Mondo's Remaining WonderCon Prints

Before I hit the hay I wanted to quickly give you a heads up about Mondo's remaining WonderCon posters. The below will available on Thursday (4/11) at a random time through mondotees.com. Be sure to follow @mondonews on Twitter for the drop details.

Scarface Movie Poster Mike Mitchell 18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered $45 - Limited to 375

Scarface Movie Poster (Variant) Mike Mitchell 18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered $70 - Limited to 150

I really like this design's simplicity. For more info on artist Mike Mitchell, check out sirmikeofmitchell.com, his store, Facebook page, and follow @sirmitchell.

"Shelob’s Lair" Art Print (Purple) Richey Beckett 24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered $45 - Limited to 205 Inspired By: The Lord of the Rings

"Shelob’s Lair" Art Print (Blue) Richey Beckett 24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered $45 - Limited to 205 Inspired By: The Lord of the Rings

To see more of Richey Beckett's artwork, visit richeybeckett.com and follow @richeybeckett on Twitter.

Rear Window Movie Poster Kevin Tong 24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered $45 - Limited to 250

Rear Window Movie Poster (Variant) Kevin Tong 24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered $70 - Limited to 125

You can find Kevin's work at tragicsunshine.com, his Facebook page, and by following him @tragicsunshine.

"The Finntastic Four" Art Print
JJ Harrison
18" x 24" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$40 - Limited to 225
Inspired By: Adventure Time (2010)

And finally we have JJ Harrison's glob-tastic "The Finntastic Four" print. Visit JJ Harrison's Tumblr, Twitter and website to learn more about the man and his mathematical art.

Bryan Lee O'Malley & Kevin Tong's "Battle Royale" Movie Posters

If you visit this site with any regularity, you already know I tend to write reviews for film and television inspired prints that are either currently on sale or are about to go on sale. And while I'll still be pouring the majority of my efforts into those sorts of posts, my daily "Poster Per Diem" feature will focus on awesome prints that have since sold out, never existed in the first place (AKA concept posters) or just bear mentioning. In other words: this is my chance to say, "I never got a chance, for whatever reason, to write about you on this here website, but I think you're really purty and I want to let the world know." Or something like that. Oh, and Per diem is latin for "per day" or "each day."

Battle Royale Movie Poster (Regular)
Bryan Lee O'Malley & Kevin Tong
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Signed & Numbered
Sold Out - Limited to 425

Battle Royale Movie Poster (Variant)
Bryan Lee O'Malley & Kevin Tong
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Signed & Numbered
Sold Out - Limited to 225

I recently received my Battle Royale print in the mail, and wow, this thing is beautiful. (Full disclosure: I ordered the regular non-Japanese version.) It's been my experience that a truly great movie poster will often inspire me to watch or re-watch a film, and that's exactly what happened once I laid eyes on Bryan Lee O'Malley and Kevin Tong's smile-inducing Battle Royale prints. To find more of Bryan Lee O'Malley and Kevin Tong's work, head over to radiomaru.com and tragicsunshine.com, respectively. Note: while the poster quickly sold out through Mondo, you can still find quite a few in the secondary market if you're willing to spend a bit more.

Heads Up: Kevin Tong's "Optimus Prime" Art Print

Everyone loves themselves some Kevin Tong. And why not? The dude’s consistently creating some of the most stunning posters around and is especially well-versed when it comes to crafting his beautifully complicated and mechanically exact illustrations. Case in point: Acidfree Gallery's wonderfully designed Transformers inspired "Optimus Prime" art prints. Check 'em out!

