The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival R. O. Blechman, Kim Deitch, and Dash Shaw Panel Discussion

R. O. Blechman, Kim Deitch, and Dash Shaw started off discussing the historial relationship between comics and animation at the Dec 5 The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival. At one Point, Moderator, Bill Kartalopoulos asked the one question that was central in minds of every audience member in attendance, namely, "who was the COOLIEST artist on the panel?" Dash Shaw was the frist to speak up and mentioned how he was very "fashion forward" with his dynamic red scarf that captivated every eye in the room. Kim Deitch chimmed in on how his vintage Blue Jean Jacket called to mind the image of the 1960's youth culture which transformed American media, politics and music. He also added how devishly handsome he was sporting his ponytial. R. O. Blechman pointed felt that his button down shirt and crewneck sweater added an element of classic elegance to a group of panelists obviously lacking in taste and fashion sense, thus making HIM the coolest of them all. Even though Kartalopoulos had posed the question orginally, he couldnt help calling attention to his checked cotton blend shirt that paid homage to the blue collar work ethic that built American fron the ground up, and championed the proverbial "everyman". He also concluded that R.O. Blechman was a "Mr. Rogers" Wannabe in his sweater.
This comment set off a rather explosive debate among everyone else. Kim Threated to hang Dash using his Red Sweater as a noose, Dash rebutted that Kim should stop fighting baldness to the death and should return his tired ,old "Billy Jack" Dungaree jacket to the Smithstonian, before they realized it was missing. R. O. Blechman, being a dignified man was quietly and passionately telling off Kartalopoulos, who was getting angrier by the second. Without warning the entire panel was ingulfed in a giant free for all much to the the amazement and amusement of the capacity crowd!
I have to admit, THIS is what Indy Comics is all about!!!






Of course, you do realize these events occured in the alternate universe that exists between my two ears.......

The truth is while listening to the thought provoking discussions, I was inspired, as always, to draw, as I listened, and this is what came out.

My sincere thanks goes out to all the panelists for their insights! I had a great time and after I left, I couldnt wait to draw a comic, which of course, I did!

I apologized to R. O. Blechman for not drawing his picture as well based on my vantage point, and he was nice enough to write me back. What a classy guy.

Dear Elgin,


No need to apologize for the drawing. I look better as a cartoon than a photograph.
Thanks for sending it.
All best wishes,
R. O. Blechman

Cat in the hat.

Whereever she bought that hat...











I hope it's the last one.

The Brilliant Professor Charles Brown Concordia University

I had the pleasure of meeting Professor Charles Brown, M.M.
Assistant Professor of Music
Director, Choral Activities
at Concordia University recently, and this is my first attempt at doing his caricature, as promised, from memory. I had a bad pic to work with but was determined to do what I promised, so this is my FIRST attempt!
While in Chicago I had the pleasure of hearing Kapelle, Concordia’s choral performance ensemble, which Professor Brown conducts, and which my son and daughter are members. A little known fact about the surfer is that in addition to art, one of my passions are music and I sung to my kids ever since they were toddlers and apparently they inherited the gift although I'd be first to admit they are both much better singers than I am.
The Kapelle group tours extensively in the United States and abroad, and has over five recordings with one currently in production. I cant wait for THAT one as my son performs a solo on it! Dr. Brown, this caricature is for YOU! More to come...

In this caricature I wanted to portray him as an
"Evil musical genius"

