Ken Taylor's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" Movie Poster

We've got another Mondo winner on our hands here! Ever wanted to hangout with Captain Nemo and crew? It's not so easy, considering they're fictional characters, but Ken Taylor's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea poster might get you halfway there.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Movie Poster
Ken Taylor
24" x 36" - Numbered
$50 - Limited to 390

I think this might be my favorite Disney-related Mondo print yet, surpassing even Tom Whalen's beautiful The Mad Doctor in my estimation. Let's break this down, shall we? We've got a giant squid, yes, a giant squid. We've also got the Nautilus, otherwise known as that dangerous and rather sharp looking submarine. Both combatants appearing frozen like flies (really dangerous flies that can breathe underwater) eternally trapped in amber, and magnificently captured by the skilled hand of Ken Taylor. Finally, I'm loving the golden typography and lush but ominous green hues throughout Taylor's print - it gives the poster a captivating retro and adventurous appearance.

Ken Taylor's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea movie poster will be available on Friday (3/30) at a random time through Mondo. The print measures 24" x 36", costs $50, and is limited to an edition of 390. To get the whole scoop on this release be sure to follow Mondo on Twitter @MondoNews. And to learn more about Mr. Taylor, be sure to visit his site or buy some prints at Beyond the Pale. Good luck folks!

Randy Ortiz's "Lord Necronom" Art Print

I like to think of Randy's "Lord Necronom" as the art print inspired by the film I never knew I was dying to see. To rewind a bit, I first mentioned Mr. Ortiz in my write up of Spoke Art's second annual "Bad Dads" art show because of his beautiful Fantastic Mr. Fox inspired poster, which then made its way onto my "Best Twenty Posters of 2011" list. I think it's safe to say that tonight's entry is not nearly as cute or cuddly as the wily Mr. Fox, but what it's lacking in adorableness, it more than makes up for in disgusting phallic tendrils and xenomorphic complexity.

"Lord Necronom" Art Print
Randy Ortiz
18" x 24" - Numbered
$70 - Limited to 90 (17 APs)
Inspired By: H.R. Giger / Alien and Star Wars

I enjoy Star Wars as much the next guy, but I've seen enough paintings and posters of Darth Vader to last me a lifetime. With that said, I think the reason this particular remixing of the iconic Vader helmet works is because it feels fresh and it's just plain clever. I like clever. And if there was ever something that could make the Dark Lord of the Sith a more sinister individual overall, it would without a doubt be the incorporation of some Giger inspired creepiness. Not content with his already unsettling creation, Ortiz also saw fit to include a grotesque halo in the background, which somehow makes the print even more irreverent. My favorite elements of Randy's poster are the rib cage forming the top of the Lord Necronom's hard hat, the ghoulish little mouth jutting out of Necronom's face, and what are possibly the most terrifying eyelids ever thought up by anyone...ever. Ultimately, "Lord Necronom" makes my skin crawl, but then again, that's why I like it so much. In lieu of not be able to watch Prometheus yet, I think I may have to throw in Alien tonight.

"Lord Necronom" Process Shot #1 (taken from damnthedesign.com)

"Lord Necronom" Process Shot #2 (taken from damnthedesign.com)

"Lord Necronom" Process Shot #3 (taken from damnthedesign.com)

"Lord Necronom" Process Shot #4 (taken from damnthedesign.com)

Randy Ortiz's "Lord Necronom" prints will be available on Friday (3/23) at a random time through his online storefront. The poster costs $70 and measures 18" x 24", with only 17 being made available for purchase (these are his APs). He'll be making the drop announcement via his Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter accounts, so I'd recommend keeping an eye on all of them throughout the day and a little bit of F5-ing probably wouldn't hurt either. To learn more about artist Randy Ortiz, be sure to visit his website at damnthedesign.com. Here's hoping we see a lot more Mondo commissioned stuff from him in the near future!

