- for those who want to know.

Same real-life reasons as usual.

Talented satirist and comedian, and pioneer in humorous advertising, not to mention a voice actor with a career spanning from theatrical shorts in the forties to TV cartoons in the 1990s and beyond.

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/rip/stan.....88-111276.html

Congratulations on a long life and a prosperous career (or is that the other way around?)

It's strange, and still doesn't quite register with me. I think in my mind's eye Leonard Nimoy was actually immortal, or at the least an actual Vulcan who would live for hundreds of years.

(kinda expected him to outlive Shatner, at any rate)
https://youtu.be/x96FfUDTHGI

I usually don't go nuts over television 'events', but I wasn't going to miss this for the world. There's basically two (non-animated) comedy institutions in my life. One is Robin Williams. The other is Saturday Night Live, which I watched since the Eddie Murphy days in the early eighties, though my parents didn't like me staying up late for it.

One interesting, unexpected treat for me was that the Saturday show this week was a full rebroadcast of the very first SNL from October 1975, hosted by George Carlin. It was interesting as hell to see this show starting, blindly feeling its way toward what it would eventually become. (strangely now, in the first show Carlin hosted the show in a literal sense, introducing acts but not appearing in the sketches themselves, and it was more of a variety show feel, with bits and standup comedy and nearly half the show going to the musical guests) The comedy was pretty iffy in spots, and only on the edge of 'edgy'. Even the name was "NBC's Saturday Night" to avoid conflict and Don Pardo flubbed up the opening, announcing "The Not... for.. ready. Prime Time Players"

SNL is much like life - it might suck sometimes, but you still wanna be there.

https://youtu.be/dPM9oA72iQw

Look out, people not dissimilar to me are invading your overpriced coffee chains!

Being a fan of animation and individual efforts in general, I thought I would share this with those who haven't already seen it ten times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PKNuZovuSw (deleted)

now here: http://vimeo.com/110478181

Anyone going to Fur Reality in Cincinnati? I won't have a dealer table or anything, but I'm thinking of at least visiting.

With September 17 being the 30th anniversary of the debut of "The Transformers" animated TV series, I started a new series of Tumblr blogs in which I present a toy from my own collection from each of the thirty years Transformers toys have been around (more or less)

check out and/or follow http://furafterdark.tumblr.com for more. 1984's toy is already there - Mirage!

I was saddened to hear the news of James' passing. I've known him for decades, though not over familiarly, in part because we rarely attended the same conventions, and I never made the effort to cultivate a friendship beyond that. We did have one genuine moment a long time ago, as we had the same flight returning from a convention, and I got to speak with him and his mother for a long while during the wait at the airline gate, which somehow seems like more honest conversation that anything you get in a dealer room or artist alley.

I recall Jim's rise to prominence in the 1990s. His artwork hit furry fandom like a bomb, loaded with a realistic sensibility and anatomical attention to detail, whether applied to comics, technical drawing, or shamelessly hardcore pornography. It was a real sensation at a time when the majority of furry art built on the style of comics and cartoons. Perhaps it was no surprise the joke that someone who buys all of Jim's Skunkworks folios would receive an honorary degree in gynecology would come to pass. His style continued to build upon itself. pushing further and further into a near photo-real place, perhaps even beyond my own personal preferences. I have nothing but respect for his talents.

I suppose you could call Jim 'controversial', at least if you believe the online world. Things he has done, written, or drawn have consistently found someone's ire raised by them. i think he just had a more worldly view than those who didn't see past furry, didn't suffer fools well, and occasionally reacted in a more harsh or public way than might be called for.

RIP Jim. I wish I took the opportunity to know you better. Condolences to his friends and family.

 skunkworks

Favorite Folio; Skunkworks VI - Going to Hell in Handbasket

Just to clarify to those asking (so I don't have to give the same answer a dozen times), I will not be going to Anthrocon this year. My responsibilities around home and family don't really allow me to travel for anything greater than a brief trip nowadays.

Sorry folks,

Eric Schwartz

Those of you out there not currently suffering from bronchitis and a solid week of violent coughing and hacking .... enjoy it.


(I am getting better, but I am SO done with this crap.)

As we come up to the 30th anniversary of the Transformers brand, the TFW2005 website is giving us a little history lesson, with successive days covering successive years.