Ebony Mohawk Boye on the B Train

I squeezed my way onto a Kings Highway bound B Train, late for an appointment with my wife, and now frustrated that I wasn't fast enough to get a seat for the long ride. It was then that I looked down at this passenger that brightened my mood a bit.
Here was this teenager talking excitedly with his friend on this crowded standing room only train eating Chinese food out of a large Styrofoam container. We have a saying in the city that goes like this: "How Ghetto can you be?" one thing that is definitely a social "no no" is eating a PLATE of food on public transportation. Its just "too common" Too low Class, but there he was. Like most youth his age, he didn't seem to care, and kept eating and talking as if he was home at his dinner table. His appearance caught my attention as much as his behavior. He had a beautiful ebony complexion like dark chocolate that shined. He also was sporting this outrageous Mohawk mane of black hair that looked like a horses mane. His hair was trimmed neatly on the sides , almost shaven but not quite. His face was long and his frame was long and lanky. I thought he would make a perfect character design for one of my comic projects, and although Im not accustomed to drawing standing up during rush hour , I quickly whipped out my drawing pad and got started. It was challenging to draw as the train swerved and swayed, with passengers bumping into me, and me trying to maintain my balance, all the while hoping that he would not stop to notice me. I completed a few preliminary sketches hoping that when I got back to the studio I would be able to recapture what I saw. My results were more than satisfactory, and I know that i will be going back to this character for future projects. Here he is drawn in semi realistic style using a tombo brush pen and pencil.

REMEMBER FOLKS, IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE HERE, AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ME CREATE A CARICATURE OF YOU DRAWN IN  THIS BEAUTIFUL EXAGGERATED GRAPHITE STYLE, SEND ME AN E MAIL AT

cartoons4u2@aol.com

Turkey Day Caricature

Saw her on the Q22 Bus, staring ahead as if asking herself, "Gee, where did all that turkey go?'.... We both KNOW most of it went into her big gaping mouth....

Latest Wave Editiorial Cartoon

WOuld you believe there's a law on the book that hinders officers from frisking a suspicious person? This is the pic for the editoiral this week.

Big shout out to the two officers in the 33rd Street station who let me copy their uniforms for reference. Sorry fellas, I promised that I would use your faces too, but visually, you both didnt look funny enough to be used in the cartoon. Good thing too. I mean who respects an officer whose face they're laughing at?

They're Creepy and They're Spooky....

some people have a certain kinda persona that makes the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up....To borrow a phrase from the 60's classic horror sit com, "The Adams Family", "They're creepy, and They're Spooky..." This guy boards The Queens Bound C Train the other night and looks like he just walked out of a graveyard. White as the proverbial sheet with one of the biggest heads Ive ever seen on a human, wearing what looked like a child's black hat on top of his head, that was five sizes too small, a slightly oversized black overcoat, black slacks and shoes, and that dull,empty, thousand mile stare and slight smile... he looked like he just finished devouring a live rat dipped in cockaroach sauce, and was still enjoying the after taste....Never a dull moment on the Train, folks....

Red head with Big Red Nose on Q22 Bus

I was riding the Q22 Bus, and that when I saw him.... this BIG RED nose, sticking out like a roadsign directly across from me. The Q22 Bus in Far Rockaway has a short route , running starting in Breezy Point just before the Marine Park Bridge into Brooklyn, and ending on Mott Ave. Although Rockaway residnts are a mixture of whites blacks and latinos, I was riding in the bus towards Mott Ave which is predominately populated by African Americans, so it was unusual to even see such a "white looking" White guy on the bus. which made him stand out more.

The fact that he was reluctant to make eye contact with anyone made my capturing him that much easier, heh, heh.... In an effort to look tough,he adopted that standard issue "deadpan stare" showing no emotion whatsoever, and also wore his baseball cap backwards, in customary "B Boye" fashion, but his giant dumbo ears, and that shock of shaggy red hair that protruded out of the front and the back made him look hilarious. The Bulbous Clown nose, definitely stood out and I had to resist the urge to reach over and give it a squeeze! LOL!!! I wonder if it would have "honked?" This guy also had very pink salmon colored skin which made the redness on his nose stand out even more.To be honest, this picture is MORE of a self portrait of how this guy really looked than an actual caricature that I embellished. I guess some people are just "God's Live action Cartoons". This guy also had a "Bob Denver, Gilligan" type of quality about him./ Boy do I LOVE riding Mass Transit!!! All you need is a Metro card and a Pencil!!

