Sergio Aragones custom artwork

Back in 1994 I had the pleasure of meeting Sergio Aragones for the first time at the Vancouver Comic Con. It was my first comic con and I had heard that when you meet artists etc, you were usually allowed to get one item signed and a photo and then sent on your way. I brought one issue of Groo the Wanderer to get signed and expected that would be it. When I went to his booth, he was sitting there working on artwork for an upcoming issue of Groo. He was really nice and signed my comic and showed me what he was working on. He said that he had spilled coffee on some pages he was drawing on the plane, so was doing them again (I guess thats ok when you are the worlds fastest cartoonist). I also asked him if he would do a drawing of Groo as a fireman for my KISS magazine, Firehouse Magazine. He said sure, but that he would do Alfred E Neuman. I'm not sure why he didn't want to do Groo (I would have been so much more excited for drawing of my favourite comic book character Groo), but I walked away with a really cool addition to my collection.

Mighty Mouse The New Adventures

In 1987, the animated television series, Mighty Mouse, The New Adventures debuted on Fox Kids. It was a revival of the mighty Mouse cartoon character from the 1940's. This version aired on CBS on Saturday mornings rom fall 1987 through the 1988-89 season. I loved this show back then, and would get up early every Saturday morning to record the show on VHS (which I still have). As was the norm with new cartoon series at the time, Wendy's offered kids toys for their kids meals based on the characters from Mighty Mouse, The New Adventures. I just found the cards that came with three of my favourites, Bat-Bat, Petey Pate and The Cow. I also managed to get the window cling from my local Wendy's that advertised the kids meal toys. Its still stuck on the piece of glass I stuck it to back in 1989.
Here are the fronts and backs of three of the cards that came with the toys.

KING-TVs famed mascot designed by Walt Disney studios

I recently saw a picture of Walt Disney with a drawing of KING TVs mascot King Mike, and it reminded me that in 1998 when KING TV celebrated their 50th anniversary, I wrote to the station asking for anything with King Mike on it. I don't remember if I actually new at the time that it was designed by Disney, I think I just thought it was a rally cool retro looking character. They were nice enough to send me a 50th Anniversary mouse pad with King Mike on it. More recently I found that he was actually created by Disney.
King Mike, the first KING-TV employee and mascot, was created by Walt Disney's studios in 1951. When Dorothy Bullitt created Channel 5 in 1948, she changed the call letters to KING. And soon after, she reached out to her good friend Walt Disney who lent his artistic flair to help her get the station off the ground by created King Mike.
The Disney company confirms, although Walt Disney himself was involved in the design, that it was one of his artists who actually made the rendering. The cost of the design and work: $75.
It's believed that King Mike is the only word that Walt Disney commissioned outside of the Disney studios.
To this day, KING Mike has been used in promotions and logos.

That's Quarantainment!

More fun for those of us participating in Pandemic 2020. Next Weeks Episode of Talent Time is gonna be done online via youtube. Check out the banner and info they posted on their facebook page.

Just a beautiful Facebook banner for our next show. So much has happened since the last one (that weirdly enough I was wearing rubber gloves on??) I really wish we could all mingle IRL. I guess this is real life now. For the time being anyway. So this is the next best thing. Also people is other cities can join us now too which is super cool!! Please mark your calendar (April 2nd 7:00 pst) and tune ti on our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/TalentTimeTV

Mickey Mouse and th Perilous Jungle Cruise

Recently while visiting one of my favourite Disney sites, I saw some great faux Disney movie posters that are displayed at the character meet and greet at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida. They were all really cool, but I especially liked the one for "Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in The Jungle Cruise". A day or two later I saw the cover of a 1947 comic book, "Mickey Mouse and the Submarine Pirates", and immediately imagined it as a Jungle Cruise themed picture. So, a little bit of Photoshop magic and, voila, it's Mickey Mouse and the Perilous Jungle Cruise.

The Silent Comedy Watch Party

During Pandemic 2020, people are coming up with all kinds of great ways to help all of us stuck at home. Last week I got to watch the 'pilot' of The Silent Comedy Watch Party with Ben Model playing along to two old silent comedies. And just the other day I received the following message from Ben. So, I know what I'll be doing tomorrow afternoon.

Last Sunday's "pilot" of The Silent Comedy Watch Party was a success! Over 360 people watched the show, and I got so many touching and enthusiastic comments from people about it. Most of all, for me, were the comments that the show and the hilarious films were a bright spot in their day, a much needed one after everything that had gone down last week.

So (drumroll please)...

Steve Massa and I will be doing another show this Sunday, March 22nd at 3pm (Eastern time). This will be the official "premiere" and episode #1 of The Silent Comedy Watch Party!

Here is the link:

https://silentfilmmusic.us11.list-manage.com/track/click…

Riverview Park Ride Tickets

You never know what fun things you'll find as you search your local thrift ships. Today, I found this very cool framed photo of Riverview Park with 18 ride tickets. I didn't know anything about Riverview Park. A quick google search and I found this: Riverview Park was an amusement park in  Chicago, Illinois which operated from 1904 to 1967. It was located on 74 acres on Chicago's north side. Among its ride collection, it had 6 roller coasters.

The ride tickets included with this framed picture are: 

Tilt-A-Whirl

Wild Mouse [Wild Mouse coaster]

Chutes [Shoot the Chutes old fashioned water ride]

Comet [Roller Coaster]

Bobs [Wooden Roller Coaster]

Boomerang

Water Bug

Pair-O-Chutes

Aladdin's Castle [Fun house]

Rollo Plane

Jet Stream [Wooden Roller Coaster - Philadelphia Toboggan Company]

Flying Turns [Wooden bobsled ride]

Space Ride

Tunnel of Love

Flash [Silver Flash Roller Coaster]

Miniature R.R. [ Coal-fired miniature steam engine]

Fireball [Roller Coaster]

Bump 'Em [Bumper cars]