leach, Rian Hughes, Ellen Rogers, Una Fricker, Will Simpson, Garry Erskine, Steve Pugh, Bill Ward.

I'm working on a piece for this myself at the moment, something starring Superdupermodel, Manko - so I'd better get a move on 'cause time is tick, tick, ticking away...

c l a s s

Photography, typography... I love everything about this magazine cover.

Jing Tian by Fan Xin for Glass magazine #11 - Autumn 2012

21st Century Girl #7

The Future of Fashion #3

Pam Hogg does it again! I really hope that Nicolas Winding Refn considers taking her on as Costume Designer for his Barbarella remake, or his Logan's Run remake for that matter. Here's a video of her collection for Spring/Summer ’13, which went under the title of ‘Save Our Souls’ at Vauxhall Fashion Scout during London Fashion Week. More here...

Tharg & Judge Diggle

(L to R) Matt as Tharg and Andy as Dredd

I just rediscovered these photos from the Autumn of 2000. This was the 2000AD editorial office (Nerve Centre) that Andy Diggle, Matt Smith and I inhabited just after Rebellion bought the comic from Egmont. On gaining entry to the small building in London Bridge, we were confronted with a strange Dickensian looking staircase which led upstairs to an office that looked like it had been refitted in the 1960's and just stayed that way. We had some fun up there; we were pretty much left to our own devices, which meant we could turn the music up as loud as we liked! This was Andy's first year as editor and Matt's first as associate editor. For me, this was the fourth Nerve Centre location and my twelfth year as art editor/designer.

Andy and Matt... another late night in the office

Me and a rather massive Cathode Ray Tube

There's Matt, diligently checking for typo's and a close up of our danger room warning sign.

Prog 300

2000AD production art from the celebratory Prog #300, 22nd January 1983.

Art by: Carlos Ezquerra, Colin Wilson, Ian Gibson and Robin Smith

I Was A Teenage Mona Lisa

There's an interesting story about a more youthful version of the Mona Lisa on the BBC website. A foundation in Switzerland believes it has scientific evidence to prove that Leonardo Da Vinci painted an earlier version of his masterpiece (above). I think I prefer it...

CARRIE

From my bookshelf, a copy of the first Stephen King book that I read. I can't quite believe what good condition it's in considering I bought it in 1978. 

It's intriguing to see images from the Carrie remake emerging and I'll admit that I'm not against remakes, especially when they're as surprisingly good as Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but the original Carrie is going to be a tough one to beat. It was the first Brian De Palma film that I saw and is still one of my top ten horror films, essentially due to that masterfully directed prom night scene. The lighting; the slow-motion; the close-ups and the absolutely brilliant use (and non-use) of sound, combined with Pino Donaggio's score. The split screen; the ominous vibrating hum and the shrill 'Psycho' style screeches as Sissy Spacek's blood spattered Carrie wreaks her revenge still gives me the shivers. Take a look at the video below for a reminder of just how good it is, unless you haven't seen it, in which case you may want to seek out the whole film. Not difficult considering it's all up on Youtube anyway.

The soundtrack and the homage... photographed by Nick Knight for i-D's July 2006, Horror issue.

The Mashup... (Brian De Palma's "Carrie" meets AIR's "Redhead Girl by Jeff Yorkes), and of course the Kimberly Peirce directed Carrie, set for a March 2013 release and starring Chloë Grace Moretz as Carrie and Julianne Moore as her mother.

Surreal . . .

This is surprisingly different! 

Nina Ricci - F/W 2012 - Kati Nescher by Inez & Vinoodh

FRINGE - Amber Gypsies Preview from 501

I know, I know, I'm obsessed with this show, but why not? I think it's the best thing since Battlestar Galactica 2.0

Superhero Style #7

Great shots, Incredible outfits, from an editorial called Metal Headz - Interview, March 2012
Photography: Mert & Marcus
Styling by: Karl Templer
Models: Saskia de Brauw & Elise Crombez

FRINGE - Season 5 Trailer (Remix)

Don't Mess with MANKO!

A fun outtake from a shoot I did with Manko yesterday. Thanks to Jason Atomic for the 'er... 'prop'.

WANTED: Astrid Farnsworth

Commercial Break #14

George Lazenby aka the James Bond of 1969, enjoys a Kronenbourg. For finding this, I thank Nick Setchfield (who's big Bond rewatch for SFX reaches Tomorrow Never Dies). 

