Work Doodles: Canine Edition

“Why can’t we be friends?”

Afrika Bambaataa

I never meant to do you harm

It’s been a while since I’ve posted an illustration to the blog, but this one — Coldplay frontman Chris Martin grinning through the whacks he’s taken by music critics — seemed decent enough to trot out.

I was a Coldplay fan when they released their debut, Parachutes (which is still a good album) — back when I was really, really into bands from the UK. Just when I was interested in listening to quieter, more contemplative music after an alt-rock hangover, Coldplay was there to provide the soundtrack. And then, they got popular. Really popular. I was totally excited to hear sophomore outing A Rush of Blood to the Head, and it struck a nice balance between their humble acoustic roots and their “rock band” ambitions. They lost me around X&Y, though — too much “biggest band in the world” posturing and not enough substance, or even memorable songs.

I was torn on their last release, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (read my June 2008 review after the jump) but I didn’t outright hate on it like the “asshole” music critics targeted by Current freelancer Abbie Kopf in this week’s issue. (At least, I don’t think so.) Anyway, it’s a great breakdown on the breakdown between the critical community and a band that just wants everyone to sing along. Check it out.

Kurt Cob-angel

Kurt Cobain as an angel (or, as I have christened him, Kurt Cob-angel) that will rid the fashion world of the ugly ’80s and resurrect the ’90s — according to Current fashion writer Courtenay Martin. Sacrilicious!

Smile.

Sketches

Birds in gasmasks.

A new monkey trial?

This week’s Current cover story examines both sides of the battle that will soon take place in the Texas Education system over “intelligent design.” Basically, the way Texas teaches science is going to be up for review (all the subjects are periodically updated and tweaked to ensure maximum effectiveness) and the religious right sees this as their opportunity to make Texan kids even less proficient in science by pushing a creationist agenda in favor of teaching the theory of evolution.

It’s an interesting debate, really — just how do you compare and contrast two things so completely, utterly incomparable? There’s really no way for either side to win this argument, because their shouldn’t even be one. Evolutionary science is pretty much unanimously accepted by, oh, the entire world of scientists and other nerds who sacrificed their social skills to know what they’re talking about. Creationists are in the minority — but they are apparently louder and more vocal then many scientists, and can bully their way into positions of power to push their agenda. Ironically, science nerds are traditionally unable to effectively counter a bully, and seem content to let these guys take their lunch money (read: undermining logic, reason, and facts).

Hey, Texan science educators: Gain some confidence, look Creationism square in the eyes and say, in the strongest voice you can muster: “Hey you, get your damn hands off her.” And yes, McFly, you should swear.

Dreams of Obama

The Current’s cover story this week is an essay by activist Tom Hayden about how Barack Obama will cause and affect the progressive movement in America — and how Obama alone is not enough to create positive social change.

For the cover, I decided to subvert the typical red-white-and-blue-spangled look of most election coverage in favor of warm golds (a nod to Obama’s golden image) and other party-neutral colors. I wanted to visually juxtapose Obama the Myth and Obama the Man, and where those two converge. I found it interesting that Hayden suggests that, despite his historic candidacy (which is progressive at its core), Obama will invariably disappoint many liberal progressives since he will move closer to the center as the campaign rolls on. Thus, Obama’s larger than life shadow isn’t grinning optimistically, but rather more stoic and reserved, with a hint of uncertainty (it’s subtle, but it’s there … I think).

Anyway, read the article, it’s pretty interesting. This week’s cover in its completed form below (and check the lower left for some Brent Evans/John Cougar sleevefacing — more to come on that soon).

Running Joker

I might as well make this a Batman blog, as 70-percent of the content so far is somehow Joker- or Dark Knight-related. But it’s all a big coincidence, I promise. 

Flying in the face of that promise is a link to yet another story on TDK, this one about who — should Christopher Nolan somehow opt to bring The Joker back for Batman 3*  — is best suited to take up Heath Ledger’s grease paint and jagged smile. Current freelancer Matthew Monagle suggests Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Yes, the kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun. But he was also awesome as the teen detective in Brick, and apparently equally awesome in The Lookout and various other indie-film roles.

Really, this article just gave me an opportunity to play in Photoshop. Once I started layering on the facepaint, I was sort of astounded at how eerily similar Gordon-Levitt looks to Ledger — he could be Heath’s skinnier, younger brother. I didn’t do anything to Levitt’s face other than cake on the makeup and add The Joker’s trademark facial scaring, (in other words, no scaling/moving of features) and the finished product looks pretty close to Ledger to me. So, even though Ledger won’t be reprising his role, it doesn’t have to mean the end of The Joker in a third Batfilm. Now all  have to do is get Gordon-Levitt to stand completely still and not say anything to make the illusion complete.

This article reminded me of another image I had worked up over a year ago, back when ibelieveinharveydent.com first hit the internet (it, and all the other Dark Knight viral sites, have since been “Jokerized”) and we got our first look at Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent. I was bored one night and did my own take on Two-Face’s facial scarring — although after seeing the movie, my version (on the left) was way too tame … yikes.

*If they keep up not using the word “Batman” in the title, what other nicknames are left? Caped Crusader? Matches Malone?)