Thursday, October 27, 2011

Larry Marder's Do-It-Yourself Halloween Costume For Procrastinators!


I've been thinking a lot lately about the old Do-It-Yourself Beanworld contests.
We'll talk about that later but in the meanwhile, once again, it's time for me to share
The Larry Marders Do-It-Yourself Halloween Costume For Procrastinators!

It's a simple, yet effective costume for people in need of a last minute awesome costume.
I'm not quite sure how many times I've concocted this particular two-phase costume over the years but it's been several times a decade. Because I've moved around so much and drifted in and out of social circles, both personal and professional, over the years, there has always been a fertile new audience for my subtle yet powerful one trick-pony of a costume.

A little bit of History:

It started at Hartford Art School of the University of Hartford.
The Art School had the reputation the best Halloween Bacchanal on campus.
It was legendary really.

This epicness (as some might say nowadays) was based on two things:

First, the quality of the costuming from art students from 1969-1972.

The second was some sort of punch that was mixed up with god-knows-what in it but I'm quite certain its main ingredient was pure grain alcohol This punch had a campus wide notoriety somewhat akin to Four Loko today.

I discovered right away in art school that when it comes to masquerades (and what is now known as cosplay) that I stink.

People always ask me how come I never try to make some sort of Beanworld costume.
Cuz I'm not creative enough in that way.
Personally I have absolutely no idea how one might do that.
Zero.
But I do like minimal costumes.
And this is mine.

Frame from "Ducks Yas Yas" (c) Robert Crumb


Truthfully I'm not quite sure where the idea came from.
Over the years, I've settled on it being influenced by a frame of a Robert Crumb comic called "Ducks Yas Yas."
I really liked the guy with the third eye.
Decided to do one myself.
Minimal but memorable.
And give it a little bit of sequential art punch line.

Stage Directions for
Larry Marder's World Famous
Third Eye Halloween Costume.




Part One.
Affix third eye to your forehead.
Go to the party.
Take the ribbing that is inevitable for having such a lame costume.
"Hey you're a creative guy. That's the best you can do?"
Sheepish smiles and a lot of shrugging are the proper responses.

Part Two.
Let the festivities settle in.
Wait until everyone has seen everyone else's costume.
Then wait more until the fun-seekers are getting appropriately loose (inebriated, medicated, whatever one's poison is).
Wait further still until folks are starting to shed various pieces of their burdensome, uncomfortable costumes and falling out of character and starting to look more and more bleary eyed

Then you strike!

Go to the bathroom and affix Third Eye #2.
Start circulating.
Say nothing.

It generally takes a while but at some point someone will notice that you have switched eyes. There will be a moment of recognition/comprehension as to the absurdity of what you have done.

They will giggle.
They will laugh.
Depending on what some have been up to they might guffaw.

Like Beanworld itself, it's deceptively simple bit of theater but full of meaning.
It works.
It wll be a hit.

Try it sometime.
You have my permission to download my drawings, print 'em out, cut 'em out and use mine.
Or make your own!

HALLOWEEN BONUS!
The greatest Halloween anthem of all time by the Shaggs!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Treasure, Venture, and those Crazy Trade-Ins!





Long ago, when I was a fan and handing out free copies of the amateur Beanworld maxi-comic--one of my biggest fears was that the person I handed it to would put it in his or her bag and then totally forget about it from that point forward.

Over the years, I've tried really hard to not be "that" creator. My track record is pretty good. Amidst the hustle and bustle of a convention floor, I do my best to make sure that something someone gave me doesn't get lost or scrunched up. But truth is, sometimes I forget where I stashed stuff for safe keeping and it ends up, well, misplaced.

That's what the above stuff in my hand is.
I found it today, misplaced but not forgotten, hidden between several cardboards in my convention bag. They were hand delivered by Shayne Olson, the kids' dad. Regular readers of this blog may recall that I've posted about Treasure and Venture Olsen before: here and here.

