Mister Scribbles

Happy New Year, Doc!

Meet Ivan IV, or Ivan Grosny (from гроза , thunderstorm), Ivan the Awesome.  You may know him better as Ivan the Terrible.  Mind you, he got the appellation before he went bonkers and started killing everyone around him, left,right, and center.  Groza means thunderstorm and the name came after he captured the region of Kazan back from the Tartars.  This painting is by Victor Vasnetsov, 1897.  The only life portrait is this one- The Apostle of 1564, embossed book cover. One of the first printed Russian books. Gerasimov's reconstruction, as mentioned in Gorky Park. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_the_Terrible Nicolay Cherkasov as Ivan in Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible.  Stalin loved part one and hated part two.  Part three had all scenes filmed rounded up and destroyed.  I wonder that there are no Russian films about Stalin.  You'd think they are still afraid of him. I...

A red skull. The Red Skull. Got it?

Of all the men I have admired, I have only wanted to have been one of them- William Harrison Dempsey, 1895-1983. But he will always just be "Jack" to me.

I'll let the Man say it for me this time.  Enjoy this outstanding pic from one of the best artists that has ever lived. The best to you and yours! (This seems to be a highwayman.  Stand and Deliver)! And one more- Weegee, 1954.

This has no holiday significance whatsoever.  I just like his work.  steve @_livingdog - Instagram

David Ray Donahue, about 1974.  He is standing in his huge front yard way out in the farm country east of Plano.  I could not have had a better friend and we spent much time together.  As a country boy he was driving before he had a license.  He had an old WWII Jeep painted yellow and we would drive all over his dad's farm.  I had such a good time out there, it was like living in the country myself.  He liked sci-fi movies and we had a time watching them on Halloween or any other occasion. David died when I was 19.  This is the only photo I have of him.  I may have more but who knows? Merry Christmas, buddy, you are very much missed. https://youtu.be/Xt5OZJ1LrbQ

Peter Pan. Br'er Rabbit. The Sword in the Stone. Song of the South. Mowgli and Baloo. One of his many illustrations. Dumbo. Dumbo. Storyboard from Song of the South. 101 Dalmatians There are two Special Academy Award winners in this picture.  Do you know who they are? Song of the South. Bill. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Peet Goodbye, Mr. Peet.  The world is much more than it was because of you.

I think this is a horror writer, but I cannot get any info on this.  Nevertheless, it stands alone as an example of the raw talent Virgil Finlay brought to illustration. This needs no explanation. There is...something unsettling about this, but I can't quite figure it out.  Oh, well... Busted! Lovecraft. Now we have a picture! How women see me. Good.  No idea what is going on here, but damn good. Humbling to realize that I will never be anywhere near this guy as an artist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_Finlay Dead at 56.  What a shame. Bon voyage.

Hannes Bok.  This guy would paint on anything he found, with anything, and probably starved to death.  I don't like calling someone a genre artist, this artwork is as good as it gets. Whoa! This is about the time that Sci-Fi started getting really imaginative, and away from the space opera stuff.  The trend begins with Stanley G. Weinbaum's "A Martian Odyssey". This is just showing off. Most of these were thrown away, that is all pulp art, as when the magazines moved if the artist did not want it back, it got tossed.   What a talent. My fave. Space Cat Makes A Deal. Too much, baby. I don't know... I can see the giant cat but not riding him sidesaddle. Hmmm...I can see riding the lizard but those trousers just have to go! Words just fail me on how good this guy was. Here there ...