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!

Ariel, like You've Never seen her Before!

Here's an "artists Nude you're not likely to see anywhere...'



I remember watching this OLD "Bettie Davis" movie, "What ever happened to Baby Jane?" It's a hilarious dark drama comedy ( IMO) Starting Bettie Davis and Joan Crawford. Davis, is the aforementioned, "Baby Jane" a former child star whose star has long since faded along with her sanity. Davi literally terrorizes Crawford in the film, and it has some frighteningly hilarious moments. I began to think, what if DISNEY cartoon "child star" characters made "movie combacks" Even the more drop dead gorgeous stars look like they're about TO "drop Dead"when they get older, so little "Ariel" should be no exception! This pic was drawn originally in response to a "DRAW A MERMAID" topic that was posted on the weekly drawing site, "ART JUMBLE" As you might expect, everyone was drawing these sexy gorgeous mermaids, but being the MAD cartoonist that I am, my twisted mind had other ideas. In addition to Old Ariel, I also drew her gay Merman cousin, who wants to be a "little mermaid" and also another Ariel picture when she let herself "go" I will upload those later. I encourage artists to check out ART JUMBLE. Its a great site that will definitely FIRE UP your idea engine when you just dont know what to draw. I certainly wouldnt have thought to draw THIS on my own without their posting the topic.

Cabbie Vs Pedi Cab Driver

There's an old New Yawk City saying that goes, " Dont let your MOUTH write a check, that your "ADDRESS" cant cash..." At least they used to say that where I'm From. Here's a classic case of that scenario with Cabbie vs Pedi cab driver. If you notice, the pedicab driver is the initial aggressor. He's throwing the coffee cup, and even hops off his bike and pushed the cab driver through the open window. Clearly by his actions, body language, and attitude, the Pedi cab driver thinks he's going to "own" the cabbie in a fist fight. Like most of New Yawk city's little ironies, the opposite happens. Notice how the cabbie, in CLASSIC "UFC" like fashion, evades the pedicab drivers initial strike, and does one of the SWEETEST wrestling leg takedowns, that you are used to seeing on TV, but not in real life! LOL! Notice how the cabbie immediately establishes dominance in the mount position and is about to administer some SERIOUS "street justice" before a courageous pair of gutsy good samaritan pedestrians break up the scrap.

Just goes to show you that you NEVER know who youre messing with. Do yourself a favor, and keep your mouth SHUT.

I sure learned MY lesson to not get NYC Cabbies upset a few years ago. I was having a severe asthma attack and called a cab to be driven to a clinic. The driver, showed up a little drunk, I could smell it in the car, and drove like a maniac. I was so angry and frazzled by the ride that I demanded rather strongly that he stop and let me out. We were several blocks from my destination, but angry and frustrated I decided I had enough. He turned around and demanded his money, and i got angryly out of the car and threw the money in the front seat slamming the door hard. I started walkking with halting steps, breathing heavy towards the clinic.

That's when I heard the door open and sounds of cursing in spanish.
I kept walking.
I heard the trunk of the cab opening
I kept walking.
I heard the sound of a chain being pulled out of the trunk.
I turned around.
To my horror, he had one of those BIG chains you see them tie boats to a dock with. He began wrapping the long chain around his wrist/arm for support, slammed the trunk and began running at me swinging the chain over his head, like a barbarian out of a conan movie.
Remember, I was having a ASTHMA ATTACK
I couldnt breathe
I could hardly walk
But when I saw this guy coming at me swinging this chain above his head
I kid you not, I literally ran FIVE BLOCKS on my tippie toes, so fast that i didnt even REALIZE I was running!
I left him in the dust and darted into a building that had a doorman.
I fell on the floor to the horror of two tenants in the building and pleaded with the doorman to call 911, I was having a major attack now and this maniac was after me
The doorman literally bent down, grabbed me by the back of my collar, and the back of my pants, and THREW ME OUT ON THE STREET COMIC BOOK STYLE!
I staggered the remaining few blocks to the clinic, and collapsed on the desk. Needless to say I was given immediate care.

Now all of this trouble could've been avoided if I'd JUST KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT!

But I had to learn a lesson
just like this Pedi Cab Driver did.

I think his was a little more painful though.

  SORRY FOLKS ABOUT THE FILM NOT BEING AVAILABLE. DUE TO SO CALLED COPYRIGHT ISSUES, THE FILM HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN... WHAT PROBABLY HAPPENS IS THAT THE TAXI COMMISSION FELT THIS WAS BAD PRESS FOR THEM, AND ALSO WHO EVER IS IN CHARGE OF PEDI CABS AS WELL, AND THESE TWO GOT TOGETHER, COMPLAINED TO SOMEONE, AND GOT IT PULLED. THIS IS A SHAME BECAUSE THE FILM IS REAAAALY A MUST SEE.

unlikely pairing...