Laurent Durieux's "Gigantor" Art Prints

Is there anything more Japanese than giant robots? Sure, there's sushi, Godzilla, MiniDisc players, but after that, I have to assume it's pretty much all just giant robots. As a quick disclaimer to this review, I've never read any of the Gigantor manga, but I have seen a few episodes of the Gigantor cartoon, or as it's known in Japan, Tetsujin 28-go, mostly because I was inspired to seek out the series after hearing about these prints, and what I saw was pretty cool. There's no doubt the show looks dated (mind you, it originally aired in 1963), but I love watching older animation and it's surprisingly violent. I shit you not, there's plenty of scenes where Gigantor, a massive robot who could have easily disabled an enemy's vehicle in a safe manner, instead opts to fly right through it, or smash it with his massive metal gauntlets, thereby condemning the boat's / jet's / tank's operator to a slow and fiery death. In other words: it's kind of awesome. What's even more amazing is Laurent Durieux's killer prints based on the series, don't you think?

"Gigantor: The Lab" Art Print
Laurent Durieux
18" x 24" - Numbered
$65 (Standard Edition) - Limited to 150
$250 (T-28 Metal Edition) - Limited to 10

I was never really into Transformers as a kid. I'm not sure why, it just didn't interest me. In fact, I don't think the whole giant robot thing really clicked with me until I read Geoff Darrow's amazing Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, and was later reaffirmed by the wonderful Iron Giant. Laurent's prints perfectly capture the mind-blowing enormity that a towering metallic defender of justice should possess and somehow makes it look easy in the process. From a distance these posters appear to be fairly straight forward (beautiful, yes, but simplistic), though that couldn't be further from the truth. Take a closer look at the two images included in this post, and you'll immediately notice just how involved all of the hatching and cross-hatching is - the print looks clean, while also mesmerizing on a granular level. I'm honestly at a loss to tell you which one looks better, but I have no doubt these will be a big success come Thursday morning!

"Gigantor: Tokyo Night" Art Print
Laurent Durieux
18" x 24" - Numbered
$100 (Standard Edition) - Limited to 75
$250 (T-28 Metal Edition) - Limited to 10

Laurent Durieux's Gigantor inspired prints will be available on Thursday (3/22) at 9:30 AM PDT through Dark Hall Mansion's online storefront. The regular (non-metal) version of "Gigantor: The Lab" will measure 18" x 24", cost $65, and will be limited to an edition of 150. The regular (non-metal) version of "Gigantor: Tokyo Night" will cost $100 and will be limited to an edition of 75. For the big spenders, the appropriately awesome metal versions of both prints will be limited to an edition of 10 and cost $250 each. If you'd like to learn more about Dark Hall Mansion releases, I highly recommend you visit darkhallmansion.com and follow them on Twitter @DarkHallMansion. To see more of Laurent's work, head over to his incredibly impressive Flickr page.

New Flesh Prints' "Why I'm Quitting Tobacco" Art Prints

Truth time: I'm one of the unwashed masses that hasn't seen much of the critically acclaimed Mad Men. Now hear me out: I bought the first three seasons on Blu-ray last Black Friday with the full intention of immediately jumping into series, but then other things got in the way. Other things, like Breaking Bad, a Criterion Collection sale, Skyrim, misplacing the first three seasons of Mad Men...you know, stuff. But whether I'm well versed in the comings and goings of Don Draper or not, I know when I see something I like. And I really like New Flesh's gorgeous new Mad Men inspired prints by artist N.E.

"Why I'm Quitting Tobacco" Art Print (Regular)
N.E. (New Flesh Prints)
18" x 24" - Signed and Numbered
$25 - Limited to 50

I was immediately reminded of Martin Ansin, my absolute favorite artist, when I first saw N.E.'s depiction of Draper, and that's a pretty great thing from where I'm standing. His construction of Don's body isn't just an amalgam of hard angles, instead, we see a man made up of complicated curved lines (some thick, some thin) that suggests something organic, something imperfect, something real. But there's more to these prints than just amazing artwork. I'm not sure whose idea this was, but whoever's to blame should be awarded the screen printing version of the Oscar. The idea in question? The variant was printed on authentic tabacco company blue-prints / schematics. Pretty great, right? I'm not even sure where you would get something like that. It's an inspired idea and, in the spirit of complete resentment, I'd like to offer a hearty "damn you" to the handful of people who were able to grab one before it sold out.

