Fun Fact: My dad was childhood friends with, and lived down the street from, the guy who played The Red Skull in the 1990 Captain America movie. I’ve met him once, maybe twice. Definitely before he got the Red Skull gig, too. Otherwise, he probably would have been wearing the Red Skull mask. I know I would if I were him.

My dad does not, however, know the guy who played The Red Skull in the 2011 Captain America movie. Which is a shame, because it’d be pretty cool to say, “I know two Red Skulls.”

Anyway, ladyphant and I watched the 2011 movie the other night. Pretty good super-hero movie. The digital effects they used to make Chris Evans look small and wimpy weren’t all that believable,  but you forget about that once he actually becomes Cap and gets his sweet WWII-era costume.

The above drawing is something we did to warm up one day last year, probably around the same time the movie was coming out. We like making Captain America look everything but chisel-jawed and stoic, as is apparent by this other version of him we did a while ago. (Sorry, Cap!)

Bethany Shady, a.k.a. “Sidekick22,” is an author. She wrote a children’s book called Matilda Turnip’s Endless Belly Button, and a novel for grown-ups called The Interview. (Click here to learn more about ‘em.)

Jorge Garcia is an actor who’s appeared in a number of films and TV shows, including Becker, Curb Your Enthusiasm, How I Met Your Mother, and a little show you’ve probably never heard of called LOST.

When LOST was still on the air, the two of them had a great podcast called Geronimo Jack’s Beard. which I’d listen to every week because:
a) the two of them were hilarious, and
b) it was kind of cool to hear one of the actual show’s lead actors talk about what HE thought was happening, and what was going to happen.

Now Jorge’s on a new show called Alcatraz, playing the distinguished Dr. Diego Soto. Click here to watch the trailer. Then click here and subscribe to the new podcast he and Sidekick22 are doing about the show, called (appropriately and hilariously— or “hair-iously”) Diego’s Soul Patch. That shiny drawing up there is the podcast’s official artwork. Yes, I’m mighty excited to have my doodles affiliated with a show I’ll no doubt be nerding out about for seasons to come.

Check it out, then let them (and me) know what you think!

This is my pal Julia. She’s one of my favorite people to draw. And this painting was my gift to her for her third birthday.

(Who are we kidding? This is more a gift for her MOM than it is for her.)

Happy birthday, peanut!

Check the album out here.
Then watch this short but sweet clip of him and son Justin Townes Earle playing a GREAT old song in an episode of TREME.

How many author/historians do you know? How many author/historians do you know who understand the importance of attaching a good time to their book release party?

Personally, my answer to both questions is “one.” Her name is Amy Elliott Bragg. And tonight (Thursday, January 12, 2012), she’ll be at Sugar Maple. It’s a free event that begins with a brief talk/book signing, and ends with everyone drinking, talking, and dancing to soul music, courtesy of man-about-town Aaron Schleicher.

The poster has all the important info. As does Google. Don’t let the snow be an excuse to miss this. She’s not in town every week. Also: you’re from Milwaukee. Being afraid of snow is as ridiculous as being afraid of cheese.

Yes, another. Which means you either didn’t read my last post, or you forgot. It happens.

The above napkin was done sometime last year, on a plane to Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, or Philadelphia (because those were the only three places I went last year). When Bunny Gumbo‘s “Best of Combat Theatre” event happened mid-December 2011, we tossed this napkin into the giant dwellephant prize pack, which included a Louder Than a Bomb screen-printed poster, a Mucca Pazza screen print, some small original paintings, possibly a t-shirt, and something else I can’t remember. If you won it, leave a comment below and let me know.

If you flew on a Frontier Airlines plane this past November or December, the above magazine cover will look familiar to you. It’s the official In-Flight magazine of Frontier Airlines. Perhaps you flipped through it. And perhaps you stumbled upon this page:

Sweet! A “things to do in Milwaukee” page. There are some pretty great recommendations there– Lo-Cash Live, The Rumpus Room, The Get Down, Art Vs. Craft. And… huh… the image connected to Art Vs. Craft looks familiar… because it’s me. Here’s a close-up to prove it:

Not gonna’ lie: I was pretty geeked out about this. (Even if I didn’t take part in this year’s version of the event the image was for.) My pal Angie was flying back from Washington, D.C., and spotted it. She immediately texted me about it, and when I eventually flew Frontier in November, I snagged myself a couple of copies.

The photo is from 2010‘s Art Vs. Craft event. Our pal Scott Winklebleck took it. Pretty sure I owe him a beer for submitting this. Unless, of course, the Art Director requested it, in which case, I owe you a beer, Art Director person. (I’m also available for interviews, features, and freelance work. FYI.)

These aren’t all of them. Just the handful I wanted to share, in case you have some Holiday Gift Money burning a hole in your pocket.

First up is this sweet family portrait. It’s the first thing I’ve ever painted while listening to a Monday Night Football game via Internet radio. And despite the unfortunate outcome of the game, I managed to keep my sadness at bay and bring only happiness to the finished piece. I love putting people in boats. I also double-loved painting this particular dog:

A very generous mom emailed me for a painting for her son. He likes super heroes. She wanted me to paint him as a super hero. So I did. The original version was just him, in flight, looking at the viewer. Then I remembered when I was a little boy, how most of my playing consisted of me taking the good guy toys, and having them beat up the bad guy toys. I decided to let that inspire this:

Obvious safety issues aside, this was one of my favorite pieces to do this year. Largely because I know the proud Papa this was painted for. But also because everything just plain clicked for me– the colors, the textures. In short: the complete and total art nerd in me was pleased. Too bad the holidays made me so scatterbrained that I forgot to get a solid scan of this:

If you’re one of the six people who regularly read this, you know how much I like words, and love drawing them. Rebecca knows this. That’s why she asked me to letter this beautiful verse from a man named Arnold. It’s a poem that was a part of her wedding, and this was lettered for the man she married:

It looks even better framed:

Like I said– there were a few others. Some I have scans of. Some I spent a LOT of time on yet somehow managed to completely forget to grab a photo of. C’est la vie. (That’s French for, “Meh…”) But if any of you handsome water-drinkers ever needs someTHING special for your someONE special, well, I’m just sayin’… I know a guy.

And then there were the incredible sets by Group Of The Altos and John The Savage. We HAD to stop painting and watch them.

Here are the two finished pieces we did. Love ‘em? Let me know. They’re looking for good homes. Both measure roughly 16″ on the short side, and 22″ on the other. And both are made with acrylic paint on thin wood.

And so, on December 3, the Rogues Gallery at Packrat Comics in Columbus, Ohio will host an opening most epic. It’s a gigantic group show. Or so I’ve been told. I don’t actually have a flier or anything promoting it yet. But you can click here and get the gallery’s info.

Sadly, I won’t be there. Nor will this drawing of Fozzie Bear:

Instead, I’m sending these three pieces:

A portrait of the master, Jim Henson. And a quote of his. There is no single artist I admire more.

The four main Muppets. I think it’s fair to say they’re the main ones, right? Also: I love drawing arms. A lot. Come watch me do live art sometime. Inevitably, I’ll draw some random arms. But these? Really, the arms are all you need to know who it is.

The first Republican I ever knew.

Hope some of you Columbus kids can make it out to see the work up close. Let me know if you do.