30 Years of RETURN OF THE JEDI - Part 2

Before becoming Return of the Jedi, the third Star Wars film was announced as being titled Revenge of the Jedi. This title, and logo was printed on licensee announcements and movie posters, including the Star Wars rerelease poster shown above.

More famously it appeared on the posters above, one without the release date and one with. As most people knows these posters rocketed in value. I sold two copies of the dateless poster, mistakenly thinking that I still had a third, and though the hundreds of dollars I received were a welcome sum in my college years, I'd still rather have one of the posters. I do still have the Star Wars rerelease with the "Revenge" stripe in the corner.

Why the name change? Someone pointed out that by their nature a Jedi would not seek revenge, and so the title was changed to the softer, if more appropriate Return of the Jedi. "Revenge" would finally become part of the title of the third prequel film, essentially Return of the Jedi's counterpart, Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Even before Revenge of the Jedi, the third Star Wars movie was being filmed under an entirely false alternate title: Blue Harvest. The reason for this was twofold. During the making of The Empire Strikes Back, services would raise their prices to benefit from what was assumed a large budget for a big movie. By filming under a pseudonymous title, the production was able to dodge these artificially inflated costs. 

The other reason was so that they could film Return of the Jedi without being overrun by vast crowds of Star Wars fans. The production of a movie no one ever heard of would generate little interest. A logo, and catch phrase for this supposed horror movie, starring the same actors as the Star Wars movies, was made and affixed to crew shirts and hats, equipment, stationery, and packages. 

Was the ruse a success? Visitors to the scenes of Jabba's sail barge being filmed in the Yuma desert quickly caught on to what was really being filmed, but the crowds were minimal and non-intrusive. Of course the hot, remote, desert location could have helped on its own. 

I have one of the Blue Harvest t-shirts packed away. 

30 Years of RETURN OF THE JEDI - Part 1

On May 25th, 1983, Return of the Jedi, the last film in the original Star Wars trilogy arrived in movie theaters. I cut school that day with my friend, Craig in order to take in the first show at the nearest theater playing it which was a 45 minute drive away from us. We were already excited to see it, following every possible source of information leading up to Jedi's arrival for tidbits of information, which was a lot different in the pre internet days. My subscription to Bantha Tracks, the official Lucasfilm/Star Wars Fan Club newletter provided much of the information, but there were other magazines, too. I remember being blown away by the photo below of Luke Skywalker, blaster in hand, surrounded by Jabba's court of thugs when it appeared in Starlog magazine. 

Then there was the image below, and Craig and I were among the first people not associated with the movie to see it. It was shown during a Q and A with producer Howard Kazanjian at Boskone. At the time we all thought that maybe it was the original Death Star, not quite blown to atoms by Luke's torpedo. 

Craig and I reached the movie theater well ahead of time. We were first in line, interviewed by a local paper, and though we were both really excited coming out of the theater when it was over, eventually the realization sunk in (at least for me) that Return of the Jedi was a mixed bag, especially given how outstanding the first two movies were. 

Yes, the movie had a lot of great stuff. The space battles were exciting as was the speeder bike chase. In fact the special effects, overall, were pretty spectacular.  The scenes with Luke and Vader, and Luke, Vader, and the Emperor were so good that they elevated the whole movie from being something that could be skipped (such as Episode I and Episode II), and even though I found the bulk of the Jabba the Hutt scenes to be too muppety, rubber, and too comedic in tone, I liked those scenes because I'm a big fan of monsters and space aliens. Other things about Return of the Jedi really bothered me though. 

Han, the coolest of the characters was reduced to being something of a buffoon, and Chewie and Lando weren't that far behind. Boba Fett, the cool new bounty hunter character introduced in The Empire Strikes Back, returned to prove he was an inept, clumsy buffoon as well, disappointing fans around the world. His indignities were amplified when new footage was shot for the special edition released in 1997, and we got to see Boba Fett hitting on the backup singers and then having to rush back in place while his employer is being threatened by a stranger with a thermal detonator. 

