Wednesday, May 24, 2017

I Thought He Just Flew In For Games!


I would put 1982's Fast Times At Ridgemont High in my top 5 all-time.  It's hard to think of any movie capturing a decade like Fast Times did with the 1980s.

Charles Jefferson was a great character, especially seeing as it was Forest Whitaker's first role of note and he's went on to have quite a career which included the 2007 Best Actor nod for his portrayal of dictator Ida Amin in The Last King of Scotland

For the character I actually made two cards.  One I would call regular inspired by the 1982 Topps baseball set, and also a football card inspired by the 1983 Topps football since since Charles Jefferson was such a killer on the gridiron.




For the regular Fast Times card I went with a checkerboard design to the first side swoosh, which of course is as a tribute to Jeff Spicoli's Vans that were made iconic by the movie.  I also added the Fast Times logo for a nice little movie card touch.

For the football card I called a audible from my usual preference to use the same year card design that the movie or what ever I'm doing a card of was released.  The '82 Topps football has an illustrated football helmet that I just couldn't seem to reproduce and keep a vintage look to it, so I went with the '83 design which I think worked out pretty well, I mean you can't tell me that's not a mean looking card!  I decided to use "Ridgemont" as opposed to the team name like the Topps NFL cards all had just because it's way more recognizable than "Wolves". 

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Marilyn Poucher


The 1982 Topps baseball design is one I've been wanting to try for awhile now.  They have a great
1982 Topps
retro look to them.  I finally got a chance to after seeing screen caps of Marilyn Poucher as the corpse of Mrs. Voohees in 1982's Friday the 13th Part III.  I've since the template for my Freaks and Geeks cards.

This was another case of being inspired to make a card based upon seeing an image online.

I also lucked out in finding a font match to the font used on the marketing materials for Friday the 13th Part III, so I took advantage of that on the card as well.  I used blood red and black as those are as good any colors for a horror themed card.

I got my cards back in short time from Miss Poucher along with a nice hand written thank you card.


Saturday, May 20, 2017

Motor City Comic Con Review


Today I made my 3rd annual geek-out pilgrimage to the Motor City Comic Con and was able to get some pretty sweet custom cards of mine autographed.

I started out with Martin Starr who played Bill Haverchuck on Freaks and Geeks.  Freaks and Geeks is probably my second favorite show of all-time right behind The White Shadow.  It's a crime that it only lasted one season (actually only 12 episodes before being cancelled by NBC).

Martin was polite and introduced himself.  That always throws me off though.  Because, A. I'm certainly a fan and know who he is, and B. I'm socially awkward.  Martin seemed to get a kick out of the card.  I brought an extra card for every signer I made a card of in the event they show an interest and would want a copy for themselves.  Martin probably would have accepted one, but I was too goofy to give it to him.  I mean ... what if he says "no thanks".  Martin was one of the guests that did a photo op with the price of an autograph.  I almost turned it down because I didn't pay enough attention to his fee schedule and I know a lot of the guests will charge extra for a picture.

Point for the sweet D.A.R.E. hoodie, minus a point for the Clippers hat

The Haverchuck card is modeled after the 1982 Topps baseball card set.  I love the retro look of this design and have been wanting to use it for awhile now and I thought it would work out pretty well as a template for my F&G cards.
I love that Martin drew an arrow to himself.  That little unique touch is the best part to me.  I wanted to reference him being "cut off mid funk" but... I didn't.

Martin's F&G cast mate, John Francis Daley, had the next booth over but hadn't arrived yet. Luckily two booths the other way was another signer I had a card for.



James Remer who played Ajax in "The Warriors", another personal favorite of mine.  I actually sent Mr. Remer a copy of the card he signed today through the mail but never got that one back.  The lady that was was assisting him said she had a copy of the card.  The only way that was possible is if she has the copy I sent him.  I don't know, I always assumed those people that sit at the table and handle the money worked for the venue and not necessarily the celebrity.

Mr. Remar elected to use a red paint pen which I thought turned out awesome and he inscribed "Ajax" on the card which I was all for, plus it kind of matched "The Warriors" text color of the card.  I had it in my mind the whole time to ask him to put Ajax's catchphrase "Fuckin' A", but I lost my nerve.  Mr. Remar also gave me a free signed 8x10 which of course was very kind and much appreciated.  He was a really nice guy and seemed to take a liking to the card and probably would accepted a copy, but again and despite my wife's urging, I whiffed.



The card is modeled after the 1979 Topps baseball cards - the same year as The Warriors premiered. I rebuilt the template but left the baseball out as it only really made sense on a Furies card (which I have and will eventually do a post about).

1979 Topps baseball
Next up was Kristy Swanson.  There wasn't much to my interaction with her except for some awkwardness after she signed my card.  Both Martin Starr and James Remar's autograph came with the photo op so I guess I just assumed Kristy was doing the same thing.  She wasn't.  I said something to the effect "so, a picture now"? She looked at me and asked "did you pay for that"?  To which I uncomfortably and a little embarrassed replied "oh, uh no, I thought, oh, um, thanks".

This card is from the movie The Chase (1994) and modeled after the 1982 Donruss Knight Rider set.



Most of  design is pretty straight forward.  It's a thick blue border.  But, I will say I really took some time tinkering with the picture of the BMW 325is from the movie.  I was trying to give it that illustrated look of K.I.T.T on the Knight Rider card.  I think it turned out pretty nice.  I actually sent her this card when she was in Illinois for Days of the Dead back in November, but that was returned to sender.