Let me start off by saying I have NOTHING against inter racial dating , marriage or pairing.... but seeing THESE two together on West 57th street and Bway caused me to shake my head in wonder. He was a very short male white , five feet soaking wet, with a scruffy look about him, unshaven, thick oily hair, wearing a tank top long cut off jeans and boots with no laces. She was a well over six feet, so much so that she appeared to be almost all legs. Extremely curvy and had this childs hair style on her head and this impish expression. They were obviously in love and very taken with each other, but were so visually striking that nothing less than this Cartoony rendering could capture my reaction.
I guess he was her "scruffy little puppy" and she was his "chocolate Covered Giraffe!"

Michael Jackson doing Old Skool funkstyle LOCKING

As some of you here know, i am a big dance enthusiast, particularly the okd skool funk styles of the 1970's 80's of Locking, Boogaloo, and Popping.
I found this OLD CLASSIC clip Of Michael and his brothers doing a Locking routine with Dom Deluise of all people! I knew Mike was a great dancer, and this only adds to his legend!!!

With faces like these....

How could I NOT draw caricatures when people are walking around with faces like THESE??????

Newest Editorial Cartoon Wave Publishing

With the impending closing of some of the SRO's in the Rockaways, local residents are preparing themselves for an increase homless people who will soon be populating the area. Many of these people are on fixed incomes to begin with, are taking a variety of meds for various illnessness, including mental, and have scarely enough money to buy food. It remains to be seen what local officials plan to do about this problem.

911 Memories

Just a few thoughts on that awful/glorious day

"GLORIOUS" is a word that perhaps is not associated with that day, but I use it because a lot of miraculous things happened.

First and foremost, we saw how vulnerable we really are. As a result, certain security measures which should have been there in the first place were re evaluated and put in place. It's not perfect by a long shot, but we're dealing with imperfect human beings here.

It was glorious to see New Yorkers of every race color creed neighborhood come together for one brief moment and to recognize our common humanity. In a city as big as NYC you can forget that commodality and become stuck and polarized within your own neighborhood. People were actually helping each other, comforting each other , TALKING to each other! which brings me to my next point...

For one brief moment, all the NOISE of our cell phones televisions and electronic devices were cut off and as a result we were FORCED to confront and establish contact with another flesh and blood human being. Families starting talking together and re establishing contacts, old scores were settled and apologies were made.

We really thought were going to die that day.

I recall,with much heartache whether or not I should put my dog to sleep in order to spare him intense physical pain and mental suffering.


I remember being in the BOROUGH PARK section of Brooklyn, on my way to a computer class where I would be learning Photoshop Quark and Illustrator. The Smoke of the towers had already reached that remote park of Brooklyn and documents from peoples computers had blown literally across the water, and were raining down on me like confetti from a tickertape parade for The New York Yankees. I remember one man running up to me holding a page from a document that had been on somebody's desk in Manhattan minutes before.

We really thought we were going to die that day.

The indescribable feeling of death was literally in the air and the anxiety of that reality could be seen on every face.

As a believer in Christ A Scripture from Hebrews 9:27,28 came to mind


And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

As I had put my trust in Christ for eternal salvation, There was a place on the inside of me that felt settled and anchored, an assurance that i would go to meet my Lord who I had trusted, very soon. And As My thoughts turned to my family, I said prayers for them and had the same assurance for them, as they had trusted their lives to him also.

Yeah, I'm preaching here.

In fact, during this period, there was a LOT of preaching going on in the city and that preaching, and those prayers were GLADLY received. It's easy to be an agnostic or atheist, while you're in Starbucks sipping your latte and eating your bagel, but when the rubber hits the road, and your LIFE is about to end, you start thinking about what's on the other side, and maybe those "religious fanatics" Like me, are right after all.

We All Didn't die that day....
In fact,
many of us
began to Live.


FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON
THAT WHO SOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM
SHOULD NOT PERISH
BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE

JOHN 3;16

It aint just a banner at a football game folks.

Park Party and Subway Sketches

As the Summer comes to a close, Im spending as much time as I can at the park trying to coax tourists into my chair, before the autumn chill and subsequent winds set in making it impossible to draw. I've missed the majority of Summer drawing in the park due to my back injury, but thank God Ive gotten a LOT better and no longer require the use of the cain, or even the chair that I habitually carried. These are a series of sketches done at the park(which customers rejected!!) on the subway, and at a party. Can you guess which is which? Enjoy.