SPACE KITTENS: It's Only Prog Rock n Roll

Illustrations by Kev Harper

This was a prolog to the 'Cat Day Afternoon' story that appeared in Scheme Comix #2....

Jon Pertwee sings 'I am the DOCTOR...'

Jon Pertwee (the 3rd Doctor) released this solid gold gem in 1972...

Brian the Hawkman...TO ME MY HAWKMEN!

Illustration by Kev Harper

This is part of a panel from the SPACE KITTENS vs. the WARLORDS of SCI-FI WORLD book coming soon.....ish....(?)

SHUTTER ISLAND, the best BATMAN movie never made....

 Arkham Asylum mock poster by Kev Harper.

I recently watched Shutter Island for the first time and immediately noticed more than a few connections  with Batman which, in much the same way Pink Floyd's Darkside of the Moon syncs up with Wizard of Oz allowed me a glimpse at the kind of Bat flick I suspect someone like Christopher Nolan would have liked to make if he was given complete free reign over DC's biggest cash cow.
The most obvious between the two is of course the institutions themselves, it doesn't take the worlds number one bat freak to connect Shutter Island and Arkham Asylum but it is strange how Scorsese's picture and the video game by Rocksteady Studios (both of which where released in 2009 although Shutter Island didn't get a full release till 2010) look so similar from being set on an island, the interiors of some of the buildings and both even have hidden caves located on the sides of inaccessible cliffs. But what are the other similarities that make this the greatest bat flick never made (the following contains spoilers)...

Think of Leonardo DiCaprio's character as Bruce Wayne: A detective who comes to the island to solve a crime only to find that he is the number 1 nut case due to a traumatic incident in his past involving the deaths of his family.

 He is accompanied by his side kick who is aware of his insanity but wants to help his college which makes Mark Ruffalo  Dick Grayson....

 The Asylum is run by two doctors one of which favors the psychological approach which would make Ben Kingsley, Hugo Strange...

 While Max Von Sydow plays a doctor more interested with drugs and lobotomy not unlike the Scarecrow (Dr. Jonathan Crane)

The hero is haunted by hallucinations of a woman played by Michelle Williams which make him act out in a manner which can be violent or debilitating. In Shutter Island she's his wife but on Bat Island this makes her Poison Ivy...

It also worth pointing out that in the film she wears a floral print dress and in a scene in which she is shown to have a hollowed out back, IMDB noted this could be an intentional reference to the Huldra (Skogsra) who are wood nymphs in Norwegian mythology that seduce men and eventually turn into trees...

DiCaprio's character also where's a floral tie given to him by his wife in the comics people under Poison Ivy's influence are shown draped in her vines signifying her control over them....
A couple of other bat rouges also make cameos...
Elias Koteas plays a patient who's face is divided in two not unlike Harvey Dent....

There's a character played by both Emily Mortimer & Patricia Clarkson who is portrayed as a psychiatrist, a nurse and a psychotic killer very much like the Joker's main squeeze Harley Quinn...

and speaking of the Clown Prince of Crime deep in the most secure ward on Shutter Island in a place set aside for only the most terrible and dangerous of inmates there's a facially scared prisoner played by Jackie Earle Haley who's first words to DiCaprio's character are 'That's pretty damn funny...' and who's disfigurement gives him an inhuman 'smile'.....

A central part of the plot is the cryptic 'riddles' which are more that worthy of Edward Nigma....

It is also this riddle that reveals the anagram of our heroes secret identity which he created to deal with his tortured past, on Shutter Island Marshall  Edward Daniels discovers he is actually Andrew Laeddis while on Bat Island Detective Ian Bateman (I am Batman) discovers he's Bruce Wayne. 
And just to keep the game going  in Shutter Island the hero is drawn toward a light house almost like a bat signal...

and the doctors car, a red 1947 Buick Roadmaster has more than a passing resemblance to the first Bat-mobile a red 1936 Cord (although some think it's probably based on a Graham Paige 'Sharknose')....

Coincidence, probably but I'm now going to go read the novel of Shutter Island and decide from there if Denis Lehane sits at his desk typing away wearing nothing more than a cape and cowl.

'The Death and Return of Superman' short movie/review/documentary...?

Dig this, a short flick directed by Max Landis (son of John Landis) as he attempts to describe and makes sense of the 'Death of Superman' comic event of the 90's...

Top 5: Music Clips on You Tube...

 illustration by Kev Harper

This is some of my favorite music clips from You Tube a mix of the homemade and live performances from long since forgotten TV shows but all are devoid of T4 guff and polish, preferring content over style and  taking the music and giving it a solid gold spark that you can't help but look at and think, 'Yasss...'

5. Pop Will Eat Itself - Bulletproof (Phoenix Festival 1994)
Check that crowd...


4. KLF & Extreme Noise Terror- 3am Eternal (1992 Brit Awards)



3. The Small Faces - Song Of A Baker


2. Iggy Pop- Nightclubbing


1. the MC5- American Ruse

Catwoman Illustration...

Illustration by Kev Harper

Catwoman, the last in what has become a Bat gal trilogy...

Harley Quinn illustration.
Poison Ivy illustration

NOW SHOWING: Soldier (1998)

It has to be said that Soldier is not in any way as good as it should have been but it's worth pointing out that when it was released it was touted as an unofficial sequel to Blade Runner (in that it is supposed to exist in the same universe there's also a wrecked Spinner in amongst all the rubbish). Despite it's many faults (the acting in parts strives for Ed Wood quality) it does have Kurt Russell which puts it one above most action flicks, if only it hadn't taken it's self so seriously it would certainly have enjoyed a better reputation than the one it will be forever stuck with. Enjoy (or at least give it a go.)

FRIDAY the 13th Sketch...be lucky...

Sketch by Kev Harper

A quicky to honour this luckless day...

Harley Quinn Illustration...

 

Illustration by Kev Harper

Wee puddin'...

'DIG COMICS' documentary.

 Can-you-dig-it...

Poison Ivy Illustration.

Illustration by Kev Harper

I drew this to celebrate (?) completing Arkham Asylum on the X-Box the first video game I've played to completion since Resident Evil 3: Nemesis on the Playstation 1.

Happy Birthday Hugh Hefner...

Illustration by Kev Harper

Hugh Hefner, is he really happy with the life he's led.........yes I do believe he is.

An homage to Alabama Worley....

Illustration by Kev Harper

Still love this flick...

Billy Dee Williams birthday sketch...

Sketch by Kev Harper

Here's a sketch I did as a birthday honour for Billy Dee Williams the baddest cat in the galaxy...



Can you dig it.

Vince Ray inspired Birthday invite.

Illustration by Kev Harper.

This is a birthday invite I did for a friend who wanted something inspired by the art of the top cat Vince Ray.

Dredd's Lawgiver collage.

Illustration by Kev Harper

This is a collage I made of Judge Dredd's six (?) shooter...

MC5: The American Ruse