"Optimus Prime" Art Print (Regular or Metallic Variant)
Kevin Tong - Screen Print
Regular - $40 - 16" x 24" - Numbered - Time-limited Edition (24 Hours)
Metallic Variant - $75 - "24" x 36" - Signed and Numbered - Limited to 100

"Optimus Prime" Art Print (Metallic GID Variant)
Kevin Tong
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Signed and Numbered
$100 - Limited to 50

Tong's "Optimus Prime" posters will be sold through Acidfree Gallery's website at a random time on Friday (11/16). The regular version, measuring 16" x 24", is a time-limited edition that will be available for 24 hours, while the 24" x 36" variants will be significantly more limited at 100 and 50. For more info about the gallery, be sure to visit acidfreegallery.com, the Acidfree blog, and follow them on Twitter @acidfreegallery. To see more of Kevin's work, head over to tragicsunshine.com.

Jay Shaw's "Bullhead" Movie Poster

When I think back to 2010, the emergence of artist Olly Moss comes to mind. His ability to make a clever minimalist design out of pretty much anything was, and still is, incredibly impressive and stood in stark contrast to the bursting-with-detail artwork of Tyler Stout and Martin Ansin. Well, I may be a bit presumptuous in saying this, but I feel like 2012 will definitely be the year that Jay Shaw (AKA Iron Jaiden) hits in a big, big way. Don't believe me? Take a look at his amazing poster for Drafthouse Films' Bullhead below.

Bullhead Movie Poster
Jay Shaw (AKA Iron Jaiden)
18" x 24" - Numbered
$30 - Limited to 80

Not only is Jay a clearly talented artist, his work thus far has shown a remarkably deep knowledge of art and film history. He created a loving tribute to the Blaxploitation gem The Spook Who Sat by the Door for Cinema Overdrive. He crafted a retro and surreal print for Drafthouse Films' Comin' At Ya! 3D and now he's channeled the strange and dreamlike style that has long been the trademark of Polish poster art for the film Bullhead. There's already been a great article written on this print at HitFix, but I did want to briefly talk about my take on Shaw's work and the movie itself. I remember seeing Bullhead at last year's Fantastic Fest and being completely blown away. Bullhead isn't a thrill-a-minute action film, it's a thoroughly contemplative story about Matthias Schoenaerts' hormone-injecting (in more ways than one) Jacky Vanmarsenille and his attempt to negotiate his personal and professional demons. He's a flawed-man who's had to deal with some very intense and personal traumas of both the physical and psychological variety. I probably couldn't be any vaguer, could I? Due to these issues, there are many scenes where he's on the precipice of full-on rage, much like a bull ready to gore its agitator. See where I'm going with this? Jay has captured the animalistic nature of both the man and his chosen line of work with pitch-perfect execution. The desolate background behind the hoofed man, whose body has been partially transformed into that of a beast, only further echoes the harsh world Jacky, the film's lead, tries to survive in. My final take: great poster, killer typography, and a beautiful fusion of new and old.

Jay's Bullhead movie poster will be available through Mondo at a random time during today's Oscar broadcast. The poster measures 18" x 24", is limited to an edition 80, and will only cost $30. To receive up-to-the-second notifications on the print's drop, be sure to follow @MondoNews on Twitter. You can also follow the artist Jay Shaw (AKA Iron Jaiden) on Twitter @tweetofnonsense. And if you're interested in seeing more of Mr. Shaw's artwork, be sure visit to visit his Kingdom of Nonsense website. Oh yeah, and the following four prints will ALSO be released during today's Oscar broadcast through Mondo!

Hugo Movie Poster (Regular) Kevin Tong 24" x 36" - Numbered $45 - Limited to 295

Hugo Movie Poster (Variant) Kevin Tong 24" x 36" - Numbered $65 - Limited to 100

Rango Movie Poster Tom Whalen 18" x 24" - Numbered $40 - Limited to 270

Bridesmaids Movie Poster Dave Perillo 18" x 24" - Numbered $40 - Limited to 220

It's going to be quite an evening! Good luck with the poster drops everyone!

