Tarantino Comics - Issue 53

Lately I’ve been watching a lot of westerns.  I enjoy the great American films by Ford and Hawks, but my tastes prefer a topping of marinara.  Instead, I gravitate towards those infamous westerns by Leone and Corbucci.  Although their protagonists aren’t as virtuous as John Wayne or Jimmy Stewart, their characterizations tend to be more complex.  If anything, the Spaghetti Western heroes show greater similarity with Batman rather than Superman (hence maybe an explanation for my preference).  They’re resourceful and often work outside the law to save others.  However, their motivations are frequently fueled by vengeance.

Although KILL BILL doesn’t fall into Tarantino’s “Western Trilogy”, cinephiles know each volume is loaded with references and homage to the genre:  The music, the cinematography, and most of all the themes.  Revenge is often a common motif -  Someone has been wronged, they must rebuild themselves, and ultimately they retaliate.  In the case of the Bride, she was beaten until she “lost” her child, retrained her comatose essence, and pursued payback against all those who wronged her.  Going along with this theme of retribution, Savy Lim displays the denouement of the grand duel between the Bride and O-Ren Ishii in TARANTINO COMICS #53.

Pistols are traded for Samurai Swords.  Savy’s dynamic style is displayed by the Bride slicing through her enemy’s scalp.  This is another great tribute to the westerns where the Indians (and sometimes cowboys) scalp their enemies to attain vengeance (in particular, see NAVAJO JOE).  He composes the picture with our hero is the foreground while surrounding her with a serene snow-filled Japanese background.  This contrast is further emphasized by the abundance of red blood exploding across the page to an overall black and white image.  Savy also includes the pop of yellow from the Bride’s jumpsuit, signifying the clash of genre showcased in KILL BILL.  I’m a huge fan of Savy’s linework and fluidity, making this another great entry into the TARANTINO COMICS cover gallery.

Tarantino Comics - Issue 47

Wow - It's been over a year since I last posted (since the theatrical release of The Hateful Eight to be exact).  I don't watch as many movies as I used to, but I have a backlog of films I eventually want to get caught up on.  However, my love for comic books has been reignited so I'm super excited for Heroes Con next week.  I went to MegaCon earlier this year (only for a day), but I was disappointed - Unfortunately the show has become too media and Anime driven.   At least Heroes Con is still an comic convention, so I'm looking forward to getting some awesome sketches with back issue diving in between (in particular, I'm searching for old issues of Batman, Daredevil, and 70's Marvel titles).

Anyways, let me present an issue illustrated 3 years ago - Tarantino Comics #47 illustrated by Neil Posis at MegaCon 2014.

Featured on this cover, we see O-Ren Ishii from Kill Bill.  Neil portrayed the deadly assassin posing as an iconic comic book cover image.  I love Neil's artistic vision to maintain the "EC Comics Banner", but allowed it to flow into frame with blood - a great representation of the iconic splatter seen in the Crazy 88 battle inspired by Lady Snowblood.

If you want to see more of Neil's work, check out his blog:  http://raynirart.blogspot.com/ . Not only does he draw beautiful comic art, but he illustrates a decent amount of movie icons as well.

Tarantino Comics - Issue 46

I was hoping to reach Issue #50 before flying out to San Diego Comic Con, but I just ran out of time.  However, since I got pretty close to reaching my goal, I think I still deserve the right to attend The Hateful Eight Panel :)  Anyways, I now present Tarantino Comics #46 illustrated by Danny Haas at MegaCon 2014.

Inspired from Kill Bill, Danny drew an awesome depiction of Gogo Yubari.  Without even showing her chilling smile on her "innocent" face, Danny manifested the intense cruelty of O-Ren's personal bodyguard.

Whenever I go to a comic convention and see Danny's art, I love his ability to represent pop culture icons through very unique images (as you can see by the simple presentation of Gogo's skirt and bloody weapon).  I really enjoy his artwork and appreciate his unique eye of depicting characters.  If you want to see more of Danny's artwork, I encourage you to check out his website at http://artofdanny.com/

Tarantino Comics - Issue 43

Happy Fourth of July!!! To celebrate our independence with a Kaboom, I present Tarantino Comics #43 illustrated by Bryan Mon at Heroes Con 2013.

Inspired by Kill Bill, Bryan created one of my favorite covers that captures the essence of EC Comics.  If you look at an old Wally Wood or Jack Davis cover, they're able to generate a lot of suspense and terror with their images.  Similarly, Bryan pulled off the same tension by keeping Beatrix's face hidden in the shadows while Vernita Green is holding a box of Kaboom Cereal.  Along with fantastic and colorful art, Bryan's title banner is beautifully accompanied by amazing font.

