Fernando Fro Reza's "They Live" Movie Posters

I'm not entirely sure if the title I gave this post is accurate or if both prints presented below can be described as They Live movie posters, proper, but I have a feeling you'll forgive me once you feast your eyes on tonight's artwork du jour. Earlier today Fernando Fro Reza, probably known better under the Fro Design Co flag, released two spectacularly awesome prints that can only be rivaled by his previously reviewed and recently re-released The Thing prints. Put the glasses on! Put 'em on!

"All Outta Bubble Gum" They Live Movie Poster
Fernando Fro Reza
11" x 17"
$30 - Limited to 100

I love this movie. I love the patience-testing fight scene between Nada and Frank. I love the fact that underneath the ridiculous aliens-among-us narrative there are some pretty inspired anti-establishment flashes of genius. The bottom line is this: They Live is a fun, infinitely quotable movie, that I'm not sure I'll ever grow tired of. Now onto the real reason you're here - the artwork! I definitely prefer this poster between the two prints included in tonight's post, not because I dislike the other poster, but because I have such an affinity for the film and its myriad of strange characters and creatures, including "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's George Nada and of course our not-so-friendly alien overlords, the formaldehyde faces. This poster has everything one could want, and was executed to perfection with Fernando's usual expertise. The red color palette is particularly striking and I'm a huge fan of the way he presented the extraterrestrial policeman. The only negative I can think of is Fernando's method of printing. His style seems perfectly suited for screen printing, but to the best of my knowledge all of his prints have been giclées. It's a pretty small complaint overall, and it definitely didn't stop me from ordering one the moment he announced their release earlier today. Fro Design Co's "All Outta Bubble Gum" They Live movie poster is available right now through his online store for $30. The print measures 11" x 17" and is limited to an edition of 100.

"These Glasses Get You High But You Come Down Hard" They Live Movie Poster
Fernando Fro Reza
11" x 17"
$30 - Limited to 100

For the They Live fan with a sense of humor, and let's be honest, you've kind of got to have a sense of humor to love a film like They Live, Fernando has also created an epic Mario-themed print. I'm not sure what else to say other than the fact that I'm glad this poster, against all odds, somehow exists. I love all of the characters thrown in here, but to be honest, it's the little things that really wow me like the pixelated They Live logo - just awesome. Fernando's "These Glasses Get You High But You Come Down Hard" print costs $30, measures 11" x 17" and is limited to an edition of 100. If that's not impressive enough, they're available right now! To see more of Fernando Fro Reza's excellent work be sure to visit his store, follow his Tumblr and Twitter account @frodesignco.

Tim Doyle's "Full Metal Jacket" Movie Poster

When I wrote about Martin Ansin's classy El Topo poster last week, I stressed my disbelief that his artwork was still somehow available for purchase. Well it's time for me to flex those muscles again. Tim Doyle also created something for Cinéma du Parc's “J’ai tué le photographe” show, which has, since then, sold out through von Scaramouche, but is still available through Doyle's Nakatomi Inc. Do you hear that? It's getting louder. Here it comes...How has this not sold out already?!

Full Metal Jacket Movie Poster
Tim Doyle
18" x 24"
$30 - Limited to 200

If you've ever seen Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (and shame on you if you haven't), then you'll immediately understand the division between the top and bottom half of this print. Much like Tim's poster, the film is divided into two parts: the first half taking place at Parris Island where a group of wet-behind-the-ears Marine recruits are going through training, while the second half jumps forward to a war-torn Vietnam and a sometimes sadistic, always world-wary group of vets. This brings me to the biggest reason I like this poster: the schism in style, tone, and execution between the print's two halves.

In the upper half, Doyle uses the face of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (played by the extraordinary R. Lee Ermey) to practically fill up the entire top section, similar to how Hartman dominates the soldiers' lives. And behind the demanding drill sergeant, Doyle has placed a luminous brassy wall of bullet casings. I'm sure I'm reaching here, but war is a bright shiny thing to these young jarheads at the beginning of the film, a scary thing as well, sure, but exciting nonetheless. Tim Doyle manages to capture both the fear and respect that the recruits have for their teacher / tormentor and inserts the practically glowing ammunition to represent an innocence not yet lost (although Gomer Pyle sees that there's an end to that). The bottom section is sullen, dark, and gloomy, much like Joker in the latter half of the film. And finally we come to Mickey Mouse. Not only is Mickey a uniquely American symbol, but he's also a character that represents optimism, good will, and a lot of other things that seem completely at odds with the movie, and for that reason all the more revoltingly prominent. These two halves, much like the film, come together to create something greater than the whole of their parts and something that definitely needs to be seen to be appreciated. With that said, it's late and I'm tired, so I'm going to take the easy way out and provide you with Tim Doyle's astoundingly more concise and accurate (he did create the thing after all) description of his Full Metal Jacket poster and its meaning (taken from Doyle's portfolio):

