13 Visions

Scary Xmas

2011-12-24T16:08:00.003-05:00

Spotted these at VIX Emporium in West Philly, while we were out looking for one last gift...

Happy holidays, everyone.

Halloween in West Philly

2011-10-31T21:31:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween, everyone!

We spent the afternoon and evening in West Philly, taking in the local festivities, like the Tot Parade, Little Osage, and the Haunted Garden. Here's the evidence:

Cover Band Halloween

2011-10-30T21:24:00.000-04:00

I've been seeing this poster around town, but each one I found was damaged in some way. Finally, this weekend, I found a complete one. It was raining, but hopefully enough of the detail can be seen.

I love the concept - after all, cover bands are pretty appropriate for the holiday...

Another zombie

2011-10-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Found this on a newspaper box in Old City, Philadelphia...

Satellite Spiders

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

A couple of the iron spiders that reside on the gates of the Satellite coffee shop in West Philly...

Skulls in the Wild (part 4)

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

This massive thing was on a West Philly porch. I think I want one.

Skulls in the Wild (part 3)

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

Spotted this in Chinatown, Philadelphia...

Pumpkin Billy

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Pumpkin Billy - a mini bobblehead, or "Boogily Head", by artist Gus Fink...

The Box

2011-10-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

Found this guy lurking around the corner at work...

Zombie poster

2011-10-23T22:20:00.002-04:00

Here's the poster for the restored version of Zombie that showed in theaters this past Friday & Saturday nights...

It's out on Blu-Ray tomorrow, in case you missed it.

Hear Again Radio Project

2011-10-22T13:06:00.000-04:00

Of course I love horror fiction and horror films. But I really love the kind of horror that's not so easily found any more. I'm talking about things like gritty pre-code horror comics, the stage plays of the Grand Guignol, and old-time radio drama.

Luckily, if you happen to be in Philadelphia either today or tomorrow, you can catch the Hear Again Radio Project's Halloween Spooktacular, during which they will perform two episodes from the classic series "Lights Out".

Performances are at 4pm and 7pm, today and tomorrow, at Plays and Players.

Painted posters

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

A few of my favorite hand-painted horror movie posters...

Just Coffee

2011-10-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

A couple years ago, I posted a picture of some beans from the Coffee Shop of Horrors. Well, the Just Coffee Cooperative has a couple horror-themed varieties available too...

Return of the Living Dead-Step

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Spotted this recently in Old City, Philadelphia...

...and I found this color version online...

Skeleton

2011-10-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

I found this guy in a craft store in the early '90s, while I was searching for some art supplies...

Dracula on Stage

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

While we're on the topic of vampires, here's an old poster from a stage adaptation of Dracula (in, I believe, 1928):

Vampire

2011-10-16T08:52:00.000-04:00

When I found that zombie toy I posted a week or so ago, this guy was sitting right next to him...

Nosferatu again

2011-10-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last year, I blogged about the flyer I designed for a screening of Nosferatu, which was being shown at The Rotunda with a live original score.

Well, it looks like they're doing it again this year. Only this time it's at the International House. And I didn't do a flyer. I'm not involved with it at all, actually, but I still support it wholeheartedly! So if you're in Philly tonight, go check it out. Show starts at 8, and it's $10 to get in (less if you're a student or IHP member).

Ray Villafane

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

You call yourself a pumpkin carver? Chances are you've got nothing on Ray Villafane. Here's a few examples of his incredible work, but there are many more at his site.

My Halloween

2011-10-13T22:58:00.000-04:00

What the hell is that?, you're probably asking...

For the answer, check out what I had to say about "My Halloween", over at Zombos' Closet.

Messiah of Evil, Carnival of Souls

2011-10-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

If you find yourself in Philly tonight, looking for something weird to watch, something to whet your appetite for the impending Halloween holiday, I'd suggest heading over to The Rotunda, where Andrew's Video Vault presents a double-feature of Messiah of Evil (1973) and Carnival of Souls (1962). The show starts at 8, and it's free.

Vintage Halloween Pinups

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Less creepy, more cute...

Vintage Halloween

2011-10-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Some costumed kids from days past...

Creepy treats

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

Skulls in the Wild (part 2)

2011-10-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

Spotted this one mounted on the handlebar of a bike recently...