If you can't tell from this image, Bryan is a terrific artist.  In all of my sketchbooks, I have at least one Bryan Mon sketch.  He's a versatile illustrator whose style is reminiscent to the golden age, drawing anything from pin-up girls to classic cartoon characters.  I highly recommend you check out his comic character - Tuff-Girl and lookup his blog at http://monotonae.blogspot.com/

Tarantino Comics - Issue 37

Once again, I broke a promise and didn't deliver Tarantino Comics on a weekly basis.  However, I believe my track record is still better than Frank Miller's and Jim Lee's previous collaboration.  So to kick off my daily countdown to the San Diego Comic Con, this issue was inspired by Kill Bill.  Illustrated by Shawn Tommelleo, Tarantino Comics #37 was commissioned at MegaCon 2013.

This issue was the first to star the only man Bill ever loved - Budd.  Taking a comedic approach, Shawn created an awesome splash of Elle Driver's Black Mamba springing into action.  Although the figure has cartoony embellishments, Michael Madsen is recognizable with his greasy hair and a flashy metal necklace chained around his neck.  In addition to the imagery, Shawn's banner design was truly creative with his arching title font.

Shawn is another Florida artist with a fun sense of humor.  At the same convention, he drew a piece in my Muppets vs. Sesame Street sketchbook with a Deliverance twist...  So if you're interested in seeing more of Shawn's work, check out his webcomic at http://whatsshakincomic.com/

Tarantino Comics - Issue 35

So this weekend was definitely a good weekend.  Not only did I have very little homework, but my girlfriend was able to score tickets to the largest pop culture event of the year... The San Diego Comic Con!  Angie survived the nerve-racking random number generator and got badges for every day except preview night!  Since we were both lucky enough to gain entry  before everything sold out, let's just hope for an awesome panel with the cast and crew of The Hateful Eight!

Anyways, for this week's presentation of Tarantino Comics, we finally move to a new convention -  MegaCon 2013.  Drawn by Jamie Fay, Tarantino Comics #35 was inspired by Kill Bill.

I really like Jamie's approach for this cover.  By designing the layout as a fight card, we know there's going to be a huge showdown between Copperhead and Black Mamba.  Also, Jamie did a terrific job overlaying shattered glass over the image, foreshadowing the opening fight sequence of this revenge saga.

If you ever see Jamie at a con, be sure to check out his work.  He's a super nice guy and draws beautiful women (as seen with these awesome renditions of Vivica and Uma).  If you're ever interested in a commission, you can contact him here:  http://jamiefayx.deviantart.com/

Tarantino Comics - Issue 32

It's been a while since I've featured an issue of Tarantino Comics, so it's about time I actually post something to earn the title of my blog.  So without further adieu, Tarantino Comics # 32 was drawn by Andrew Charipar at The Super Wild Pig Show 2012.

Exposed through high school lunchroom talk and TV commercials, two things from Kill Bill resonated in my mind before I even saw the film:

1)  Poison Ivy in a Yellow Jumpsuit
2)  Some one-eyed nurse whistling a creepy tune

As expected, I was blown away after I saw Kill Bill for the first time.  However, even after years of re-watching the film, the sequence with Elle Driver walking through the hospital still sends shivers up my spine.  As depicted above, Andrew captures the eeriness of the scene with grey tones.  However, he amps up the danger with a hint of blood red.  Andrew brilliantly places the Bride's face in the background so we can visualize the De Palma Split Screen and hear the Twisted Nerve theme.   

I've known Andrew for a couple of years and he's become a good friend (plus he's a fellow Floridian too).  His cartoony style is always eye-pleasing and remains a hit with the people at the conventions.  Andrew's art gets better every day and I love his ink work.

Be sure to checkout his blog so you can see his awesome portfolio of  character sketches he continually draws:  http://misfitcorner.blogspot.com/   And if you see him at a convention, be sure to hit him up for a commission!

 

Tarantino Comics - Issue 31

 

Happy New Year!  To kick off 2014, I present to you Tarantino Comics # 31 illustrated by Larry Watts at C2E2 2012.

Inspired from Kill Bill, Larry perfectly captures the fluid motions between the Bride and Gogo.  The action is crisp and clean and I love how the background pushes the image out of the page.