If You like THIS caricature Folks, How about getting one of YOUR OWN? I can draw a gift caricature of YOU in this Hilarious Style! Perfect for your avatar, offline printed materials, or just  for your wall! Contact me by Email for Prices and Info! 

cartoons4u2@aol.com

Another Sneek peek at my minicomic

Ive had this on my desk for a couple of months now working through it sllllllowwwly.... its my semi autobiographical account of a Junior High School incident between me, and a local school bully, Vinnie. I got stuck in the project until I began viewing some of Ralph Batski's films and noticed his raw use of animation with real life photography. This is not a "New" device, except for me, that is, and I really do like the results. The minicomic once completed, will be posted on my sequential art blog at

www.extremelifedrawing.blogspot.com

I also have plans for printed it out along with some others for the Moca Fest in NYC coming up in April next year. God willing, I will be ready to attend with a lot of my books. Stay tuned!

This particular Panel is one of the climax shots of the comic. I thought at first about coloring the characters, but in a kooky sort of way I kind of like that stark, black and white cutout look against the color background. I took the photo inside my kid's high school a couple of years back during an open school night. I knew I'd find a use for the photo. Did some manipulation in photo shop with the filters to give it a painted look.

Couple in Orange and Blue

Didnt know if this compostion was going to work at first, but the end result was great. Im trying to take more chances and be more dynamic with my couples poses. caricature artists like Jeremy Townsend, and Nate at "Jackin faces" do great and innovative couples shots. Im constantly at their blogs studying their work.

"Just one MORE!" at Sardi's Restaurant Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

It always happens, they love me so much, they always want me to draw, "JUST ONE MORE!" This lovely lady got hers drawn by the elevator as I was getting ready to leave for the evening! Normally I would have refused, explaining that my time was up, but HEY! THIS IS SARDI'S the "Caricature Mecca" How could I say no?

Gig shots by Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

Been a while since Ive posted some gig shots. Here's two. One is a pencil drawing I did at Sardi's two weeks ago. Every since watching Ed Steckley draw caricatues in Pencil at an M&M store Gig we did together, and also at Chelsea Piers for the NY Rangers, Ive always wanted to do a gig entirely in pencil but lacked the courage. After seeing the results, I can see why he loves the medium so much. Sorry to just show one pic though.... The other pic is one I drew for some guests at the Marriott Hotel last summer. I JUST developed the picture outta my camera.... talk about procrastination..

Investigative reporting can be dangerous!! CARICATURES MOST WANTED LIST

Fellow caricature artist, Mark Z man and I were both feeling good on the caricature adrenalin rush we got after working another sucessful gig at Sardi's restaurant. As was my habit I started going up and down Times Square pointing out the caricature fakes, and snapping photos. We both stopped at this particular stand of one female Asian artist who had an unusually big display with caricature styles so varied that we both KNEW she couldnt have drawn all of them herself. I recognized the Superman and The Michael Jackson as immediately not being hers, and as I started to question her, and take pictures, she quickly put her hand up in front of the camera and walked quickly behind her stand, hoping we would go away and stop asking questions. When she saw that I refused to leave and was still taking pictures, all of a sudden, she came from behind her display brandishing a BIG white stick in my Direction! LOL! " hey man, I think she's gonna try and hit you!" Mark said, in shock as we both backed away. I snapped off a shot of her, and it looks like she's got a lightsaber in her hand! LOL!!! investigative reporting sure is dangerous!


Incidentally, that SUPERMAN caricature that little Con Artist had on her stand wad done by Golden Nosey Winner, CHRIS ROMMEL. The orginal can be seen HERE http://www.chrisrommel.com/christopher_reeve.htm

Caricatures most wanted list Exposing the fakes on 42nd Street

This is the first in a series of "caricature exposes" that Ive titled, "CARICATURES MOST WANTED LIST" or "EXPOSING THE FAKES on 42nd STREET" Imagine going into a shoe store to buy a pair of size powder blue size five open toes sandles,that you saw advertized in the store window, ladies, and the salesperson brings you back a pair of size 10 waterproof black combat boots. What would your reaction be? if you've got all your marbles, you would demand that the clerk bring you the shoes that you requested right? of course, right. Would you BUY the boots in place of the advertized sandels? Lets go futher with this, what if the clerk told you that the boots were the only thing he had, and furthermore, DEMAND you pay for them since he went to all the trouble to bring them to you? Unless you're brain dead, you would leave the store in a huff, and wonder why the store advertized a shoe they had for sale that they KNOW they didnt have, and demand you pay for it?
And yet, every year, millions of people come to TIMES SQUARE and give away hundreds of dollars to these Street caricatue pimps who cant even draw flies, let alone caricatures.
These caricature con artists continue to post the work of other established artists on their displays, knowing that this bait will attract tourists who willingly sit down believing they will get a picture JUST LIKE THE ONES THEY SEE ADVERTISED! of course, they DONT get what they see advertised, and PAY ANYWAY!!! It's amazing.