"Why I'm Quitting Tobacco" Art Print (Blueprint Variant)
N.E. (New Flesh Prints)
18" x 24" - Signed and Numbered
$64 - Limited to 13

While the variant may have sold out, the beautifully designed regular version of "Why I'm Quitting Tobacco" is currently on sale through the New Flesh storefront for $25. The regular version measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 50. You'll have to act quickly though, because only a handful remain, and whether they sell out or not, the ability to purchase one will expire at 10:30 AM tomorrow (3/22). To learn more about the artist, be sure to follow N.E. on Twitter @NEnewflesh. And if you'd like to see more New Flesh Prints artwork, I recommend visiting newfleshprints.com and following @newfleshprints.

Boneface's "The Crazies" Movie Poster

I briefly mentioned the formation of Twenty-Eyes Collective during last month's Walking Dead post, and I'm hoping today's entry will further demonstrate just how much promise this group of like-minded artists have. And while this may be the second time I've written about a Twenty-Eyes release, it's my first column dedicated to the work of Boneface, a UK-based artist I've been following since first discovering his series of onomatopoetically titled portraits. It's with great pleasure that I dedicate tonight's post to Boneface's newest movie poster for the Romero classic, The Crazies.

The Crazies Movie Poster (Regular Edition)
Boneface
18" x 24" - Numbered
$25 - Limited to 90

Boneface's art has a very Class of 1984 vibe to it, I mean, the guy's name is Boneface after all. His work is anarchic, it's violent, and it kind of makes me want to vandalize the walls of my elementary school. The charm of this release, at least for me, lies in the artist's frenzied line-work, casting a general sense of unease over everything he draws. This grotesque realism, while not always beautiful in the traditional sense, usually makes for some wonderfully visceral imagery, which is a fitting tone to strike given the film's low budget horror sensibilities. Even the ominous clouds in the background have a sort of chaotic energy to them. Again, it's the artist's attention to detail, or rather his post-apocalyptic interpretation of the details that makes everything slightly threatening and completely unforgettable. Bottom line: this awesome poster is just unhinged enough to be the perfect print for Romero's The Crazies.

The Crazies movie poster is currently available for $25 through the Twenty-Eyes Collective storefront. The poster measures 18" x 24", is numbered, and is limited to an edition of 90, but that's not all. Boneface created a nice ode to horror film history with his "All Night Horror Madness" gig poster. This event actually took place late last year, but it looks like Twenty-Eyes Collective has got a bunch of these for sale through their site.

"All Night Horror Madness" Gig Poster
Boneface
18" x 24" - Numbered
$30 - Limited to 50

Boneface's "All Night Horror Madness" gig poster is available from Twenty-Eyes Collective for $30. The print is numbered and limited to a small edition of 50. To learn more about Boneface, be sure to visit boneface.co.uk, his Society6 store and follow him on Twitter @b0neface.

Gallery 1988's "Is This Thing On? 2" Art Show

There's something inherently relaxing about coming home from work or school (depending on your age...and whether you're working and / or going to school), turning on the telly, and imbibing the meta-shenanigans of Community, partaking in the public access-tinged weirdness of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, or listening to Bad Hair Day and belting out the words to "Amish Paradise." Comedy is something many, many, many people around the world appreciate, but it's an undeniably personal and subjective pleasure. It's with this perspective in mind that I'd like to share with you my favorite prints from Gallery 1988's second annual "Is This Thing On" show. Note: As of this writing all of the prints below are still available for purchase.

"Eat It" Art Print
Alex Pardee
16" x 20" - Numbered
$35 - Limited to 200

It's a neck-and-neck race between "Eat It" and "Amish Paradise," but I think "Eat It" may be my favorite song in Yankovic's discography and, correspondingly, Alex Pardee's identically titled print was one of my favorite posters in this year's show. As is often the case with Alex's work, the design has been meticulously constructed and is at once incredibly amusing ("Hah! Weird Al's head is a donut!"), while also being incredibly disturbing ("Oh my god! Weird Al's DNA has been spliced with that of a donut!") as he incorporates a little bit of that old Cronenbergian body horror...with hilarious consequences. Sorry, I've always wanted to write that last bit and finally saw my chance. Pardee's "Eat It" art print is currently available through Gallery 1988's online storefront for $35. The print measures 16" x 20" and is limited to an edition of 200. To learn more about Alex Pardee, be sure to visit his Eye Suck Ink website, Zerofriends store, and follow him on Twitter @alexpardee.

