Srsly, how does that guy stand up and keep fighting after that punch (actually 2 punches) at the 2:08 mark on that clip? Yeah, I know it’s a movie and all. But still.

Found this clip when I was downloading a punk compilation from Hardcore Punk Reviews, I remember Jim Kelly from watching the Bruce Lee flick, Enter the Dragon. That was the big production that was set to make Bruce Lee a huge international movie star. Unfortunately, we know, or sort of know, what happened to Bruce Lee.

You may also know Jim Kelly from one of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s verses on 36 Chambers.

So the above clip is the title sequence from Black Belt Jones. It’s pure 70’s golden funk silver screen sun-kissed California goodness. I kinda like to think if Grand Royal Magazine still existed, and had a blog they’d post stuff like this.

It’s amazing what you can do when you remember your password. I’m starting 2011 with all kinds of goodwill and wishes and exercising and eating better and vows to post regularly and to actually enact my harebrained scheme for world domination. So expect another post or two, and then for me to drift back into obscurity and the waiting arms of complacency. Eh…no point in being negative, but still stating the grim reality of so many resolutions and best intentions.

So I’m offering up “Todor & Petru”. (Maybe that should be italicized rather than within quotes, but I’m probably the only one who has a rat’s ass to give around here for that sort of thing. Please note that I probably will not spellcheck this post before publishing. Conundrums rule everything around me.)

So yeah, I’m following up my New Year’s reality check with a bit of unreality in the form of a short film from Wizz. I love the combination of motion graphics and still photography injecting some living colour into what by comparison is a much bleaker world. If only these cartoon creations started to live and breathe in the physical realm, we might need them to stave of the clone armies our military must certainly be working on. Or am I only suggesting that because Cartoon Network had the gall to introduce what looks like Darth Maul 2.0 in a Star Wars: Clone Wars episode, but start it a half hour earlier, and I’ve been denied getting my geek on for the evening.

Bastards.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Surfing on the Street and Scary Ideas for finding this clip. And yeah I’ll be looking for Thunderclaps track, “Judgement Day” that’s featured in the video. Happy New Year.

Morrison seems a fascinating character study, from consulting with John Lennon (yep, still deceased) to becoming the characters he creates, I’m sure editing the project down to documentary length will prove difficult.

Morrison explains a lot with his description of his formative years and lessons from his parents. His father was ex-military, but later become an anti-war activist. His mother looking into the night sky with young Grant pointed up to the stars and said, “We’re from there.”

Looking forward for to this final project titled, Talking With Gods, from filmmaker Patrick Meaney. Wired interviewed Meaney regarding the film back in July, around San Diego Comic Con. Here’s the link.

Hey, you’re back. So you know by now that Kickstarter is a vehicle for funding creative projects: graphic novels, video games, books, movies,…even magazines. Once you have your wonderful idea, you create a video to host on Kickstarter, determine the premiums you’ll award at different contribution levels, and set a deadline for funding. Reach 100% and you get the funding minus Kickstarter’s fees and a fee for process the payment through Amazon Payments. (Overall, I think it might be slightly less than 10%.)

We seriously need to consider this as an option for getting out the next issue of The Art of Storytelling. I’m not joking. Not only would we be funding our publication, but in a sense we would already be preselling it.

I know a bunch of creative types have been checking out what we’ve doing, so I figured it be worth bringing Kickstarter to people’s attention.

Here’s a video of the Kickstarter panel.

Take one part infomercial and mix it with one part old school electro and serve up the Slap Chop Rap by DJ Steve Porter. This may be the best track of 2009.

I was just going to tweet about this one, but then there’s a chance you’d miss the dynamic photography that tells the story. If you read the title of this post, it may sound odd. There’s no level in any Tony Hawk game that takes place in Uganda, and ESPN likely won’t be seeking out Kampala as a city to host an upcoming X Games.

No matter because Jackson Mubiru and friends took it upon themselves to create a skate park in rural country with a shortage of paved roads, in a city where skateboards are, maybe, seen on television. I guess there’s no abandoned pools around either.

View the full set of pics at the BBC website. Learn more about Jackson and his fellow skaters at the Ugandan Skateboard Union blog.