Best Twenty Posters of 2011

Wow. This was a really, really, REALLY difficult post for me to compile, and there's a pretty good chance that if you asked me what my favorite posters from 2011 were a week from now, you might get something slightly different. With that said, I think I've created a pretty kickass list and, believe it or not, they're not all Mondo releases! When putting this together, the only restriction I imposed on myself was that all eligible artwork had to actually be purchasable at some point last year. Now onto the good stuff!

1. AKIRA Movie Posters by Tyler Stout

Akira Movie Poster (Regular)
Tyler Stout
24" x 36" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 180

Akira Movie Poster (Variant)
Tyler Stout
24" x 36" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 80

I can't get over how stunning these prints are! Tyler Stout has somehow created something that is 100% Tyler Stout, and yet completely different than anything he's ever attempted before. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of his much sought after The Thing and Robocop prints, but this, THIS, is the Stout artwork I long to own. The amount of stuff he was able to pack into these works of art is mind blowing and totally reminds me of the insanity that is Tetsuo's telekinetically rebuilt trash arm. Love it!

2. MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO Movie Posters by Olly Moss (Review)

My Neighbor Totoro Movie Poster (Regular)
Olly Moss
20" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 420

My Neighbor Totoro Movie Poster (Japanese Variant)
Olly Moss
20" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 170

Mondo? Olly Moss? Studio Ghibli? Hallelujah! Olly absolutely nailed the look and feel of this Miyazaki classic, taking care to balance beauty, adorableness, and the almighty forest spirit Totoro. Take note folks: this is how you do a variant. By the way, I recently rewatched My Neighbor Totoro. So good!

3. THE MUMMY Movie Posters by Martin Ansin (Review)

The Mummy Movie Poster (Regular)
Martin Ansin
24" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 385

The Mummy Movie Poster (Hieroglyphic Variant)
Martin Ansin
24" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 150

My love affair with Martin Ansin's work continues and this was by far my favorite piece from him in 2011. Not surprisingly, Martin packs so much realism and detail into the mummy's bandaged and shriveled face, that the idea of touching the poster's surface gives me the willies. And remember what I said about the Totoro variant? Well, it holds true for this print as well. Yes, those are actual hieroglyphics people!

4. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD Movie Posters by Grzegorz Domaradzki (Review)

Night of the Living Dead Movie Poster (Regular)
Grzegorz Domaradzki
24" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 250

Night of the Living Dead Movie Poster (Glow in the Dark - Silver Variant)
Grzegorz Domaradzki
24" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 100

Grzegorz Domaradzki is an artist to watch out for. He's already done some BRILLIANT vector movie concept posters, but this was his first film poster design to actually become a screen print, and it's a pretty amazing one at that. I guess I've got a thing for skulls, because there's not one, but two posters on this list that come together to form the outline of a skull. Very creepy. By the way, a few of the regular versions are still available for sale through Kryptonite Prints & Apparel.

5. DUNE Movie Poster by Kevin Tong (Review)

Dune Movie Poster
Kevin Tong
18" x 24" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 100

I had to pick this print up on eBay after it sold out in the blink of an eye, but the inflated price was well worth it. Seriously, this poster is loaded to the brim with desert, sandworms, and backstabbing nobles (oh my). And no matter what you think about the film Dune (I'll admit it's kind of crazy and not a total success), you've got to applaud Kevin Tong for perfectly capturing the insanity of David Lynch's adaptation.

6. HELLRAISER Movie Posters by Florian Bertmer

Hellraiser Movie Poster (Regular)
Florian Bertmer
22.5" x 31.5" - Numbered
Limited to 245

Hellraiser Movie Poster (Variant)
Florian Bertmer
22.5" x 31.5" - Numbered
Limited to 70

Nobody depicts satanic stuff better than Florian Bertmer. That's just a fact. His artwork makes my skin crawl (in a good way), which is why I'm fairly certain Florian has at some point either made a pact with the Prince of Darkness or solved the Lament Configuration, thereby gaining access to the forbidden arts. This was my favorite poster from the Mondo Mystery Movie LA film series by leaps and bounds, and that's saying a lot given all the talent involved.

