All Apologies

For those who have been following this blog the past few days....no, the title is not a tie-in to the impending ceasefire.  Most will recognize it from the ongoing comic by Alejandro and Luis González.  I'm rather saddened that it's finale is fast approaching, but eventually all things must come to an end.  I originally started this one (top picture) in early December 2009, but it got shoved to the back burner due to all of the entrappings in my real life job.  I've done a couple of the González brothers sketches before, such as the one that looks very similar to Nirvana: Nevermind album cover and the clothed one (bottom picture) in June 2009.  

I always liked the González brothers depiction of Kim Possible as slightly sinister and maniacal.

Original Art by Alejandro and Luis González 

Inks and Colors by Phillipthe2

Truce

I think I'm getting soft in my old-ish age.

Early this morning my old online arch-nemesis turbolover175 discovered my secondary account on deviantART and wrote this simple line of text:

"Hey there, Phil, how's things?"

Now, how does one interpret something like this coming from someone you've hated, loathed, stewed over, plotted against, and wished all manner of pain and agony upon?  The truth is, I'm tired...and I don't really give a shit any more.

I'm tired of deviantART and all of it's petty squabbles and incessant bickering.  Tired of the constantly changing, over-interpretated, under-interpretated, and personally-interpretated rules and policies that DA's "management" spews forth and lackadaisically enforces.  Tired of the trolls and crusaders.  Tired....really tired....of all the people who take cartoon and comic book characters WAY TOO FUCKING SERIOUSLY.

*hocks up a lung cookie and spits it in DA's general direction*

My response to turbolover175's question was rather simple and about as close to extending an olive branch as it'll ever get:

"Truce."

You'll  note that I did not say "let's bury the hatchet" nor "call France and commence the peace talks".  Simply....truce.

Mammary Mathematics

Prior to an hour or so ago I haven't actually logged on to my old phillipthe2 deviantART account in over three months.  Yeah, I know...so what...big deal?  You up and got your ass banned a little over six months ago you stupid sod...what the hell are you logging on for?

...and then I noticed the pageviews.  27,006.  I had to do a double-take.  Yeah, that actually does say 27k+.

Now let me see if I have this straight.  I was bannished for a crime I didin't commit (and yes, I'm over it) back in October of 2009 and at the time had just over 19,000 views.  Since then I have roughly amassed an additional 8,000 views...and I'm not even there?  That's.....what's the correct term here....  Idiotic?  Stupefying?  Comical?  Ironic?

Yeah, I like "Stupefying".....we'll go with that one.

Now however, I'm trying to wrap my brain around just how exactly I achieved this feat?  Was it blind luck...a roll of the proverbial dice?  Was it name recognition perhaps?  Was it purely mathematical?  Maybe a little divine intervention by an unseen, yet omni-present and all-seeing deity?

Nope....I got it.....it's boobs.  Ahhh yes, the power of the cleavage....fixating, captivating, mesmerizing, and down right (humorously) perfectly proportioned bosoms.  Don't deny it...I too am guilty of mammary fixation.  See the boobs, remember the (my) name, and go forth unto Google.

Correction 3/27/10: It's 27k views, not 26k.

One-eyed Goddess

A little Futurama action for you featuring my favorite one-eyed, drop-dead-sexy astro pilot Leela.

Original-ish art by Phillipthe2

Sketched from reference on fanpop, then digitally inked and colored.

Megacon

This past weekend marked the (nearly) seventh straight year I've attended MegaCon in Orlando....I missed the one in 2004 due to that pesky little place known as Iraq.  Granted, it's not nearly as celebrity-filled and huge as ComicCon in San Diego or Dragon Con in Atlanta, but it has it's crazy-filled moments.  Well, that and it's only an hours drive from the house.

This year I finally got to meet several of deviantART's favorite and rising stars.

Chad Porter (operative274) is just as animated and down right chatty in person as his online persona would lead you to believe.  His wife...damned if I can recall her name...couldn't help but to show me her vampire teeth (and no, that's not a euphemism).  The very un-vampire-like lisp they created was an added bonus.  He was also gracious enough to sign one of my favorite commission pieces of his from several years ago...which was actually my desktop for the longest time.  Yep, nothing goes better with cheesecake that a little zombie action.

Yes, that's a hula doll standing next to it. 

As an added bonus, I also got to meet Lady Dark Star....model, fellow Floridian, and reoccurring toon persona for the likes of Chad, Salis Zee (shibarura-prime), and Adam Hughs.  Very sweet young lady.  Hindsight being 20/20, maybe I should have asked her what her real name is.  Chad was actually sketching a new (and hopefully upcoming) drawing of her when I walked up to his table....something with squirrels as I recall (again, no euphemism intended).

Jared Hodges (Quasimanga on DA) actually lives right down the road from where I work, so I'm rather surprised that we hadn't run into one another before.  He and I chatted for a few minutes....nice guy....big brain.  I'd like to say that I picked up a piece of his artwork, but instead I grabbed a copy of his Draw Furries.  Not that I have any inclination towards drawing furry characters....I just like the artwork and the step-by-step process it follows.

I met Chandra Free (SpookyChan), also a resident of the Orlando area, several years ago.  Well, "met" isn't exactly the correct term....I quite literally ran into her with a shopping cart late one night in a local grocery store.  I recall her being extremely apologetic (and extremely red-headed) even though the incident was completely my fault.  When I walked up to her table at MegaCon on Friday she looked up at me and asked, "Shopping cart?"  Yep, guilty as charged.

I'm not really into the celebrity guests all that much....actually having to pay for an autograph or photo-op may be the highlight of some fan-boy's or fan-girl's life, but in my opinion it really cheapens the whole experience.  God knows, I see and talk to enough celebrities at work as it is....and without the fandom and/or paparazzi persona they put up.  I did however, talk to a seemingly odd duck for a comic book convention.  You of course have the usual Wars and Trek stars....and then there's Jerry "The King" Lawler.  Yes, the professional wrestler who feuded with (and fought) Andy Kaufman back in the day.  In reality I didn't know he was going to be there....and he actually recognized me first.  He flew into where I work a couple of years ago and had a little transportation fiasco...his limo broke down in our parking lot.  Long story short, I ended up driving him to his hotel.  We chatted about living near Memphis, Tennessee back in the early '80s...he fought at the now-defunct Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis and lived in South Haven, Mississippi...most of my family is from the that part of the Magnolia State.

Good Morning Princess

If for any reason....it was simply because those damned dollar signs were really pissin' me off.  :)

Original Sketch by Brishelle

Inks and Colors by Phillipthe2

Thanks for all the irony

Having recently crossed over the 60k views mark, it's time to thank all of you people who made this little ironic endeavor possible:

Yes, it's Nancy and Drew Quymn from the Venture Bros...with Dean Venture tied to the bed of course.

Original Sketch by Prophet

Inks and Colors by Phillipthe2

Booty Appreciation

To quote Sir Mix-A-Lot:

So, ladies! {Yeah!} Ladies! {Yeah}
If you wanna roll in my Mercedes {Yeah!}
Then turn around! Stick it out!
Even white boys got to shout
Baby got back!

Original Sketch by Aeolus

Concept by CDB2

Inks and Colors by Phillipthe2