"I saw Full Metal Jacket at WAAAAAYYYY too early of an age, and it formed my opinion on war in a brutal 2 hour salvo. That opinion? It’s not for me. As a work of art, the film is a difficult one- the tone shifts considerably at just about the half-way point- it’s essentially 2 films that just happen to have the same lead. But both show the complete dehumanization one must undergo in the process of becoming war-ready, and in the execution of it. The vulgar phrase, “Sally-Jane Rottencrotch’s pretty pink panties” fall on the ears like the memory of a soft lullaby of wholesomeness compared to the spray of bullets and stacks of human meat later in the film. The ubiquitous MOUSE ends each chapter in the film (in epithet and song) and presents a smiling face, now obscene in it’s ineffectual innocence. And to be honest, I think it balances the poster out nicely."

Tim Doyle's Full Metal Jacket poster is currently available through his Nakatomi Inc store for the low, low price of $30. The screen print measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 200. To learn more about the talented fellow behind this artwork be sure to visit mrdoyle.com, nakatomiinc.com and follow @NakatomiTim.

Darin Shock's "Carl" Art Print

Many people credit Caddyshack as Bill Murray's finest film, or at the very least, Carl Spackler as his best character, and while I don't necessarily fall into that camp, it's easy to understand why people feel that way. Before Murray was aloofly navigating Wes Anderson-created existential crises, living the same day over and over again, busting ghosts, or providing the voice for a cat that hates Mondays and loves lasagna, he was tasked with removing a very troublesome gopher from the Bushwood Country Club greens - and it was a ton of fun to watch.

"Carl" Art Print
Darin Shock
18" x 24"
$25 - Limited to 50
Inspired By: Caddyshack

As the second print in Darin Shock's "Greatest Side Characters in Cinematic History" series (with his first being The Big Lebowski-inspired epic "The Jesus" print), it appears the artist has again caught comedic lightning in a bottle by depicting another great moment from a film that's entirely too quotable. I'm sure I'm not saying anything revolutionary here, but I love the way Darin has captured the often stilted and always manic pose that Murray adopts as Carl for the film. And I really admire the fact that he didn't go with one of the gopher scenes, but instead with the "Cinderella Man" bit, which really speaks to Murray's amazing improvisational abilities as the entire scene was based on two lines of stage direction. I'm already looking forward to the next print in this series.

Darin's "Carl" print is available right now through the State of Shock Studios storefront for $25. The poster measures 18" x 24", is a three-color screen print and is limited to an edition of 50. To learn more about Darin Shock and his State of Shock Studios be sure to visit stateofshockstudios.com. By the way, he's still got a few "The Jesus" prints available for purchase! You know as well as I do that the only appropriate way to end this post is with a Caddyshack quote, so that's exactly what I'm going to do. Enjoy!

"Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac... It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!" - Carl Spackler

Florian Bertmer's "Swamp Thing" Movie Posters

UPDATE 1 (8/19): All sold out! I had to go the eBay route to get mine. I'll keep this post updated if Florian announces any extra APs.

I believe this is the third poster in Mondo's Wes Craven Director's Series, with the first two being Alex Pardee's amazing Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street prints. I'll be honest, I remember watching this movie as a kid and not being terribly impressed. Sure, the boggy swamp setting looked amazing, but the story wasn't really all that terrifying, awe inspiring or interesting. Though even with my aloof disinterest for Craven's film this poster holds a very special place in my heart and you can bet I'll be going for it with the rest of my Mondo-crazed brethren.

Swamp Thing Movie Poster (Regular)
Florian Bertmer
24" x 36"
$45 - Limited to 230

Swamp Thing Movie Poster (Glow-in-the-Dark Variant)
Florian Bertmer
24" x 36"
$80 - Limited to 90

I must own this poster for two very different reasons: Florian Bertmer and Alan Moore. Let's start with Florian, shall we? Florian Bertmer is an artist who could make even a bright sunny day look ancient, worn, and mysterious. That may sound like a negative, but believe me, it's not. Bertmer imbues his subjects with an archaic sense of wonder and importance, often giving them some sort of mystical quality that's damn near impossible to explain. That's one of the many reasons his artwork for Jodorowsky's Santa Sangre and Holy Mountain, and H.P. Lovecraft's Call of Cthulhu works so well. And that's also why, brilliant line work, coloring, and design aside, Florian got everything right about the creature formerly known as Alec Holland; his work conveys a tone that could not be more perfect for our flower power protagonist. Now on to Moore.

Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing (The Saga of the Swamp Thing #20 - #64) is the stuff of legends. Moore used Len Wein and Berni Wrightson's origin story of a scientist transformed into a monster, and made it something more important, something genuinely scary and thought provoking. To this day Moore's Swamp Thing is one of my top ten comic runs and the character will forever have a place in my heart. Sure, his books may not have had anything to do with the movie, but I think it's probably clear by now that the film doesn't really play any part in why I love this poster so much.

Florian Bertmer's Swamp Thing posters will be available through Mondo tomorrow (8/19) at a random time. Both posters measure 24" x 36", with the regular version costing $45 and being limited to 230, and the glow-in-the-dark variant costing $80 and being limited to 90. For the exact release time be sure to visit @MondoNews, and to learn more about artist Florian Bertmer visit florianbertmer.blogspot.com. And if you can, I highly recommend picking up all of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run.

Best of the Rest: 2011 - Part 2

The "Best of the Rest" feature is meant to reward and praise the official movie posters that, for some reason or another, were able to escape the clutches of the generic floating head marketing campaigns we all know and love and actually come out with something creative, even, dare I say it, cool. Sure, places like Mondo, Gallery 1988, and Fro Design Co. are going to come out with kickass film artwork, that's to be expected, but what about all of the official one sheets that we see posted on the walls of our local theaters? Since there's going to be a ton of images in this posts I won't be writing too much, but hopefully the images will speak for themselves. As a reminder, all of these posters were chosen based on my personal tastes - there's a very good chance that you'll detest every image found below. Let me know what you think!

To check out part one of this feature click here.

Bellflower
Poster Design By: N/A

Bellflower has a cooler-than-cool trailer, features a badass car with homemade modifications (see "Medusa" in the picture above) and has a beautiful poster. I think I may have an even greater appreciation for a poster like this, because unlike the majority of the films listed in this post, Bellflower had a tiny (almost non-existent) budget and was still able to create a one sheet that looks polished in a post-apocalyptic DIY sort of way.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Poster Design By: Troy Nixey

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Poster Design By: Ignition Print

I love these posters. They look like they could have been ripped out of a really messed up children's book, although I would expect nothing less from something that Del Toro is attached to. I believe (please correct me if I'm wrong) that director Troy Nixey, who is also a comic artist, did the artwork for the amazing poster on the left. Fairly mind blowing, right?

Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest Poster Design By: N/A

Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest Poster Design By: N/A

A documentary about the influential and innovative rap group A Tribe Called Quest having an awesome and innovative poster, who'd a thunk it? Seriously though, I love the neon glow of the cityscape in the poster on the left, and the graffiti / airbrush style artwork on the right.

Super 8
Poster Design By: N/A

When I first saw this poster I immediately thought what everyone else on the Internet thought: wow, what an amazing Drew Struzan poster! Yeah, turns out not so much. This is an unofficial fan made poster, but damn, it looks amazing!

Captain America: The First Avenger
Poster Design By: Paolo Rivera

Captain America punching Hitler, the Howling Commandos...gruffly posing for a picture, old-timey fonts galore - what doesn't this poster have?  While this one sheet wasn't used as the primary (or even secondary) artwork in promotion of The First Avenger, it was officially commissioned by Marvel, but sadly limited to a very small run. If Paramount / Marvel were smarter they would have leaned more heavily on great artwork like this in the film's official marketing campaign.

The Devil's Double
Poster Design By: Ignition Print

Bling bling! This poster is garish, flashy, tacky, and any other synonyms for tasteless that you can think of, but in a really appropriate, awesome and beautiful way. Hear me out. The film is about Uday Hussein (Saddam's son) and his body double Latif Yahia, both played by Dominic Cooper, whose world of opulence is only matched by the violence surrounding them - in other words: this poster is perfect.

Insidious
Poster Design By: The Church of London

This poster needs to be a screen print. I really don't know what else to say. It's the perfect minimalist horror poster. I think it's also the first time The Church of London has been mentioned. You should check out their site - they've got some really cool stuff.

Meek's Cutoff
Poster Design By: N/A

I have no idea who did this poster, but I'm glad they did. The Meek's Cutoff one sheet is eye catching in all the right ways and the color palette is somehow both aridly distressing and pleasing at the same time. If anyone knows who the artist is please let me know.

That's it for part two. If you read part one of my "Best of the Rest" feature you'll be happy (or sad) to know that there wasn't a single Magnet film featured this time around. And again, there were quite a few N/A's listed in the design field, so if you know who any of the artists are please let me know and I'll update the post accordingly. Good night!

Alex Pardee's "My Favorite Monsters" Prints Part 1

I was going to call this post "My Favorite 'My Favorite Monsters'," but that seemed a bit confusing, so in place of a perplexing title I figured I would sum up, as quickly as I can, tonight's write-up.