1984 - Beginning it all
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1984-179577/

1985 - More and bigger and better
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1985-179595/

1986 - Here's an idea! Kill everyone to make way for some new guys!
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1986-179591/

1987 - Rise of the "--master" lines, the biggest TF toy for over 20 years, and the waning of my childhood interest.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1987-179592/

1988 - More "Masters", Pretenders, and the return of Optimus Prime in toy form.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1988-179593/

1989 - Transformers get smaller - and less culturally relevant.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1989-179594/

1990 - The End - but not everywhere, and not for long.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1990-179596/

1991 - Transformers are dead - except in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Japan.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1991-179589/

1992 - Winding down in more places, but also priming for a comeback.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1992-179590/

1993 - Generation 2 - Back with reissues and strange colors
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1993-179662/

1994 - now with awesome stuff like elbows and knee joints and the first TF convention!
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1995-179672/

1995 - Introducing the greatest Optimus Prime toy of all time (until the 2000s)
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1995-179672/

1996 - BEEAST WAAAARRRRRSS!! (Or if you're Canadian, "Beasties!" )
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1996-179688/

1997 - BW matures
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1997-179689/

1998 - Transmetals, Fuzors, and Japan does its own thing
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1998-179699/

1999 - BW ends its run with Transmetals 2
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-1999-179700/

2000 - Beast Machines and the return of vehicles east and west.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2000-179702/

2001 - The end of the original cartoon continuity, and the beginning of repeating reboots, dubbed anime, and a new era of collaboration between Hasbro and Takara.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2001-179703/

2002 - Armada, Dreamwave comics, and more stuff everyone hated, yet was an inexplicably spectacular success.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2002-179743/

2003 - Armada brings Transformers to new heights of success, including the first official toy of Orson Welles’ voice.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2003-179744/

2004 - the 20th anniversary, featuring some of the most special toys of all time, and perhaps the worst TF cartoon series of all time .
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2004-179745/

2005 - Cybertron - possibly the most variety ever seen in a single 18 month toy line. (oh, and there’s a movie on the way in a couple years)
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2005-179749/

2006 - the end of the anime trilogy, the 10th anniversary of Beast Wars, a small ‘filler line’ popular enough to recur for years to come, and building hype for the next year.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2006-179750/

2007 - Rise of the Bayformers
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2007-179753/

2008 - Transformers Animated, taking fandom from “I hate everything about it” to “It’s full-on perfect!” in mere months
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2008-179757/

2009 - Transformers’ 25th Anniversary and Bayformers 2: Robotic Boogaloo (AKA “That sucks” by most critics)
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2009-179759/

2010 - Video Games, comics, and taking up space between movies.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2010-179783/

2011 - featuring Bayformers 4: Attack of the robo-Spock. Michael Bay said he was done after this trilogy, just like he was done after films 1 and 2.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2011-179799/

2012 - Transformers: Prime, Rescue Bots, new video games, and have you checked out the comics?
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2012-179820/

2013 - Beast Hunters and some more really big and awesome stuff.
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2013-179821/

2014 - We celebrate the “Thrilling 30” with toys touching on all eras, a fourth Bay movie on the horizon, and comics featuring the invasion of the girlbots and Megatron did WHAT!!!?
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers.....s-2014-179822/

... is here - http://furafterdark.tumblr.com/

It also kinda sucks right now, as I'm new and learning, but it should suck much less in the future.

For now it's announcements and news about the Fur After Dark site, but may expand for more stuff later (or I may set up a new blog/Tumblr/thing for more general-purpose stuff, haven't decided yet)

Follow or don't!

I ain't no sportball enthusiast, But nonetheless big congrats to the University of Dayton for playing a huge part in screwing up the NCAA brackets of pretty much everyone on Earth with one.

No one gets Warren Buffet's billion bucks.

If you like sculptures and figurines, you might want to fill out this little questionnaire found here...

http://madmableproductions.tumblr.com/

Mad Mable Productions is surveying for interest for what figure projects to do next. Options include characters from Sabrina Online and Fur After Dark, among others.

Check it out, won't you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FopH8W10a7sF

(I promise it's almost certainly not Rick Astley ... probably)

Happy New Year to you folks out there, in this new year that marks three decades of Macintoshes and Transformers, both of which are near-unrecognizable today next to their 1984 incarnations.

Holiday Protip: Don't aspirate Kalhua - fuggin' unpleasant.

I've tried a few times to write something, but it kept coming off either maudlin or sappy or complainy. My gift is to spare you that and just wish you all a Happy Christmas and leave you with this mixed bag:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKxtn0IwMu0 (Video pulled - sorry folks)

I'm not usually one for toilet humor, but I can't help laughing at the sketch around 5:00 in. Can't get enough of the Robot Chicken McFarlane-voiced angry Santa.

