Monday, December 9, 2013

The Art of the Mix: Mix CD covers I designed over the years.

Several years ago, through a former co-worker, I became part of a local New York City music trading group. This group met once a month to trade unique mix CDs that were created by each participating member. Known as the "CD Mix of the Month", or CDMOM for short, the goal of our group was simply to share the music we loved and to help others discover an array of new music. We operated under the premise that music should not be kept a secret. I discovered many new bands and purchased many albums thanks to our monthly trade. The group started as an offshoot of a larger nationwide mailing list, and while CDMOM no longer meets on a monthly basis, reunions are still held on occasions.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Xbox One vs. PS4: My 2 Cents on the 8th Generation Console War

I was inspired to write this article after watching an episode of South Park entitled "A Song of Ass and Fire."

After backlash, Microsoft says users can play offline, share games on Xbox One @757Live
Xbox One
The 8th Generation of Video Game consoles have arrived! All the excitement is upon us! What console will win the war? Is it the PS4 with it's awesome new controller? Or is it the Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment unit that will give me ever reason to never leave my couch again? Who will be the first amongst my friends to own one? Can I get to the stores early enough to buy one on Black Friday?

My answer to all of the above questions is, "WHO CARES!?".

Friday, November 15, 2013

An interview with Kamal Brown, the BMO toy creator

I was hoping to catch up with Kamal Brown at this year's New York Comic Con to conduct this interview, but unfortunately we kept missing each other during all the insanity,  Kamal is the maker of a custom Adventure Time BMO video game unit which stole the show at Comic Con. As you will see, his BMO unit is a fully functional and features an array of life-like facial expressions.


Sunday, November 3, 2013

New York Comic Con Review - Day 3

On Saturday, the 3rd day of New york Comic Con, capacity at the Javits Center usually reaches it's peak. Trying to walk across the main exhibitors show room on a Saturday is worse than walking through Times Square during the height of the holiday season. It's the most grueling, yet fun, day at the event.

Lost Girl Press Panel - NYCC 13

Thursday, October 24, 2013

New York Comic Con Friday Photos and Links.

NYCC 13PHOTOGRAPHY
All of my Friday New York Comic Con photos are now posted to my Flickr page. The entire set can be found at http://flic.kr/ps/wS7ym

COSPLAY
Business Insider followed a cosplayer for a day at New York Comic Con. The article can be found here http://read.bi/1go4Rpe

TOYS
NECA is releasing a Robocop figure based on the original NES game. Check it out at http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/23/5023106/robocop-figure-based-on-nes-game-hits-feb-2014

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

New York Comic Con 2013 Review - Part 2

The New York City area weathermen once again failed to correctly predict the weather on the 2nd Day of comic con. A fierce Nor'Easter was to have hit the area bringing rains of biblical proportions. Thankfully, that never happened, and after a short shower, it was business as usual for everyone shooting photos outside of the Javits Center.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 11, 2013

The devastation of a fierce Nor'Easter storm could never measure up to the devastation a giant Kaiju monster would cause if it decided to attack in New York City. But what if a giant kaiju  monster attacked the city of Los Angeles? What if the kaiju was a spider? What if that spider was a big ass spider??? That's the question director Mike Mendez tries to answer in his new movie entitled Big Ass Spider. I was able to sit in on the movie's roundtable press discussion which featured Director Mike Mendez, actors Greg Grunberg and Lombardo Boyar, and actress Clair Kraymer. It's totally unfair to compare this film to any of the crap Syfy has recently produced, especially since this movie is actually meant to be over top funny. Big Ass Spider is a horror/kaiju/comedy that goes above and beyond any of the cheesy Syfy Channel films like Sharknado and Mega Shark Vs. Crocosaurus. Here's the official trailer:

Thursday, October 17, 2013

New York Comic Con 2013 Related Links

TOYS
Over at the "Words From the Master" Blog, Master Gio discusses some of the exclusive and hard to find Funko POP! toys he picked up at Comic Con.

NYCC PANELS I DIDN'T ATTEND

MyNerdBlog.Com has full video coverage of the Walking Dead 10th Anniversary Panel. 

XShipper has been kind enough to upload video of the entire X-Files Panel from. 

MOVIE TRAILERS
Here is the Trailer for the action/horror fight film, Raze, starring Zöe Bell.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

New York City Comic Con 2013 in Review: Part 1

By far, this year's New York Comic Con was the best I've attended since it's inception. This years experience is best described as 4 awesome, yet grueling, days of running around the Javits Center, taking photographs, filming video interviews, and networking. As sad as I was to see the convention end, my countless photographs and stories live on as a reminder and homage to the biggest convention of it's kind on the east coast.