I alluded to this pairing in My Venture Bros. Christmas post. I remember seeing this video on MTV  in the 80’s, but in 1977 David Bowie agreed to appear on Bing Crosby’s 1977 Christmas special. Sure thye make an odd couple and that’s enough of a tale, but the day of the shoot Bowie told the show’s writers he hated “Little Drummer Boy”, and asked if he could sing something else. Within 75 minutes, the writers and the arrangers wrote an original tune, “Peace on Earth”, with a melody and arrangement that would interweave with “Little Drummer Boy”.

The Christmas special moment that almost wasn’t was miraculously saved, creating a most memorable performance that was bootlegged for years, before ever being released in an audio format. The show aired on television in 1977, unfortunately Bing Crosby died before its air date.

But the moment is ever preserved on celluloid, and now on YouTube and the rest of the Internet, uncomfortable, odd-sounding banter and all. The Washington Post tells the full story best.

Ok. By now anyone who follows us on Twitter must be aware of my love of all things Venture. And I know there’s a bunch of you, even if 25% are spammers trying to lure me into whitening my teeth or buying your eBook on how to gain more Twitter followers. Well, if any of you are also smitten with The Venture Bros. television programme (Ye olde spelling for no darn reason), no doubt you are a bit despondent with the hiatus between parts one and two of Season Four.

I’m hoping I’ve got something here combined with holiday cheer to help fill your void before you begin your requisite holiday gluttony. Cranberry sauce, anyone?

Venture creators Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick have bestowed yuletide gifts upon the rabid fanbase in previous years. And I’ve collected a few links so you can load up your iTunes with some of the finest holiday jams to ever spring forth from a cocoon. Play them at your gathering and leave befuddled uncles and aunts scratching their heads saying, “What the hell are we listening to?”

The links go to posts from Quick Stop Entertainment, and include The Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend’s reenactment of the David Bowie/Bing Crosby take on “Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth” (the Bowie/Bing combination is another post in itself). The couple even include the a version of the banter between the two musical icons. They even return with a duet of The Pogues and Kirsty McColl’s “Fairytale of New York.”

Henchman 21 and 24 also squeeze in a recording between the charity work they do for Murder for Tots and The Make a Death Wish Foundation for their cover of Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime”. And the entire cast combines for a performance of Band-Aid’s “Do They Know it’s Christmas?”

Happy Holidays. Here’s the links:

Little Drummer Boy/Fairytale of New York/Venture Aid 2006

Wonderful Christmastime

***** (Five Asterisks, must mean something good, right?) 12/25/09

Hammer & Publick have played Santa again. Tim-Tom, Kevin & Henchman 21 play Simon, Theodore & Alvin to The Monarch’s David Seville on “The Chipmunk Song.”

So way back at Agenda streetwear show in San Diego, we met Jim Mahfood doing some live art, and chatted a bit about his work. I remember first seeing what he did in the Clerks comic adaptation years ago. His art has a smooth flowing style, which is probably in some part due to the soundtrack to his method. His books are usually littered with musical references throughout.

It was a pleasure to meet Jim in person at New York Comic Con at the Nerdcore and getting a first look at Carl, the Cat That Makes Peanut Butter Sandwiches. It’s the everyday story of a cat and his smoking hot lady friend, and his misadventures as a sandwich maker for the Mob.

We also talked to Jim about doing some artwork for our book some time in the future and an interview. A couple of us were going to head to a party over where he had an art show, but we missed the damn exit and were already across the Verrazano Bridge heading toward Jersey, and by then we were probably running too damn late. Next time we’ll carry a few Clif bars, so we don’t go roaming around outside the Javitz Center for food, rather than paying $12.50 for a pack of friggin’ Tic Tacs inside.

It’s also worth checking out Jim’s day in the life comic Los Angeles Ink Stains, with fresh content intermittently, over at his blog. Food One, thank you for the comic by the way. Hope to catch you at a future Con.

Oh yeah, the video at the top of this post gives you a little insight into Mahfood’s technique. We always appreciate a peer behind the scenes, so enjoy.