arts and crafts
Old graphic novels live again — as the Avengers
My good friend Robin Brenner is an expert on graphic novels (she’s a former Eisner Awards judge) and the young-adult librarian at the Brookline, Massachusetts, public library. She’s also very clever with her hands, as you can see from these book hedgehogs she made from discarded books.
The basic algorithm for making book hedgehogs is pretty simple, but Robin took it a step further and came up with a whole array of personalized hedgehogs based on comics characters. Here are some close-ups, including the tiny bow and arrows for the Hawkeye hedgehog, and here is a gallery of more characters. It’s amazing what you can do with an old book, some duct tape, and plenty of imagination!
M.O.D.O.K. marionette is every bit as terrifying as you imagine
As if M.O.D.O.K., with his grotesquely super-sized head and withered limbs, weren’t nightmarish enough, artist Nathan Britton has coaxed the classic Stan Lee/Jack Kirby supervillain into the three-dimensional world, with predictably horrifying results. “This is my mostly finished marionette of M.O.D.O.K., all I need to do is add the strings,” he writes on his deviantART page. “Papier-mache, joint compound, paper clay, acrylic paint.”
So that’s … Marionette Organism Designed Only for Killing? See the full image below.
Japanese sculptor makes nerd art from empties
I’ve seen people make little statues out of empty aluminum cans, but Makaon takes it to a whole other level. Her Batman is probably my favorite, but hit the jump to see a Smurf, Pikachu, Ultraman, and an Imperial Stormtrooper. And of course, there’s lots more at her website.
The game is afoot with Schweizer’s Sherlock paper figures contest
Chris Schweizer (The Crogan Adventures) is a big Sherlock Holmes fan. He also loves to design paper figures for fans to print and cut out, and sometimes — wonderfully — those two interests come together. Most recently, they’ve merged in a set of paper figures from the popular Steven Moffat/Mark Gatiss series Sherlock. He’s even created some 221B Baker Street diorama backgrounds for the set.
Like always, fans can print them out and put them together on their own, but Schweizer is also holding a special contest for Tumblr users to win professionally printed versions. Third prize is a complete set of the Sherlock figures. Second prize is that, plus a professionally printed set of the Arthur Conan Doyle versions. First prize is both sets, plus a custom figure that you tell Schweizer what you want him to draw. So if you want Holmes to team up with Batman in your diorama, or a Sleestak from Land of the Lost, Schweizer can totally make that happen.
All you have to do is have a Tumblr account (they’re free!) and reblog his contest post by 4am Eastern Time early on Saturday, September 29th. “Likes” don’t count. He’ll choose a random winner.
Chris Schweizer has a blerg feeling about this
Chris Schweizer (Crogan Adventures) did a bunch of 30 Rock/Star Wars mash-ups as a commission for a couple of HeroesCon staffers and he’s happy to share them all. He even encourages you to print them out and make your own popsickle-stick puppets, which sounds like an awesome way to spend the afternoon. Many many more characters at the link.
How to build your own Fables puppets, by Mark Buckingham
Fables Puppet Theatre
The Fables crew and Vertigo really knocked one out of the park last week with Fables #100, the mammoth-sized anniversary issue that included a 62-page main story (the bulk of which was an awesome battle of magic and mayhem between Mister Dark and Frau Totenkinder), several back-up stories, a board game and a do-it-yourself Fables puppet theater. If you enjoyed that last one but weren’t sure how to proceed with turning the 2-D comic page into a 3-D theatre, artist Mark Buckingham shows you how to do it over on the Vertigo blog. Get yourself some color copies of the pages (so you don’t have to tear apart the book itself) and some card stock paper, grab some glue and scissors, and go to town.
Arts and crafts corner: DIY Captain America
Chibi Captain America
Why just read about your favorite characters when you can make your own? You don’t need a lot of talent or fancy equipment to make these super-cute superheroes, designed by Xavier Leo Gale-Sides, just a color printer, some sharp scissors, and double-sided tape. Gale-Sides designs the paper models himself and posts templates on his blog for easy download, together with photos of the finished products. Hours of fun for a rainy day or a lazy summer afternoon! (Via Sean Kleefeld.)
Straight for the craft | Jenny and Johnny Ryan’s Prison Pit doll
Well, who’s this adorable little gentleman? Why, it’s Cannibal Fuckface, star of Johnny Ryan’s gruesomely good action comic Prison Pit. This felt doll version of the blood-soaked bruiser was constructed by Ryan’s wife Jenny, and here he hangs on the Christmas tree, making the season bright. Alas, with Prison Pit, Vol. 2, on the way this summer, his troubles are far from out of sight.
Put your money where your comics are (or something like that)
It's Storm, but in wallet form
Now that we’ve officially turned the corner on Halloween, it’s time to start thinking about holiday shopping. No, don’t make that face, I’m being serious.
And if you’re shopping for that special comic book aficionado in your life and not sure what to get them, why not consider a wallet? More precise, a Comic Wallet. Albert Doan, of Calgary, Canada, turns old (and some new) comic books and turns them into laminated, reinforced wallet, which he then sells on his site for about $20-$30 a pop. He’s even got a series of Blackest Night wallets available, if you just can’t get enough DC zombies. He also handles special requests, so if you’ve been anxiously craving to certain sequences from say, Faust, folded up and stuffed in your back pocket, now’s your chance. Myself, I’m holding out for a Little Lulu set.
Straight for the art | Frank embroidery
Jim Woodring keeps you in stitches
For all you crafters and embroiders out there (and you know who you are) Simply Stitching has a set of Jim Woodring patterns for you to purchase and use.
She’s crafty
Gasp! It's no longer mint!
Jenny Ryan, wife of (assuming I’m correct) Angry Youth cartoonist Johnny Ryan, has created a little comic book craft project to help you while away those hours after you become unemployed and can’t sell off those extra issues of the Obama/Spider-Man comic.
Also, speaking of Johnny Ryan and crafts, he’s got some new Angry Youth dolls for sale. Check out his inspired advertisement here.
(via Boing Boing)