Leia, the princess who didn't need boys to rescue her, had almost nothing to do in this movie beyond look fetching in a bikini. C-3PO was also wasted as a character. Only R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker were able to maintain their dignity throughout. 

While the first two movies introduced new amazing things with every scene, Jedi was really light on amazing new things. Sure there was Jabba, the Rancor, and the Sarlacc, as well as the Speeder Bikes, and the Rebels had some cool new alien species and some cool new ships that we didn't really get to see, but that's about it. Everything else was recycled from previous movies. 

Then there were these guys:

I'm not even talking about their appearance, which doesn't actually bother me all that much, but their behavior was also just too gentle and soft, and like the scenes with Jabba the Hutt felt like George Lucas wanted this movie to appeal much more to really young children than the age group who latched onto the previous films. 

Perhaps the biggest thing that changed for me with Return of the Jedi was that it was the first of the Star Wars movies to come out when I had my own income so that I was no longer entirely reliant on the whims of my parents to obtain the Star Wars merchandise I craved.  Because of this I have a lot more merchandise from Return of the Jedi than I do for the previous movies. It was my hope to showcase much of my collection during this month long celebration of the 30th anniversary of Return of the Jedi. Unlike during my posts for the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars, I am no longer 800 miles away from where my things are stored. I have fairly easy access to it. Unfortunately, I am in the middle of moving, where I'm putting things into boxes, and not digging through sealed boxes taking things out. I was able to access some of my collection, so there should be plenty to look at, starting with tomorrow. 

In the meantime, here are my posts for Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back.

Coming May 1st...

On May 25, 1983, Return of the Jedi hit movie theaters. It was the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy. The Star Wars films had a big impact on me in my youth, and for the entire month of May I'll be sharing all things Return of the Jedi to mark its 30th Anniversary.

In the meantime feel free to take a look at my celebrations of the 30th anniversary of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. 

My Next Gallery Show

I have two pieces in the "I Love You Man" show at Bottleneck Gallery which opens May 10th. I'll preview my work here a few days before the show opens.

Boston Comic Con - Cancelled

Due to ongoing events in Boston, which is still under lockdown, Boston Comic Con has been cancelled. There are plans to reschedule. If I will be in attendance at the rescheduled convention I will let everyone know.

Boston Comic Con This Saturday

I will be attending Boston Comic Con this Saturday and only Saturday. I'm not an official guest and do not have a table, but if you're attending and want to bring something for me to sign, feel free. Leave a comment, or email me before Saturday morning and I will try and arrange a meet. Otherwise I'll be wandering around and visiting my fellow comic book creators and will be wearing this shirt:

The best places to look for me will be with Mike Mignola, Steve Niles, or Sean Hartter.

Ask Me.. Nothing

Today is the first Monday of the month which means that it's usually time for "Ask Me Anything" which is a pretty self explanatory feature. For the months of April and May I will be putting "Ask Me Anything" on hiatus and will not be taking any questions.

This is no April Fools joke, but do to a number of coinciding factors (see previous post) such as deadlines, an impending move, and so on.

I do have some posts I've been working on which I hope to feature here during April and May, so keep checking back. "Ask Me Anything" will resume on the first Monday of June. In the meantime, feel free to peruse past editions in the archives.

Handy Excuse

You may have noticed that the number of posts here have dwindled down to almost nothing. The reason for this is not a lack of interest in providing entertaining distractions, but one medical in nature.

For years, I've experienced a numbness in my hands after long periods of repetitive use -- driving, typing, turing the pages in a magazine, etc. I've always assumed it was a carpal tunnel problem, and no surprise, it turns out I was right. It had never interfered with work before, so I learned to live with it. then, starting last December, excruciating pain began to accompany the numbness, and the onset of both began to occur more and more quickly. Now, I can manage about an hour of typing before I need to take a break of at least a couple of hours. Using scissors or an x-acto knife usually allows me two hours of productivity before I have to quit for a few ours, if not the entire day.

