Thursday, January 30, 2020

More of my PINK PANTHER & ROAD RUNNER comic covers from Novaro Publishing Co.

I started working at Novaro Publishing co., (which was one of Western Publishing Company's licencees) back in 1972.  My creation, EL MAFIOSO NICK (Mobster Nick) appeared under the DOMINGOS ALEGRES (Happy Sundays) banner and was one of four weekly rotating titles.
It lasted just 6 issues and was replaced by something else, but it helped me get the job of filling out additional issues of THE PINK PANTHER and BEEP BEEP, THE ROAD RUNNER, created for the Hispanic market.  All in all, I wrote and did the artwork for 156 Pink Panther issues and about the same for the Road Runner until 1985, when Novaro abruptly shut down production and vanished.

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I've posted many of these covers before on this blog and here are a few more samples of my work during those golden years of comic book history.

                                                  BEEP BEEP THE ROAD RUNNER





                        

                                                                  THE PINK PANTHER



                               
















Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Pink Christmas Wishes from The Pink Panther


I spent most of my professional years as a cartoonist, drawing and writing stories for The Pink Panther comics that were designed for the overseas market. Thanks to The Pink Panther (and Beep Beep, the Road Runner),  I managed to make a living and raise a family, and consequently, I will always feel a certain amount of indebtedness to this character.
Over the years, I've tried to keep him alive in my life by doing some new little illustration featuring this funny feline every once in a while. 

Thank you, Friz Freleng, David H DePatie and Blake Edwards for creating him!

As a bonus, I'm sharing the classic Pink Panther Christmas TV Special, which first aired on ABC on December 7, 1978. It was directed by Bill Perez and produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises.

                                          

(Another special, "A Very Pink Christmas", was produced in 2011 but the less said about it, the better).

Thursday, December 12, 2019

FRANK SINATRA'S WORLD


This is WIKIPEDIA's entry on Frank Sinatra:
Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer, actor and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.



So much has been written about Sinatra, it is quite redundant to say anything more here. 
His legacy in popular music is well known and his recordings are still heard all over the world in some form or another. Movie makers frequently rely on Frank's recordings to score parts of their films and his presence is felt in other singers' arrangements of classic tunes previously recorded by him.





Frank Sinatra was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, where he's still regarded as the greatest singer of the 20th Century, which he most certainly is. 
His recordings will continue to delight future generations for many years to come. 



He was the original pop star.


He invented the Concept Album.


He was a style icon.


His music is constantly rediscovered.




He inspires intense devotion across generations.

 

But first and foremost, he did it all his way.



Today is his 104th birthday and I will remember Old Blue Eyes by listening to some of his songs, which I enjoy not only on his birthday but all year round!



                                                       

"It's Frank's world, we just live in it." - Dean Martin, member of Sinatra's legendary Rat Pack.



Cartoon by Pete Emslie




"May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine." - Frank Sinatra.



And have a Merry Sinatra Christmas! 

Check out this clip from the Dean Martin show where you can appreciate the camaraderie between them  and their joyful approach to the songs.