7. FRANKENSTEIN Movie Poster by Drew Struzan (Review)

Frankenstein Movie Poster
Drew Struzan
15" x 36" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 325

It's freaking Drew Struzan! Of course he was going to make the top ten. His gorgeous Frankenstein poster reminds us why he's still the undisputed king of the illustrated one sheet and pays tribute to a monster movie classic. Following Stout's Akira print, Struzan's Frankenstein is probably the most sought after poster in my top twenty.

8. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST Movie Posters by Oliver Barrett (Review)

Once Upon a Time in the West Movie Poster (Dawn Edition - Regular)
Oliver Barrett
16" x 26" - Numbered
Limited to 170

Once Upon a Time in the West Movie Poster (Dusk Edition - Variant)
Oliver Barrett
16" x 26" - Numbered
Limited to 60

I love these posters! Oliver Barrett is an artist I've been following since his amazing American Splendor print, but I think I may have found my new favorite when it comes to his body of work. And remember what I was saying about my subconscious and altogether creepy fascination with skulls being masterfully inserted into movie artwork (please refer to number four on this list)? Well, here's the second (and final) creative cranium mentioned in this post. These are completely sold out through Tommy Good, but a few are still available for purchase through Oliver's store and Dark City Gallery.

9. THE BURNING Movie Poster by Phantom City Creative (Review)

The Burning Movie Poster
Phantom City Creative
24" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 250

Phantom City Creative has been one of those consistently amazing design studios since day one. If I'm being completely honest with myself, I'm sure I could have included several Phantom City designs in this list, but this was by far my favorite poster of theirs in 2011. The Burning is a ridiculous 80s slasher that features a not-yet-bald Jason Alexander, but I'll be damned if this poster doesn't somehow make the movie a more respectable work of art just by association. Beautiful design. Perfect execution. Blood rendered in biblical proportions. Flawless.

10. “FIGURE 1: VULPES VULPES” Art Print by Rich Kelly (Review)

"Figure 1: Vulpes Vulpes" Art Print
Rich Kelly
16.5" x 23.5" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 100
Inspired By: The Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox isn't my all-time favorite Wes Anderson flick, that honor goes to The Life Aquatic, but it's definitely up there. This amazing Rich Kelly art print inspired by Anderson's lone animated creation is just a joy to look at. Kelly masterfully depicts the titular Mr. Fox, but also manages to comment on the stop motion production method with gorgeous results.

11. "THE OPEN ROAD" Art Print by Scott Campbell (Review)

"The Open Road" Art Print
Scott Campbell
12" x 12" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 50
Inspired By: Easy Rider

I wasn't sure if this was ever going to be an actual print, since the above artwork was originally part of a larger movie poster for the All Tomorrow's Parties / Criterion Collection screening of Easy Rider, but here we are. Scott Campbell's amazing "The Open Road" poster is one of the jewels in my collection and is still available for purchase through Gallery 1988.

12. THE LIFE AQUATIC Movie Poster by Joshua Budich (Review)

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Movie Poster
Joshua Budich
24" x 36" - Signed & Numbered
Limited to 150

Joshua Budich has been an artist that has consistently amazed me and continues to one-up himself with every new poster release. Created for Spoke Art's awesome "Bad Dads" show, Budich's Life Aquatic poster conveys the quirky, colorful, strangely hilarious brilliance of Steve Zissou and company. Highlights include: Seu Jorge playing guitar in the lower right corner, the candy-striped seahorse mucking around under the title, and an angry gun-toting Steve Zissou front and center.

13. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE Movie Poster by Jeff Proctor (Review)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Jeff Proctor
24" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 345

Jeff Proctor really made a name for himself this year with a number of amazing Mondo posters including, but not limited to: Hobo with a Shotgun, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dawn of the Dead, and of course The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This print is utterly horrifying and practically exudes unyielding Texan summer heat...and chainsaw wielding psychopaths. That too.

14. FAIL-SAFE Movie Poster by Lloyd Stas (Review)

Fail-Safe Movie Poster
Lloyd Stas
18" x 24" - Numbered
Limited to 35

Lloyd Stas' brilliant Fail-Safe print combines the obvious and the subtle with amazing results. I think it's safe to say that even if you haven't seen Sidney Lumet's Cold War what if film, you can still enjoy the obvious care and attention paid to this artwork during its conception and creation. Lloyd Stas is another young artist to be on the look out for.

15. DEATHRAP Movie Poster by Jacob Van Loon (Review)

Deathtrap Movie Poster
Jacob Van Loon
18" x 24" - Numbered
Limited to 35

Much like Lloyd Stas' Fail-Safe print, Jacob Van Loon's Deathtrap poster was part of the Kingdom of Nonsense curated "The Machines Are Winning" art show. When I first saw Jacob's design I was immediately drawn in by the confusingly convoluted intertwining of machine and Cronenbergian sentient life form. Is anybody else getting a vague Naked Lunch vibe from this print? If this is any indication of what we can expect form Jacob Van Loon, I hope he starts doing a lot more film-related stuff in the near future.

16. FANTASTIC MR. FOX Movie Poster by Randy Ortiz (Review)

“We Got the Tail, but We Missed the Fox” Fantastic Mr. Fox Movie Poster
Randy Ortiz
18" x 24" - Includes a certificate of authenticity
Limited to 75

Randy Ortiz is somebody I didn't have the slightest familiarity with prior to 2011, but am now avidly following. It's even been intimated that he might do some work with Mondo in the near future - so that's cool. With his Fantastic Mr. Fox print, Randy has crafted something that's minimalist, but by no means simple. I can't wait to see what else this guy has up his sleeves.

17. THEY LIVE Movie Posters by Shepard Fairey (Review)

They Live Movie Poster (Mondo Edition - Regular)
Shepard Fairey
18" x 24" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 500

They Live Movie Poster (OBEY Edition - Variant)
Shepard Fairey
18" x 24" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 500

How could I not include Fairey's only Mondo movie poster on my list? I don't think there's a single artist better equipped to handle John Carpenter's alien invasion meets 1984 by way of Fahrenheit 451 film than street artist Shepard Fairey. This goes without saying, but the print is very pretty up close.

18. PAN'S LABYRINTH Movie Posters by Aaron Horkey

Pan's Labyrinth Movie Poster (Regular)
Aaron Horkey
15" x 37.5" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 420

Pan's Labyrinth Movie Poster (Variant)
Aaron Horkey
15" x 37.5" - Signed and Numbered
Limited to 125

If I had to choose (please don't make me), I'd have to say that Pan's Labyrinth is my favorite Guillermo del Toro film. It's a wonderful story that blends the real and the fantastical, and is as horrifying as it is beautiful on both counts. Aaron Horkey seems to understand that and has created a print that's gorgeous to look at, but also a bit disturbing.

19. SWAMP THING Movie Posters by Florian Bertmer (Review)

Swamp Thing Movie Poster (Regular)
Florian Bertmer
24" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 230

Swamp Thing Movie Poster (Variant)
Florian Bertmer
24" x 36" - Numbered
Limited to 90

If you couldn't tell, I'm a huge Bertmer fan. In fact, he's the only artist on this list mentioned twice. Florian created two insanely exceptional posters this year, and while I slightly preferred his Hellraiser posters over his Swamp Thing prints, they're both pretty much perfect.

20. THE FLY Art Print by Dan Mumford (Review)

Dan Mumford's horror movie art print series has been an absolute blast to follow. His organic and stringy line work is the perfect match to Cronenberg's terrifyingly disgusting remake (I use the word "remake" in the loosest sense here). Brundlefly has never looked more gooey, and yes, that was most definitely a compliment.