On the plus side, I'm working with my doctor to get this corrected, and it looks like it will be through outpatient surgery. Of course, since there are a number of specialists I need to go through to get to that surgery, it could be a few months before that surgery happens.

In the meantime, because my productivity is so diminished, I'm trying to put the bulk of my efforts into work that generates income. That isn't to say I'll be abandoning my blog. I still have Robert Pope's question to answer this month, the long promised annotated Xombi to finish (I'm half way through, but don't want to post any of it until all the work is done) and some other things. In the meantime, I have some long overdue posts that are mostly visual in nature that I'll put up here periodically.

I don't need any sympathy, just patience. This is more inconvenient for me than debilitating, and I'm still trying to navigate working around the problem while waiting for it to be corrected, but I'm still moving forward on a variety of projects -- just at a slower pace than usual.

Work In Progress

Ask Me Anything #28

It's the first Monday of the month and time for "Ask Me Anything."  I'll field any questions and try and answer them throughout the month.

Questions can be about anything at all; my work, my influences, my opinions, my favorites, least favorites, stuff I've watched, read, looked at, eaten, or listened to, or anything else you might want to know, and that I might have an answer for. Head down to the comment section and post your question. I'll either post my answer in the comment section as well, or answer it in a special post all its own sometime later in the month.

Please take the time to view the previous questions so that we don't wind up with a lot of repetition. I've been asked a lot of good, thought provoking questions in the past as well as some really banal ones, all of which I tried to answer. You can see the previous questions by visiting Ask Me Anything  #1, #2 ,  #3, #4, #5, #6 , #7 , #8, #9,  #10,  #11,  #12 , #13, #14,  #15 , #16, #17 , #18 , #19,  #20,  #21, #22,  #23, #24, #25, #26, and #27.  Answers not found following the questions can be found in the archives section for each associated month under Ask Me Anything.

Now ask away. 

Freaks and Geeks

I'm clearing a lot of files off of my computer. Going through them I found these.

When I was making my pieces for the Judd Apatow show at Gallery 1988 last December, I realized that I couldn't fit them on my scanner and would have to photograph them instead. I also ended up scanning the figures in pairs against a different background before i glued them to their actual backgrounds, just to have clean scans of them.

I was never happy with Daniel's face, and this was the best of three attempts and batches of sketches. Everyone else though, I was pretty happy with.

Random Objects In My Office

It's been a long time since I've posted any random objects from my office. I've done it so infrequently that I think that all of the previous photos each depict a different office.

This one is a Warner Brothers Store exclusive from the mid-90s. This is a set of Two-Face bookends based on the character design from Batman the Animated Series. I've never used them as bookends, but instead have always displayed them as a bust.

Opening Tonight

If you live in the NYC area, be sure to stop by the Bottleneck Gallery tonight for the opening of the "Get a Room" show. There will be plenty of great art to look at and purchase depicting great couples from pop culture. The opening starts at 7:00 pm and runs until 10:00pm. The show itself runs through March 8th.

You can view the piece I did for the show by scrolling down to the previous post.

UPDATE: All of the artwork is now up on the website for viewing and/or purchase.

La Belle et La Bete

Here's a sneak peak of the piece I did for the "Get a Room" show which opens at the Bottleneck Gallery this Friday. It's a 3-D cut paper assemblage based on Jean Cocteau's masterpiece, La Belle et La Bete (1946).

I'm Now on Tumblr

I've finally decided to open a Tumblr account.

Right now I'll probably use it as a promotional tool; an additional platform to showcase my work. It will have a more complete collection of my collage work than my flickr account that I'm currently using as my online gallery, and while there won't be anything I don't show here, it will be easier to see everything all in one place than it is to do so here. This blog will still be the place to find out about my work in more depth and will be the place I share other things that I find of interest.