A little more than a year ago, Alex Pardee started releasing small prints that featured some of his favorite cinematic baddies, calling the collection "My Favorite Monsters." These were open edition (meaning they're not limited) 5" x 7" prints made with archival inks and were very affordable. Fast forward to this year's Comic-con and me aimlessly walking the convention center floor when, like a body of water in a desert, I see Pardee's Zero Friends booth and immediately commenced spending quite a bit on Alex's wonderfully monstrous creations (i.e. I bought a bunch). I've purchased way more of his "My Favorite Monsters" collection than I'm willing to talk about in just one post (it would be a massive post), but I've decided that every once in a while I'll take a moment to shine a light on some of my favorite "My Favorite Monsters." Are you as confused as I am?

"ALIEN" Art Print
Alex Pardee
5" x 7"
$10 - Open edition
Inspired By: Alien

I thought I might go with the alien theme tonight, and where better to start than the alien from Alien? The thing I really like about these prints, beside the fact that they're spectacularly affordable and kind of awesome in every conceivable way, is the slightly quick, slightly messy watercolor aesthetic Pardee goes for here. I'm also partial to the way in which the artist combines the more detailed parts of the alien   (the Russian nesting mouthing) with the less defined portions of the body (everything else). The "ALIEN" print is available through the Zero Friends store for $10. The print measures 5" x 7" and is an open edition.

"Gorilla Wolf" Art Print
Alex Pardee
5" x 7"
$10 - Open edition
Inspired By: Attack the Block

I love Attack the Block! It is, without question, my favorite film this year (so far, at least), and it appears that Alex Pardee liked the film quite a bit as well. So much so, in fact, that he created this print in honor of the badass extraterrestrial creatures from the film. Absolutely brilliant stuff! I've ordered two of these (one for hanging, the other for safekeeping) and can't wait to get them in the mail. The "Gorilla Wolf" print is available for purchase through Zero Friends, costs $10, is an open edition and measures 5" x 7". To learn more about Alex Pardee be sure to visit eyesuckink.com.

"PREDATOR" Art Print
Alex Pardee
5" x 7"
$10 - Open edition
Inspired By: Predator

Let's finish this post up with 80s action icon and sworn enemy of Arnold Schwarzenegger (sorry T-1000, you've got nothing on this guy). Yes, that's right the Predator. Unlike Pardee's "ALIEN" and "Gorilla Wolf" print, his "PREDATOR" print has a lot more fine detail - which really accentuates all of his dangerous hunting gear and armor. Pardee's "PREDATOR" print is an open edition, costs $10, measures 5" x 7" and is available through the Zero Friends storefront. Check out eyesuckink.com to learn more about the demented mind that created all of these prints.

That's it for this round, but at some point in the future I'll put together a part 2.

Martin Ansin's "El Topo" Movie Poster

A quick warning: today's post is another one of those "how has this not sold out already?!" write-ups. As you may know, I'm a massive fan of Martin Ansin's art, and it is for this reason that my mind is boggled by the fact that his amazing El Topo poster is somehow still available for purchase. Wait for it…How has this not sold out already?!

El Topo Movie Poster
Martin Ansin
24" x 36"
$45 - Limited to 265

Where to start with El Topo? Alright, how about the fact that it was a groundbreaking cult classic from the mind of renaissance man Alejandro Jodorowsky. Oh yeah, and that the film is about a gunslinger in search of spiritual enlightenment And that John Lennon (of the Beatles) took a liking to the film, and convinced the president of Apple Corps (an entertainment company founded by the Beatles) to distribute the film in the United States. Interested yet? All in all, El Topo is a strange and wonderful film that's hard to describe but a delight to watch.

Martin Ansin's El Topo poster was commissioned by the Cinéma du Parc in Montreal for the “J’ai tué le photographe” poster exhibition in October of 2010. I think it goes without saying that his comprehension and interpretation of Jodorowsky's odd masterpiece is spot on. And I'm not sure I'm expressing this correctly, but I absolutely love the way he's able to capture so much detail and character through his use of shadow and a wonderfully human asymmetrical symmetry.

I think I'll shut up now and let the artist more intelligently wax on about his thought process (taken from von Scaramouche):

"The design of this poster is heavily influenced by the symbolism of Jodorowsky's El Topo. Behind the presentation of the characters of the film, lies a geometric arrangement that relates to the Christian and Eastern symbolism in the journey of the main character. The original inspiration for this arrangement came from totemic culture and geometric religious shapes, such as mandalas. 