Skulls in the Wild (part 1)

2011-10-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

Spotted on a co-worker's monitor...

Zombie

2011-10-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

Found this rotten little guy last night in a drug store. He's my new best friend.

The Mummy

2011-10-06T20:23:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend a Secret Cinema screening of The Mummy (1932). What made it extra special was the fact that it was shown in this room:

That's the Lower Egypt gallery of the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Could the setting have been more perfect?

After my last visit to the museum (prior to this screening, that is), I was inspired to create the image below, entitled "Under Wraps". By the way...ahem...prints are available...

Foreign horror film posters (part 3 of 3)

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

And here's one last set of non-US horror movie posters...

Foreign horror film posters (part 2 of 3)

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Ten more horror movie posters from different parts of the world...

Foreign horror film posters (part 1 of 3)

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the first of three sets of non-US horror movie posters I'm planning to post. Pretty interesting, I think, in terms of everything from art to graphic design to marketing.

Exorcist Shining

2011-10-02T18:08:00.000-04:00

Some horror movie sticker art from the streets of Philadelphia...

Dead And Dreaming

2011-10-01T12:20:00.001-04:00

Last night I was lucky enough to attend Dead And Dreaming, an H.P. Lovecraft-themed art exhibition at the Paradigm Gallery in Philadelphia. The room is a small one, but the work presented within was pretty amazing. I took a handful a pictures, but if you're in the Philly-area, I would highly recommend checking out the show in person. If you can't make it, the exhibition catalog is for sale via Lulu.

Countdown

2011-10-01T11:31:00.004-04:00

Well, it's October - So it's time for the Countdown to Halloween. I'm participating again this year, so watch this space for all things Horror and Halloween-related. There will be art, there will be fiction, and there will be audio. And more than likely, there will be other things too. I just haven't yet figured out what.

My first "real" post will be here soon. Until then, check out some of the other 200+ sites taking part in the Countdown.

Dates

2011-08-14T10:12:00.003-04:00

Artist and friend Amze Emmons has drawn a mini comic based my short story "Dates".

I'm headed to the Philly Alternative Comic Con today. If you see me, I may just have some of these in my bag.

Window Monster

2011-06-05T14:39:00.001-04:00

Spotted this little beastie in a shop window a couple weeks ago. It's gone now. Hopefully it hasn't harmed anyone.

FrankenGloves

2011-04-13T23:55:00.003-04:00

I did a bunch of work around the house recently, and ended up wearing right through the fingertips of my work gloves. So I had to get a new pair...

Let's hope the (ahem) stitching holds up!

Creepyface Returns!

2011-04-12T10:47:00.004-04:00

Back in October, I found this piece of street art that I really liked:

And while I still don't know who did it, I did stumble upon another version a couple nights ago, so I thought I'd share:

I think I still like the first one better, but you can see some more details in the newer pic.

Relaunch

2011-04-06T21:35:00.002-04:00

Well, well, well. Once again I've been neglecting my blogging duties. But here I am, back with some news - Basically, that I've been working on a few updates to my little corner of the internet...

I've decided to consolidate and streamline a few things, and in the process, the website and blog have joined forces. So: Welcome to the new(ish) look of 13 Visions.

You may notice that I've whittled down the art sections a bit, and I've also, finally, added a page for my fiction. If you're one of the people who have been asking about prints of my artwork, they're available now, via the 13 Visions Etsy page.

I'm hoping to make more frequent updates from here on out. In the coming days & weeks (& maybe months), I'll be adding new material, making further tweaks here & there, fixing some outdated links in the archives, and so on. And you may just see some free fiction pop up from time to time too - so if you're a fan of Horror and/or Bizarro fiction, I hope you'll visit again.

Until then, thanks for stopping by.

Another Uprising

2010-12-02T19:17:00.003-05:00

In Philly with nothing to do this weekend? Check out one (or both) of the 11th Annual Puppet Uprising year-end cabarets. Friday offers up the beloved Missoula Oblongata and a bunch of others, while Saturday promises buckets of blood. Both shows start at 8pm.

It's all happening at The Rotunda at 40th & Walnut, and it's free (although a $5 donation is encouraged/appreciated).

Exhumed!

