Mystery Kaiju

Who can identify the mystery kaiju in this old menko card and the name of the film they appeared in?

Hey, you kids! Get off my lawn!

Langorias Reborn

Couldn't resist developing this a bit further. Some of the other Kaiju Comrades pieces are scheduled for upgrades too.

Kaiju Comrades 2 video!

Read all about it here!

Kaiju Comrades 2

Mark Nagata presents Kaiju Comrades 2 at Design Festa Gallery, East Room #303 Tokyo, Japan from March 12—14, 2010. The opening is only a week away and all my work is finally winging its way over to Harajuku. I'll be sitting this out in Chicago unfortunately. Check out the full lineup of artists and a promo video here and here.

Thanks to Mr. Miyamoto and of course Mr. Nagata for making this all possible! I welcome your feedback on the designs-- I'm ready to start sculpting prototypes of the pieces that generate the most interest.

Ultra Kaiju Menko

from top, left to right: Hidora, Banilla, Gabura, Dodongo, Prote Seijin, Aron, Mephuilas, Goldon, Tetsujin 28-gou, Spehl Seijin, Zarab Seijin

Nude Date with Baragon

image courtesy of Ed Godziszewski.Baragon ©2010 Tōhō Kabushiki-kaisha.

Gekko Kamen menko

Swingin' Kaiju No. 963

Instant Toy Karma's Gonna Get You!

Coming up in just a few weeks is Toy Karma 2 • Art Inspired by Classic Japanese Toys —— and, thanks to the new trend in alphabetization, I'm at the head of the list! Thanks to Mark Nagata for making me a returning Toy Karmanaut!

Handing the mic to Mr. Kirby Kerr here:

What is Toy Karma? Well, in our case, it’s an art exhibit featuring artists expressing their love for classic Japanese toys. But it’s so much more than that. As Mark Nagata, founder of Max Toy Company and curator of this exhibit explains on his blog, it’s the idea that if you’re honest in your dealings that one toy that you’ve always dreamed of getting will eventually come to you. For many serious toy collectors it’s a guideline, a mantra and yes, even a lifestyle. This exhibit pays homage to the mysterious force and power that toys have over us.

Toy Karma, the exhibit, is held every other year at Rotofugi Gallery, Chicago. The first Toy Karma exhibit was held in September 2007. Toy Karma 2 (aka TKII) will be held at Rotofugi Gallery September 5-20, 2009. We hope you can join us!

Toy Karma 2

Rotofugi Gallery

1955 W Chicago Ave • Chicago, IL

Opening Saturday, September 5 • 7pm-10pm

Music by dep

Exhibit continues through September 20

http://www.toykarma.rotofugi.com/

Alex again...

Here are the preview jpegs of my pieces.

"Tura Satana in Violent Planet" will be available in two editions: the "Classic" design with blue-green sky and a psychedelic, or "Hawaiian" edition featuring heavy doses of yellow, pink and orange. (Sorry, no Glow in Dark available. Maybe next time...) The prints are 13" x 19" giclees on Ultra Premium Matte 100% cotton rag stock. There will be only 25 signed and numbered copies of each edition —— don't miss this! And don't make me use so many exclamation marks!!!

Hope to see you there!

Ultra ジグソーパズル

These jigsaw puzzles were the very first Ultraman items in my
collection--I've had them since 1969. They came in little boxes
marked "20 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle." No manufacturer name or other
information, just a simple "Made in Japan" notice on the bottom.
I believe the art was very likely originally intended for menko
cards--possibly the larger variety as they are quite detailed.
Something that viewing these images on a monitor can't convey is
that they are 5 color prints--all have metallic gold borders
and pictorial areas. I've collected many more Ultraman pieces
since then and yet these remain some of my most treasured pieces.
O-tanoshimi ni.


Ultraman tai Kaiju Gabora

I have a small sized menko with the same image that I found
around the same time. Though the monsters were the main
attraction for me back in '69 (it was some years before I'd
learn the word "kaiju") I became fascinated by the humanoid
figure. Who was that glowing-eyed being with the mysterious grin?


Bemlar • Gavadon O-abare!!



Hassha! Baltan • Antlar o Taose!!



Ultraman tai Kaiju Gyango




Magma Taishi • Kaiju Aron • Kaiju Gappa (Mama Gappa!)



Batman and Robin! Kairyu Daikessen!

For most American fans, this final card is the mind-blower of
the set. Batman's costume colors are definitely "off-model" and
Robin has a pistol! I didn't realize that the helmeted shooters
were Ultraman's Science Patrol team members until I became
more steeped in Ultra Lore.

