S.A.D. 31: "Kickin' Rhymes Like Jim Kelly!"

Like any cool black man worth his salt, back in the 70's, my Dad was way into martial arts. I'm talking everything from kung-fu classes to kung-fu comics! He even silkscreened t-shirts for the dojo he joined -- the Black Dragon Kung-Fu School. It was DOPE! I've got a couple of BDKFS sashes he printed, somewhere around The Bunker.

Anyway, I was raised around all this stuff. And I remember one of Dad's heroes was Jim Kelly, aka "Black Belt Jones." He was in "Enter The Dragon" with Bruce Lee, and that was just his SECOND movie. Dude was crazy awesome! He had a sweet afro and sideburns, and talked mad shit while he was fighting.

Well, I think I took some of that Jim Kelly love I absorbed from my pops, and put it into this doodle. I owe that man so much for the nerd I've grown into.

"Man, you come right out of a comic book!"
- Bunker, out.

Diabloville: More Peeps!

The menagerie of folks in "Diabloville" grows on. Here are Benton & Nela, Chit & Chat, and Padre Calderon.

Chit & Chat - Twin brother and sister, Tip-Top took them in after their parents met an unfortunate end. Since then, he's raised them as his own (with plenty of help from Coretta). The only children in Diabloville, Chit & Chat are rambunctious little squirrels... cute, but sturdy. Both are forward, adult in ways, and possess a taste for curious adventures. Chat is a bit more sensitive than his sister. Chit has a heart, for sure, but she also won't hesitate to cut a fool! She takes her role as big sis' (by two whole minutes) very seriously.

Padre Calderon - He's been around a bit longer than Tip-Top. As a priest, he has a special relationship with Diabloville and its haunted grounds. Quiet, stoic, and with a judging eye, most of the townfolk fear and despise the Padre. After all, isn't it his fault God hasn't saved their town, yet?

Nela - Newlywed to Benton, Nela was so happy to finally leave Diabloville. But her dedication to her husband compelled her to make one last trip back to the cursed town.

Benton - He and Nela left Diabloville to be married. But he insisted on returning, to retrieve an old family heirloom -- a sacred Mayan pendant. Benton had planned on going alone, but Nela wouldn't have it. There was no way her loving man was marching back into that bedevilled burg without her at his side.

- Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 30: Jet Fueled

You kids know me... I'm a real sucker for rocket ships, jet-packs, and astrofolk.

- Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 29: Box Boomers

I rocked this one out as a new print/merch design for my collection of items available on Artsprojekt. Gonna color it in the next week, deadlines permitting.

"Am I the only sour cherry on your fruit stand?"
-Bunker, oo-oo-oo-oo-oot!

Diabloville: Enter The Douglass!

Progress on "Diabloville" keeps on truckin'. Here's Douglass, one of the few youngsters left in the town. He's friends with Coretta and has had eyes for her since they were little. So, of course, he's none too pleased when Patton steps onto the scene. Can you smell the setup for tension?

Douglass - Like Coretta, he's got a bit of the messy-haired, Los Angeles Latino rocker to him. Including the spandex-tight jeans.

Douglass is also an avid skateboarder. But, for all his "cool factor" interests, he's just an insecure, lovable nerd.

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 28: Blood of Mine Enemies

I've found myself with a bunch of watercolor paper, so I'm taking the time to explore that medium a bit more. It's funny... watercolors were my favorite thing to paint and color with, when I was a little kid. And after all these years, I still have a great time with 'em. They're just so bright and fast! You have to wait for it to dry, yeah, but it just feels like you get so much energy and immediacy with them. It's safe to say I'm hooked for life.

Anyhoo, here's another bloody boxer piece. Stick and move, fool! Don't give dat sucka a statue... GIVE 'IM GUTS!

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 27: Heads!

So I was just doodling this random bunch of floating, disembodied heads, and I ended up finding a story in these guys. Go figure. It's just scraps of notions, right now. But I'm picturing this developing into an over-the-top, Gonzo-style comic. Ridiculousness will abound.

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 26: "She's My Rare Groove"

I let the funk take control of my arm... just put on some delicious tunes, picked up a marker, and this is what flowed out. Hot 'cha!

-Bunker, out.

More Than Meets The Eye....

So I'm showing work in a group diddy at Suite 100 Gallery (Seattle), next month. The exhibit is called "Technical Difficulties," and will consist of robot-themed art. I'm contributing two pieces from 2008, along with two new "More Than Meets The Eye" collaged paintings. Below are the sketches for those.

"More Than Meets The Eye: Lust" - This one is a cosmic, elongated-figure-havin' shebot, riding a flaming dildo rocket. She'll be painted and drawn over collaged layers of naughty, suggestive photos. My obsession with boobies and phallacies has never been more obvious.