2010-10-31T20:31:00.004-04:00

Well, we made it. It's Halloween, so grab a Silver Shamrock shake & enjoy what's left.

Of course, by "we made it", I also mean that my friend Dan and I survived the 4th annual Exhumed Films 24 hr Horror-thon. It was a long, wild ride, but we did it. And then there was sleep.

I really don't have the energy or brainpower for a full-on review of each film, but here's a list of what was screened (all on 35mm, to the best of my knowledge - they don't do video):

A Nightmare on Elm Street part 3: Dream Warriors
The Mighty Peking Man (aka Goliathon)
Vault of Horror
It Lives Again
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Deadly Spawn
Phantom of the Paradise
Five Elements Ninjas
The Funhouse
The Howling
Boarding House (which really must be seen to be believed)
Friday the 13th part 2
Bug (1975)
House By The Cemetery

In between things, they also showed a bunch of slasher movie trailers, a short film based on Fall of the House of Usher, and a Mr. Magoo cartoon. And they served Monster cereal early this morning.

There was also an art exhibition, entitled Video Violence, which displayed a couple dozen artists' takes on 80s VHS box art.

The poster for this year's event was a beautiful thing too, designed by Justin Miller of Haunt Love. He may have a few prints left, so contact him if you need one. You probably do.

So that's that. Time to get some sleep. But not before I check out the last episode of Dead Set and the first episode of The Walking Dead. Hopefully my eyes won't melt.

Happy Halloween!

Universal Monster Talent Agency

2010-10-30T09:41:00.000-04:00

Special effects master Greg Nicotero has made an amazingly fun short film entitled "Universal Monster Talent Agency" - Check it out below, or click here to go to the AMC site, where it's hosted.

The Korean Zombie

2010-10-29T07:44:00.001-04:00

MMA fighter Chan Sung Jung is known as "The Korean Zombie", named for his ability to keep fighting while taking seemingly endless punishment. Now this nickname seems to be turning into a business of its own - The t-shirts below can be purchased from MMA Warehouse.

Nosferatu

2010-10-28T07:45:00.000-04:00

Sure, you've seen Nosferatu before, but have you ever been to a screening with musicians performing a live, original score? You have? Oh. Well, you probably haven't heard this one.

If you're in Philadelphia tomorrow night, come check out a screening of the original 1922 Nosferatu, with a live score performed by members of the West Philly Orchestra, Rhinoceri Trio, Normal Love, and the Oscuro Quintet. I designed the flyer below.

It's happening at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St. in West Philly/University City) on Friday, October 29 at 7pm. 5 bucks gets you in.

Pre-Code Horror

2010-10-27T18:31:00.000-04:00

Here's a handful of books on pre-code horror comics, one of my favorite things. Clicking the links will send you to Amazon. Happy reading!

The Horror! The Horror! Comic Books the Government Didn't Want You to Read!

Four Color Fear: Forgotten Horror Comics of the 1950s

The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How it Changed America

Ghastly Terror: The Horrible Story of the Horror Comics

Tales of Terror: The EC Companion

Horror Comics: The Illustrated History

A Haunt of Fears: The Strange History of the British Horror Comics Campaign

Audio Horror

2010-10-26T19:20:00.002-04:00

Looking for the sounds of horror this Halloween season? Need a few suggestions?

Glass Eye Pix launched their Tales From Beyond the Pale audio drama series today. I haven't heard the first episode just yet, but I've been anxious for this series since it was first announced a few months back, and I will be checking it out very soon... Like later tonight.

If you're a Lovecraft fan, the Dark Adventure Radio Theater series of audio dramas by the fine folks at the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society is absolutely essential. These are modern productions, done as if they were created during the Golden Age of radio. If you buy the CDs, they come with some great extras (in the form of objects, that is - not DVD-like extras)

And if zombies are your thing, you could certainly do worse than We're Alive. This longform audio series is available for free as a podcast on iTunes (and other audio outlets, I'm sure) - or you can purchase the entire first season in a remastered 12-CD set here.

(And while we're on the subject of zombies, feel free to check out what I had to say about the obscure 1970s radio drama The Peoria Plague right here. Great stuff.)

