Four Spot Illustrations for New York Press, 2004-2005

Who knows what goes on at New York Press these days? I certainly don’t. The last bit of New York Press news I heard was from recently-departed art director Mike Weber, who I ran into at the release party for Glenn Head’s comics anthology HOTWIRE on May 19th at ROCKETSHIP.

Mike W. told me he’d left New York Press after receiving an edict from the editors banning illustration from the paper. Sad news for me, not because I’m jonesing for more of those notoriously low-paying NYPress illo assignments, but because the paper had a long history of hiring talented, offbeat illustrators, (a pattern established by the paper’s founding art director Michael Gentile back in the late 80’s). I’ve done literally hundreds of drawings for New York Press in the years since I first tiptoed into Michael Gentile’s cubicle with my portfolio; I made lots of friends at the paper, whooped it up at many of their lavish parties, and my wife Linda and I met at the paper. I have a certain amount of sentimental attachment to New York Press, but nowadays I avoid those green plastic boxes on NYC sidewalks because it depresses me to see how far downhill the paper has slid in recent years.

I’m not sure how many art directors have come and gone since Russ Smith sold New York Press in 2003; I’d guess at least five people have landed briefly in that overworked, underpaid spot. Here are four illos I did for New York Press between late 2004 and the middle of 2005; the art directors could’ve been any of the following folks: Roxy Wu, Nick Bilton, Mike Mc Keogh, Jennifer Rodriguez, Christine Baczewska.

Cross-dressing performer Murray Hill:



Poet & playwright Gertrude Stein, (crooning, for some reason):



Jazz pianist Bill Charlap & the ghost of George Gershwin:



The Booty Call in the age of Cellular Phones:

Happy Fourth!

This illo isn't the freshest in the shop, (it's about two years old), but I can't think of a better way to express the patriotic feelings welling up inside me on this special day. The illo ran as a tiny sidebar column spot in Jungle Law magazine, (who still owe me money) and I believe the art direction was by either Marcus Villaca or Vanessa Ramos-Velasquez.

Batum Schrag CD cover art

Here's a piece of art I just turned in for the Seattle-based band BATUM SCHRAG. The CD's title is "Throwing Stones," and I hope I get my hands on the finished discs soon, so I can finally hear what these folks sound like.

BOSKO #1 Launch Party Pix

On June 14th, I stumbled over to the East Village's charming BOXCAR LOUNGE to spend a few precious, beer-soaked moments with the legendary cartoonist (and PUNK Magazine co-founder) JOHN HOLMSTROM to celebrate the debut of BOSKO #1. Comics fans worldwide have spent countless sleepless nights tossing and turning on their tattered futons, wondering when "America's Least Favorite Cartoon Character " would finally get his own comic book; I'm glad to say that the long wait is finally over!

BOSKO #1 is a slick, full-color comic book, (approximately 36 pages), and as far as I know, this is the first comic book to bear the proud imprimatur of PUNK Magazine, (if you need me to explain what PUNK Magazine is, you should go away, study everything on this page, and come back when you're done). Inside the covers of BOSKO #1, you'll find the exploits of (who else?) Bosko, a hard-drinking, good-natured smart-ass; you'll also find a true-life tale of 70's era NYC terror as Holmstrom, Ken Weiner (a.k.a. Ken Avidor) and their drunken pals go toe-to-toe with a pack of belligerent bridge & tunnel goons. Many of these strips are brand new, some are not-so-new, (although appearing in color here for the first time), but all are great fun and definitely worth your $4.95. Support the PUNK Magazine publishing empire and buy direct from the PUNK website!

Snapshots from the BOSKO #1 launch party at BOXCAR LOUNGE:

The man himself, JOHN HOLMSTROM takes us on a tour of his tonsils

SCREW alums KEVIN HEIN and ERIC DANVILLE soak in the glory of 2-for-1 draught beers

NEW YORK PRESS alums (and ghost hunters) MIKE WARTELLA and TANYA RICHARDSON join Holmstrom in a dizzying kaleidoscopic whirlwind of all things BOSKO, (and no, that is NOT a clip-on beard)

Art for Cinema Sewer Calendar 2006

Last week, I turned in two pieces of art for Robin Bougie's CINEMA SEWER Calendar for 2007, so this seems like a good time to post the two illos I did for LAST year's calendar. The first illo ran on the calendar's cover, and the second illo was for the month of December, (Santa & Co besieged by Toho monsters Godzilla, Ghidorah, and Mothra). The two illos I did for this year's calendar are in a similar vein, but I think it's best that I keep them under wraps until the calendar hits the shelves, (I think these calendars are available at Tower Books).


For those unfamiliar with the mag, CINEMA SEWER is a great zine dedicated to schlock films; in addition to tons of film reviews, features and zany comic strips, editor (and talented cartoonist) Bougie hand-letters every page of each issue, which gives the mag a unique, handmade (yet very readable) feel. I always have a lot of fun drawing for CINEMA SEWER, because it's one of the few opportunities I get to really cut loose and do some wild stuff. Here's another drawing I did in the Summer of 2004 for the cover of CINEMA SEWER #15.