"Mr. Show" Art Print
Darin Shock (State of Shock Studios)
18" x 24" - Signed and Numbered
$40 - Limited to 75

I'm kind of shocked this is still available. I guess Mr. Show has a smaller fan-base than a lot of other comedies or comedians, but still! Darin did an amazing job here recreating so many of the memorable moments from the series, including Taint Magazine (seriously, you need to watch the "It's Insane, This Guy's Taint" sketch right now), Ronnie Dobs, Dickie Crickets, hell, even Gurgles the Bong (of Drugachusetts fame) makes an appearance! Mr. Shock managed to fill every available millimeter of this poster with show references, in-jokes, and sketch premises so strange they never should have worked, but they do, and it's a beautiful thing to behold. And for someone who's been a fan of Darin's work for a while now, I can honestly say this is his best stuff yet. I'm really impressed! Here's Darin on his process and inspiration (taken from the State of Shock Studios blog):

"I got out my DVDs and a sketchbook and spent hours / days / months trying to narrow down what I would depict in this design. There's a balance between what should be on the poster and what works better visually. Some classic characters simply weren't visually interesting (Dream of a Lifetime, Thrilling Miracles, etc.). It took a long time for me to commit to the design and composition. There were many things I had to unfortunately omit which deserved to be there (Cockring Warehouse, Bob the Streaker, Pre-Taped Call In Show, etc.). I knew I wanted (what I consider to be) every main cast member depicted once. I also tried to balance the number of Bobs vs. Daves. I wanted to incorporate some important objects from the show into the design as well. There weren't as many that worked well within the composition as I had hoped, so I had to throw in a few I didn't consider to be as important (Value Monkey, Kiddie Massage Cream, etc). You always want posters like this to be a certain "greatest hits" sort of tribute but sometimes things don't work out, plus sometimes you get selfish. Sarah Silverman wasn't a main cast member and some people may not agree, but one of my favorite lines from the show was Fran in Indomitable Spirit saying "I'm Fran and I'm a woman". Absolutely classic--had to be in there. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I could have easily done a series of these. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to do this one and I could go on all day...but I'll stop. A show of this magnitude deserves a poster of significance...I hope I did it some justice!"

I'd say he certainly did the show justice, wouldn't you? Darin Shock's "Mr. Show" art print is available through Gallery 1988 for $40. The print measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 75. To learn more about State of Shock Studios, head over to stateofshockstudios.com and be sure to visit the State of Shock Studios Facebook page.

"The Exploding Kind" Art Print
Clinton Reno
17" x 22" - Signed and Numbered
$40 - Limited to 53

I'm sure I've written this before, but for anyone who doesn't already know this, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is my all-time favorite film, meaning I'll pretty much buy anything even tangentially related to the movie. And it goes without saying that Peter Seller's performance, or more accurately performances, is one of the main reasons Dr. Strangelove is such a timeless, enjoyable, hilarious, and frightening experience. While that's reason enough for me to purchase this print, I'm sure others may need a bit more convincing, so here I go. What's better than one iconic film character? Why, two of course. Artist Clinton Reno, someone I wasn't really familiar with beyond his single Silver Screen Society contribution, has seen fit to not only render Seller's incomparable Dr. Strangelove, but to also include Seller's bumbling Inspector Clouseau. Yep, two great characters on one beautiful black and white print. What more could you want? Reno has also added a nice nod to both films / characters with a nice bit of wordplay in the background. It's a really fun poster in the classiest of ways. Clinton Reno's "The Exploding Kind" artwork is currently available from Gallery 1988 for $40. The poster is limited to an edition of 53 and measures 17" x 22". To find out more about Clinton Reno, I'd recommend visiting clintonreno.com and following him on Twitter @mr_reno.

"Another One Rides the Bus" Art Print
Joshua Budich
12" x 24" - Numbered
$35 - Limited to 200

I'll post just about anything Joshua Budich does - I love the guy's work. His art tends to be on the more realistic side of things, and his prints are always loaded to the brim with characters. Case in point: Budich's "Another One Rides the Bus" is bursting with detail, while also offering us a nice "best of" look at the many roles (and costumes) Weird Al has donned throughout his career. In that way, "Another One Rides the Bus" is a totally appropriate follow-up to Reno's Peter Sellers-centric "The Exploding Kind," don't you think? There's a lot of history here, but I think my favorite part of Joshua's poster might be the epilepsy-inducing pants Weird Al is wearing while jamming on his accordion, which I believe were modeled after the pants Weird Al wore on Tom Snyder's The Tomorrow Show during his first televised appearance playing, you guessed it, "Another One Rides the Bus." Budich's "Another One Rides the Bus" art print is available through Gallery 1988 for $35. The print measures 12" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 200. For more info on the very talented Joshua Budich, head over to joshuabudich.com and follow him on Twitter at @jbudich.