Dimitri Tsykalov

2010-10-25T20:34:00.006-04:00

Recently found these great fruit & veggie skulls by Dimitri Tsykalov:

Witch's Brews

2010-10-24T23:10:00.006-04:00

We threw our annual Halloween party last night, so of course we had to procure some refreshments. As soon as I saw it sitting there, I had to pick up some Java Head - Not only is it a coffee stout (mmmmm), but it has a beautiful label...

The Night of the Living Dead variety pack from Magic Hat seemed appropriate as well...

And our friend Aaron brews his own, so we had a party-exclusive - Hoppenstein's Monster - for which I created the label...

Candy Corn!

2010-10-23T14:16:00.000-04:00

Can't remember where I found this photo, but I love it...

And a quick Google search tells me it was the artist Diabetik, and that the cones were left around Washington DC this time last year.

Beware

2010-10-22T19:12:00.000-04:00

Found this on my desk when I arrived at work the other day...and it was eerily delicious.

Plush Horror

2010-10-21T19:54:00.000-04:00

Spotted these plush zombies in a store the other day. When you squeeze them, they laugh at you.

More Creepy Candy

2010-10-20T19:45:00.000-04:00

Horrorfind - Cosplay

2010-10-19T19:15:00.000-04:00

Some great costumes from Horrorfind 2010...

Horrorfind - Human Centipede

2010-10-18T19:11:00.000-04:00

All three parts of The Human Centipede were at Horrorfind too. Akihiro Kitamura had this with him, which he told me a friend of his in London made:

The fine folks from Fright Rags were there too, and they had a couple of these for sale, alongside their amazing horror shirts:

Eww.

Horrorfind - George Romero

2010-10-17T19:07:00.000-04:00

Back in September, I was lucky enough to attend Horrorfind Weekend, where I was able to get this shot of Mr. George Romero, just before meeting him.

Survival

2010-10-16T15:05:00.000-04:00

This poster was prominently displayed in the theater where I saw Survival of the Dead back in June...

Vampyr-Ghidrah-Cenob1te

2010-10-15T14:01:00.000-04:00

A few license plates I've happened upon recently...

Wolf Skulls

2010-10-14T18:39:00.000-04:00

The walls of the lobby of the "Underground Arts" section of the Wolf Building, where Carrie is currently running, are covered by a giant mural. This mural features many, many skulls...

Carrie

2010-10-13T19:37:00.000-04:00

Last weekend my wife and I attended a performance of Brat Productions' "Carrie" - a dark comic take on the novel by Stephen King. It was, to use Brat's own words, "bloody funny". Really great stuff, actually - wonderful dialogue, great special effects, and very nice sets & transitions.

Some nice attention to detail too - Carrie's gravemarker sits at the entrance to the performance space, there was a setup for getting your own prom picture taken before the show, and the play's program was designed to look like a 1979 yearbook.

If you're in Philadelphia, try to check out a performance. The show runs through November 7. And if you go this week (tonight through Sunday), use the code "PROM5" online, or the phrase "there's no place like prom" in person, and you'll get $5 off tickets.

Zombie Chocolate!

2010-10-12T19:49:00.000-04:00

Creepyface

2010-10-11T19:18:00.001-04:00

Yes, more Philly street art! I found this stenciled onto the side of a pay phone. No idea who the artist is, but I'd love to find out, and I'd love to have this on one of my own walls.

Sticker Splatter

2010-10-10T17:42:00.000-04:00

Some more Philly sticker art...

Bird food

2010-10-09T11:37:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine spotted this in South Philly a few months ago. I unfortunately never got to see it in person, but I wish I had. I wish I knew something more about it too, but at least there are pictures...

John Russo's Undead

2010-10-08T19:20:00.004-04:00

I was in a bookstore today. As usual, I found my way to the seemingly-slowly-shrinking horror section. Something caught my eye, and I grabbed this book off the shelf:

When I read the back, I couldn't believe what I had stumbled upon - Kensington Books has re-released John Russo's long out-of-print novels "Night of the Living Dead" and "Return of the Living Dead", combining them under one cover, with the new title "Undead".

I had no idea this was happening. I've been wanting both of these for a looonnnggg time, but have never been able to find reasonably-priced copies. This has now changed, and I'm a happy man.

Skull!

2010-10-07T19:14:00.000-04:00

Another piece of Philly sticker art...

Zombies!

2010-10-06T19:12:00.000-04:00

A little sticker art from the streets of Philadelphia...

