Artslam! saves the day

Artslam!: Revenge of the Superheroes took over the Limelight on August 9, and I got to be one of the artists involved. I’ve never done anything like that before (and I’m not much of a painter — I’m more of a Photoshopper), but it was alot of fun and I’d definitely do it again if they’ll have me back.

It’s a little late, but I’ve got pictures from the event after the jump — including my painting of The Joker from Dark Knight (R.I.P. Heath Ledger) in various stages of completion. The photo above is by Rob “Deadbeat Hero” Perez, who organized the whole event and also did a stencil-art version of The Joker that came out really cool.

Close encounters with the third screen

This piece cost me many hours of sleep, but was a ton of fun to work on. In this week’s Current, Ashley Lindstrom takes a look at how the “third screen” (i.e., iPhones and other portable media devices) will impact movie theaters and how we watch films in general. (The “second screen” is TV.)

My editor suggested tying the story in with this summer’s movie season, so I rounded up some of the more recognizable characters so far (sorry, Iron Man), stuck them in a movie theater, but gave them all iPhones (except for Maxwell Smart back there on a shoe phone, and Sex and the City’s Samantha, with a cocktail). Even though Harrison Ford looks more like Mel Gibson (or Ed O’Neill), I actually really like this piece, particularly WALL•E — is it possible to love a character before you’ve seen the movie he’s in? (Too late, I want one.)

Finished cover after the jump. The new issue is on newstands today and online at sacurrent.com!

Film review: “The Incredible Hulk”

In Ang Lee’s 2003 Hulk, Dr. Bruce Banner spent more time brooding than smashing and his big final battle consisted of … transferring his rage to his jellyfish dad. The general consensus: Less sulk, more Hulk.

You can’t fault Marvel Studios and director Louis Leterrier for giving the people what they want, even though they’re only half-right. The Incredible Hulk, a reboot of Lee’s film, makes smashing its top priority – but does so at the expense of character development, dialogue, and plot (you know, the “boring” parts). But for the audience to invest in a fully CG protagonist that speaks five words of dialogue the entire film — one of which is “smash” — there has to be more going on when ol’ Jade Jaws is stuck inside puny Edward Norton.

In defense of M. Night

The Happening is coming out on Friday (against the suddenly-looks-awesome Incredible Hulk — not the best idea, there, Fox) and everybody’s making a big deal about the “fall” of M. Night Shyamalan. Cynthia Hawkins takes the floor in defense of the director in this week’s Current, and it’s an interesting read (there’s even a mini war of words in the comments section of the story) — the illustration above was meant to evoke a sort of American tabloid trial for our beleaguered auteur.