Kickstart This Art - March Edition

The Internet can be a dark cave overflowing with trolls spouting hateful bile under the mask of anonymity, but it can also be a wonderful place filled with (sometimes) hilarious cat videos, inventive remixes (and remixes of remixes), and Tumblr accounts rife with the animated gifs of yesteryear. My "Kickstart This Art" column is meant to celebrate one of the cooler things the Internet has to offer those of us who want to not only discover, but ultimately be a part of something innovative and deserving. That's right, I'm talking about Kickstarter. This feature will highlight some of the awesome, at least in my opinion, art-related Kickstarter campaigns that are currently running and competing for your money.

"A Fiend In Need" Art Print ($1,000 Goal)


The Pitch: You know that picture of all those dogs playing poker? There's actually a few of them, so don't feel too bad if you're not all thinking of the exact same one. (I'm specifically talking about C. M. Coolidge's "A Friend in Need.") Now imagine if each one of those probably racist dogs (it was painted in the early 1900s, after all) had been replaced by an ass-kicking, name-taking deity of heavy metal and you just may start to understand what artist Dave Berns is concocting here.

Why I Love The Idea: What's not to love here? Dave has taken an iconic image and turned it up to 11. And aside from the poster's sweet composition, he's also decided to employ the services of Nakatomi Inc to handle the printing, meaning everything will look top-notch in person.

Bottom Line: A fun, funny, affordable, rocking print that's sure to please the all the metal fans out there. Could you imagine the stories these guys would be trading at this game?!

God Hates Astronauts: The Complete Ed. ($15,000 Goal)


The Pitch: The God Hates Astronauts comic has been Ryan Browne's pet project for the last six years and is completely serialized at godhatesastronauts.com. But what about those people who want to see more of the God Hates Astronauts universe than is currently available? What about the folks who want a slick looking hardcover graphic novel to show their friends and / or balance that uneven table? What about the people who want an MP3 of the original GHA theme song written and performed by the band Murder by Death? Believe it or not, there's a Kickstarter specifically designed to appease that demographic.

Why I Love The Idea: I thought God Hates Astronauts creator Ryan Browne summed it up nicely when he described his comic as, "kind of like The Venture Brothers or Aqua Teen Hunger Force, mixed with that hilarious movie The Astronaut Farmer with Billy Bob Thornton, rolled in a flour tortilla of Robocop, and sprinkled with a little bit of Die Hard." If such a burrito existed, would it even be possible to resist? I think not. Seriously though, this project is coming from someone who has already launched a successful Kickstarter campaign (his Blast Furnace: Recreational Thief Volume One!), and features some of the coolest backer rewards around (be sure to read about "The Defaced Edition" of GHA).

Bottom Line: It's a cool project by a super talented dude. Also, it features Carl Winslow with gorilla arms. 'Nuff said.

Torment: Tides of Numenera ($900,000 Goal)


The Pitch: Remember Planescape: Torment? The game was developed by Black Isle Studios and released by Interplay in 1999. If you were into RPGs around that period, then there's a very, very good chance you were as obsessed about it as I was. In Planescape, the player controlled The Nameless One as he attempted to figure who and / or what he was. In many ways, it reminds me of what I imagine a dungeons and dragons version of Memento would look like. It was a brilliantly written game, featuring amazing characters, story, and innovative gameplay. I mention all of this as an introduction to the Kickstarter-funded Torment: Tides of Numenera, a new game "crafted in the Torment tradition," according to it's Creative Lead, Colin McComb.

Why I Love The Idea: While I don't necessarily know what "crafted in the Torment tradition" means, since Tides of Numenera won't be an actual sequel to Planescape, I'm still fully on board. InXile Entertainment, the company started by Brian Fargo, the guy who also founded Interplay, has assembled many of Planescape: Torment's core development team for Tides' production. I figure I'll gladly roll the dice if I can get something even approaching the Planescape experience.

Bottom Line: If the folks at InXile Entertainment want to create a - I'm going to call it - spiritual follow-up to Planescape: Torment with many of the game's original dev team in tow, I'm in.