A few more random things from Tokyo

2010-10-05T19:43:00.000-04:00

A few random things from Tokyo

2010-10-04T20:05:00.000-04:00

Spider!

2010-10-03T18:34:00.001-04:00

Here's a creepy-cool spider sculpture we found in the Roppongi section of Tokyo. It's entitled "Maman", by Louise Bourgeois. Would love one for the roof.

Alcatraz ER

2010-10-02T01:06:00.000-04:00

Alcatraz ER is an odd little prison/hospital theme restaurant located in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. Our experience there was a little tricky, as we are non-Japanese speakers, but we still had a lot of fun.

The Countdown Begins

2010-10-01T18:37:00.003-04:00

Yep, it's that time of year again... October 1st starts the Countdown to Halloween - which usually gets me to pay attention to my oft-neglected blog pretty regularly.

This year, I'll be kicking things off with some pictures I took during a trip to Japan back in April and May of this year, before moving on to other forms of spooky goodness.

This photo was taken in the Golden Gai section of Tokyo - an extremely dense area consisting solely of walk-in closet-sized bars. Each establishment has its own personality, and of course this particular one caught my attention...

Please check back here often throughout October (and beyond) - I'll be doing my best to post something new every day of the month.

Some new(ish) art

2010-07-25T15:58:00.006-04:00

Just added some new artwork to the main site (riiight here).

Truthfully, it's not brand-spankin' new - one piece is an alternate version of the art for the Zombieland poster I did back in January, while the other two are drawings I've had laying around forever, which I finally decided to add some color and texture to.

Anyway, enjoy:

The Vader Project

2010-07-08T22:05:00.011-04:00

I had a chance to check out The Vader Project, a collection of 100 Darth Vader helmets painted/sculpted/designed by 100 different artists, yesterday. They're currently on display at Freeman's Auction House in Philadelphia, but only through tomorrow. Then, on Saturday, they're being auctioned off. So if you happen to have a few thousand extra dollars lying around, why not place a bid?

A handful of my photos are below. But if that's not enough, you can see all the shots I took here.

The Peoria Plague (returns!)

2010-07-01T01:00:00.002-04:00

The Peoria Plague is a great radio drama from (I believe) 1972. Not only is it well-executed, but it most likely features the first modern (that is, non-voodoo) zombies in audio drama history. It's clearly an homage to the War of the Worlds, and there are some some relatively minor sound quality issues, but if you're a fan of old-time radio, modern audio drama, and/or zombie films and fiction, it's totally worth an hour of your time.

I posted a link to the recording here a couple years ago, but it's been down for a while. I love sharing obscure gems with people, though, so it's back up, and it wants you to listen to it. Download it here.

And while you're at it, check out my full review of The Peoria Plague in my Dead Air segment of the Mail Order Zombie podcast. It's in this week's episode, #127, right around the 42-minute mark.

Zombie Meat

2010-06-30T20:43:00.003-04:00

Here's another one I'm a little late in getting to... A few weeks back, sites like Pink Tentacle and Boing Boing made mention of Zombie Meat - essentially pouches of blue beef jerky currently being sold in Japan.

I love Japan. I love their crazy movies, their crazy fashion, and their crazy neon. And though I no longer eat beef, I love the idea of Zombie Meat.

About 6 weeks ago, I actually saw this stuff for sale in a Tokyu Hands store in Tokyo. I wasn't exactly sure what it was at the time, but I know now. Here's the last picture I took in Japan:

Old news

2010-06-30T20:28:00.003-04:00

Okay, so I've been busy. And this blog has been suffering as a result. Let's play catch up real quick & change that.

A couple weeks ago, someone discovered that if you entered "the Konami code" (you know - up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, enter) on the front page of the Newsweek website, headlines and articles detailing a zombie uprising suddenly appeared.

Of course it didn't last long, but I managed to snag a screenshot. So if you missed it, and haven't seen it on any of the thousands of other blogs that covered it, just feast your eyes on this:

Click to see it full-size.

Monster Mania 14

2010-03-15T22:40:00.024-04:00

Zombieland

2010-01-23T17:53:00.002-05:00

Well, since the event has been announced, I suppose it's safe to post my latest creation - the poster for a screening of Zombieland at the Balcony (at the Trocadero) here in Philly. Enjoy!