Largin' it #53

For some strange reason Wicked Wanda is constantly appearing in the top ten posts, so due to her popularity, here's another...

Oh, Wicked Wanda!

Published by Penthouse,

Script: Frederic Mullally

Art: Ron Embleton

DJ Food / DJ Shadow - Trip Out

Perfect for a Saturday night! Created by DJ Food for the XFM radio DJ Shadow special 20/09/12 - a short mix using a lot of the ambient parts of Shadow's productions. The 'cover' image is an homage to the KLF's classic 'Chill Out' LP.

i-D Now & Then

It's always interesting to see how magazine covers have evolved over the years (well, it is for me anyhow!). Here are two examples from i-D then and now, continuing with their cover philosophy of the winking eye that emulates their logo. The latest by Chen Man, who seems to be one of i-D's favourite photographers right now and from my collection, another from April 1984. One of Madonna's very first magazine cover appearances, photographed by Mark Lebon.

Anderson R.I.P.

Eagle Comics Presents: JUDGE DREDD #28 - February, 1986. Cover by Brian Bolland.

Bat vs Hornet

Parking problems for the Batmobile and the Green Hornet's Black Beauty. A fun shot from the back lot of the 1960's TV shows with Batman & Robin, Green Hornet & Kato plus others from the series.

September 1985

My own take on the tabloid style magazine cover. This was one of the last Starburst covers that I designed for Marvel UK. The cover text was by the editor, Cefn Ridout who I worked with on Manga Mania a few years down the line. The next time I used this trick was for the 'Super Soaraway' issue of 2000AD with Alan McKenzie, which I've already written about before, but because of its relevance will post here again anyway. I've always been pleased at the longevity of the Starburst logo. It survived the transition to the new publishers and lasted another 24 years until the magazine closed in 2009. It's interesting to note that in those pre-computer days, Richard Starkings of the now famous Comicraft company was the guy I commissioned to hand-draw it from my original design and a very fine job he made of it too!

September 1955

From 57 years ago, another nicely conceived Playboy cover from art director Arthur Paul.

Olivia²

HEED. OBEY. SERVE.

Poster Girl for FRINGE Resistance 2036

Award-winning journalist and Fringe fan Susan Gittins photographs Vancouver’s film and TV location shoots. Here's an intriguing poster featuring Georgina Haig as Henrietta Bishop from the Final season (sob!) of Fringe. She spotted this in downtown Vancouver a few days ago. For more of her photography, check her site... here.

STOMM!

Another piece of 2000AD production art from my cupboard, this one featuring Judge Dredd. I saw the film on Sunday and I liked it a lot, especially the slo-mo scenes. Prog #153, 23rd February 1980. Artist: Ron Smith. Colours: Tom Frame

Dark Knight Style #4

From a fashion editorial called 'Dark Knight', check the makeup - masks are in! Mixt(e) magazine Autumn-Winter 2012-13. Bregje Heinen Photographed by Koichiro Doi. Styling: Ada Kokosar, hair by Kayla Michele, makeup by Maud Laceppe.

Groovy Images From The Sixties #12

Harper's Bazaar, April 1965. Cover by Richard Avedon, featuring Jean Shrimpton.

Life Imitates Art

As a follow-up to the Nick Knight 'Garage' magazine cover that I posted a couple of weeks ago, here's a feature with a similar vibe from one of the favourite magazines on my shelf. Zink magazine always delivers the goods when it comes to quirky and this one from December 2005 is a Roy Lichenstein / comic book inspired beauty editorial photographed by Mike Ruiz with makeup by Roberto Muniz.

A Classic . . .

The Future of Fashion #2

As mentioned on the The Future of Fashion post back in February, If I were to hire someone to design Superhero costumes, the inimitable Pam Hogg would be my first choice and here's a video showcasing some of her great designs, from Hunger TV.

Vivid!

Interview Germany - September issue, featuring Alex Yureyeva by Xevi Muntané.

Land Of The Giants Lunch Box

This beautifully distressed piece was on display at the Andrew Martin International stand last week, so I thought I'd get a shot of it. Land Of The Giants was one of my favourite shows as a kid.

Largin' it #52

Oh, Wicked Wanda!
Published by Penthouse,
Script: Frederic Mullally
Art: Ron Embleton

The Hundred In The Hands

Brilliant... just Brilliant!
The Hundred in the Hands from their self-titled album.
Directed by Daniels. Producer: Gaetano Crupi. Director of Photography: Jackson Hunt
Starring: Lola Albright. Warp Films (warp.net)