"Where's My Chippy?" Art Print
Graham Erwin
18" x 24" - Numbered
$40 - Limited to 50

Finally, we come to perhaps the strangest comedic duo in existence, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim. Graham Erwin's precise portrait captures the awkward, abnormal, homo-erotic undertones that run rampant through Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Graham's print includes shrimp and white wine, astronomical bodies, hot dogs, cell phones, and of course Chippy! In other words, all the things needed for a fun night with the Beaver Boys. This is one of those prints that really only a small contingent of folks will enjoy, but for fans of Tim and Eric this will be seen and understood as the masterpiece it is (and, well it should be). Graham Erwin's "Where's My Chippy?" art print is currently available through Gallery 1988's website for $40. The poster is limited to an edition of 50 and measures 18" x 24". You can visit grahamerwin.com, his Etsy store and follow him on Twitter @GrahamErwin to learn more about the artist.

Links I Like - Volume 4

It's been a while since I've done of one these, but to quickly summarize: 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 on your toes.

Crome Yellow

http://www.cromeyellow.com

This one's been a long time coming, although that's primarily because I haven't posted a "Links I Like" column in over six months. Crome Yellow is the perfect encapsulation of everything I'm obsessed with. Film? Check. Art and design? Check. New music, which I almost assuredly wouldn't have known about otherwise? Check. Okay, okay, so I'm not technically obsessed with that last one, but I think it's pretty cool nonetheless. In other words: all the geeky stuff I think is the cat's pajamas (and therefore force my very understanding fiancée to endure), the guys who run Crome Yellow also seem to like. It's a win-win. A few of my favorite recent posts include, but are in no way limited to: "John V. Muntean’s ‘Magic Angle’ Sculptures," "The ‘Ruins Of Detroit’ By Marchand & Meffre," and "Pattern Designs From Andy Gilmore." Check 'em out!

Ape on the Moon

http://apeonthemoon.com/

This is another website I've been in love with for quite a while now. Ape on the Moon is run by two London-based illustrators who clearly have a knack for finding incredible art and sharing it with us, their voracious readers. Their posts cover the strange and avant-garde to the more traditionally picturesque, and everything in between. Ape on the Moon also features some fantastic interviews and the occasional step-by-step tutorial for any aspiring artists out there. Highlights include: the "Chris Madden Tutorial Using Printed Ink Textures," "Hand-carved, Wooden, Sculptural Frames by Bonsoir Paris," "Model City Typography by Creative Studio, Soon," and "Happycentro’s Paper, Pen, and Plasticine Typography." Pretty cool, right?

Eye Sea Posters

http://www.eyeseaposters.com/

Did you enjoy Jay Shaw's Bullhead print? Do you like your movie posters with a dash of strange and a healthy heaping of what the fuck? Well, Eye Sea Posters is the place for you. Eye Sea specializes in the sale of Polish one sheets from the 60's and 70's by artists like Jerzy Flisak, Wiktor Gorka, Andrzej Krajewski and Maciej Zbikowski and is a must-have bookmark for anyone who loves movie posters. Sure, Posteritati may technically have a larger inventory, but I really appreciate the passion Eye Sea pours into their site and selection, making them the online authority on Polish posters in my book. Oh yeah, did I mention they've also got a great blog? You should probably visit that too. A few of my favorite Polish posters include: Gumshoe (AKA Prywatny Detektyw), Romancing the Stone (AKA Milosc Szmaragd i Krokodyl), and The Terrorists (AKA Godziny Grozy). It's like I always say, "Nobody does eyeball pistols like the Polish."

Poster Collective

http://www.postercollective.com/

If you like Posterocalypse, then there's a pretty good chance you'll love the Poster Collective. The Poster Collective, much like this site, is dedicated to poster art, with the majority of its focus centered on the wonderful world of film. Unlike Posterocalypse, the three hoodlums that run the Poster Collective have created some incredibly clever and very enjoyable features, including: "10 Valentine’s Day Movies (And Posters) For Every Relationship Status," "A DRIVE Through Car Movie Poster History," and their recurring "8 Questions" interview series. To add insult to injury, they've also got a better looking site and a much snappier motto ("Wall Things Considered") than I do. Thankfully for me, the Internet is a big enough place for more than one poster site to comfortably exist, and I consider Poster Collective to be among the best.

Movielicious!

http://www.chongweikk.com/

First things first: I cannot and have never been able to speak, read, or write Chinese. Granted, I've only got a questionable understanding of English and have retained about a paragraph's worth of Español from my time spent in Spanish 3, but again, Chinese is not my forté. Despite this obvious hindrance, the Chinese-language site Movielicious! is one of my favorite places to visit whenever new content is posted. I don't really know anything about the person or people who run Movielicious!, but I'm fairly confident we would be great friends based on their apparent affection for all things cinematic. No matter your ability to understand Chinese, Movielicious! is a website that deserves your attention. A handful of my favorite posts include: "12 Reinvented Visual Arts for Miyazaki’s Anime," "2012 Best Films Custom Art: BAFTA vs. OSCAR," and "Revisiting 2011: 10 Favourite Short Films." Enjoy!

What do you think? Know of any other good sites?

Dan Sherratt's "Donnie Darko" Art Print

Dan Sherratt, an artist I've been following for quite a while now, has created yet another awesome film-centric print, this time inspired by the modern-day cult classic Donnie Darko. Dan has always been great about using the ubiquitous and the mundane to create something far greater than the sum of its parts, and this print is no exception.

Donnie Darko Art Print
Dan Sherratt
12" x 24" - Signed and Numbered
£20 - Limited to 30

Warning: the next sentence may contain spoilers for the eleven year-old film, Donnie Darko. Dan's cleverly minimalist concept depicts the incident that started all of the alternate universe / time travelling shenanigans that ultimately lead to Donnie's death. Towering over all of this is the iconographic and all-around creepy Frank the Bunny, beautifully rendered via plumes of smoke and ominous clouds. It's actually kind of funny, because this is the second, yes second, Donnie Darko-inspired print I've reviewed by Dan Sherratt, meaning Dan and I must really like disturbing bunny costumes and eighties pop music. That's a good thing, right? Cool print, cool concept, cool movie. Get 'em while they last!

Sherratt's Donnie Darko print is currently available for pre-order through his Drawn Chorus storefront for £20 (approximately $32). The poster will measures 12" x 24" and will be limited to a rather small edition of 30. To learn more about artist Dan Sherratt, be sure to visit heartstrand.co.uk, his Tumblr account, and follow him on Twitter @drawn_chorus.

Rhys Cooper's "Mad Max" Double Bill Posters

The planets must have aligned, as Tommy Good, the same folks who brought us posters for Once Upon a Time in the West, A Clockwork Orange and Apocalypse Now, are set to unleash a Mad Max and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior double bill print by artist Rhys Cooper. Here's a fun tidbit that everyone reading this probably already knows: both Tommy Good (the company) and Rhys Cooper (the artist) are based out of Australia. Why is this important, you ask? Well, technically it's not. Good art is good art no matter where it comes from, but Mad Max is probably the most celebrated Ozploitation film ever put to celluloid, which in my mind makes these prints all the more authentic. I think Lord Humungus would agree, don't you?

Mad Max Double Bill (Regular Version) Rhys Cooper 12" x 36" - Signed and Numbered $33 - Limited to 170

Mad Max Double Bill (Hand Embellished Variant) Rhys Cooper 12" x 36" - Signed and Numbered $53 - Limited to 60

Rhys is the master of the 12" x 36" print. He just is. He's done similarly-sized work for Skuzzles, Mondo, and more recently, his self-commissioned Drive print. I can't exactly say why he tends to favor more lean and lofty poster proportions, but he does, and I've always appreciated the lankier layouts that can so elegantly break up a wall covered exclusively in 18" x 24" and 24" x 36" works of art. But enough about that, let's get into the real meat and beans of this post apocalyptic poster.