DAY 1: THURSDAY 10/10/2013
Raze Panel at NYCC 2013 3:00 PM marked the Shotgun Start time for New York Comic Con. As soon as the gates opened, I ran to the IFC booth for the Zöe Bell autograph signing which started promptly at 3. Zöe was on hand to promote her latest film, Raze, an action-horror all-female fight film. For those of you not familiar with Zöe Bell's work, she's the amazing New Zealand stunt woman who doubled for Lucy Lawless on Xena and Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. You'll also remember her hanging off the hood of a 1971 Dodge Challenger in Quinton Tarrantino's Death Proof. I had always wanted to meet Zöe, and was granted another chance to do so at NYCC, after she was forced to cancel a previous appearance at the Chiller Theater Movie Expo due to filming. The autograph singing was followed by a panel discussion in which Zöe was joined on stage by Raze Director Josh C. Waller and fellow Raze/Death Proof actress, Tracie Thoms. I shot the panel for Master Gio who was covering it for Best-Horror-Films.Com (I'll link to the article once it has been posted).

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Thursday at New York Comic Con 2013

Press day at New York Comic Con is always a pleasure since it is the least crowded day. It's a good day for scouring the dealer rooms and meeting up with old friends. Once the insanity of Friday and Saturday are upon us, you can throw the rule book completely out the window. Here are a few highlights from the 1st day of the con.

Really Awesome Zombie Make-Up

Bat Girl

I AM SPARTACUS!
"I AM SPARTACUS!"
Zoe Bell Promoting Raze
Stuntwoman and Actress Zöe Bell was on hand signing autographs and promoting
her new film from IFC entitled
Raze
Gio, Felix, and Kristine

Interviewing Vampy Bit Me
Master Gio Interviews Vampy Bit Me



Wednesday, October 9, 2013

NYCC 2013: A Bit of Mental Preperation

Another year, another New York Comic Con. As the weekend approaches, memories of last year's Comic Con continue creep into memory. It was that very weekend in 2012 that I lost my mom to cancer. This coming Columbus Day marks the 1 year anniversary of he passing, and I still miss her dearly.  It's sucks to have these memories tied in with the mecca of New York City geek events, but it can't be helped.

While I was only partially in attendance at comic con 2012, it did provide a mental escape for me. It was difficult. I remember pulling myself aside several times, ready to start bawling my eyes out, only to catch myself and hold it all back. Maybe I'm not the most open person when it comes to expressing my feelings, it's the Scorpio in me, but I was very appreciative of my friends who helped console me and cheer me up during those difficult days.

I've come a long way in the year since. I labelled 2013 as the year of change, and it has been just that. Things have changed for the better. I've moved to a new apartment in a part of Queens which I'm beginning to love. I'm now engaged to a wonderful woman,  whom I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with. Things are looking positive. I still miss my mom, that won't change, but I know she'd be proud of me if she was here.

I've reflected on my career a lot recently, coming to the realization that I want to still be a Graphic Designer first and foremost. That's where my true passion lies. And while my day job has sucked the fun and life out of it, I still strive to keep my career alive and moving forward. Photography has been a great escape from the negative hoopla and staleness of graphic design, but I don't see it ever becoming my career. I love taking photos, and I love taking them semi-professionally, but it'll only serve to enhance my skills as a designer and not as a new career direction.

This year, NYCC will be a little more subdued as the memory of my mom's passing will still be fresh in mind. I'll be there with my camera trying to snap photos of the most unique cosplays, and I'll be photographing for the Words of the Master website once again. However, things won't be as intense and insane as they usually are. Don't get me wrong, I'm still psyched about going, but I'm just over all the insanity. See you at the Javits Center...

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Toy Fair International 2013: Yes Anime Inc.

YES ANIME

Specializing in Domestic and Imported anime, Yes Anime, Inc. is  the largest distributor of Japanese toys in the San Francisco Bay area. They specialize in a wide variety of designer toys, apparel, accessories, and snacks and bevarages among many other licensed goods. Their most sought after collector item, the Super Alloy Batman 1/6 scale 12 inch figure by Jim Lee, was received with great enthusiasm at New York Comic Con last year.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Toy Fair International 2013: Kotobukiya USA

Toy Fair Internation 2013: KotobukiyaTo say that the Kotobukiya USA booth at Toy Fair International was quite impressive is an understatement. Founded in 1951 as single toy store, it wasn't until 1985 that the company began manufacturing it's first original toys. With  close to 60 years of toy expertise under it's belt, Kotobukiya decided in 2009 to form a USA team to meet the demand of a more global market. Kotobukiya's toy and statue lines can be found in most comicbook and toy specialty stores around the United States. Compared to their competitors, Kotobukiya offers what I'd like consider a more reasonable price range for it's regular and snap-fit statues, while still being able to maintain higher end quality


Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Toy Fair International 2013: Tokyo Pop / The Loyal Subjects / GANN Memorials, Inc.,

The 110th annual Toy Fair International is in full swing at New York City's Javits Center. The trade only show, which is not open to the public, brings together toy manufactures, licencors, distributors, and sales agents from around the world. Toys and entertainment take center stage at this event, but in the end, fun takes a back seat to business. This year, I had the pleasure to attend and cover the event for the first time. I received a first hand look at new and upcoming toys, while previewing some of the innovative ideas that hope to  become the next big toy coveted by boy and girl. This is the first of a series of blogs, and as you will read on, you'll notice that ToyFair brought the kid out in me as well.