Holiday Reading

2009-12-24T14:58:00.014-05:00

This time last year, I put together a list of holiday horror movies, watched them, and did some mini-reviews.

This year, I assembled a stack of books. I didn't get through all of them (which I suppose is good, so I have something for next year), but here's a list, with mini-reviews, of everything I did read:

The Nightmare Before Christmas
by Tim Burton

The original Halloween/Christmas mashup. A classic, and definitely worth checking out if you only know the movie. This was first, though it came out second.

The Twelve Terrors of Christmas
by John Updike, with illustrations by Edward Gorey

Kind of a grim, realist look at the holiday. Funny and depressing at the same time. Great Edward Gorey art. Would make a great stocking stuffer.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Zombies! A Book of Zombie Christmas Carols
by Michael P. Spradlin, with illustrations by Jeff Weigel

A fun idea. I really enjoyed about half of this - the funny and well-written half. The rest kind of felt like filler. Great illustrations, though. And like I said, this is a fun idea, and the perfect sort of thing to put on coffee tables in December.

The Christmas Thingy
by F. Paul Wilson, with illustrations by Alan M. Clark

More of a children's book with a cute monster-thing than a horror story. Not my favorite book here, but I didn't hate it.

It Ate Billy On Christmas
by Roman Dirge, with illustrations by Roman Dirge & Steven Daily

This could have been much better than it is. I've long had some problems with Dirge's writing - an example being the way that he tells the story, and also makes personal comments on what's happening in the story, as well as commenting on his own writing, all within the framework of the storytelling. To me, this isn't even a cute experimental thing - it's more like he's just trying too hard for extra laughs.

Santa Claws
by Laura Leuck, with illustrations by Gris Grimly

Very cute rhyming story with great Grimly art. Not sure what else to say about this, except that I recommend it.

The Last Christmas
by Gerry Duggan & Brian Posehn, with art by Rick Remender, Hilary Barta & Michelle Madsen

A rude, crude, drunken Tarantino-esque Santa-takes-revenge tale. With zombies. A fun action story with beautiful artwork. Definitely worth checking out for you comics nerds out there.

Last Dangerous Christmas
by various authors & artists

A mixed bag of 6 short comics stories. Apparently this was published to benefit abused and neglected children, which is obviously a noble cause. Unfortunately the tales inside aren't too special.

David Lasky's "You Are Now In Bedford Falls" is a fun read, taking a look at "It's A Wonderful Life". The only other part of this book worth singling out, though, is the Bill Sienkiewicz illustration on the cover.

A Very Zombie Christmas
by Joseph Wight, Fred Perry & David Hutchison

On the other hand, this newly-released anthology comic with 3 short stories is worth picking up. The first 2 stories especially are fun reads with nice artwork. And how can you beat that cover?

Burn, Christmas! Burn!!
By Brian Gage, with illustrations by Jeff Peterson

Easily one of my favorites on this list. The story basically takes the piss out of Christmastime consumerism, as Santa's elves revolt. All you anti-Christmas-shopping types out there, this is the thing you should be giving to all your friends. If you were buying things, that is...

A Kidnapped Santa Claus
by L. Frank Baum, adapted into comics form by Alex Robinson

The daemons Selfishness, Envy, Hatred, and Repentance enact a plan to kidnap Santa. This one didn't do much for me – though I'm thinking it may just have been the adaptation. I am interested in tracking down Baum's original story.

Dead Santa & Other Heartwarming Christmas Tales
By Shane Ryan Staley

A collection of 4 Christmas tales the author wrote as gifts to friends and family. They're meant to be shocking and crude. Not great, but not horrible. I think it suffers a bit from trying a little too hard.

Sausagey Santa
by Carlton Mellick III

A wonderfully odd short novel from one of the pillars of the Bizarro genre. Easy to read in one or two sittings, this one has it all, from television cake to coffee birds, a child with chainsaw blade wings, a woman named Decapitron, and a Santa made of sausage, with olive eyes and a walnut smile. Truly, truly strange, and highly entertaining. As long as you're not easily offended, check this one out!

Holiday Decor

2009-12-24T14:50:00.006-05:00

Here's what's on our mantle...

Puppet Uprising is 10!

