Nice to be Wanted

Usually it's nice to feel wanted.

The piece I wrote about me being drawn in a comic with Superman struck a cord with many of you. I received several requests to see more. Well, let me say that attending the Man of Steel's wedding was a breeze compared to my appearnce with a certain DC comics gunslinger...

So what do you think about the drawing of me on the wanted poster with Jonah Hex?

John Beatty commissioned Bob McLeod to do a painting [reprinted to the left] based on an idea from Mike Zeck. Big Beatty thought it would be funny if my face was on the wanted poster and Bob agreed. The rest is history.

Bob McLeod [probably best known for being co-creator of The New Mutants for Marvel comics] is available for commissions. Bob is a first rate artist who can draw well in a number of different styles. Check out his site and tell him I sent ya!

Yeah, usually it's nice to feel wanted... unless you're wanted dead or alive!

Zablo Part of the DC Universe

See the strong, handsome-looking guy in the picture? No, not Superman! The other hunk. Yep, that's me. Bet 'cha didn't know that I'm part of the DC universe did you?

Yeah, I don't like to brag, but I've hung out with Superman. LOL!

The artwork to the left was drawn by Jerry Ordway for a story written by Marv Wolfman [and co-plotted by John Byrne] which appeared in The Adventures of Superman #426 way back in 1987. Jerry Ordway was the regular artist and he was drawing friends and friends of friends in scenes in the comics. Since Jerry and John Beatty were friends, I got in on a "hook-up."

How cool is that?

I've also made "appearances" in other comics. I guess I'm part of the DC Universe, the Marvel Universe, and occasionally this one as well.

Jorge Zaffino R.I.P.

Big Beatty left the message last night. He'd just received word that Jorge Zaffino had died of a heart attack. He was only 45.

I've been a fan of Jorge Zaffino since I first discovered his work years ago in a very cool mini-series called Winterworld [still one of my all-time favorite stories].

Jorge may be best known for his work on The Punisher. He completed a hardbound graphic novel as well as some issues of the Punisher monthly comic. Jorge's work also appeared in Batman: Black and White and other comic anthologies and special projects [which he preferred] in the US as well as comics in Argentina [his homeland].

Jorge Zaffino's art was stark, bold and so very powerful. He didn't follow the trend of lots of lines and over-rendering and consequently was never considered a fan favorite... until you spoke with artists and writers. Chuck Dixon called Jorge "a true artist's artist." Tim Truman said he was an "amazing artist" and Mike Manley was quoted as saying, "His work will stand the test of time and that is the mark of true talent."

I'm saddened for Jorge's family and friends. I'm also sorry for his fans around the world who will no longer have the good fortune to see new art from him. [I'd always hoped to see Jorge represented in the SZ Art Gallery. Can you imagine what his version of Jack Carter or Rambo would have looked like?]

God bless Jorge Zaffino, his family, friends and fans. Like Mike Manley said, "His work will stand the test of time."

"Reign of Fire" Rocks

I went to "Reign of Fire" hoping for an action-packed roller-coaster ride. I wasn't counting on it, but I was hoping.

"Reign of Fire" boasted a screenplay by three people [Gregg Chabot, Kevin Peterka, Matt Greenberg], that I've never heard of, starred Christian Bale, and Matthew McConaughey [neither considered "A" list stars], and was directed by Rob Bowman [who didn't impress me with the "X-Files" movie]. The odds were that the film would be entertaining at best... the odds were wrong. This film rocks.

Bale did an excellent job in his role but McConaughey OWNED every scene he was in. The direction, production values, special effects were all top notch. I must admit that the ending did let me down a bit but not enough to stop me from adding this baby to my library when it is released on dvd.

"Reign of Fire" rates a B+.

Join the TZ Marathon

When I was a kid one of my biggest pleasures was watching scary movies or tv shows. I still get a big kick out 'em in fact. What's even cooler is that my kids enjoy them just as much as I do.

I'm not talking about today's gory bloodfests, but instead the old Universal Monster movies, the American-International Films and the like. As far as tv shows, none is better at this genre than the original Twilight Zone!

The Sci-Fi channel is running a two day marathon of Twilight Zone episodes starting at 7AM today. If you plan to check out any, let me recommend two.

The first, pictured above, is "Terror at 20,000 Feet." A man who has just been released from a mental institution sees a creature on the wing of a plane trying to destroy the engine... only no one else sees it. Is he having a relapse?

The second, pictured to the right, is called "To Serve Man." Aliens arrive on Earth and all indications are they came in peace... but do they really?

These are just two of many excellent episodes.

The marathon runs for two days and you can view the schedule by clicking here.

Even if you can't watch them all [and who can?], maybe you can plan to tune in to see an old favorite or one you've never seen before. I know that I will...

And for just a little while I'll be a kid again, up on the couch hoping that someone else besides me and Bill Shatner sees the creature on the wing!