Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Jay Thomas, RIP

The end of August was busy with preparations of Phoenix's Jack Kirby birthday celebration, but now that we've honored the King, I'd like to acknowledge another cool, creative person that just recently passed away -- Jay Thomas.  

Jay is best known for his roles on Mork & MindyMurphy Brown, and Cheers, but I knew him best for throwing a football at a meatball on The Late Show with David Letterman every Christmastime.  In 2016, I wrote an article for Nerdvana Media about what the tradition meant to me, and much to my surprise, Jay actually read it!  One of his producers contacted me about talking to Jay on his Sirius XM radio show, and I was elated at the opportunity.

I'm sure I posted the interview here then, but I'm re-posting now so you can hear how gracious Jay was. Jay was a wry, tongue-in-cheek comedian, but he was kind and genuine with me.  He let me talk about Letterman and plug my stuff, which was a Christmas gift I'll never forget.  To Jay -- and his staff at the radio station -- thank you. We'll miss you, you hippie freak.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Christmas Calendar Roundup

You think you had it rough this Christmas -- just look at what Santa had to go through . . .!


Moving on . . . I'll be at the Bookmans Entertainment Exchange in Phoenix on Saturday, December 27 for a special Star Wars themed event, drawing comics and caricatures for kids and kids-at-heart!  Check out the event page here, and I'll see you there!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas!



Merry Christmas from KaraokeFanboy Press!  Here's my gift to you -- a teaser trailer for the Zombie Santa strip running at Amazing Arizona Comics Online!  Watch it -- then READ it!

Monday, December 23, 2013

The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics) #2: Reign of the Deer! (repost with image)

When Olaf, the other reindeer, charged and jailed in Santa's brig for "the Laughing, Calling Of Names, and Withholding of Participation in All the Reindeer Games," escapes, he kidnaps Santa's sleigh-pullers  in the hopes of ruining Christmas.  Overpowered by Olaf's orneriness, Santa reveals his stash of Reindeer Extracts; apparently, Dasher et al aren't immortal, like Saint Nick is, and their spirits are injectable into new fawn to preserve their legacy and skill set when one of them passes away.  Hopeless, Santa injects himself, in a Shazam-like transformation that imbues him with each of his reindeer's unique abilities:

Dasher: Speed
Dancer: Sure-footing
Prancer: Agility
Vixen: Mind-control
Comet: Fiery blasts
Cupid: Expert aim
Donner: Thunderclap
Blitzen: Lightning bolts
Rudolph: Infrared vision

You thought you knew the reindeer -- but will even a Santa transformed with their secret powers be enough to stop the evil Olaf once and for all? Find out in Reign of the Deer!



Wednesday, December 18, 2013

The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics) #6: Crisis on Infinite Christmases!

When Christmas is abolished on a parallel Earth, that world's Santa finds a way to reach out to his peers across the multiverse for help -- and they all oblige!  Every type of Santa you can imagine -- Ninja Santa!  Pirate Santa!  Cowboy Santa!  President Santa! -- arrives on Earth-1225 (that's "Earth Minus 12/25) and discovers a low level frequency that has brainwashed the world into forgetting the concept of good tidings.  In this no man's land of raw survival, can the combined might of S.N.O.W. (St. Nicks O'er Worlds) take the broadcast tower and short out the frequency once and for all?  And who's responsible for this madness, anyway?  The answer might surprise you!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics) #1: The Old Silk Hat Unleashed! (repost with image)

Everybody knows "there must have been some magic in that old silk hat" that brought Frosty the Snowman to life, so, knowing its power, Santa has the bewitched bowler under lock and key . . . until an angry, overworked elf snatches it and incarnates monstrous snow creatures of his own!  Turns out, if you don't use a corncob pipe, a button nose, and two eyes made out of coal, you get different, disastrous results.  The story runs on the danger and ownership of the old silk hat -- when its potential beyond just "jolly, happy" creations is revealed, all sorts of interested parties want to get their hands on it . . . but not if Santa has anything to say about it!


