"Close to Home" ("War of the Worlds")
Pencil Marks: When I was a kid of barely two years, my parents decided to bring me to my first movie, therefore cementing my lifelong love of films. The flick they chose to take their young toddler son? Jaws. Yup. I was a Spielberg brat before I knew who the heck Spielberg was. Ever since that seminal moment, I've always been partial to Steven's films. I even enjoy most of the flicks he's made that others just can't get into (A.I. - 1941). So when word came that he was remaking a sci-fi classic and that it would be a summer time flick, I signed on immediately. Of course I waited till the last minute to actually draw the pic, but I still got it done.
I wanted to do something a bit different than my usual anime influenced stuff. Cartoon-style is cool and all, the Blockbuster Gallery is all about trying new things (at least that was my goal for the year). I picked the more "realistic" route. And I think it turned out pretty darn good. - Tony
Ink Smudges: It was five days before the deadline and I was pushing Tony into getting a picture done for "War of the Worlds". Sure he had been putting long hours in at work and getting ready to move, not to mention having two kids off on summer vacation. The guy was exhausted. But after nine weeks of trouble-free updates, I wasn't going to let him drop the ball now (even though if he had, I certainly wouldn't have held it against him. Harrass him yes, but not hold it against him).
So we were coming up with ideas and he thought we should take a break from all the cartoonish entries we've done lately and try something in a more 'serious' manner. At the time I thought it was just a suggestion since it led into how he thought I stink at drawing noses and the way I draw women is unrealistic (which I agree on both counts, by the way). To me I took it as a friendly critique session. But when Tony handed me the pencils to "Close to Home", I began to see differently. Maybe I'm wrong but I think my homeboy took our talk a little too personal than it was meant to be.
I know we pat each other's backs from time to time (especially this year's gallery). The stuff I've said about him has been honest and vice versa. This picture though? This has got to be the best illustration Tony has ever experimented on. Hands down!
Not only did he take a more realistic approach, actually draw porportional characters (and yeah, I realize this means the end of my "He can't draw women" rant now), and set up an unbelievable perspective, but he even marked what colors he wanted to use and what the punch line would be. This picture was such a radical departure from his usual 'style' that it's obvious he spent a lot of time doing so many things different. I've liked his stuff in the past, don't get me wrong. This one however, struck me absolutely speechless. If I didn't know better, I wouldn't have even thought he drew it.
He didn't have anything to prove to me, but damn I'm glad he did. - Jake