Winsor McCay Wednesday: February 4th 1906

                                From February 4 1906

the Art of Zelda

Video game art is always inspired. The designs and concept work that go into the creation of a game are often times more indepth and of greater volume than an animated film. I love fantasy art and video games...and nothing has combined those genres together like Nintendo's Legend of Zelda franchise. So today I thought I'd bring you a small sampeling of art from the gazillions of Zelda games over the last 3 decades. Enjoy!

Winsor McCay Wednesday: January 28th 1906

                               From January 28 1906

Happy Birthday Robert E. Howard

Today we say Happy Birthday to the creator of the legendary Conan the Barbarian, Robert E. Howard (January 22, 1906 – June 11, 1936). He was the creator of sword and sorcery fantasy and because of this his material has been fodder for some of the greatest works of art on the planet. People like Frank Frazetta, Barry Windsor Smith, and Cary Nord have all brought his works to vivid life. He may not have been on this Earth for long, but his brilliant creations will live on for centuries.

Artist Spotlight: Jeff Smith

If you're a fan of graphic storytelling and epic fantasy then Jeff Smith should be a name at the top of your list. If you don't recognize him then you know nothing of those two things. He is the creator of one of, if not the, greatest epic fantasies of the last 20 years, Bone. Since Bone ended its run he's moved on to SHAZAM! The Monster Society of Evil for DC and another self published indy Rasl. I'll show you a bit of his awesomeness, but to truly enjoy his genius, you have to read his stuff.

Winsor McCay Wednesday: January 21st 1906

                                From January 21 1906

Happy Birthday Popeye!

On January 17, 1929 the world famous Popeye the Sailor Man made his first appearance in E.C. Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre. The strip had previously been published for ten years establishing the town of Sweethaven and characters like Olive Oyl and her family. But it wasn't until Popeye showed up that it really hit its stride. He became so popular infact that the strip was officially renamed Popeye after a number of years and runs in syndication to this day. In 1933, Fleischer Studios adapted the character into a series of theatrical cartoon shorts for Paramount Pictures. These cartoons became some of the most popular of the 1930s, and the Fleischers, and later Famous Studios, continued production through 1957. After the theatrical shorts stopped, Popeye made the leap to television starring in several different shows over the years. In 1980, he returned to the silver screen famously portrayed by Robin Williams in the live action film bearing his name. Popeye continues to be a pop culture icon appearing on spinach cans, theme park rides, and a plethora of merchandise. Happy Birthday Popeye!!!