Kickstart This Art - September Edition

The Internet can be a dark cave overflowing with trolls spouting hateful bile under the mask of anonymity, but it can also be a wonderful place filled with (sometimes) hilarious cat videos, inventive remixes (and remixes of remixes), and Tumblr accounts rife with the animated gifs of yesteryear. My "Kickstart This Art" column is meant to celebrate one of the cooler things the Internet has to offer those of us who want to not only discover, but ultimately be a part of something innovative and deserving. That's right, I'm talking about Kickstarter. This feature will highlight some of the awesome, at least in my opinion, art-related Kickstarter campaigns that are currently running and competing for your money.

Charlie Kaufman's Anomalisa ($200,000 Goal)


The Pitch: Charlie Kaufman, the genius behind films like Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine, and one of my all time favorites, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, wants to make a movie. But not just any movie. The guy wants to create a stop-motion animated film about, "a man crippled by the mundanity of his life." What does that mean? I have no idea, but I'm sure it will be equal parts challenging and entertaining.

Why I Love The Idea: Dan Harmon (creator of Community) is producing, Kaufman is overseeing the film's creation and wrote the play Anomalisa is based on. Hmm...I feel like I'm forgetting something. Oh yeah, and it's freaking stop-motion animation! I'm not sure if you've already watched the above video, but the whole thing is narrated via an animated puppet. How cool is that? The answer is "None. None more cool." If this isn't worth your hard-earned mula, I don't know what is.

Bottom Line: I'm going to throw out a few words at you: Kaufman. Harmon. Animated. Stop-Motion. Kaufman. 'Nuff said.

Strange Kids Comix Magazine - Issue #3 ($2,500 Goal)


The Pitch: Picture just about everything you loved from the 80s. Can you visualize that for me? Okay. Now imagine all of those things forced to inhabit the same universe and drawn by artists like Jason Edmiston and Brent Engstrom and then finally printed on paper and made into a magazine. Sounds pretty good, right?

Why I Love The Idea: If the pitch or video didn't grab you, then Strange Kids Comix may not be for you. However, if, like me, you saw the above illustrated Videodrome-esqe fever dream and immediately fell in love, then congratulations, you're one of the good guys. In all seriousness, this is a great opportunity to support something that's made by nerds for nerds and it's being independently published to boot (you don't even need to live in Portland or some other hipster-y town to contribute!)

Bottom Line: Oh. And did I mention there's still a few hirsute Teen Wolf posters by Ze Burnay left for those donating $35 or more? Go ahead and click the "Back This Project" button below. Issue #3 is so close to actually reaching its goal. Make it happen!

Garry Brown's DIE HARD Poster ($1,200 Goal)


The Pitch: Do you like the movie Die Hard? I mean, really like the movie Die Hard? Well, so do the folks behind the Die Hard poster campaign and they'd love it if the National Film Registry felt the same way.

Why I Love The Idea: Not only is this a really great idea (who wouldn't want Die Hard to be in the National Film Registry?), but as a reward for supporting the campaign you can pick up a pretty sweet Die Hard print by Garry Brown. Not sure who Garry Brown is? Well, if you're a fan of Brian Wood's The Massive, you may recognize the man's work, as he's the regular interior artist. If you're not a fan of or have never hard of The Massive, then just know that he's a kickass artist.

Bottom Line: What could be better than supporting the preservation of great film and getting an awesome poster to beautify your wall? Not much! Although, it would be cool if Nakatomi Inc was doing the printing.

Jordan Debney's "Insidious" Movie Poster

I first learned about Jordan Debney a few months back and had been planning on including some of his work in an early "Art Appreciation" column of mine. Fast forward to today, June 25th, and I've yet to write about the guy. This has nothing to do with him, it's more a testament to my unorganized life and debilitating bouts of laziness. But when I spied the print he did for James Wan's Insidious, I decided now was my chance to strike (and by "strike" I mean write about his art).