"More Than Meets The Eye: War" - He's a brutal, old owl, bristling with missles, gun turrets, knives, and a mouth full of gun barrels, to boot! This birdy'll be collaged with all sorts of explosive weapon parts... a feel good piece, for sure.

- 110101001101001, 010.

Diabloville: Tip-Top, ya'll. Don't stop, ya'll.

Finished a few more character designs for "Diabloville", yesterday, including Ernesto "Tip-Top" Villalobos. He's Coretta's father, and the local inventor/repairman.Tip-Top - father, inventor, detective, drinker of fine coffees

I also did some work on one of the main villains. But what fun would it be if I just showed him off here and now. It's a bit early for that!

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 26: Bot Pokkets!

What can I say? I've been in a roboty mood, lately. And I just had to throw in some Rob Liefeld-style pockets. Love me some pockets.

-Bunker, out.

Diabloville: Patton & Coretta Live!

Work on my new comic, "Diabloville," has been rolling right along. This week, I'm knocking out all of the character designs. And, of course, the first characters I've got down pat are my protagonist duo -- Patton & Coretta!

Patton -- drifter, motorcycle enthusiast, and considerate lover

According to my Lady and our friend, Caitlin, I've made Patton "hot."
What can I say? I like my heroes rugged, with a dash of dreamy.

Coretta -- the only cool girl in a dying town, with
a quick temper and a talent for graffiti stencils

Don't expect Coretta to sit on the sidelines, looking concerned like
the geeky girls on "24." This kitten has a whip!

That's all for today. So far, this book has been a blast. I'm looking forward to sharing more, soon.

-For now, though, it's Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 25: Final Frontier

Thank heavens for old 60's Star Trek on Netflix Instant Viewer!

By the by, today I've been listening to Earthworms, this indie hip-hop crew out of St. Louis. My boy Mahfood's little brother is their DJ, providing the supple beats and divine scratch techniques. Check 'em out: Official Earthworms Website

"No arms, no legs, just a head and a body..."

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 23 & 24: Watercolor Ladies, Ahoy!

I spent Sunday afternoon hanging out with my Lady and our friend Heather. We were listening to some Motown, eating waffles, and having a generally chill time. So I worked out a few marker sketches of some ladies. This morning, I put on Herbie Hancock's "Man-Child" and finished them up with watercolors.

Splish-splash!
-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 22: ReEntry

I finished this one up while listening to The Boredoms' (Arrow Up). Fantastic, noisy stuff, ladies and gentleman. I recommend it.

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 21: How To Catch Birds

I whipped this one out, this morning. On the ol' playlist:

Madlib - The Beat Konducta In India
Madvillain - Madvillainy 2: The Remix
Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

"Gravity-y-y-y-y-yyy on me. Never let me down gently."

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 21: Step Sitter

What can I say. I like sitting on steps. And I like drawing girls sitting on steps. So I noodled this out on a stack of cover stock that I recently unearthed in my studio.

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 19: Mister Matheson

I did this late last Friday night, after hanging out with a friend at a concert/live art/live silkscreening show in my hood. While drawing it, I kept thinking --

"After pondering spending the rest of his life in prison, Mister Matheson seriously considered hanging himself with his tie."

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 18: Up The Point

Um... huh? I must have been faded when I drew this. Just playing around with lines and color....

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 17: Look Back!

I drew this city-dwelling lady at a winery/pub in Sonoma. The place was a total local hangout, like something right out of "Cheers." It continually filled up, and everyone seemed to know each other. When we walked in, it was like the scene in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, when he goes into the truck stop and says, "Large Marge sent me."

But, out of place as we were, the bartender was a friendly old grizzly, and hooked us up with generous pours of merlot.

-Bunker, out.

S.A.D. 16: Cavalry Oddity

I noodled this little guy at Kate's Kitchen. I was there, last week, with my Lady and our friend Val (who was visiting from L.A.). Nothing says "Sonoma road trip pre-game" like hot coffee and pancakes stacked with an assload of granola & strawberries. Yumsters!

-Bunker, out.

The Mouse. The Model. The Horse.

Good Lordy! Has it really been a week since I've posted? Sorry, peoples. We had company here in The Bunker, from last Thursday into the weekend. Then we hosted a Bowl soiree. Then I had to knock out a four-page comic and a logo design. Something had to give. Sadly, it was the blog. Ah well, I'm back at it now!

Speaking of that comic, here it is -- "The Mouse. The Model. The Horse." I did it for Poseur Ink's "Side B," an anthology of short stories about music and the many roles it plays in our lives. This is the first sequential work I've done since finishing "Everybody's DEAD." It was a blast to create, and I hope you all get a kick out of it, too.

-Bunker, out.

ps-- I've still been doing the Sketch-A-Day, during this blog hiatus. I'll scan my recent goodies and post them today. Boom!