Happy Batman Day

Today is apparently "International Batman Day." There is also a "Wonder Woman Day," dedicated to raising money and awareness for domestic violence programs. It would be awesome if "Batman Day" was for victims of gun violence, but as far as I can tell, it's just a day for DC Comics to remind everyone how awesome Batman is.

The illustration above is a recreation of the cover to Batman Family Number 4. This comic is dear to my heart because it's the first comic book I can remember. I have the distinct memory of my father coming home with this comic for me. It was 1976. I was 4 1/2 years old. I don't think it was the first comic book I ever saw because I remember thinking "Cool! A new comic!" rather than "what's this?"

Somewhere in my mother's house I still have it, now tattered, missing its cover and several pages. A few years ago, I came across an intact copy at some comics show. I bought it, but didn't actually re-read it, because I'm sure the contents are not great. I remember bits and pieces of the stories. The Batgirl story had criminals after a guy who was going into witness re-location program and at the end he had plastic surgery to get a new face, a concept which blew my four-year-old mind. In the Robin story, he was running around in the snow at Christmas time, and at one point mentioned how cold he was in those short sleeves and green hot pants. Fatman was clown who spoofed Batman. I don't remember the Phantom General story, but the internet tells me that he was a Nazi war criminal with a hypnotic monolcle.

There was also a truly awesome spread of fan costume redesigns for Robin.

Unfortunately, the scene on the cover - three rogue Santas in a toboggan cold-cocking Robin and shooting at Batgirl on her Bat-sled - does not actually occur inside. This comic is dated April, so would have been on the stands in Spring or early summer. I have no idea why it would have had a Christmas theme.

Max and Zoe

My twin babies turned three months old yesterday. But they were born three months early, so they are now technically one day old? Coming home soon, hopefully. Easily my best creation yet.

  

Bush Terminal Piers Park

Go to Sunset Park in Brooklyn. Walk past the auto body shops and the Halal live poultry shops and dash across the traffic underneath the Gowanus Expressway. Go past the old industrial factories and warehouses that have been renovated into studios for artists and craftsmen. Keep going past the old industrial factories and warehouses on First Ave. that have not been gentrified. Businesses like United Store Fixtures and Aviv Judaica Imports. You'll see a sign on a gate for Bush Terminal Piers Park. Go through the gate and down the road past yet more old industrial buildings, and there you'll find a park. It's not the world's greatest park, but it's nice because no one's there and there are great views of Lower Manhattan, including the new World Trade Center Building and the Statue of Liberty. On the other side of the fence, you'll see the ruins of old piers, like this one.

N'Awlins

My wife and I took a quick vacation to New Orleans recently. I didn't have a lot of time to sketch, but here's some . . .

Tujague's Restaurant, near Jackson Square.

We went to a music club called The Spotted Cat on Frenchmen Street and heard a bunch of jazz. This guy's name was Andy Forest, I think.

Washboard Chaz. This guy and his band were great.

Warren Battiste, a jazz legend who played with Fats Domino, just stopping by to watch.

The U.S.S. Wasp, docked on the Mississippi River.

Happy Birthday FDNY

I saw on the news this morning that today marks the 150th Anniversary of the New York Fire Department (abbreviated FDNY instead of NYFD, for some reason). I've been doing a series of drawings of firehouses for almost two years, so it seemed like a good day to post them. I've been meaning to put color on them, so in my eyes they're unfinished. But if I've been procrastinating for two years in coloring them, it's not going to happen today.

Engine Company 33, Great Jones St.

There were, of course, firefighters in New York prior to 1865, but they were various types of volunteer companies. One of the perks of being a volunteer fireman in 1737 was that you were exempt from jury duty. We'd probably have an even bigger fire department today if that was still the case!

Engine Company 240, Windsor Terrace

The two sketches above are of the local firehouse where I live now, in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn.

Engine 55, SoHo

This one in particular would look a lot better in color.

When I was a child, I loved firetrucks. I would get so excited when I saw them racing down the street, too young to realize that they might be heading to some scene of terrible disaster and tragedy. My mother says when I would see the trucks, I'd yell "Fire Truck! Fire Truck!" Except I couldn't pronounce the "tr", so it would come out "Fire Fuck! Fire Fuck!"

Engine 258 and Ladder Company 115, Hunter's Point, Queens

This is the firehouse they used in that show "Third Watch." That thing in front is a stuffed dog of some sort.

I hope to finish these and do some more. I have one of the Ghostbusters firehouse that's in a state too unfinished to post. Maybe this summer ...

Rob S

Session at Spring Street Studios. Model is Rob S.

Vadim and Kason

I've been out of the figure drawing habit for a long while. I went to Spring Street Studio a few weeks ago and last weekend. Both sessions featured a pair of models, which is a lot harder than a single model, so it was a heckuva way to return to figure drawing. The first session didn't yield any good drawings; these are all from Saturday. The models were Vadim and Kason (I think).

Some of the poses brought to mind old Steve Reeves Hercules movies. I kept hearing the Star Trek fight theme while drawing these . . .

This one was tough. I couldn't get the forced perspective of Kason's right leg right, and his left leg is wonky, too. The little quick sketch in the corner is more correct, but I didn't have time to start completely over.