Jim Mahfood
Community‘s Kickpuncher kickpunches his way into comic book
Kickpuncher
When the first season of NBC’s Community comes out on DVD Sept. 21, it will kick punch.
A plot line on the show had community college students Troy and Abed create their own superhero, Kickpuncher, “the hero whose cyber-punches have the power of kicks.” Entertainment Weekly reports that when the DVD collection arrives, it will include a comic book starring the hero, written by the fictional Troy Barnes and drawn by a very real Jim Mahfood.
“The comic book is written by Troy Barnes, Donald Glover’s character, within the Greendale universe,” said executive producer Dan Harmon. “The idea is that he was in an art class with Jim Mahfood – who I’ve known for a long time — who’s a really cool underground, yet successful, comic book artist and muralist. The idea is that he’s an art student at Greendale and had an art class with Troy, who took a shine to his talents and decided to take him under his wing as a protégé and do this comic book. So it’s from the mind of Troy Barnes, which can be a little scattered. At times he’s not a master storyteller, but he is an entertainer.”
To see Kickpuncher in action on Community, check out the video after the jump …
- July 21, 2010 @ 06:58 PM by JK Parkin
‘The music that will rock your eyes’
The Kids of Widney High
The Kids of Widney High are a group of students with developmental and physical challenges from J. P. Widney High School, a special education center in Los Angeles, Calif., who write and perform original songs, appear in movies like The Ringer and, according to a press release I received today, also write comics.
Per the release, The Kids of Widney High: Beyond the Sky’s the Limit is written entirely by members of the band and illustrated by Chuck B.B., Jim Mahfood, Rafael Navarro, Rikki Niehaus, Neal Von Flue, Robbi Rodriguez and Chris Brandt.
“The comic book medium provided a new way for the members of the band to not only communicate some of their challenges and frustrations, but many of their triumphs and fantasies as well,” said editor/publisher Mike Wellman. “All of the dialogue spoken by the characters in the book was drawn directly from quotes recorded during story sessions and really captures the spirit of the band. It was a very unique way to tie a story together!”
The book’s in the current issue of Diamond’s Previews catalog and will be published by Atomic Basement Entertainment. Kids of Widney High member Tony Whitfield proudly says that the comic is “the music that will rock your eyes!”
- November 19, 2009 @ 09:55 AM by JK Parkin
Webcomic to watch: Jim Mahfood’s Los Angeles Ink Stains
Los Angeles Ink Stains #7 by Jim Mahfood
The first time I saw Jim Mahfood’s art was in 1999, in the pages of his creator-owned book Grrl Scouts. The book was filled with cute chicks, hip hop, comics and weed, pretty much everything that made me want to move to Los Angeles a year previous. (Sorry, Mom!) Every page was crammed full with Mahfood’s manic, graffiti-inspired line work and laid-back, don’t-give-a-fuuuuuuuuck sense of humor. I was in heaven!
Ten years later, I’m still in LA and Mahfood is still kicking it. His semi-irregular online series Los Angeles Ink Stains is one of the best comics on the web. Each auto-bio installment documents random highlights from his life in Southern California. The subjects range from late night taco runs to creating art to mourning his long-lost best friend.
Mahfood chronicles it all with that same expressive, always-experimenting artwork, and sincere storytelling that doesn’t go for easy glamorization. Rain or shine, moment of glory or walk of shame, Mahfood shares it all.
It’s a fantastic way to experience Los Angeles beyond what you see in US Magazine — the house parties, the creativity, the beach, the good friends, and the lost loves. And the amazing tacos. It makes me nostalgic for a place I’ve never left.
You can check out past installments of Los Angeles Ink Stains here, and catch new installment on Mahfood’s blog, updated regularly.
- March 11, 2009 @ 10:55 AM by Sam Humphries