After leaving my job at a recent gig at SARDI'S RESTAURANT, I decided to see who was outside hustling, and came immediately to the stand of the artist pictured here. I pointed to the John Wanye Caricature that I KNOW SEBASTIAN KRUGER drew, pointed to it, and asked him "DID YOU DRAW THIS ONE????" "yes, " he replied, nodding his head several times, "ARE YOU SURE? YOU DID DRAW THIS RIGHT?" I asked again pointing at the Kruger, to which he answered yes, I did several times. "AND YOU CAN DRAW ME LOOKING LIKE THAT???" I asked. Again he said yes, and that's when I snappeed the picture, much to his dismay. He didnt like to me snapping a shot of him or his stand but could do nothing about it, since it happened so quickly.

If you see this quy on the street, tell him the subwaysurfer is watching him....

Makin' Waves Mini Comic Book Cover Art Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

ANOTHER comic con has come and gone, and yours truely, The Subwaysurfer, did NOT get his minicomics printed up in time to attend.... Sigh.... Not that i COULD have gone anyway, since i had a caricature job to do in Edison that day, but it's the PRINCIPLE of the thing darn it!!!
Making comics has become a sort of "hobby" of mine, especially since my accident last year that kept me homebound. Im happy to say that I am doing MUCH better, can walk without the aid of a cane, and dont need to carry around a chair anymore, AND Ieven dropped a ton of weight that was aggravating my condition! Even though Im up and about more, the love of making comics has grown stronger, but procrastination still seems to be an enemy . The only way to slay the procrastination devil is to meet it head on with hard work, and thats what I did.
It was then that I realized that one project was already done, and right under my nose, namely, the ongoing editorial comics I'd been drawing for The Wave Newspaper for the past year now. The Wave Newspaper, incidently, was awarded the much coveted, BEST OF TH BEST status by The Village Voice recently, and Id like to think that my cartoons helped to contribute to the papers success.
To continue, though... Ive compiled a couple of my best editorial toons from 2008-2009 and have decided to put them into a mini comic that will be on sale for the next comic con that comes around. I even came up with this snazzy cover today that i drew while subwaysurfing on public transportation. Comc Comic Con time I will be ready with at least four books that I am in the process of making, one of which that is so hush hush, I wont even TALK about it! be watching here for news!

Check out my comics blog at
www.extremelifedrawing.blogspot.com

For upcoming comics, and works in progress.

Rockaway Blvd Passenger

I caught this guy waiting nervously on the platform of Rockaway Blvd in Queens in route to the Howard Beach JFK Station. He looked pretty agitated having missed the last train and was no doubt concerned about missing his flight. It's pretty easy to miss your train on the weekend, and if you happen to get on the Lefferts Blvd train instead, it will put you back at least a half an hour.
He had a TREMEDOUS chin! In fact, he seemed to be ALL CHIN! how could I resist!

Pointing Tourist

It must be in their genes.... no matter how "cool" a tourist looks on the outside, eventually they will stop, adopt some wierd body position, open their mouth and point at something, and THAT'S how you KNOW! LOL! this guy I drew here LOOKED "cool enough" He was "tall dark and handsome" slightly unshavenm had the sunglasses, the jeans and wasnt carrying a camera or sporting a dorky Hawaian shirt.. But when he stopped, assumed the position, and pointed, I KNEW!

I drew this in the summer and just decided to post it tonight. Sorry I havent posted in a while, been working on some comics.