Larry is a fellow Floridian I hung out with at C2E2.  He's an awesome artist and a great guy, so if you ever see him at a con, be sure to say hi.  He's currently working on Robyn Hood at Zenescope.  You can also check him out on his blog at http://larryewatts.blogspot.com/

Tarantino Comics - Issue 25

Kill Bill is my favorite movie of all time and due to its popularity, I'm pretty surprised no one has drawn a Gogo Yubari (especially with the large Anime presence at cons).  But never fear, this atrocity was fixed in Tarantino Comics #25, drawn by Ray Richardson at Megacon 2012:

Throughout this series, I've yet to have any real pinup covers.  However, with all the beautiful women in Tarantino films, Gogo was awesome place to start.  Besides, a little cheesecake doesn't hurt every once in a while...

Ray did an awesome job with the cover, showing the kinetic energy flowing from her ball and chain.  Also, the interesting angle and perspective beautifully shows off her "Battle Royale" schoolgirl outfit.  Ray did a terrific job with the title banner, showing clean lines and blood slicing through the letters, something that can only be done with the comic medium.

Make sure to stop by Ray if you ever see him at a con.  But for now, check out his work at: http://www.zhibit.org/inkwaster .  He draws beautiful women, has a unique comic style, and is a super nice guy.

Tarantino Comics - Issue 22

This is long overdue, but it's about time I showcase the final issue of Tarantino Comics from Heroes Con 2011. Presenting an issue inspired from Kill Bill, Tarantino Comics #22 was illustrated by Jay Potts.

There was no better way to end my 2011 convention season with an issue drawn by an artist who totally gets the genre of exploitation. Jay beautifully drew and inked a realistic portrayal of the infamous Elle Driver. Taking place in the close quarters of a mobile home, Jay's line work captures the claustrophobia of the scene. In addition to the fantastic artwork, I love the tagline - "An Eye for an Eye" - foreshadowing Beatrix's revenge for her master Pai Mei.

At the convention, Jay was the number one person I wanted to get a sketch from because he does an awesome blaxploitation webcomic called World of Hurt. Originally I thought he would have chose something from Jackie Brown, but I was pleasantly surprised by his final choice. Jay's artwork is reminiscent of the old Marvel Black and White Magazines and I believe he would make a kick ass Kung Fu or horror book. So be sure to check Jay's artwork, storytelling, blog posts, and opinions at http://worldofhurtonline.com/

Be sure to check back soon as I've got some recent new covers from this year's MegaCon - and these are some of my favorites yet!

Game of Death - Ever Wonder About that Yellow Kill Bill Jumpsuit?

If you saw these outfits, what movie comes to mind?

I believe most of today's generation would say Kill Bill, but this screenshot actually hearkens back to one of Bruce Lee's posthumous films: Game of Death

Billy-Lo (play by Bruce Lee) is a Kung Fu movie star adored by millions. When Billy dismisses the threats of a crime syndicate, they attempt to assassinate him during a film shoot. Although Billy survives a shot to the head, he keeps his survival a secret so he can plan for revenge. After days of gaining reconnaissance and taking down obstacles, Billy must come out of hiding when his girlfriend's life becomes endangered. Forced to undergo grueling fights on a multi-tiered pagoda, can Billy reach the top and stop the crime syndicate's tyrannical actions once and for all?

If you are relying on dialogue and story, this movie is not for you. However, considering the circumstances of how this film was made, the plot is driving and the action is fantastic. Prior to his death in 1973, Bruce Lee had spectacular fight sequences filmed and later archived. Although Game of Death's story changed from it's original plot, Director Robert Clouse successfully pieced together archived footage with newly acted sequences to make a coherent action film. Even though it can be easily dismissed, you can't help but laugh when Lee's onscreen presence is substituted by cardboard cutouts, actors with large sunglasses, and porcelain dummy heads.

Besides the "Kill Bill" lackeys Bruce Lee must face on motorcycles, the final pagoda act is an adrenaline rush of action. Almost like a video game, Bruce Lee fights his way to the final boss, each level a little harder than the last:

• Level 1: Nunchaku Master
• Level 2: Judo Master
• Level 3: The Giant
• Level 4: The Boss's Right Hand Man
• Level 5: The Crime Boss

The nunchaku battle was my favorite, even inspiring me to learn the art (I'm quite terrible at it, but luckily I have a pair covered with soft foam). Another favorite is the battle with the giant, or should I say Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Towering over Lee, Abdul-Jabbar's long arms and legs remind me of Dhalsim from Street Fighter. It's truly an eye spectacle as "David takes down Goliath" with his quick agility and prowess. When Lee finally confronts the crime boss, it's a rather anti-climactic scene as Dr. Land (played by Dean Jagger) cowardly runs away and falls to his death. However the journey to the top of the pagoda will be one of the most memorable feats to ever happen in Kung Fu Cinema.

