I've been involved with FAN-ATIC PRESS and SLAM BANG COMICS here and there since 2006. Publisher/artist Allen Freeman and I have very similar senses of humor, in that we both love the old MAD magazine parodies.
This is an ad he came up with and wanted me to do the art. The first draft had Sally Struthers begging on behalf of the starving artists. I sent Allen a sketch of Sally Struthers clutching two starving artists close to her bosom. One artist was being choked because he was being held too tightly, while the other artist felt quite comfortable being squished into Sally's breast. Allen didn't care for my Sally Struthers image, as he thought I was playing it TOO wacky. He decided he wanted a more low-key sell.
So we changed Sally to that bald headed, white bearded guy, from the commercials that played incessantly a few years ago. He is nameless, just a spokesman I guess. At least, I do not know who he is. So I drew a picture of him from memory, as I couldn't find a reference picture. For the starving artists, I found an actual photo of some poor starving children from one of those ads, and transformed them into sad, pathetic looking artists.
My first version of the white-bearded old guy was way too mean looking. He looked like he was about to kill...
...so I made a slightly happier version.
Actually, I was only supposed to pencil this and Allen was going to ink it, but he ran out of time. He was assembling the comic for publication and he told me he was just going to run it with just my rough pencil art! I said "No way, Jose!" and I spent the next few hours finishing my art! As I was preparing to send him the finished art, I asked him one last question about the picture of the artists.
"Do you want them like this, or with flies all over them?"
"With flies, please!"
So I put flies all over their pathetic faces, making them even more pathetic.
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The ad ran in SLAM BANG COMICS #2 (Vol. III) in 2006-7.
The irony of it all is, right now I really am a starving artist, trying to find paying work where ever I can find it!
PLEASE GIVE, WON'T YOU?
I really am hungry... cough cough...and my cardboard box is starting to fall apart from the rain...
and i could really~ cough cough~ go for a taco~! my charcoal brickette is my writing tool, heat source, and pillow rolled into one~ cough cough~!
ReplyDeleteHAHA! I really like the killing version of the old bearded guy. What this world needs is a new Mad magazine. I looked in the stores and I can't find one anymore.
ReplyDeleteHaha!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is getting old, assaulting people on the street, saying "Hey, buddy, ya wanna - cough cough - buy some comic art? Cough cough haaaaccckkk!!"
KW,
ReplyDeleteI missed your comment, because I posted my reply to Lysdex at the same time you commented.
Thanks! You know, I was thinking the same thing! I haven't seen MAD on the shelves lately, and last week I found one in my local grocery, of all places...the quality of MAD has gone downhill, in my opinion. Half of the issue is full page ads, and the cover price? $5.99!! And they have the nerve to still have the word 'Cheap' next to the price! NOT! I wanted to buy it, until I saw the price, and how thin it was, and some of the content as well....
You are right! I have been toying with the idea for the last few years, and I love the old style MAD! I think a lot of people do! I have decided that world can use a new version of MAD, done right! I don't know what to call it yet, but I plan on publishing a MAD like comic magazine for everyone who loves the old, classic style MAD, filled with great art and humor! If I may be so bold, your art and characters would fit right in! Wow! Just thinking about it gives me chills! I'll have to discuss this with you more soon...
Thanks for the great comment!
i want my Mad CHEEEEP!
ReplyDelete