2009-12-03T19:44:00.002-05:00

I recently drew/designed the poster for this weekend's Puppet Uprising event:

If you find yourself in Philly, and in need of something different to add to your weekend agenda, this might be just the thing.

Hitched, part 2

2009-12-03T19:03:00.005-05:00

I keep meaning to post a few more wedding-related images...

When we got to the Mutter Museum the night of our rehearsal, we discovered a small case of Noah Scalin's Skull-A-Day work on display (although, sadly, it was removed before the actual wedding day):

Here's another gift from some friends:

These are the cufflinks I wore on The Big Day (and by the way, I really love this weird otherworldly blur the scanner created):

And finally, here's a detail shot of the edge of my custom ring (designed by Philly's own Henri David of the appropriately named Halloween):

Yep, I sure do loves me some skulls.

Hitched

2009-11-14T09:37:00.002-05:00

It's official - Gina & I have been married for a whole week! About this time last Saturday, we were having pictures taken on the steps of the Mutter Museum, during the cocktail hour between the ceremony and the reception.

The pair above was a shower gift from a friend of ours. They look just like us.

Wishing Your Desktop A Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T11:02:00.000-04:00

I created some horrific new desktop wallpapers - 4 different designs, but one of them has 3 color variations, so that's 6 new wallpapers. Get 'em here.

Cookies & Candy

2009-10-30T19:56:00.000-04:00

A few more treats to put you in the mood...

Halloween 2009

2009-10-29T23:52:00.004-04:00

Here's my 2009 Halloween music mix...

Tracklisting:

Hey Weirdos! - Zombina and the Skeletones
Shockmonster Stomp - The Ghastly Ones
I Was A Teenage Zombie - The Fleshtones
Creatures of the Night - The Creepshow
Land of the Dead - Voltaire
Dracula's Cigarette - Spoon
Thump Thump Thump - Barry Louis Polisar
Phase 5 - Monkey Farm Frankenstein
Pet Sematary - The Ramones
Transylvanian Orbit (Romanian Dance of the Undead) - The Space Coassacks
What's Under My Bed - Horrorpops
The Return of the Living Dead (Main Title) - Matt Clifford
Coolest Little Monster - Zacherley
The Thing - Curtis & the Creepers
Dracula's Tango - Zombina and the Skeletones
(She's My) Vampire Girl - Groovie Ghoulies
George Romero - Sprites
Shoot The Zombies - Songs To Wear Pants To
Dracula's Deuce - Freddy Fortune & The Four-Gone Conclusions
I Walked With A Zombie - R.E.M.

Download it right here.

Monster Toys 2

2009-10-28T21:23:00.000-04:00

And a few more...

Monster Toys

2009-10-27T21:21:00.000-04:00

Some toys from my collection...

Precious Moments

2009-10-26T19:15:00.003-04:00

Snapped this shot of my nephew this weekend. Fun day.

It's...The Bib!

2009-10-25T22:51:00.001-04:00

Picked this up for my baby nephew last week...

Do You Wanna Party?...

2009-10-24T20:25:00.000-04:00

...It's Party Time!

Hallowriter

2009-10-23T22:19:00.000-04:00

Couldn't resist picking up this hand-painted pen...

Zombie Mints

2009-10-22T21:54:00.001-04:00

These things really do taste horrible - kind of like raw meat blended with rotten fish - but the tins are cool...

Skullbuckle

2009-10-21T22:52:00.000-04:00

Gina found this belt buckle on the street recently...so I've added it to my collection...

Hallowindow

2009-10-20T22:18:00.001-04:00

Found this in a shop window in Center City Philadelphia:

Stickerskull

2009-10-19T22:13:00.000-04:00

Here's a piece of skully sticker art I spotted in Old City, Philadelphia:

Skulls For Sale 2

2009-10-18T22:11:00.005-04:00

More skulls on shelves...

Skulls For Sale

2009-10-17T22:49:00.003-04:00

A few skully items I've seen in stores...

Adam McCauley

2009-10-16T01:28:00.000-04:00

Okay, one last stamp post - This wonderful illustration by Adam McCauley:

If only they were real...

The Horror! The Miscellaneous Horror!

2009-10-15T01:06:00.002-04:00

A handful of horror stamps from a handful of countries: