Tom's Mad Blog
November 22nd, 2008 | Posted in General
A never considered myself much of a “Trekkie” (or “Trekker” if you prefer). The original “Star Trek” series aired when I was only 2 years old so I grew up watching it on syndication… which is appropriate since that is when Star Trek really became a phenomenon. Being a comic book reader and science fiction fan I naturally liked and watched the show but I was more of a cape and cowl kid. I did buy many of the old Star Trek model kits that contained a phaser, communicator and tricorder (I must have slipped that slimy decal of the alien face onto that tiny… READ MORE
November 21st, 2008 | Posted in General
Very busy right now but I thought I’d do a quick post recommending a recent comic book series from a King. Not Jack “King” Kirby (don’t we all wish we could see more Kirby work on the comic book shelves)… but a new series based on a novel by Stephen King. I took Number One Son Thomas to the comic book shop the other day, and I was surprised and delighted to see there is another adaptation of a “King story on the stands… actually “The Stand“. The first three issues are already out. I picked them up with some low expectations, mainly because the… READ MORE
November 20th, 2008 | Posted in News
The original art for the 12 covers known as the “Soul of MAD” are now officially the “SOLD of MAD“. The originals paintings for the covers of issues #30 (pictured above), #31, #32, #36, #38, #43, #94, #96, #126, #153, #154 and #171, along with 24 other original cover illustrations and vintage MAD artwork sold at an auction conducted by Heritage Auction Galleries on the 14th of this month for a combined total of just under $750,000. According to the linked article, that was over twice the projected amount for the collection of MAD art. Issue #30, which featured the first definitive Alfred E. Neuman… READ MORE
November 19th, 2008 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
One of the few TV shows I have been watching this year has been “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”. I was pleasantly surprised how good it was last year in it’s mid-season short run. One of the things that stuck me was the unusual but very good casting of the show. Lena Headly from “300” as Sarah?… I thought she would be too soft but she’s got a nice balance between the paranoid pyscho of Linda Hamilton and a more human mother. Summer Glau as Cameron the female terminator? I thought she was too little and delicate but she’s the best part of the show.… READ MORE
November 18th, 2008 | Posted in General
Yeah, mon. After a long planned weekend getaway in Jamaica I am now once again behind the eight ball on deadlines. Jamaica was fun. Never been before, but the people there are as friendly as you can get. It seems like you are being a smartass saying “mon” to everyone but they love it when you talk to them in their “patwa”, which is what they call Jamiacan lingo. Oh, crap. Forgot about the deadlines for a second… Poster job today and then on to an elaborate MAD job. READ MORE
November 17th, 2008 | Posted in General
Front right going counter clockwise: Jan Powell, Jack Pittman, Joe, Su, Linda Maloof, Robin (peeking out), me, Nick Meglin, Jay Pittman, Grey Blackwell, Dwayne Powell. Pictures courtesy Jack Pittman. While I was in Raleigh earlier this month for the NCN convention, I got a chance to sneak away one evening and have dinner with long time MAD editor Nick Meglin, his lovely lady Linda Maloof and a bunch of local cartoonists/artists that get together often and go by the name “The Usual Suspects”. The group included cartoonist and illustrator Jack Pittman, his son, illustrator Jay Pittman, occasional MAD contributor and editorial cartoonist/animator/illustrator Grey Blackwell, Raleigh… READ MORE
November 16th, 2008 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Do you have any advice for becoming a professional cartoonist? A: Ordinarily I would write on and on about a subject like this one, but I’m just going to provide a link to answer this question today because I am lazy unable to come up with a better answer than Chris Browne’s “How to Be a Cartoonist” That link comes courtesy of the National Cartoonists Society’s website. Chris is of course the writer and artist of “Hagar the Horrible”, and an all around swell guy. He’s got his own blog as well. Thanks to Grant Jonen for the question. If you have a question… READ MORE
November 15th, 2008 | Posted in General
Holy Frivolous Lawsuits, Batman! Dept. My pal Zack Wallenfang recently sent me this link from Variety online. I thought it must be a prank… looks like something from “The Onion”: From Variety Online: Mayor of Batman sues WB, Nolan Southeastern city in Turkey fights for name By ALI JAAFAR Batman has a new adversary: Batman. The mayor of an oil-producing city in southeastern Turkey, which has the same name as the Caped Crusader, is suing helmer Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. for royalties from mega-grosser “The Dark Knight.” Huseyin Kalkan, the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party mayor of Batman, has accused “The Dark Knight” producers of… READ MORE