Mad Max Double Bill - Close-up

I honestly think these may be my favorite prints from Rhys Cooper yet. Now, hear me out: sure, I've got a shotgun shell-sized soft spot in my heart for all things Mad Max (who doesn't), but I think, maybe more so than any movie he's ever done a poster for, the Mad Max series is the perfect fit for Cooper's controlled-but-chaotic aesthetic. I picture two long-lost siblings, finally reunited, both of whom really like to blow shit up. As I'm sure you can guess (even if you haven't seen the movies), there's no shortage of insanity or violence in the first two Mad Max films, and these posters nail the burnt-out, brutal, dystopian landscape, which is wonderfully conveyed by the sun-baked yellows and reds and, oh yeah, the blood splatter. Finally, there's absolutely no way to ignore the inherent coolness "Mad" Max Rockatansky embodies just by standing there and looking badass, and Rhys has done a great job reproducing Mel Gibson's imposing figure and icy stare circa 1979. Also, there's a freaking skull superimposed over his face! There's a lot to like here, and way, way, way more to talk about, but the bottom line is this: if you're of the male persuasion, or a fan of some seriously over-the-top Ozploitative films, or you just like badass things, then these are the posters for you.

Mad Max Double Bill - Close-up

Both versions of Rhys Cooper's Mad Max / Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior movie poster will be available through tommygood.com tomorrow (3/7) in the US, which will actually be Thursday (3/8) in Australia. The regular version measures 12" x 36", is limited to 170 and will cost $33, while the hand-embellished variant, AKA the "DEATH ON WHEELS: Driver of the Apocalypse" variant, will be limited to 60 and will cost $53. A quick note on the hand embellishments: the painting by Rhys on the variants was created with gouche in a combination of brushstrokes and splatter techniques, meaning no two will be the same. Be sure to follow @ThisIsTommyGood for the exact release info, and for additional Rhys Cooper artwork, head over to his Studio Seppuku store.

Mark Englert's "Det er en Slags Ting" Art Print

UPDATE (3/7): As mentioned in this post, Englert's "Det er en Slags Ting" print was a time-limited release, and that time has come to an end. They're all sold out folks! Now we just need to wait until Mark's amazing It print comes out!

I've already written about The Thing several times on this site. It's one of those movies that will forever drive its fans to share their appreciation with one another and the world beyond, including those who've yet to see Carpenter's 1982 classic. Thankfully for us, Mark Englert, an illustrator who's worked with the likes of Image, Archaia, and Microsoft, has decided to dedicate his sizable talents toward capturing the icy landscape better known as Outpost 31 via two beautifully epic screen prints.

"Det er en Slags Ting" Art Print
Mark Englert - 12" x 36"
$40 - Edition Size TBD
Inspired By: The Thing

"Det er en Slags Ting" Art Print ("Yeah, Fuck You, Too" GID Variant)
Mark Englert - 12" x 36"
$70 (Already Sold Out) - Limited to 31
Inspired By: The Thing

You've really got to admire the level of detail in Englert's work. Much like Dan McCarthy's "Hoth" and JC Richard's "Fortress of Solitude," both of which served as inspirations in the creation of "Det er en Slags Ting," Mark's posters are about as photorealistic as they come. I actually wondered (very briefly) if any of the above was drawn at all, then I was directed to his incredibly thorough process thread on Expresso Beans (seriously, go read it right now). There, I witnessed just how much detail and effort went into even the most seemingly minute elements of the design. I've included a few of my favorites below for your viewing pleasure.

Helicopter - Illustration Close-up

Alaskan Malamute - Illustration Close-up

Outpost 31 / Station 4 - Illustration Close-up

While some of these elements couldn't be bigger than a fingernail within the boundaries of "Det er en Slags Ting" (I'm looking at you, adorable but violent alien dog), you can see how intricately each vehicle, character and building was drawn. I'm completely serious when I say every one of these could be a print unto themselves! Mark was nice enough to provide me with some detail about these, his first prints ever, as well as briefly summarize his process and talk a little bit about why he loves The Thing so much:

"It's my first print, but I've been making a living doing illustration for over 12 years now, so I was fairly confident I could pull it off. I work in Photoshop, took pictures of some local mountains after a recent snow storm and drew the rest myself, piece by piece. I drew the dog, base and helicopter at a much larger size then they would be printed in the end, so that when I shrunk them down, they would have a comparable level of detail as the picture of mountains they were placed in front of. The movie is a long-time favorite... lots of note-perfect, iconic moments that are carved into my brain and just re-watchable as hell."