The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics) #5: Strand, Unraveled!

Dwight Strand tries every year to have the best Christmas lights display on his block, but his neighbor across the street always wins.  This year, Dwight vows to go bigger and better than ever, with the one thing his neighbor could never duplicate -- the real Santa Claus!  So, for over 300 days, Dwight scours the North Pole for Santa's workshop, finds it, and accomplishes the impossible: he kidnaps St. Nick!  Now, it's up to Mrs. Claus, the elves, and the reindeer to convince Dwight that winning isn't everything . . . because, if they fail, Dwight's display will cost the rest of the world Christmas!

Blogger's Note: When I started drafting these posts earlier this month, I didn't realize Image Comics would begin releasing a comic with Santa Claus in it -- called Krampus.  While Santa isn't necessarily the hero in this series, he is featured prominently, and some of the concepts will undoubtedly parallel some of the pitches I've scheduled to post here.  So, while I assure the creators of Krampus that I'm not swiping their concepts, I say the more Santa stories, the better!  Check out Krampus at your LCS (local comics shop)!

Monday, December 16, 2013

The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics) #4: Deck the CLAWS!

Industrialist Benny Scrooge (great-great-grandson of Ebenezer) has begun using Santa's good name and likeness to promote his latest invention: C.L.A.W.S., short for Chimney, Ledge, and Wall Scalers, devices intended to make construction and skyscraper maintenance easier than ever.  When a group of thieves begins using the technology to pull off large scale heists, Scrooge enlists Santa's help -- but has Benny forgotten the lessons his great-great-grandfather learned all those years ago?  Could he really be behind one of the greatest holiday-themed crime sprees ever?

Sunday, December 15, 2013

The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics) #3: Five Stolen Rings!

Santa keeps momentos of each of the "12 days of Christmas" in a display at the North Pole called "True Love Hall" -- and someone has broken in and stolen the five golden rings!  When worn on the same hand, the rings conjure magical powers, including prolonged life, so anyone is a suspect with that kind of motivation.  Fortunately, a trail of champagne glass fragments leads Santa to Times Square, where he finds the culprit: Baby New Year, determined to live beyond his designated 365 days.  As long as Baby New Year wears the rings, the next year will never come!  This is one case where if Santa drops the ball, he saves the day!

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Coming Soon: The 12 Days of Christmas (Comics!)

I love Christmas, and I love comics -- and I love Christmas comics!  So, on each of the final twelve days before Christmas (starting Friday the 13th!), I'll be posting a different story arc pitch for a dream, Christmas-themed comic book series starring Santa Claus.  I won't be pursuing any of these ideas, and some of them will be quite derivative (expect "Crisis on Infinite Christmases"), but I can't resist the chance to end the year with a little holiday fanfic.  I hope to include some conceptual sketches with each pitch, to prove their potential, but no promises. By then, they'll only be twelve shopping days until Christmas, so I'll be pretty busy!


Note: I'm not gonna lie, I'm kinda sorta stealing the idea of a "12 days of Christmas" theme from my good buddy Brent, whose 12 Murders of Christmas last year remain one of my favorite blog post series ever.  The above image (by Brent) is the last, 12 Drummers Detonating, but click here to read them all!  (Needless to say, my pitches won't include a murder mystery story; it's already been done, and done better.)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Countdown Day 10: Santa Soars Over Arizona



When Santa visited the Valley last year, Sheriff Joe pulled St. Nick's sleigh over and accused the Jolly Elf of housing a workforce of illegal alien elves -- which, when you think about it, makes MORE sense than accusing President Obama of being an alien, but we'll get to that in a few days. In this case, Santa presented Arpaio with the gift he's always wanted -- a rescued puppy of his own. Did the bribe work? Email me at karaokefanboy@hotmail.com to receive the full strip and find out!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Countdown Day 4: Speed Cameron Vs. Dis Count



Last year, Speed Cameron uncovered Black Friday's heretofore unknown patron saint -- Dis Count, who has a taste for blood, and savings!

Originally published on Nerdvana; click the link at right to see more!