Wave News Personal favorites

In honoring my "First Birthday" as an Editorial Cartoonist, for The Wave I just wanted to re show some of my personal favorite toons.

Oct 16 Wave Editorial Cartoon

This weeks editorial cartoon is pretty explosive. It is sparked by a recent event that happened in the Edgemere Section of the Rockaways where police cars were brazenly fired upon by some trigger happy homies. This event set off MASSIVE manhunts in the area which was covered with police cars, helicopters, and beat cops in a matter of minutes. It seemed as if every police officer in Far Rockaway converged on that location. It was discovered that many of the guns reocovered in the shootings had been linked to illegal gun sales in Southern States, the buying of which were made easier by two Congressmen, which you can read about in the editorial reprinted below. This is by far one of the best Editorials I think that Ive done, and I know the paper is going to get letters on it claiming it is "racist" We'll see what happens... If I DO get letters, I will consider myself as "having arrived" as an Editorial Cartoonist. This Month, incidently, marks the one year Birthday of my coming on staff with The Wave Newspaper.
The ARTICLE:

Death On Our Streets
Thanks To Gun Show Sales

The findings of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has linked 30 percent of the guns used in New York City shootings to gun shows in other states. Earlier reports from the same agency as well as from the New York City Police Department show that the great majority of guns used in crimes here come from Virginia, Pennsylvania, North and South Caro-lina, Ohio and Florida, states with lax gun laws. A large number of those guns eventually show up on Rockaway streets or in our public housing projects. Many of them come from gun shows in those states, where individual sellers have no requirement ei-ther to check a buyer’s background or to file paperwork with the federal agency recording the sale. That gun show loophole exists because Congress, convinced by the National Rifle Association (NRA) that such show sales were made not by professional gun dealers, but by individuals who wanted to sell personal or an-tique weapons only. Mayor Michael Bloomberg sent investiga-tors to gun shows at some of those states and blew that lie out of the water. The investigators found not individual sellers looking to get rid of a gun or two outside the usual rules, but profes-sional dealers with dozens of weapons to sell. In one particular egregious case, the investigator asked if he had to go through a background check. The vendor told him he did not. The investi-gator then said, “Good, because I probably could not pass the check anyway.” The vendor sold him a semiautomatic .380 cali-ber weapon for $399. It is clear, at least to us, that our federal representatives, Anthony Weiner and Greg Meeks, have dropped the ball. Something must be done to close the gun show loophole, and it has to be done quickly before even more young people die on Rockaway streets.

Bagels and Glocks.... Hassidim & Homeboye Neighborhood Block Watchers

"BAGELS and GLOCKS"

Hey! It COULD happen!!!


Originally, these two caricatures came out of my subwaysurfing travels. The Homeboye was drawn while riding a Manhattan Bound A train, and the Jewish man was drawn (and sold) while doing Street Caricature in the park.(He had such a memorable face that i couldnt forget him!) I started to upload them seperately, but the more I looked at them, I found my mind going back to my old Brooklyn Neighborhood, Crown Heights. Crown Heights is a neighborhood that is made up of African Americans and Hassidic Jews. Eastern Parkway is the "invisible dividing line" that literally "seperates" the two sections. If you past the line going twds Fulton street, you will be in predominately African American territory, and if you past the dividing line going towards Crown street and Empire Blvd, you will be in predominately Jewish neighborhood. When i was growing up the two groups lived pretty much in harmony, one respecting the other without to much incident. The neighborhood gained national attention during the Dinkins Administration when a riot broke out in the neighborhood resulting in the death of a young Jewish scholar and an African american boy. This incident set up racial tensions that reverberated for years, and I couldnt help thinking how great it would be if the two races got together to work in harmony and fight a common enemy, namely crime. I would be great if the political savvy Rabbis could some how pair up with the street smart homeboyes to form some sort of posse. I thought how hilarious and entertaining such a pairing would be. Perhaps someday, I or someone else will do some sort of graphic novel, comic or series on the subject. When that happens make sure you give the SUBWAYSURFER the credit for sparking the idea!
"BAGELS and GLOCKS" seems to be the perfect name for the series!