For instance, on this poster the five faces can resemble a Christian cross, hinted at by the lighting on Jodorowsky's face, and relating to the downfall and "rebirth" of the main character at the end of the first half of the film. Also, the composition shows two triangles—described by the hands and bottom face, and the three top heads and hats—forming a shape similar to a unicursal hexagram, allegedly used in mythology to express the belief that one can eventually become some sort of a divine figure, a theme that runs through the film."

Well said Martin! Ansin's El Topo print is currently available for purchase at the von Scaramouche online store. The poster measures 24″ x 36″ and was printed on Lynx opaque white paper stock, with an edition of 265. If you want a cheaper price (sans Ansin's signature) it will cost you $45, however if you want the artist's signature on your fancy new print you'll have to pay $95. As usual, the best way to learn more about the artist is to check out his website at martinansin.com and follow him on Twitter @martinansin.

Giveaway - Gene Art Print by Rich Pellegrino

UPDATE: Random.org has picked a winner and it's Andy Berger! Congrats Andy! He'll be receiving the "Gene" art print later this week. Thanks for entering everyone! I've got a lot more posters to hand out, so be on the lookout for another giveaway in September. Most importantly, thanks for reading!

Hey everyone! I've been itching to give this one away for a while, and tonight just felt right. Like last month's contest, today's giveaway is another Rich Pellegrino piece in honor of Wain's Wet Hot American Summer. Today's giveaway will include the following:

Gene - Rich Pelligrino

(1) "Gene" art print by Rich Pellegrino

Unfortunately, since I'm the one paying for shipping this contest is only open to readers in the US (sorry everyone else, international shipping can be expensive and complicated). The only thing you have to do to win is leave a comment with your email address and your full name (middle name not needed) and on August 31st I will randomly pick and email the winner to get his or her shipping address. Entries are limited to one person per household. Thanks and good luck everyone!

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!

Martin Ansin's "Mummy" Movie Posters

Disclaimer: Martin Ansin is my absolute favorite artist working in the poster world today. I pretty much love everything the guy has ever done (especially his Mondo work) and am quite unabashed in my admiration and completely biased obsession with his artistic creations.

Alright, with that out of the way I think I can start talking objectively about Ansin's excellent Mummy poster.

The Mummy Movie Poster (Regular)
Martin Ansin
24" x 36"
$45 - Limited to 385

The Mummy Movie Poster (Variant with Hieroglyphs)
Martin Ansin
24" x 36"
$75 - Limited to 150

As some of you may know, I was at this year's SDCC and one of the many benefits of going to the recent Comic-Con was that, for the first time ever, Mondo had a booth on the exhibit floor. This was incredibly exciting both as a poster lover and film fan (kind of sounds like flim-flam), but was also cause for some apprehension. You see, Mondo released two amazing Martin Ansin wood prints during SDCC, but no paper-based posters from the artist. I knew in my heart of hearts that surely Justin Ishmael and gang would eventually release these posters in a more traditional paper form, but still, there was that seed of doubt that by not purchasing the wood prints I was somehow missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own Ansin-created Mummy and Planet of the Apes artwork. As it turns out, I was right about the The Mummy as Mondo has announced two breathtaking additions to Mondo's Universal Horror poster series (Wolf Man, Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and now The Mummy).

Excessive exposition aside, these posters are fantastic and it's clear Martin is at the top of his game. Just take a look at the insane amount of detail on Imhotep's face - you can see every nook and cranny of the mummy's withered and desiccated visage. And while I think I like the regular version best due to its arid yellow hue, I've got a ton of respect for the truly unique variant poster, which offers more than just a change in color. I'll let Mr. Ansin explain in greater detail (taken from Martin's website):

"A variant version has the film title and credits carefully translated to ancient egyptian hieroglyphs by an egyptologist at the University of Chicago, which is completely epic."

Martin Ansin's Mummy posters will be available tomorrow (8/11) through Mondo at a random time. Both posters measure 24" x 36", with the regular edition costing $45 and limited to 385, and the variant edition costing $75 and limited to 150. Be sure to follow @MondoNews for the exact drop time and visit martinansin.com to see the rest of Martin's portfolio.

Joshua Budich's "Reservoir Dogs" Movie Poster

Joshua Budich, continuing his Quentin Tarantino-themed movie poster quest, has hit yet another one out of the park. His latest entry being the film that introduced QT to the world, Reservoir Dogs.

Reservoir Dogs Movie Poster
Joshua Budich
24" x 36"
$60 - Limited to 150

If you already have his Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction posters (congratulations by the way) you really have no excuse for not getting this. I'd go as far as to say it's your responsibility as an art collector and fan of modern film to own this print. Upon first laying my eyes on Budich's artwork I noticed, and was immediately impressed by, the level of detail and shading on each and every face, which give all of the characters a certain amount of depth and realism. With that said, my favorite elements of the print are the gory "Reservoir Dogs" title work, with its gonzo-esque blood spatter, and the iconic scene (complete with severed ear in the lower-right corner) that plays out between Mr. Blonde and police office Marvin Nash near the bottom of the canvas. Just looking at this poster makes me want to listen to Stealers Wheel's "Stuck in the Middle with You." Is that wrong?

Joshua Budich's Reservoir Dogs poster will be available today (8/10) through the Spoke Art store at 5 PM PDT. These are sure to go fast, so keep your eyes on the clock and your finger on the F5 key. The Reservoir Dogs poster measures 24" x 36", is limited to an edition of 150 and will cost $60. This one is going to look beautiful up close. For more info on the very talented Joshua Budich head over to joshuabudich.com.

Charles Forsman's Mash-up Art Prints

I'd never heard of Charles Forsman until yesterday, but over the past 24 hours I've become a devoted and devout (redundant much?) follower of the man for two special reasons: his Raiders of the Lost Ark / Popeye mash-up and his Jaws / Peanuts mash-up. Behold the majesty of his first print, but don't stare directly at it - your face might melt off (like in that one movie that I can't recall the name of).

Raiders / Popeye Mash-up Art Print (Second Run)
Charles Forsman
11" x 17"
$15 - Limited to 100

Seriously, this print is just too damn cool. I highly recommend you click the above image to see the print in more detail, you won't be disappointed. I love everything about it from the old timey color palette to Mr. Forsman's uncanny ability to channel E.C. Segar's Popeye aesthetic to the world of Dr. Jones. I feel like the artist has just discovered a niche of unfathomable depths and I can't wait to see what mix-and-match he comes up with next. Here's a short summary of what Charles set out to do when attempting this project (taken from his blog):

"I drew six scenes from Raiders as daily Popeye strips and tried to color them to look like they appeared in a newspaper from the 30’s. I put them all together as an 11” x 17” poster that you can frame, put in your bathroom or place it behind that San Diego magnet on your fridge."

He originally only did a run of 100, but the the demand was so high for the Raiders / Popeye mash-up that he decided to do a second run of 100 (though all of the second run prints are labeled as such), which is currently available for a very affordable $15. The print measures 11" x 17" and is signed and numbered. I doubt he'll do a third run of these prints (but you never know), so this may be your last chance to grab one. Did you hear that? What was that? It sounded ominous and musically iconic...what could it be? Oh it's just Charlie Brown never mind.

Jaws / Peanuts Mash-up Art Print (Second Run)
Charles Forsman
11" x 17"
$20 - Limited to 100

That's right. He's done it again and it's potentially even more awesome-ful. I love that Snoopy, in this alternate universe, is the shark! And it wouldn't be a proper Jaws parody without the "You're gonna need a bigger boat..." line, am I right? This is a must-have for anyone who grew up watching the Charlie Brown specials, which I'm pretty sure is everyone. Charles Forsman provides some insight on the mash-up (taken from Charles' blog):

"After my Raiders / Popeye strip was so well received I decided to try another combination. After a failed attempt at another combination I decided to try mashing up 2 of my all-time favorites: Spielberg and Benchley's Jaws drawn like Schulz's Peanuts.

Like the last mashup, this one does not try to tell the whole story but rather depict some of my favorite scenes. I am a big fan of Peter Benchley who wrote the original book and actually appears in the movie as a TV reporter. Last summer I read almost every Benchley novel. There are still a few I haven't read but they were all super entertaining if a little dated. Obviously people know Jaws the movie so I did my best to stay faithful to both the movie and Peanuts. I hope it worked and is fun to look at."

Like the Raiders / Popeye print, Forsman's Jaws / Peanuts mash-up is in its second printing and is limited to an edition of 100 (the artist said he plans to label them as part of the second printing and possibly change some of the colors around). The print measures 11" x 17 and is signed and numbered. To learn more about the artist visit charlesforsman.com where he's got some pretty bizarre / funny / sad comics to read. Finally, be sure sign up for his newsletter if you want to get a heads up on his next creation.

The Posterocalypse Twitter Account

In an attempt to stay on the cutting edge of technology that was popular two years ago, I've created a Twitter account. The goal is to tweet all of my blog and Tumblr blog updates along with sales / release information, and maybe even a few of my own witty one-liners (note: there will not be any witty one-liners).

I've got two followers right now, but I'm shooting for seven. Please help this dream become a reality. Is there anything you'd like to see on my Twitter?

Jason Edmiston's "Nightmare on Elm Street 3" Movie Poster

UPDATE 1 (8/7): These are all sold out, but I have a strong feeling that at some point in the near future some APs of Edmiston's Nightmare on Elm Street 3 poster will be available through his Etsy store. Keep checking back.