Insidious Movie Poster
Jordan Debney
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$60 - Limited to 300

Insidious was a film that impressed me, but I could never love. It takes the tried and true haunted house model and then turns it on its head by adding a dose of interplanar travel. It's a cool concept that I felt was never properly explored by Wan and company. That said, Debney's poster captures what I think was the most compelling aspect of the film, that's right, the aforementioned wibbly wobbly timey wimey* astral projecting shenanigans teased at in the story. Jordan's twisting, turning and warping of his subjects is visually splendid and a bit unsettling given the design's surreal properties and unnatural proportions. And those decrepit hands. My god, those hands are ghoulish in all the right ways. My only real complaint with the poster is the child's face. Perhaps it's contorted on purpose, but the nose and mouth area just look a little off to me. And again, that could be 100% purposeful. Other than that minor gripe, this is a wonderful tribute to a film I didn't fall head over heels for, but can certainly respect. Bottom line: if you dig the film and you're digging Debney's artwork, which has a bat shit crazy Alex Pardee vibe to it, then this print is a must buy, buy, buy.

Jordan Debney's Insidious movie poster is currently available for preorder through Kickstarter for $60. The print measures 24" x 36", is limited to an edition of 300, and was commissioned by DzXtinKt Originals. To learn more about Mr. Debney, head over to eyerupture.com, where you can also pick up a few of Jordan's prints and apparel. And I'm out! Good night everyone!

* Stole that from Dr. Who.

Grzegorz Domaradzki's "Drive" Movie Posters

In case you didn't already know, I'm a huge fan of Grzegorz Domaradzki (aka Gabz). His artwork manages to operate in the grey area between being anarchic, giving all of his work a kinetic quality that's hard to define, and featuring some of the most precise and calculated line work I've ever seen. Oh, and did I mention this is a poster for my (and hopefully your) favorite film of last year? That's right. Drive. Do you really need any more reasons to pick this print up?

Drive Movie Poster (Regular Edition)
Grzegorz Domaradzki (aka Gabz)
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$60 - Limited to 300

Drive Movie Poster (Variant Edition)
Grzegorz Domaradzki (aka Gabz)
24" x 36" (Screen Print) - Numbered
$60 - Limited to 50

As previously stated, Domaradzki's work is at once deliberate while also buzzing with life and unpredictability. This combination makes for art that's impossible to look away from and is sure to attract those who are also fans of poster giants Tyler Stout and Martin Ansin. I personally favor the variant, but honestly, both versions are wall-worthy purchases. While the regular edition reminds me of the neon-drenched night scenes in Drive, the variant exudes an inescapable searing Los Angeles heat. Ultimately, each poster's color palette comes to represent a different side of the same coin - a really, really beautiful rare coin. Gabz' composition also suggests the interconnectedness of Driver (played with unrelenting intensity by Gosling) and the many relationships he forms throughout the film's runtime by literally connecting all of the main characters within the piercing visage of our lead badass. However, there are hints of Driver's crumbling and fragile facade near the bottom of the poster where Grzegorz subtly depicts our hero's body slowly disintegrating. The above posters offer us a thoughtful take on the film, and for fans of Drive this is a must own.

Drive Poster (Regular) Close-up

Drive Poster (Regular) Close-up

Drive Poster (Variant) Close-up

Drive Poster (Variant) Close-up

Gabz's Drive posters are currently being funded through Kickstarter and can be purchased for $60 or $120, depending on whether you want both or just the one. Both posters measure 24" x 36" and are numbered, with the regular version being limited to 300 and the variant being limited to 50. These officially licensed prints were commissioned by DzXtinKt Originals, whose goal is to provide high quality, affordable, limited edition posters for a diverse selection of TV shows and movies. If this is any indication of the quality we'll be seeing from DzXtinKt, I can't wait to see what they do next. To learn more about DzXtinKt Originals head over to Kickstarter right now and while you're there be sure to support some very cool art by pledging some of your hard-earned mula! To see more of artist Gabz' work, checkout iamgabz.com.

Kickstart This Art - May Edition

The Internet can be a dark cave overflowing with trolls spouting hateful bile under the mask of anonymity, but it can also be a wonderful place filled with (sometimes) hilarious cat videos, inventive remixes (and remixes of remixes), and Tumblr accounts rife with the animated gifs of yesteryear. My "Kickstart This Art" column is meant to celebrate one of the cooler things the Internet has to offer those of us who want to not only discover, but ultimately be a part of something innovative and deserving. That's right, I'm talking about Kickstarter. This feature will highlight some of the awesome, at least in my opinion, art-related Kickstarter projects that are currently running and competing for your money. I'm hoping this will become a monthly thing I do, but we all know how dependable and consistent I am. So here goes nothing.