If you're interested in following it, my tumblr account can be found here.

Mad Scientist #26

Mad Scientist #26 is now available for purchase. It contains a full color cut paper collage piece I did portraying Godzilla, as well as lots of great stuff. This is an excellent magazine that I highly recommend. The contents of this issue and ordering information are available at the Mad Scientist website.

One Week From Now...

I'll be posting a preview of the piece I did for this show early next week. 

In Stores Today

SCOOBY-DOO! Where Are You? #30 makes its debut at a comic book store near you today. It includes a story written by me. It's a "Velma's Monsters of the World" story about the kraken. This story initially appeared way back in Scooby-Doo #121 (August 2007) and is not new.

Here's DC's solicitation information, and a preview of the issue itself.

Ask Me Anything #27

It's the first Monday of the month, and the new year, and time for "Ask Me Anything."  I'll field any questions and try and answer them throughout the month.

Questions can be about anything at all; my work, my influences, my opinions, my favorites, least favorites, stuff I've watched, read, looked at, eaten, or listened to, or anything else you might want to know, and that I might have an answer for. Head down to the comment section and post your question. I'll either post my answer in the comment section as well, or answer it in a special post all its own sometime later in the month.

Please take the time to view the previous questions so that we don't wind up with a lot of repetition. I've been asked a lot of good, thought provoking questions in the past as well as some really banal ones, all of which I tried to answer. You can see the previous questions by visiting Ask Me Anything  #1, #2 ,  #3, #4, #5, #6 , #7 , #8, #9,  #10,  #11,  #12 , #13, #14,  #15 , #16, #17 , #18 , #19,  #20,  #21, #22,  #23, #24, #25, and #26.  Answers not found following the questions can be found in the archives section for each associated month under Ask Me Anything.

Now ask away. 

Femmes Fatales on DVD

Season One of the Cinemax series, Femme Fatales is now available on DVD. This includes the episode "Haunted" which I co-wrote under a combined pseudonym.

Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2013

Xombi has been selected by YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association ( a division of the American Library Association) as on of the great graphic novels for teens for 2013. According to the website these graphic novels, "recommended for ages 12-18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens."

To see the complete list, visit the YALSA website.

Humbug

At the beginning of the month, Robert Pope asked me which version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL is my favorite and why?

My absolute favorite version is the book by Charles Dickens, but I know that's not what you meant. Most of the versions, even the ones that I don't find to be rewarding overall have at least some element to them I that I like a lot, and often times better than the way that same element is presented in a superior adaptation.

Overall though, the movie version of A Christmas Carol that I like best is Scrooge, the 1951 adaptation starring Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge. I haven't seen it (or any other version of A Christmas Carol) in a number of years, but this is the one I turn to most often. Sim is great as Scrooge, and the whole film has a feel to it that seems like it comes from an earlier age. It also has Ernest Thesiger precisely cast as the undertaker and Patrick Macnee, surprisingly, as the young version of Jacob Marley. The whole cast is good and so are the ghosts.

I'm also very fond of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962), which when you eliminate the songs, the razzleberry dressing, and the songs about razzleberry dressing is a very serious and stirring adaptation and the ghosts -- all of the ghosts are really creepy.

Finally, I also really loved the Doctor Who "A Christmas Carol" from 2011, which is a very loose adaptation which still hits all of the main plot points of the Dickens story even though it's set on another planet, features suspended animation, sharks that swim through the air and Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra. It's a very moving story with Michael Gambon as the Scrooge character and is also one of my two favorite episodes of the current Doctor Who series. 

I'm curious to know what Robert Pope's favorite adaptation is (or anyone else who might want to chime in in the comments below). 

From the Archives - 16

I can't believe it's been almost a year since I last posted a "From the Archives" entry. Here's a little something from the mid-late 1990s.

This is presentation material for a proposed graphic novel written by me with art by J. J. Birch, my artist from the first incarnation of Xombi.