Better be Better

Forrest J Ackerman 1916—2008

Defender of Democracy vs Kaiju Kong

I suppose it's appropriate in this election week that my friend Mark Nagata posted a new painting on his Toy Karma blog of Founding Father George Washington combatting the evil Eyezon. I was not hitherto aware of this battle from the dawn of our democracy! How many know that nearly 200 years later there was another great confrontation between an icon of Truth, Justice and the American Way and a malevolent creature from the unknown? Witness now the clash of titans when Lady Liberty battled the Mammoth Kong!



Mammoth Kong rises from the sea!



Population in terror! Mammoth Kong attacks!



Here come the jets--and Lady Liberty!



Lady Liberty! Defeat Mammoth Kong!

The Lost Films of Tura Satana

As I've written previously, I've been invited to show in "Tura! Tura! Tura!" a group happening celebrating the legendary screen icon, Tura Satana! Exhibit curated by Mitch O'Connell, Beth Cisco and Casey Sass, the opening is Thursday, October 30th from 7 to 11pm at the Tattoo Factory Gallery, 4443 N. Broadway in Chicago.

Just completed are two rare Japanese posters from Tura's lost and, up to now, unknown films from the late 1960s!



Tura reprises her role as exotic, tassell-twirling Suzette Wong in a sequel to "Irma La Douce" directed by Billy Wilder —— "The World of Suzette Wong." Filmed in Parisian and Far East locations, this time Suzette's penchant for gambling and gamblers brings her afoul of the law and the local Yakuza-gumi in Japan's port city of Kobe. Havoc ensues when the sizzling Suzette catches the eye of the Big Boss (Shin Kishida) in a riotous dice-rolling rumble!



While filming on the Daiei Studio sets during "Suzette," Tura was introduced to studio chief Masaichi Nagata. An enterprising connoisseur of international cinema, Mr. Nagata praised Tura on her then-recent US blockbuster, "Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kil!" Over many cups of green tea, a plan was made. Teamed with director Kenji Misumi (Zatoichi series, Nemuri Kyoshiro series, DaiMajin series), Tura would power up her dynamic Varla character for a voyage to another world! Shooting under the working title "Varla's Outer Space Adventure" (Varla no Uchuu Dai Boken) began in July of 1968. As work progressed the title was changed to "Violent Planet" and tested Tura's endurance to the summer heat and on-set pyrotechnics. A climactic battle with Varla wielding only a shoto (short sword) against twin Guillon monsters was planned and possibly filmed. Unfortunately no footage has survived and we can only yearn for this lost jewel through the film's poster art.

Astromonster Fine Arts is the exclusive publisher of these rare treasures from the mod world of '60s cinema. Write to astromonster(at)sbcglobal(dot)net for details and ordering info.

SUPERDOGunderdog Video!

The Chicago Tribune website has an interview with me, Tony Akins, Gene Ha and Jeff Zwirek, that lovable cast of rogues otherwise known as The SUPERDOGunderdog Show. Go to Comics as Art for the video!

Ten Minutes of Terror!

Can you take it?




WildC​law Theatre is putti​ng on Deathscribe:​ Ten Minut​es of Terro​r Radio​ Play Festi​val at the Music​ Box Theater on October 6th. Join us for an eveni​ng of short​ horro​r stori​es done radio​ style​ with live foley​ and music​ by some of the best actor​s and direc​tors in Chica​go.​

Tony Akins is on the jury at Deathscribe to help select the Best of Festival entry.

Event​:​ Death​scrib​e
Date:​ Monda​y,​ Oct. 6 at 8PM
Place​:​ The Music​ Box Theat​er,​ 3733 N. South​port,​ Chica​go
Cost:​ $15 in advan​ce,​ go to the WildC​law websi​te

Tura! Tura! Tura!

Just as we're catching our breath and getting to work on new art for the Miami Kaiju Monster Invasion show, another fantastic group show in Chicago looms near.

Mitch O'Connell, Beth Cisco and Casey Sass are curating a show devoted to new art celebrating the amazing icon Tura Satana!

Tura started exotic dancing at the age of 13. She became a burlesque sensation earning the title Miss Japan Beautiful. From there her talents lead her to guest appearances on many top television shows of the 60s including Hawaiian Eye, Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Burkes Law. Movie roles followed in Our Man Flint, Irma la Douce and The Astro Zombies, but her greatest cinematic superstar achievement was as the baddest badass Varla, the leader of 3 thrill seeking strippers in Russ Meyer's legendary masterpiece,"Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!"



The show will be at the Tattoo Factory Gallery here in Tura's home town, Chicago. The opening will be Thursday, October 30th from 7pm to 11pm. Gallery owner Paul Collurafici (and owner of the adjacent Tattoo Factory) is kindly donating the space and will not be taking a commission, so all profits earned hosting the event will go to Apna Ghar, a domestic violence shelter serving Asian women and children.