Wow, I'm feeling straight-up prolific tonight. Jason Edmiston, the man behind February's gruesome Maniac Cop 2 poster has delivered another great Mondo print, this time from a Springwood zip code (that's where the majority of Freddy's killings take place).

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Movie Poster
Jason Edmiston
18" x 24"
$40 - Edition of 200

When I heard Mondo had commissioned a Nightmare on Elm Street 3 poster, two iconic death scenes immediately came to mind: the first being when Freddy uses a guy's tendons to control him like a marionette, the second being when Freddy uses a girl's fear of drug addiction and kills her with syringe fingers (i.e., the image depicted in the Mondo poster). And Jason completely nails it. His Nightmare 3 poster has a grotesque quality to it that really highlights Mr. Kreuger's charred flesh and grimy clothing (fedora and all). I won't go into too much more detail on this one, because I need to get some sleep (hoping I won't run into Freddy), but if you already have the Alex Pardee Nightmare on Elm Street poster, then getting this print is a no brainer. Well done Jason!

Jason Edmiston's A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors poster will be available through Mondo at a random time tomorrow (8/4). The syringe-friendly print will cost $40, measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 200. I bet this poster looks brilliant up close. Follow @MondoNews for the exact release time and be sure to visit jasonedmiston.com to see more of the man's artwork (he's still got a few Maniac Cop 2 APs for sale!). This seems like the only way I could end this post:

"One, two, Freddy's coming for you.

Three, four, better lock your door.

Five, six, grab your crucifix.

Seven, eight, gonna stay up late.

Nine, ten, never sleep again."

Have a great night everyone!

Phantom City Creative's "Buckaroo Banzai" Movie Poster

UPDATE 1 (8/7): All sold out. These went quick! It's a good idea to check Phantom City Creative's store every once and a while, as they may at some point have some of their own copies for sale. Probably wouldn't hurt to sign up for their newsletter while you're at it.

I was going to put the film's full title in the post's heading, but let's be honest, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is a tad too long, and all you really need to read is the titular character's name to know you're in for a strange and hallucinatory trip. That's right, our favorite physicist / surgeon / rock musician (seriously?) has joined the pantheon of cult film characters immortalized via Mondo screen prints. About a hundred questions sound off in my mind, like why and how did this film ever get made? Is that Robocop? Weller, Lithgow, Goldblum, and Christopher Lloyd? Does that even count as a question? Are the Red Lectroids really that bad? But all of those questions are rendered moot when you feast your eyes on Phantom City Creative's beautiful poster for the film.

Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension Movie Poster
Phantom City Creative
24" x 36"
$45 - Edition of 165

Phantom City Creative has again designed an inspired poster for a cult classic (they also did great prints for Cronenberg's Rabid and Michel Levesque's Werewolves on Wheels). One of the many criteria I use to judge poster design is the amount of context / tone film artwork can conjure, and whether the image's composition properly expresses a film's essence (alright, even I admit that sounds pompous). Long story short, even if you'd never seen the film before, gazing at this poster, you would immediately understand that Buckaroo Banzai is a nutty, fun, out there film. The print's color palette also gives the whole affair an appropriately vintage appearance.

Phantom City Creative's Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension poster will be available tomorrow (8/4) through Mondo's site at a random time (probably around 9 AM PT, but no promises). Stay tuned to @MondoNews for the exact drop time. The Buckaroo Banzai poster measures 24" x 36", is limited to an edition of 165 and costs $45. To learn more about one of my favorite design studios head over to phantomcitycreative.com and follow @PhantomCityCrtv for more release info.

Godmachine's "The Class of Nuke 'Em High" Movie Posters

UPDATE 1 (8/7): The variant is completely sold out, but a few of the regular versions are still available at skuzzles.com. Get 'em while they last.

Skuzzles, the people behind the very cool Travis Bone Maximum Overdrive poster, are at it again. This time with a Godmachine print for the cult classic Class of Nuke 'Em High. As Skuzzles is a relatively new company to the movie artwork commissioning / curating scene, you may not have heard of them before, but I think it goes without saying that they're off to a great start.