After watching this film, I have an even bigger appreciation for Tarantino's O-Ren Ishii battle. It's a symbolic metaphor of Bruce Lee's final cinematic performance defeating his beginning television roots as Kato. Just as I enjoy rewatching "The Yellow Jumpsuit" battle the Crazy 88, I now have another fighting sequence I will continually revisit.

So on Death List Five, Game of Death ranks #4.

Tarantino Comics - Issue 13

Today is Good Friday and it's been over two weeks since I've last posted something on this blog. Since I've been extremely busy at work and school, I thought it would be nice to start off with another awesome issue of Tarantino Comics:


Drawn by Amanda Rachels at Megacon 2011, Tarantino Comics #13 was inspired from Kill Bill. Amanda has become a regular cover artist on this series, so be sure to check out her previous covers on Tarantino Comics #'s 2 & 3. In a year's time frame, Amanda's work has really improved (not that it was bad before) and I'm excited to see her skills develop even more. I love "The Bride's Exploits" montage filled with beautiful vibrant colors.

So be sure to check out her other projects like The Blind Eye and Clown Town at http://blindeyecomic.com/

Tarantino Comics - Issue 12

In the 1950's, Frederick Wortham wrote a book called Seduction of the Innocent. He claimed comic books were corrupting the minds of children due to sex and violence. His movement led to the censorship of comics through the creation of the Comics Code Authority - A seal of approval comic publishers would stamp on their cover to encourage parents their stories were "good and wholesome."

Using the cover of Crime SuspenStories #22 (see image in this post), Wortham was able to persuade the Senate of his cause. With that particular EC Comics image in mind, Ron Salas drew this awesome cover to Tarantino Comics #12 at this year's MegaCon:


Inspired from Kill Bill, Ron did a great job showcasing O-Ren Ishii holding the decapitated head of Boss Tanaka. I first met Ron at a previous comic convention and he drew one of my favorite pieces in my Immortal Iron Fist sketchbook. Ron has a real talent of capturing lighting and shadows in his art. He is a super nice guy, so if you ever see him at convention, stop by and pick something up from him. Also, be sure to check some of his other work at http://blog.zenwavearts.com/ .

The Tarantino Comics Rating System - Death List Five

For the past few weeks, I've been using the standard "5 Star Rating System" to appraise the things I've been checking out. However, since this blog is called Tarantino Comics, I had to come up with something worthy to live up to the name. Ideas ranging from bullets, Samurai Swords, and even Uma's crossed my mind, but they just weren't original enough. Then I got to thinking, how was the number five ever represented in a Tarantino Film? The Answer: Death List Five


As the Bride killed her way up the list, the closer she got to her goal. In a similar fashion, I plan to use the concept to rate my movies and comics: The higher up the list, the closer to awesomeness.

So here's how the rating system translates (and yes, I'm copying the description from Netflix):

1. O-Ren Ishii (Cottonmouth) - Hated It
2. Vernita Green (Copperhead) - Didn't Like It
3. Budd (Sidewinder) - Liked It
4. Elle Driver (California Mountain Snake) - Really Liked It
5. Bill (Snake Charmer) - Loved It

Please don't think I hated the Lucy Liu fight, I loved it, especially everything leading up to it. But when you compare it to the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique that Beatrix landed on Bill's chest, it was mind-blowing! So for the purposes of this blog, Death List Five is much more fitting.

Tarantino Comics - Issues 4 & 5

Last weekend I went to the Comic Geek Speak Super Show in Reading, PA. The guys who put on this show are a group of great guys who have an awesome comics community and podcast. Be sure to check them out at: http://comicgeekspeak.com/

My first sketch of the weekend, Tarantino Comics #4, was done by Adam Withers of The Uniques Comic. This piece was inspired from Kill Bill Volume 1. I've met Adam at previous shows before, so he had to draw in this book because he previously drew a "Reservoir Muppets" scene in my Muppet Show vs. Sesame Street sketchbook (The Swedish Chef as Mr. Blonde cutting off Bert's Ear). Be sure to check out Adam and Comfort Love at http://www.uniquescomic.com/

Tarantino Comics #5 was drawn by William Blankenship. This was inspired from the infamous torture scene in Reservoir Dogs. Will was a great guy, so be sure to check him out at http://www.bohemian-zen.com/