Well, that's the list! What did you think? What were some of your favorite posters?

Kevin Tong's "The Invisible Man" Movie Poster

UPDATE 1 (8/22): Kevin Tong's remaining The Invisible Man prints will be available at a random time tomorrow (8/23) through his online store. The regular version (silver) will cost $80 and the variant (gold) will cost $100. Good luck!

I don't have much more time before I pass out from exhaustion, but I wanted to quickly talk about Kevin Tong's The Invisible Man poster.

The Invisible Man Movie Posters
Kevin Tong
24" x 36"
$45 - Limited of 285

This is one print I was able to pick up at SDCC (I guess they didn't sell out in San Diego) and I can confidently say it's as beautiful as it looks. In a lot of ways this poster reminds me of something Rich Kelly would do due to the pencil-like sketching pattern that makes up Claude Rains' suit and bandages. I'll have to post some close-up shots of this print on my Tumblr, but for the purposes of this quick review, I'll just say that the image almost looks like it was intricately designed on a chalkboard. That may not sound like a compliment, but it is - I've never seen anything like it.

Kevin Tong's The Invisible Man poster will be available through Mondo tomorrow / later this morning (8/11) at a random time. The poster measures 24" x 36", costs $45 and is limited to an edition of 285. Just a heads up, they sold a pretty decent amount of these at SDCC, so there's a limited amount to begin with and I'm sure they'll go really fast. To keep up with the release info I recommend following @MondoNews. And to learn more about the artist Kevin Tong head over to tragicsunshine.com. Have a great night!

Kevin Tong's "I Saw the Devil" Movie Poster

And the Mondo goodness continues. If you haven't seen I Saw the Devil already, you should probably stop reading this post and rent or buy the film immediately - it's really, really good! And then I'd recommend binging on some other great Korean films including Mother, The Man from Nowhere, The Chaser, and the now classic Oldboy. Only after that, would I recommend pointing your browser at this site again and reading through this post. Sure, you may have missed out on an awesome poster release, but at least you'll have experienced some amazing foreign films.

I Saw the Devil - Kevin Tong

Kevin Tong's I Saw the Devil poster is definitely for fans of the film. I can easily picture someone who hasn't seen the movie scratching his or her head in confusion and then politely asking what on earth the film is about. Before continuing I wanted to say this, I've been a huge fan of Kevin Tong for the past two years, but it's the stuff he's released in the last three months (his Dune, "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", and I Saw the Devil prints) that have been nothing short of amazing. It's really neat for an artist to come into his own right before your eyes. Now back to the poster. I love all of the attention that's paid to the knobs and radio interface. I've noticed a lot of Kevin's work touches on the technical, featuring an almost AutoCAD-like level of detail, and this print is no different. But I'd be selling the artwork short if I didn't mention the gorgeous winter wonderland / nightmare that South Korea's snowy landscape plays in the film (at least in the beginning of the film). The bloody title on the windshield is also an inspired touch and looks amazing with its bright sanguine text against the poster's mostly muted palette. What an awesome poster.

Kevin's I Saw the Devil poster, which will be available tomorrow (5/12) through Mondo at a random time, measures 24" x 36", is limited to an edition of 185 and will cost $45. It's been clear with the last few Mondo releases that they're trying to change up the drop times, but one thing is for certain, if you want to know the exact moment the poster goes up be sure to follow @MondoNews. I'd also recommend heading over to Kevin's website for a look at his other work. There's a good chance he might put together a process video for his I Saw the Devil poster too! Those are always fun.

The Valley of Gwangi - Mike Saputo

And if that wasn't enough Mondo also decided to announce the release of Mike Saputo's Harryhausen-tastic The Valley of the Gwangi poster. The Valley of the Gwangi print will be available tomorrow at a random time through Mondo for $35. The print will measure 18" x 24" and will be limited to an edition of 115. To see more of Mike Saputo's brilliance check out his blog and portfolio at mikesaputo.com.