Inside the envelope was the letter below from Treasure, age 7 (at the time).


And also delivered were two great drawings by Treasure's little brother, Venture, age 5 (at the time), showcasing his own characters based on his love and appreciation of Beanworld.

Tricky Beans

Moon Beans

That night, after all the convention hoop-la died down, I penciled the following:


and


They were hand delivered back to the kids by their dad.
Thanks again Olsen family

---


And as I head out to NYCC, this is a good moment to review the "rules" for:
Crazy Larry's Trade-Ins!
Trade-in one of your homemade Beanworld drawings
for a genuine Marder-drawn, signed original sketch of the same character!
Offer open to kids of all ages!

THE DETAILS: Only one trade-in per person allowed.
If your drawing contains more than one character,
you must decide which single character you'd like as your trade-in sketch.
After the drawing exchange you agree that I can post your sketch in the Leguminous Fan Art Gallery.
And it would be nice if I could get a snapshot of you and your art too!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Larry Marder's NYCC11 Schedule!



I snapped this blurry iPhone photo before packing these treasures in my suitcase:
fleece Beanworld Action Figures, original art drawings in hand colored frames, limited edition prints!

Yes, I will be at New York Comic Con this weekend.
But not as a guest with a table.
I'll be a free floating attendee.

I'll be walking around & talking to fellow creators and business colleagues.
I'll have some of the things you see above in my bag, and if you ask to see them, and you are so inclined, they can be yours.

I will have have two scheduled signing events--all will feature world famous FREE Beanworld Action Figures and more leguminous-type stuff!

Crazy trade-ins?
You bet, catch me at any time!


Saturday
CBLDF
Booth 1158
noon to 2 pm

Sunday
Dark Horse Comics
Booth 1238
10 am
There will be free TFAW sketch cards galore at DH signing!

And whatever you do--don't forget THIS!




Thursday, October 6, 2011

Babies & Beans are things that make you go "Awwww!"




Hi Larry,
It's taken us several weeks to get organized following Comic-con, but my husband and I wanted to send a note to thank you for the wonderful sketch on the onesie you drew at the con!
Attached is a photo of Robin reveling in her inner bean.
Thanks so much!
Lesley Mathieson-Stratton

As I've written about in the past, I love drawing on cotton fabric. One of these days I will post about why that is but I am still looking for the right pictures from my past.

Knowing this, the Mathieson-Stratton family came to my table and asked me if I'd mind taking a crack at little Robin's "onesie."  I was glad to. You can see the result for yorself!

As the photos above and below illustrate: sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words!




















Jenn Manley Lee, creator of Dicebox ,and daughter, Taran Jack, at Stumptown Comics Fest 2011.
This photo was snapped literally within seconds after she took possession of her very own Bean doll--quite literally as big as her head.

It's amazing to me how the younger the human being, the more immediately the child's brain plugs directly into Beanworld--or does the Beanworld zap into the kid's brain?
Does it even matter?
All I know is that it happen.
It happens all the time.
Many, many witnesses to the fact.

And now a shameless plug: By The Lake Fleece Beanworld Action Figures will make excellent Holiday gifts for that special Beanworld fan in your life.
Supplies are limited.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

It's Time For A Tantalizing Tuesday Teaser!




My digital Cintiq scribbles for a sequence in Larry Marder's Beanworld Book Four: Something More!
I often work this way....come up with a snapshot moment that interests me and then scribble the dialogue, or in this case, thought balloons, as fast as I can. Penmanship doesn't count--legibility only has to be for me).

Professor Garbanzo is frustrated, as she has often been in the past, that she doesn't understand what any of the old tools she found in her Fix-IT Shop during her Secret Origin found on page 324 of of Beanwold Book Two: A Gift Comes! 
The SLAM, by the way, is made by the door of Professor Garbanzo's Fix-It Shop leading to a very fast scene transition. Proffy is in for quite a surprise!