Screen Printing: On the Cheap Book ($10,000 Goal)


The Pitch: A few artist-type folks from Minneapolis want to self-publish a book about screen printing and they need your help. The book will be titled Screen Printing: On the Cheap and promises to be a comprehensive look at how to screen print (on the cheap) at home, something all of us aspiring artist-type folks want to do I imagine.

Why I Love The Idea: If you visit Posterocalypse to read my poster-related rants and reviews, then there's a good chance you like posters. More specifically, there's a good chance you like movie posters. Even more specifically, the odds are quite good that you're a fan of screen printed movie posters. See what I did there? Let's be honest, most of us don't have easy access to a professional screen printing studio and probably won't in the near future, but damn, how cool would it be if you could create your own screen prints at home and give them to your friends on their birthdays (in place of real gifts)? I've got really high hopes for this book.

Bottom Line: I'm for anything that makes screen printing more accessible and less intimidating.

GATHER. A Graphic Novel ($9,000 Goal)


The Pitch: Artist Anton Peck wants to create and publish a graphic novel about a human-like robot and his furry companion on an interplanetary journey in search of answers and adventure. Sounds interesting, right?

Why I Love The Idea: You only need to watch a minute or two of the above video to see how kickass Anton's art is. His story and creature design seem to be one part Atomic Robo, one part A Boy and his Dog (minus all the sexual stuff...I'm guessing), and two parts beautiful ink, paint and digital artistry. Not enough for you? Don't worry, there's more. Besides boasting what looks to be a really gorgeous story, the Gather Kickstarter project is offering some pretty impressive rewards to its backers, coolest of which, at least in my opinion, is that Anton will actually make you a character in the story!

Bottom Line: You can't go wrong with a story about a robot, his creature companion and their surely strange road trip.

Phil Tippett's "MAD GOD" ($40,000 Goal)


The Pitch: Phil Tippett, the visual effects wizard who's worked on a handful of small no-name independent films, including Star Wars (Episodes IV, V, and VI), Dragonslayer, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Robocop, Jurassic Park, and Starship Trooper, is planning to finish an animated short he originally started in 1990. The short in question is titled Mad God. He needs our help to make this a reality, and by "help" I mean money.

Why I Love The Idea: A darkly insane animated film set in a darkly insane animated world following a darkly (and probably) insane animated character wearing what looks to be a rather intense looking gas mask. What's not to love? I'm a huge fan of anything apocalyptic in theme, except maybe a real-life apocalypse (that would be bad), and if seeing is believing, then Mad God appears to fit the bill perfectly. When I initially read the description of what the movie was attempting to accomplish, I was a bit skeptical, but then I watched the video and wow, this short looks like it's going to be absolutely beautiful!

Bottom Line: If you have any love for animation, especially for something mature and experimental, then this is a no brainer.

'Sullivan's Sluggers' Graphic Novel ($6,000 Goal)


The Pitch: Writer Mark Andrew Smith and artist James Stokoe have created a story about a minor league baseball team trying to survive against a town of flesh eating monsters. This comic will only be available to Kickstarter people who choose to support the project.

Why I Love The Idea: Why do I love this idea? Did you even read the pitch?! Baseball teams and flesh eating monsters, that's an absolute no brainer in my opinion! The other reason I'm so into this project? Four words (though one of the words is more of a hyphenated phrase, so it might actually be considered five): James Stokoe's mind-blowing artwork! Seriously, if you haven't already watched the video, do yourself a favor and take a look at what James is capable of. Some of Stokoe's work reminds me of the uber-detailed stuff that Geoff Darrow is known for, but there's also a sense of chaos and a punkish vibe that totally works in the (always popular) minor league versus monster setting. Oh yeah, and the writer is a fellow UCSB Film Studies alumni! Hell yeah!

Bottom Line: Minor league baseball. Monsters. Amazing artwork. That is all, and that's more than enough!

Well, that wraps up my first of hopefully many "Kickstart This Art" columns. What did you think?