1982 Donruss Knight Rider
Fourth was Lou Ferrigno.  I'd got Lou's signature before at MCCC, and it was actually a bummer experience. I love The Incredible Hulk television show, love it, but the first time Lou just must not have been feeling it because he was not personable at all.  In fact I'd say he came off as a grump.  I had low expectations, but the card I brought I realllly wanted signed.

This card is a mock up of the 1981 Topps baseball set.  I'd shied away from this design in the past because I thought that baseball hat in the lower left would be a bitch to do.  It actually wasn't all that bad, just time consuming.  But, the white outline that goes around it just wasn't working out for me. No matter how many times I redid it it looked like crap to me, so I admitted graphic defeat and just left it out all together.  I actually don't think it takes all that much away.



I'm not going to go as far as to say Lou was Mr. Personality this time around, but the wife and I did agree that he was not as off putting this time.  Still all business, no small talk and not much eye contact.

The card is from a season 5 episode (the final season) entitled "The Phemon" that aired in 1981. David "Bedecker" saves a talented pitcher from his sleazy manager.  The Hulk is holding a baseball bat, it needed a card - enough said.  I also have a card of said pitcher from the episode in the '81 Topps design that I'll do a post on at a later date.

1981 Topps baseball
Next was Thomas Ian Nicholas and my 1988 Donruss inspired Henry Rowengartner card.  This is another one that was sent but never had a TTM success on.



Thomas was a cool guy (great hair) and was amused by the card.  He also inscribed "Go Cubs", bonus.  This time my wife pretty much made me give him a copy.  Thankfully for me he graciously accepted it and said it was cool to have his own baseball card.

Last up was John Francis Daley.  We had gone back to his booth a few times but he didn't end up getting there until early afternoon.  Come to think of it I believe I read that he'd be showing up a little later on MCCC Facebook page.  The third time around was the charm for me, but by that time there was a bit of a line to see him.  He was actually the longest line we waited in.

He seemed to be very personable with everyone and was doing photos with all of those who got his autograph.  He seems like a really cool guy, like a guy you'd like as a neighbor because he would always wave hi and keep his grass mowed.  One thing that stuck me about him was he was a bigger guy than I thought he would be.  Not big like a linebacker, just not a runt like Sam Weir.

Sam Weir face or GTFO
John smiled at the card, although at first he thought it was a magnet.  I wanted to work in small talk about Freaks and Geeks being set in suburban Detroit and here we are in Suburban Detroit, but I'm not good at that type of thing and before I knew it it was the lady behind me's turn to probably be a better conversationalist than I was.

And that was that.  Well, except for getting Ilan Mitchell Smith to sign my VHS copy of The Wild Life.  I had a good time.  I usually don't get as many autographs as I did this year, but then again I wasn't making these cards before.  Until next year ...



Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Fletch


This card was a case of seeing a picture I liked and wanting to make a card out of it.  I had previously had a Chevy Chase/Fletch card TTM success with the 1985 Topps baseball template, which I've pictured below.  But, like I said, I wanted to do one with this picture.  It's looks to be a cool behind-the-scenes shot of Chevy and Kareem goofing around.

This time around I used the iconic 1986 Fleer basketball design.  This design has no alternate colors so I just masked out the middle.  The picture didn't fit just right so I put the white fade in anticipation of Mr. Chase's sig. Fletch came out in 1985, but the only basketball cards to chose from would have the 1985 Star.  Those are fine and all but not nearly as recognizable as the 1986-87 Fleer are.

I made this a Lakers "Team Leaders" card so I could make it of both of Fletch and Abdul-Jabbar. I got the idea of course from the old Topps baseball subset.  They might still do that, I don't know, haven't collected baseball cards in a minute as the kids say.

He's 6'5", with the afro 6'9"


Friday, May 12, 2017

The People's Champ


Some ideas for cards I'll think of and put them in cue, others go straight to the front of the line. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson college football cards were made pretty much on inception.  I ran across some pictures from The Rock's days at "The U" and thought they'd make great cards.

In case you were not aware, Dwayne Johnson played defensive tackle for the University of Miami from 1991 (National Champions) - 1994. In 1995 he made the roster of the CFL's Calagary Stampede, but was cut from the team two month's later, which in turn led to his wrestling career.

I only have a few football templates made, but all though not year accurate to Johnson's football career, I thought the 1984 Topps and 1989 Topps designs went perfect.  The '84 looks great with the Hurricanes colors and I was especially stoked to use Miami's ibis mascot logo.  I love cartoon character logo's and Miami's is one of my all-time favorites.

These went out in the mail.  Obviously it would be huge to get them back signed as Dwayne has become arguably the biggest movie star on the planet, but even unsigned I love the way these came out.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

I Still Believe!


I think anyone who loves the movie The Lost Boys has an affinity for Tim Cappello, or as my friends and I used to refer to him "the greased-up buff sax player".  We weren't the only ones either; here's a direct quote from his Wiki page: "He is notable for his muscular physique, his sexually provocative movements during his performances and for his tendency to perform shirtless, with his skin oiled and with his hair in a ponytail".

New phone, who dis?


Some vintage card designs I merely mask out the middle, while others I rebuild from the bottom up. This set is the latter.  Like the Predator card I did I chose to go with the movie font as opposed to trying to match the originals font.  I also included the "I Still Believe!" quote because otherwise what's the point?

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Jenny Robertson



Yesterday I excited to receive my third Bull Durham 1988 Topps inspired custom card back autographed.  This one signed by Jenny Robertson who played "Millie" -- with the other two being Kevin Costner and Robert Wuhl.


2016 Topps Archives


I've got a few more from this set I made that are pending.  Fingers crossed on those.