As far as first prints go, I'd say this was a smashing success, wouldn't you?

These two gorgeous looking posters are a must-have for any Thing fan. While the glow-in-the-dark variant has already sold out, Mark Englert's "Det Er En Slags Ting" art print is still available for $40 from his Talco Belvedere storefront for a few more hours (it's a time-limited release). The print measures 12" x 36" and will be expertly screen printed with three colors. To learn more about Mark and his process head over to the amazingly detailed EB process thread he started, check out his website at markenglert.com, and follow him on Twitter @markenglert. As you can tell, he's a pretty talented guy and I think we'll be seeing a lot more from him in the near future! More specifically, fans of It should keep their eyes on Mark and what he does next!

Phantom City Creative's "Back to the Future" Movie Posters

It's been way too long since I've written something dedicated to a poster by Phantom City Creative, let alone several prints from the incredibly talented design studio. And in many ways, well, just one really, they've come full circle with these posters. You see, it wasn't too long ago (read: last year) that Justin Erickson and Paige Reynolds, the folks behind Phantom City, created some very cool posters for a film series put on by Twitch and the TIFF Bell Lightbox titled "Back to the 80s." And wouldn't you know it, one of the movies immortalized by the Toronto-based group I've temporarily decided to abbreviate as PCC was a part of the Back to the Future franchise. But can you guess which one? I'll give you a hint: its cast of characters included Marty McFly, Marty McFly Jr. and Marlene McFly - all played by Michael J. Fox. Correct! Back to the Future II. I wrote a review about the print, which you can read if you're so inclined, but everything written below will be focused on Phantom City Creative's newest and, in my opinion, superior time traveling tribute.

Back to the Future Movie Poster
Phantom City Creative
18" x 24" - Numbered
$88 (Set) - Limited to 420

Back to the Future II Movie Poster
Phantom City Creative
18" x 24" - Numbered
$88 (Set) - Limited to 420

Back to the Future III Movie Poster
Phantom City Creative
18" x 24" - Numbered
$88 (Set) - Limited to 420

There's a lot to love here, but I think what most people will immediately notice is the seamless triptych formed when all three prints are placed together. It's a great idea conceptually, and I can just picture how amazing the posters would look framed and perfectly aligned on my wall. As a quick aside, can I just mention how much I'm loving all of the sets Mondo's been selling recently? Planet of the Apes, Tron...alright, I guess that's actually about it, but still...keep 'em coming guys! Back to the posters. Each print manages to capture the tone and setting of the film it's depicting: Back to the Future is mostly colored in a chaste and picturesque yellow while the clock tower ticks and tocks in the background circa 1955, Back to the Future II is flood of bleak gray while reproducing the ominously named Biff Tannen's Pleasure Paradise Casino & Hotel in the year 2015, and Back to the Future III presents a sun-drenched Wild West complete with old-timey saloon, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five. And it wouldn't be a proper write-up if I didn't mention the posters' connecting tissue. Yes, that gorgeously detailed Delorean. It's a thing of beauty, although I don't mind saying that all the really fun parts are in the third poster. I'm not sure why I'm so into this, but I just love the look of wires, cogs and cylinders, especially when illustrated. It's an unnatural beauty to be sure, but visually, I'm always game. Phantom City's prints are really well done and will look great on any wall, but the fact that these are specifically designed to be displayed as a set makes them even cooler in my book.

Back to the Future Trilogy Poster (Variant)
Phantom City Creative
16" x 36" - Numbered
$120 - Limited to 115

Phantom City Creative's regular Back to the Future trilogy posters can only be purchased as a set for $88 through Mondo later this morning (3/2), which isn't bad at all considering you're getting three separate prints. Each poster measures 18" x 24" and is limited to an edition of 420. The all-in-one variant measures 16" x 36", costs $120, and is limited to a much smaller edition of 115. I'm sure you know the deal by now, but as a reminder: if you want these posters, you'll need to be follow @MondoNews on Twitter. To learn more about one of my favorite design studios head over to phantomcitycreative.com and follow @PhantomCityCrtv for more release info.