Video Throwback - Robot Chicken: Villain Carpool

Reading Carpool Buddies of Doom the other day really made me laugh... laugh out loud. So I decided to share that over on my Facebook page, and the reaction was great. But in the comments one of my good buddies Edson posted a similar concept that was executed by Robot Chicken way back in 2005. It was called 'Villain Carpool', and featured claymation versions of Cobra Commander, Skeletor, Lex Luthor and Mumm-Ra on a hellish ride to work. They deal with the monotony of everyday life in the only way they know how... by being EVVVVVVIIIIILLLLLL! This is so great.... especially Lex Luthor. He kills. Maybe not the direct inspiration for 'Carpool of Doom' but, a very similarly great idea. I forgot how great of a show Robot Chicken really was. Might have to go back and dig into the crates to see what else they got stashed away....

Updated Portraits by Fab Ciraolo

Fab Ciraolo has a very unique style to his art. It is batshit crazy... and that is what makes it so fantastic. Fab takes very familiar characters (some real life people, some fictional) and portrays them in a different light. A light that may not be what you expect. When I think Beetlejuice I think a black and white striped suit. He Man, bearskin draws and his chest straps jump into my head. Marilyn Monroe is always in a puffy dress in my head. Mother Teresa is always in a habit... But not in the world of Fab Ciraolo. here, Frankenstien is a part animal club kid. Marilyn & Mother Teresa are hipster chicks with tats. Beetlejuice channels his inner James Dean. He-Man is an avid golfer. These are so great. There are tons of his works available for you to see on his website (click here and see it all!), and see some of my faves after the jump...

Thundercat... Hoes!!!!

ThunderPimps... HO!!!!!

Beetljuice Dean

Virgin Mary School Girl

Rocker Charlie Chap

Hipster Dali

Cool Ass Mama Teresa

Golfer Eternians

Dance Dance Marilyn

Lady Liz

Frankie Says Relax

Skinny Suit Skeletor

Rainbow Bright & Lala Orange... Scissor Sisters!!!

 

He-Man & The Masters of the Universe by Gerald Parel

Is it so crazy that I would love to see a CG adventure involving these characters that doesn't play the concept for a joke but just plays it straight?  On this weird planet of Eternia, good and evil are locked in a struggle for the greatest power source there is - power enough to make them Masters Of The Universe. Click here to see more wonderful work from Gerald Parel, and click aftter the jump for some killer MOTU art...

'I'd Buy That...As a Tee!' Vol 35

Always on the look out for inspiring art... emblazoned across the chest of humanity. Here's some of the t-shirts I have my eye on to do just the trick but, there's only one problem....they aren't for sale yet! Please click each of the links below to the Threadless.com voting pages and give these beauties '5' ratings so I can throw 'em on my charge card one day.

**Please click READ MORE for tee-licious tees!**

'O Captain, My Captain' or shall I says Captains...all 15 of 'em...in a cute 'Terrence & Philip' sort of style. Can you name 'em all? Captain Hook...Captain Planet......Captain Crunch.............

Looks like our favorite intergalactic Wookie gave himself 'A Very Bad Shave'. He's such the metrosexual these days.

...And speaking of Chewbacca, the everpopular Wookie/Cookie Monster mash-up gets another redo in 'Cookie War'. I like the addition of a more-than-fully operational Chocolate Chip Death Star in this one. 

'Space Invaded' takes minimalistic design in the opposite direction and adds an intergalactic twist! Your favorite 8bit Atari invaders have shifted into high gear to attack a town near you.

'Ninja Panda' ...like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, only, cuddlier. Everybody's Kung Fu fighting these days. Hyeee-Yah!

'Gotta Catch 'Em All'  imagines biblical folk hero, Noah, as possibly the worlds first Pokemon trapper. I choose you...um....Elephant of the Serengeti. 

'The Baby's Gun' doesn't look like it should be toyed with. Love the colors and want to kill something with it! Yep...it's a keeper! 

'SUPER Mario!' is a funky Dragonball Z/Super Mario Bros. mash-up. Watch out...this plumbers gone Super Saiyan!

'About to Blue' is an homage to one of the greatest comedic TV shows in the history of television...'Arrested Development'. Be careful not to blue yourself in public. 

Skeletor, The Dungeon Master, Shredder, Magneto, and.....Mumm- Ra ..the eveeeeer.....liviiiiiing have aligned forces in a small way to take on the forces of good in 'Minimalist Villains'. Like?...or Hate?

And my favorite, original design this week is 'Killer in the Sky'. I'd rock the shit out this one when I go shooting birds in the park at midnight. Blam! Blam! Blam! .....caaaaw

See ya next week folks! Thursday is always tee-time!

Masters of the Entire Universe by Anthony Petrie

Thundercats & He Man both share a very special place in my heart. As a child of the 80's, these two cartoon/toy lines figured prominently into my daily activities. Sure, GI Joe & Transformers were very popular as well, but they couldn't hold a candle to Thundercats & He Man. Lion-O & Prince Adam are both vulnerable young men who are struggling with their calling as heroes. Skeletor & Mumm-Ra also provided excellent villains to serve as a foil to these young shining knights, doing their best to cause trouble whenever they could.  Man at Arms & Panthro were the go to gadget guys, not to mention the bad ass backup. They both drove dope trucks as well. And Tela & Cheetarah could both get it... Yeah Buddy! Anyway, when I saw this beautiful poster put together by artist Anthony Petrie (click here to check out his site, its bananas) I was brought back to my bedroom at age 5, surrounded by the residents of Eternia & Third Earth. Click after the jump for the full size version...

'I'd Buy That...As a Tee!' Vol 24

Always on the look out for inspiring art... emblazoned across the chest of humanity. Here's some of the t-shirts I have my eye on to do just the trick but, there's only one problem....they aren't for sale yet! Please click the links below to the Threadless.com voting pages for each and give these beauties '5' ratings so I can throw 'em on my charge card one day.

***Please click READ MORE below for more terrific tees from Threadless!***

'Use Your....Braaaaaains' and recognize a great Zombie war propoganda poster when you see one!

I'm not one to push a political agenda via t-shirt but, 'Politic is Pollution' is just a very cool, stylized design.

'Forbidden Flight' uses the animated style I dig the most to convey the old cliche about pigs flyin'. If you're wearin' this one I guess you'd better make sure you've gotten done all the things you promised to do when this evolution of the airborne hog occurred.

'Let Them Eat Flesh' invokes all that is cool about the 'Pride & Prejudice & Zombie' period mash-up novels.

'Animated Anatomy' is good enough to sell at the theme parks if you ask me!

'Peach Bomb' does a 40's bomber style rendering for an 80's plumber's girl. Ba-Bombs away!

And in keeping with our Super Mario Bros. theme. 'Holy Peach Day of The Dead Tribute' celebrates the Mexican Dia de La Muerte with this iconic homage.

'El Hombre' & 'Villain' bring two Masters of the Universe to life in the cute and lovable Chibi style. I'd be interested in seeing what other residents of Eternia this artist can dream up.

Finally, this week, I'd like to take to place I love the most...pop-culture mash-up....

 In 'Wall ED 209' Dick Jones has got some Disney on his hands with this future-tastic Wall-E/Robocop mash-up

and..by far my favorite design this week 'Sayonara Gingy' pairs up my favorite 'Shrek' character Gingy the Gingerbread Man...with the iconic sequence from the original 'Terminator' film. "I'll be Baked!"