The project began as a multi-part serial story for a proposed comics magazine along the lines of Heavy Metal, which never came to be. The first ten page installment was completely written, drawn and lettered. The material was then used as a starting point for a potential graphic novel being shopped around to investors by the same individual behind the magazine. Nothing wound up coming of it, but the material is still relevant, and if I can ever locate J. J. Birch, I may still try and do something with it, which is why I'm not including the actual story material here.

Instead, here is some more of the presentation material.

Opening Tonight

"Gadgets and Gizmos" opens tonight at the Bottleneck Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. The group show honors various pieces of hardware and technology found in pop culture. The opening is from 7pm - 10pm and the show itself runs through February 3. Part of the proceeds will benefit the Humane Society.

I have two pieces in the show which can be viewed by scrolling down to the previous post.

Gadgets and Gizmos

This Friday, "Gadgets and Gizmos" opens at the Bottleneck Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. The show is devoted to various bits of tech and hardware from pop culture. 

I've contributed two pieces to the show. "Robby the Robot" from Forbidden Planet, as seen above, and "Imperial Probe Droid" from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, below. Both are cut paper collage assemblages. Robby has some dimension to him, but the Imperial Probe Droid is a full 3-D piece. 

The opening reception is Friday, January 18, from 7pm - 10pm, and the show runs through February 3rd. Part of the proceeds will benefit the Humane Society. 

Help Save Metro Comics

For over two decades, Metro Entertainment has been the center of pop culture in the beautiful oceanside town of Santa Barbara, CA. Promoting comic books with its strong media presence, holding countless creator signings, and giving away thousands of free comics, it's done everything it can to keep the medium alive by bringing in new readers.

But now, due to owner Bob Ficarra's medical problems and the ensuing bills not covered by insurance, Metro is in danger of closing.

To help prevent this from happening, Simpsons artist/writer BILL MORRISON has organized this and many more original art auctions to come in an effort to save the store. Comic book greats such as Neal Adams, Dave Gibbons, Bruce Timm, Geof Darrow, Paul Smith and more have already contributed art to the cause. 

There is still a lot of great artwork available with more to come. Visit the ebay listings here. I've contributed two pieces of art with will be put up for auction at a later date. 

Ask Me Anything #26

It's the first Monday of the month, and the new year, and time for "Ask Me Anything."  I'll field any questions and try and answer them throughout the month.

Questions can be about anything at all; my work, my influences, my opinions, stuff I've watched, read, looked at, eaten, or listened to, or anything else you might want to know, and that I might have an answer for. Head down to the comment section and post your question. I'll either post my answer in the comment section as well, or answer it in a special post all its own sometime later in the month.

Please take the time to view the previous questions so that we don't wind up with a lot of repetition. I've been asked a lot of good, thought provoking questions in the past as well as some really banal ones, all of which I tried to answer. You can see the previous questions by visiting Ask Me Anything  #1, #2 ,  #3, #4, #5, #6 , #7 , #8, #9,  #10,  #11,  #12 , #13, #14,  #15 , #16, #17 , #18 , #19,  #20,  #21, #22,  #23, #24, and #25.  Answers not found following the questions can be found in the archives section for each associated month under Ask Me Anything.

Now ask away. 

Some End of the Year Accolades for Xombi

Topless Robot has selected the trade paperback collection of Xombi as one of the ten best graphic novels of 2012.

It was also one of the best of 2012 at Armzrace Comics.

Here's a recent review from The Salt Lake City Public Library Alternative Press Blog.

Six-Hundred Monsters

If you like monsters be sure to visit my side blog, The Grim Gallery, where I've been sharing my vast collection of monster images at the rate of one per day. Today marks The Grim Gallery's 600th post, so there are a lot of monsters to look at and many, many more to come.

Judd Apatow Show Video

The Judd Apatow Tribute Show at Gallery 1988 ended a couple of days ago, but for those of you who missed it, you can experience it through this video.  You can view my pieces for the show here.