It's been noted that (US) Thanksgiving matches up with the beginning of Hanukkah this year. Some people think I'm Jewish, with the "Schwartz" name and all, but nope.

Just had a birthday the day before Thanksgiving (this year) - I'm 42. Celebrated by going out to a movie and dinner. Saw "Frozen" (hey, major Disney film opening on an animation buff's birthday - can't pass that up. Nice, enjoyable, and pretty film as 'Disney Princess' movie musicals go, and it throws enough curve balls that you shouldn't feel like you predicted the whole story ten minutes in. The Mickey Mouse short that precedes the film was a lot of fun and extremely visually clever as well. Fur After Dark dot com is also having a birthday - it's nine. I'm looking forward to the tenth anniversary, assuming economy and piracy doesn't bury us before then.

Thanksgiving itself (AKA the pre-Black-Friday-five-day-weekend carbo-load) was pretty durn good. I did the cooking for my dad and the visiting Shou Lung. I was prepared this year and things went more or less smoothly, though I misinterpreted part of a recipe and used the wrong kind/amount of pepper, resulting in a very spicy green bean casserole (not bad actually) Props to Shou for preparing the sweet potato dish using only a masher.

Best to you and yours this season.

First off, in case you didn't see my favorites, check it;

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/12040690/

The full version of this awesome interactive Flash anim by  jerberjer is coming to FurAfterDark.com later this month, as part of the site's 9th birthday. It's gunna be gud!

Also, for the artists out there who still draw things on paper products from time to time:

http://www.jetpens.com/

I found this site to be a good source for lots of different pens/brushpens/other drawing implements from Japan. Prices are pretty reasonable, and US residents get free shipping on orders of $25 or more. I'll probably be getting more from them in the future.

Here's an old Halloween TV special from 1979 that jogged my memory:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekf4rFhbxj4

Thinking on it, I'm not sure I ever actually saw it in its original form , but instead broken into segments on another show, like "Great Space Coaster" or something.

I also didn't realize that it was Gilda Radner voicing the 'Fairy Godmother'.

Fun little special with unusual animation and a tiny bit of edge to it.

"Look! Nicely's passed out!"
. "heh, already?"

Very nice little half-hour special, if not really a Halloween show (just kinda laden with horror movie tropes), Focusing on Jessie this time, it's a strong enough story I could imagine it expanded into a full movie (or maybe I'm just happy they didn't dip into the standard Toy Story devices of a "disgruntled toy " villain or bringing back Space Ranger Buzz again)

After a brief and violent cameo in the first Toy Story, Combat "totally not a Hasbro product" Carl returns triumphantly (with lil' Carl)

Combat Carl: "Combat Carl never gives up! Combat Carl finds a way, now SAY IT!"
Jessie: "Combat Carl never-"
CC: "YOU'RE NOT COMBAT CARL!"

Also a shout-out to 'Tranzitron', the Transformer/Voltron/Power Ranger/every other 80's Japanese robot mashup guy. I's been waiting for something like that to show up.

It's kinda hilarious to see old-timey film effects cheese recreated in CGI.

8 toes out of 8.5

He's 75 years young today.

also no-cartilage-left-in-the-knees young, but whuyyagunnado. :)

I've been a goon lately, spending lots of money I'd probably be much better off not spending. Today this all came to a head as two particularly bulky items had their arrival dates fall on today. The first came aboard a FedEx truck in the morning, and was a box full of Metroplex, the new record holder for tallest Transformer toy at about two feet tall, and not compressing much to fit in a box. The next item dropped by on a UPS truck in the early evening. I Ebayed a refurbished Powermac G5 tower for some OS replacement experiments. Unlike most Apple products you might be familiar with, this thing is a goddamed fifty pound metal slab monster, as big or bigger than any computer I've ever owned. The seller knew their stuff about packing too, as the box the machine came in was three times the size of the system itself, loaded with baggies of expanding foam. It was a challenge getting that bloated box inside the door, Still, when I opened the box I found the computer inside was upside-down, which I hope won't be a problem.

Anyway, lotsa fun new stuff to play with today, and I'm totally buried under packing material until trash day.

It's been a pretty good week.  shoulung and I had a mini-gathering at his place, with some running around town and eating and 'drinking' these pre-made Margaritas and Daiquiri-in-a-baggie things. Super-huge thanks to  maxblackrabbit for taking the time and effort to visit us folks in can't-get-out-to-conventions-like-we used-to town. We did a good amount of drawing trade, and I hope to show off one or two of them in the near future.