Third World Agent by Sean Moore

Now really, haven't I convinced you that Sean Moore is an awesome artist? Here's the latest finished commission from the Owariverse files - it's one of those rotten Third World agents that are always hassling Captain Satellite and Shelly Ericson!

It's always exciting to get art from Sean, but this particular design is something that has been kicking around in my head for something like 20 years. This is really the first time it has appeared in a full-fledged picture. Sean had previously done a card of one of these guys, but now -- well, this is the whole enchilada. The Third World agents have not changed appreciably in my head since I settled on their design back in college. And here is how they look when drawn by someone other than me!

Go visit Sean's page and tell him what a great job he did. Oh, and in other news, one of Sean's pictures was featured on the Famous Monsters of Filmland Facebook page! Recognize!

Dress-Up Doppelgirl

And now, for something completely different...

We've talked about my OC Doppelgirl, we've talked about my friend Kabuki Katze, and we've talked about how the former drew inspiration from the latter. Today, we debut a brand-new commission that mixes things up in a lot of fun ways.

A few months ago, Kabu did a piece of giftart for mutual friend Sean Moore that was in a paper doll style. This led me to think "I want one of those!" Quickly, I decided Doppelgirl and her multiple identities would be the perfect fit. But I decided to bide my time and do a couple of other projects first.

Well, it was eventually this commission idea's turn at bat, and it was finished in record time! It brings me a lot of joy, with Doppelgirl, Spookette, and Madame Troika costumes for the erstwhile Judy Gourrier. And of course, Kabu was a great sport about the whole affair, since she was essentially drawing herself in her underwear!

Kabu's page is here, and includes a link to a PDF if you'd like to print this out for yourself!

George Jones

The most amazing thing about George Jones is that he lived to be 81. I mean no disrespect to the man or his musical talent and legacy when I say this. But really, who saw that coming? When you realize how infamous Jones was for his extracurricular activities for ages, I consider it a triumph for the Possum that he managed to clean up his act and live a long and fruitful life.

I could post a George Jones song as a tribute to the man and his work, but if you know him, it's something you would already know by heart anyway. I choose instead to post this ultimate show of respect from Alan Jackson at the 1999 CMA Awards. As some background, Jones declined the chance to perform on that program when he was asked to sing a severely-abbreviated version of his single "Choices". That led to this moment.

The Eternal Naomi Mystery

One of the most puzzling aspects of this blog since I opened it is how people looking for Naomi Morinaga constantly wind up here. Well, it's a lot less puzzling now that I have a specific tag for her and an image blog that is linked in the sidebar. But that was done at least partially because people kept winding up here anyway. I figured I should help them out a little.

I like Naomi Morinaga. I like her so much, I have even periodically collected images of her over the years. That collection serves as the foundation for Pictures of Naomi Morinaga (NSFW). But the truth is, I don't have either a wealth of knowledge or opinions about her. That's why this blog was active for over a year and a half before I ever got around to writing about her in-depth. Almost everything since that initial entry is either a supplement or a discussion of the image blog.

So, what gives? Beats me. I knew Naomi Morinaga was a cult figure, but the volume of traffic I receive seeking her stuns me. Literally at least half of my daily hits pertain to her. There is clearly an audience for Naomi content, and apparently, I fill the bill. Which...well, why me?

I still am not sure why I have become such a destination for Naomi fans. However, if I'm going to be remembered as "the Naomi Morinaga guy," I decided I should at least do justice to her and not perpetrate the hack jobs I've seen that try to spread opinions as facts. The lady deserves better than that from people who identify themselves as fans.

"Pictures of Naomi Morinaga" exists partially out of whimsy and partially out of responsibility. I don't take it especially seriously, and would caution everyone to do the same. At its core, it's about posting images of a pretty girl. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I've tried to bring a sense of fun to it. My earlier attempt felt more like homework, but now...well, I'm enjoying it. I guess other people are, too. I don't have proof, but I have the suspicion it is the most popular site I maintain by a wide margin.

By the same token, I am also trying to get across the fact (occasionally lost on people) that Naomi deserves respect alongside the adulation. I've tried to cover the entirety of her career instead of glossing over bits of it. All too often, I've seen sites that either whitewash her later projects in favor of the superhero stuff or focus exclusively on anything depicting nudity. Both approaches do a disservice to her. She was both a superhero show star and a sultry sex symbol. I'm not sure why one aspect must be ignored? Well, I do know the reasons, but it's not a path I choose to follow. If we're going to celebrate Naomi Morinaga, let's give equal time to all aspects of her.

Anyway, that's enough of the soapbox. Pictures of Naomi Morinaga is about fun! If you like Naomi, pop over there and see what all the fuss is about!

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Herbie Mann - "Superman"

Here's another find from the AMERICAN TOP 40 archives. I'm not sure how I went all these years without hearing of a comic book-themed song that actually made the Top 40. Yet "Superman" by Herbie Mann was completely new to me when I heard it this weekend on a 1979 countdown. I'll go out on a limb here and assume the song was inspired by the release of SUPERMAN in late 1978.

This Past Week

I try to shy away from discussing both my own life and current world events on this blog. It's not that I deem them unimportant, but my thoughts on such matters are usually something I consider private. However, things occasionally get to a point where it would be foolish to not talk about them.

If you were paying attention, you know that last week was a tumultuous one. There was the bombing of the Boston Marathon on Monday and the subsequent confrontation and capture of the alleged perpetrators on Thursday/Friday. This was something that changed a lot of lives, and I have already linked to a fundraising effort for two of the survivors. On a personal note, this tragedy hit me on a personal level due to my friend Sara having embraced running in recent years. That could have been her and her immediate family and friends. That's the sort of sucker punch level of identification that gives you pause.

That wasn't all the week had in store. There was a horrific explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, TX that took out a good part of the town. As I have alluded to from time to time, I live in a small town. My sister is a volunteer firefighter. So what happened in West really hit me in the "that could have been us" way. It's something that is going to haunt me for a long time, and all you can do is support those who have to pick up the pieces. My heart goes out to them.

And then, on a far more personal level, a dear friend of mine lost someone very close to her quite unexpectedly. Part of why this blog post is so late tonight is because I was emotionally spent after paying my respects at the funeral home. My heart breaks for all of those folks - most of whom I have never even met before today. But I did get to catch up with my friends, and maybe make some new ones, too. Not the way you'd like, but in my experience, sometimes you only get a chance to really talk to people at these sort of things.

The funeral is tomorrow. I live a bit of a distance to try to make it, and besides, I think it should really be for those people who were truly close to the person who passed away. But I know where my heart will be tomorrow. If you could spare a thought or prayer for these people going through a sad and difficult time, Internet, I would really appreciate it. I am sure they would, too.