The Tattoo Factory
4443 N. Broadway St.
Chicago, Il. 60640

Exciting news! The amazing Chicago burlesque troupe The Flaming Dames have just been added to the Tattoo Factory Gallery opening night and willl be performing 2 exotic, erotic and energized acts during the festivities!!!

Plus! This just in! The poster for the Music Box screening of "Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" by local heartthrob Mitch O'Connell.



My thanks to Mitch for the invitation to show! Below is a teaser, the back cover of the Estrus Supersnazz record-plus-comic set I drew back in 1995. I'm doing a few brand new pieces honoring Tura. I hope you'll all come out for the opening——Miss Tura Satana is scheduled to attend. This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet a legend——don't miss this one!

Max Toy Kaiju Bromide Project

The Kaiju Boom (roughly 1966—1975) penetrated every level of popular media in Japan; film and TV were ground zero but the shockwaves spread to include sofubi, games, puzzles, records, clothing and more. The demand for pure images was nowhere better expressed than in the multitude of collectable cards known in Japan as "bromides."

An emulsion of silver bromide makes possible the printing of photographic images. In Japan, the loan word "bromide" (ブロマイド) had come to signify a vast array of pictorial reproductions, regardless of whether bromide paper was used. Since the early 1900s bromides were distributed to idolize celebrities— geisha and sports stars, singers, actors and actresses. In the latter half of the 20th century, the kaiju became the new celebrity of the post-Atomic Age.

It was Yo Miyamoto who suggested to Kaiju and Ultraman super-collector Mark Nagata "an awesome idea" —— to put together a set of Kaiju Bromide cards to be included with a release of a MaxToy Battle Pack sofubi set for WonderFest 2008 in Japan. The concept would have Mark's Captain Maxx, Eyezon and Alien Xam mix it up with Target Earth's kaiju Gumos and Gameldon.

Mark put out the call for entries to a select cadre of kaiju creators: Bob Conge, Ralph Cosentino, Steve Forde, Nawoki Karasawa, Naritada Shintani and myself. I'm honored to be a part of this crew. There are 15 cards, 11 originals and 4 doubles. Mark's own contributions include spot on, period-authentic "zukan" (cutaway anatomies) of the Target Earth kaiju.



Courtesy of Target Earth's Miyamoto-san, here's what little we know about these new and terrifying kaiju:

GUMOS — Capture animals and humans with his six arms and eat them from the heads.
Tear up irons easily with his claws.
Spit out green poison fluid.
GAMELDON — Eat humans.
Very brutal.
Has very small brain.

My entry, "Golden Gate Splashdown," is set in Mark's home base of San Francisco and shows Captain Maxx putting the hurt on Alien Xam while big Eyezon wades in for a stare fest. And damn--why didn't I do another card with the Target Earth kaiju as well? Well, time was of the essence to get this one in by the deadline. Maybe I'll get a chance to work with these characters again.



But don't expect me to give them all up here! I urge you to mouse over to the Max Toy Company's store and order your set now!

Alex Wald Invades Miami!

Miami braces for all-out Kaiju Attack this December!

Astromonster Alex Wald joins the battle!

Harold Golen, founder of Miami’s Harold Golen Gallery will host "Kaiju Monster Invasion," a special December exhibition during Art Basel 2008. Mr. Golen’s gallery focuses on Lowbrow/ Pop-Surrealist Art and has been featured in the New York Times and Architectural Digest.

Kaiju Creator Alex Wald awoke from a millennial slumber to note with dismay that his name did not appear on the roster of teratological talent in the show's ad. Taking matters into hand, Alex contacted Mr. Golen and threatened him with gastric emulsification if he were not extended an invitation to show with the other assembled mutants. Amazingly, the ploy worked!

What is a Kaiju? The meaning of the Japanese word is “Strange Beast,” or simply --- “Monster.” During the 1960s in Japan, toy vinyl figures of popular Japanese characters like Godzilla and Gamera became popular collectables. Over the next four decades Kaiju spread throughout the world of popular culture, their influence seen in the emerging “art toy” movement, modern couture and in the artworks of lowbrow artists from around the world.

The concept of the Kaiju show at the art center will be to bring the most exciting and subversive artists from Japan and the United States in a single exhibition that will showcase the various interpretations of the Kaiju in both Eastern and Western cultures. This exciting exhibition aims to break new ground in the Kaiju art form while at the same time honoring the rich Kaiju history.

December 3rd, 2008 Through Jan 2009
Kaiju Monster Invasion at South Florida Art Center

Featured Artists

Ron English
Coop
Glenn Barr
Mark Nagata
Carlos Enriquez Gonzalez (Venezuela)
Gargamel (Japan; Koji Harmon and Kiyoka Ikeda)
Mitch O'Connell
Jim Woodring
Anthony Ausgang
Niagara
...and many more!