Leonardo Da Vinci's "SALVATOR MUNDI" sold at auction!

After 19 minutes of dueling, with four bidders on the telephone and one in the room, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi” sold on Wednesday night for $450.3 million with fees, shattering the high for any work of art sold at auction. It far surpassed Picasso’s “Women of Algiers,” which fetched $179.4 million at Christie’s in May 2015. The buyer was not immediately disclosed.

Mobster Nick gets his daily dose of Spam!

It's HALLOWEEN again...and Mobster Nick is still out there!

Happy Third Birthday to my beautiful little Princess!

My little granddaughter is 3 years old today and I am the happiest grandfather ever! Life is passing by at a dizzying rate so I have to grasp every single moment before it's all over!!! - Don't we all?

ABOUT PETS...

Everybody is entitled to have an opinion...

MOBSTER NICK in Syndication...NOT!

After sending a request to every known Newspaper Syndicate in hopes of getting the MOBSTER NICK comic strip syndicated, the reactions have been quite disappointing. As expected, some syndicates didn't even bother to send a reply. Those who did, sent the same, standardized automatic response: 
"Regrettably, our editorial board has decided we are unable to distribute your material at this time. Please understand that this does not reflect on your talents but rather on our needs at present. Because the cost of launching a new feature is so high, only a few of the thousands of submissions received each year by syndicates can be accepted. Nevertheless, we would encourage you to continue developing your work and feel free to submit new samples at any point in the future."
Well, that's more or less what I was expecting, so the level of disappointment is not really that high! Nonetheless, although MOBSTER NICK may have gotten the pink slip treatment, he's not out yet! I expect to try some other means of publishing the strips, come rain or come shine. And even if it still doesn't work out, nobody will take away the fun of doing this strip! Frank Sinatra said it and I repeat it: "The best is yet to come!" 

"Please be advised that Tribune Content Agency has received the material you sent through our electronic submissions process. If we are interested in discussing your inquiry, we will contact you. Thank you for your interest in Tribune Content Agency."

Sincerely,
The Editors at TCA

My son Ricardo's Birthday!

My son's birthday is always a date that brings back fond memories of great moments we've spent together and a promise of even greater things for the future! Happy Birthday, son! Love you very much! Many happy returns!!!

THE 2017 NEW YORK COMIC CON!

New York Comic Con is the East Coast's largest pop culture convention and the only one that takes place in the comic book, publishing, media, and licensing capital of the world — Gotham City.
Antonio, my little five year old grandson, who is a big comic book reader, attended the event wearing his Spiderman costume and made the scene with several Cosplayers!

Going back home by ferry, after a full day of fun and excitement!

NEW YORK, NEW YORK!

The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair!

Ever since I saw this special souvenir issue of THE FLINTSTONES AT THE NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR, more than 50 years ago, I've always wanted to visit the location.
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair held over 140 pavilions, 110 restaurants, for 80 nations (hosted by 37), 24 US states, and over 45 corporations to build exhibits or attractions at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, NY. The immense fair covered 646 acres on half the park, with numerous pools or fountains, and an amusement park with rides near the lake.
Finally, this past Summer, my dream came true and I walked around the big signature Earth Globe.
The site is no longer anything like it was back when the Fair opened. No dinosaurs or amusement park rides nor any pavilions and no sign of the Flintstones anywhere!
 Today the grounds are occupied by the Arthur Ashe Stadium, site of the U.S. Open. 
But the iconic globe is still there and it was just as exciting to be there simply trying to imagine what the fair had been like.

Happy 87th Birthday, Sir Sean Connery!

Born August 25th, 1930 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
After more than 50 years, Sean Connery is still the James Bond all later actors try to become on-screen! He starred as 007 in seven films and his career soared after he left the role in 1983. Films like DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE, MARNIE, THE HILL, A FINE MADNESS, THE ANDERSON TAPES, THE OFFENCE, THE WIND AND THE LION, THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, OUTLAND, THE NAME OF THE ROSE, HIGHLANDER, THE UNTOUCHABLES (for which he won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award in 1987), INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, JUST CAUSE, THE ROCK, RISING SUN, ENTRAPMENT, and FINDING FORRESTER, were among his greatest hits but he will always be remembered mainly for his seven classic outings as secret agent 007, which are regarded by many fans as the best Bond films ever!

For the record, his Bond films were:

DR. NO, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER, THUNDERBALL, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN!

Long Live Sir Sean Connery!

GOODBYE, JERRY LEWIS!

                           "I've had great success being a total idiot!" - Jerry Lewis quote.

Jerry Lewis, the comedian and filmmaker who was adored by many, disdained by others, but unquestionably a defining figure of American entertainment in the 20th century, died on Sunday morning at his home in Las Vegas. He was 91.

So read the news reports when Jerry Lewis passed on. His unique comedic talent  was not everybody's cup of tea but he earned a great following during his peak years.

Lewis burst literally into the spotlight as the crazy half of  the comedy team of Martin & Lewis. Singer Dean Martin was the straight man and Jerry stole the  show with his way out, over-the-top antics.

The pair split in 1956 and Jerry went on to gain even greater success in films like THE DELICATE DELINQUENT, THE LADIES MAN, THE BELLBOY, THE PATSY, THE DISORDERLY ORDERLY and THE NUTTY PROFESOR, which was his biggest success and the film he is mostly remembered for.

He hosted the annual Labor Day weekend telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association beginning in 1966 up until 2010, when some disagreements with the association's president, led to his resignation from the event.

In 2009 he was the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his charitable activity.

Jerry was also the subject of a series of comic books published by DC Comics (first with Dean Martin and then as a single), in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

An animated cartoon series called "WILL THE REAL JERRY LEWIS PLEASE SIT DOWN?" by Filmation, ran on ABC from 1970 to 1972.

Thank you, Jerry, for all the joy, fun and laughter you gave me and millions of people all over the world!

SEINFELD!

One of my all-time favorite TV shows is comedian Jerry Seinfeld's SEINFELD which originally ran on NBC from 1989 to 1998, created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld himself. I recently had the chance to swing by and visit the actual location of the celebrated diner where Seinfeld and his three friends, George Costanza, Elaine Benes and Cosmo Kramer used to hang around. The interior of the restaurant is nothing like the one depicted in the series but the atmosphere is very nice, the prices are reasonable and the surrounding neighborhood is quite pleasant.  Jerry and George were nowhere to be seen during my visit but all in all, it was a memorable experience!

Eduardo del Rio, celebrated political cartoonist known as Rius, dies.

Eduardo del Rio, Mexico's celebrated political cartoonist known as Rius, died yesterday at 83 in Tepoztlan, Mexico.

Rius was one of the first people who helped me get into the cartooning business. I began publishing my cartoons in Mexico's long gone La Garrapata satirical magazine back in 1970 thanks to his recommendation and later on, we both contributed to the children's magazine CUCURUCHO Y TIO RIUS which ran 20 issues. Gone now but always remembered and admired by thousands!