Class of Nuke 'Em High Movie Poster
Godmachine
18" x 24"
$29 - Edition of 135

Class of Nuke 'Em High Movie Variant Poster
Godmachine
18" x 24"
$34 - Edition of 65

I almost feel that reviewing a poster like this isn't necessary, but I'm going to do it anyway. The bottom line is this: if you like Class of Nuke 'Em High, if you like gory, oozy, exploitative films (i.e., the majority of Troma's output), then you know you need to get this poster the moment it comes out. Godmachine's artwork so perfectly encapsulates the dirty, gross, over-the-top insanity of Nuke' Em High it's not even funny (alright, I guess it's a little funny - it is a Troma film after all). You can practically feel the radioactive heat coming from that blinding neon green/yellow ink. I have no idea if this is the case or not, but this poster would be absolutely perfect if the neon green/yellow ink glowed in the dark. This is only the first poster in Skuzzles' Troma poster series, so be prepared to see more awesome, vomit-inducing (in a good way) prints in the near future.

Godmachine's Class of Nuke 'Em High posters will be available on Friday (8/5) at a random time through skuzzles.com. The regular and the variant posters will cost $29 and $34 respectively. Given how much detail and content is packed in these 18" x 24" canvases those prices are downright amazing. I'm not exactly sure how the release announcement will go down, but it probably isn't a bad idea to immediately start following @SkuzzlesCan and subscribe to their newsletter. For more information on the artist Godmachine check out godmachine.co.uk. Can't wait to see what the guys from Skuzzles release next!

Links I Like - Volume 3

To make a short description shorter, I'll be posting links to websites that I like along with why I like them. Pretty straight forward stuff. Most of the links will probably be poster or film related, but I'll be sure to occasionally throw something weird in the mix, just to keep you all on your toes.

Mr. Hipp Strikes!

http://mrhipp.blogspot.com/

I wasn't sure what to call Dan Hipp's blog, as I'm not completely sure what its official title is, but "Mr. Hipp Strikes!" seemed as good a name as any (I'll tell you why in a second). For those unaware, Dan Hipp is an incredibly talented artist who has done work for a number of awesome companies / publications including, Wired, DC Comics and Image Comics. Not willing to simply rest on his laurels as a published artist, Mr. Hipp has created a home for all of the crazy pop culture mishmashes he can dream up, often posting something new every other day, if not every day. I first found out about Dan when I read his and Mark Andrew Smith's The Amazing Joy Buzzards comic, but it's the man's regular contributions of artistic brilliance (and lunacy) that keep me coming back for more. While in San Diego a few weeks back (Comic-Con I think it's called), I happily picked up his fantastic new book, titled (wait for it) Mr. Hipp Strikes! for a very reasonable price. I think a few are still available, so please, do yourself a favor and visit Dan's digital domain right now! See how I came full circle there?

Planet-Pulp

http://www.planet-pulp.com/

I discovered this site about three months ago and have been visiting regularly ever since. The premise behind Planet Pulp is that every 30 days or so they choose a pop culture theme (80's action heroes, Star Wars, Saturday morning TV shows, etc.) and then post submitted artwork related to the chosen subject. The artwork is almost always jaw dropping and since the designated theme is constantly changing, nothing ever feels stale or overstays its welcome. A few of my favorites include: Nelson Dániel's "Sloth," Brett Parson's "Dagobah," Steve Dressler's "Admiral Animal Traps" and Jayson Weidel's Pixar-inspired "Presto." If you're a fan of places like Gallery 1988 or Mondo, then this will definitely be a site you'll enjoy.

Fake Criterions

http://fakecriterions.tumblr.com/

This is a Tumblr blog, with, you guessed it, fake Criterion packaging. When the blog started late last year, it was essentially a place where ridiculous fake Criterion Collection covers could be posted, and when I say "ridiculous," I mean films that would never in a million years be a part of the Criterion Collection. To give you a taste of the built-in hilarity the premise promises and a better idea of the the blog's tone, I present the following for Criterion consideration: Baby's Day Out, 3 Ninjas, Encino Man and Uwe Boll's Postal. Recently though, Fake Criterions has started including posts for good films too, films that could maybe even one day be in the Criterion Collection, like The Tree of Life, Woman on the Moon and The Fury. I'm excited to see how this blog evolves.

Thwipster

http://www.thwipster.com/

You've heard of sites like Woot! and Groupon before, right? They offer a daily deal or deals at a discounted rate and usually only have a limited supply available (although that doesn't apply as much to Groupon nowadays). Well, Thwipster is essentially the Woot! for nerds. "But wait a minute," you say. "Isn't Woot! already for nerds and the like?" Well yes, but to be more precise, Thwipster has stuff we would actually want. They offer a comic deal of the day, a collectible deal of the day and a supermega deal of the week, and the deals are consistently fantastic. So far I've ordered Warren Ellis' Ministry of Space, Paul Pope's Batman: Year 100, and Jodorowsky & Moebius' The Incal. I am in no way being paid or compensated for recommending Thwipster, I'm just completely enamored with the website as a whole. Step one: sign up for their newsletter. Step two: buy, buy, buy. You can thank me later!

What do you think? Know any other good sites?