Month: May 2006

  • Another day…


    …another Lucha design



    Fighting Gatos design roughs


    One thing I need to stress about Los Campeones is that, yes it’s a feature — but this ain’t no Over The Hedge.  More like Under The Boardwalk; we have no major production studio backing us, and this is gonna be a maverick production in the truest sense.  We do have a network – TV Azteca – backing us, but the actual production is going to be all us.


    And after 3 years of being part of the Warner Bros Animation process, it will be a big challenge for us to get back to where we were before ¡Mucha Lucha!, and use our own resources to produce this.


    Thankfully we have a host of talented friends and colleagues out there to call upon.  Hopefully this, and the pioneering spirit will pull us through.


    First thing is design, so we’ll  be using this blog to post roughs, finished art and whatever else the production process involves.  Stay tuned!  -Eddie



    More Gatos



    It was 3am and I was losing it when I drew this.  I want to call him ‘Battleship Ramirez’


     

  • Don’t tap, Rikochet, don’t tap!



    Our buddy Keith picked up the new Guerreros del Ring magazine this weekend, and would you believe it; there’s Rikochet getting his ass kicked


    Not only that, but the character the magazine is using for it’s mailbag section looks a tad like our boy too.  Hmmm…..


  • Flippin’ Out -by Eddie

    Spotted at a Chelsea Flea Market

    Looks like June is going to be a big month.  Fwak! finally goes into production with Los Campeones de La Lucha Libre.  Right now it’s drawing, drawing, drawing, as we define characters and style for the project.  Here’s what I’m working on right now:

    Rough designs for Lucha swapmeet audience

    Lili, Keith, Jim and I went to the last FMLL event, and the results are these designs based on the audience.  Taking mine and Lili’s sketches, I’ve stylized the characters so they fit into the style of Los Campeones.  Right now I’m concerning myself mainly with shape; arms and legs that taper wide at the ends, smallish heads and chunkier bodies.

    Warts ‘n all studies of Vampire women.  Definitely in need of a good Flash clean up

  • May/June 2006


    Right now I’m in New York City, and will have a decent update when I return, tomorrow.  Lili on the other hand, flew out of the US to Paris and Barcelona for a couple of weeks.  So stay tuned for travel news and an update on our new production. -Eddie

  • Lili: Nice to see everyone at the Cha Cha Lounge last night and a big THANK YOU for all the very cool birthday gifts!!!!

    • Card with  photo of the adorable Curly Joe and Jimmy-Sue (doggies) from Dale
    • Cool Thomas Han “Monkey King” print, Mizna Wada black tote bag and tshirt from Eddie
    • Cute set of purses from Linda
    • “Hot Mexican Love Comics”, boxed pendant , and “The RobotScopitone DVD – from Lisa J.
    • “Vampires from Coyoacan” candle with custom glitter from Lisa A. and Wednesday
    • FM3 Buddha Machine from Jim (I have yet to find out if this will relax me)
    • “MEXICO 2000″ DVD, mini circus punk and toy ninjas from Keith
    • “VISIBLE DOG” model kit, “Chicken Chucker” gun that shoots rubber chickens,  “The Cramps” and Tijuana buttons (“AAA Pucha Libre” & “Sexos, Drogas Y Rocanrol”), two Charles Addams books, “Prince Achmed” DVD, and homemade CD mixes (“Jungle Music” vols. 1-20!) from Wes.

    And I also got a  POLKA-LAY-LEE  from Wes. It’s BIG!
    Added to my 2006 resolutions: “Learn to Play Ukelele”.

    Will post more photos very soon…
  • ¡Mira!


    Mr Profesional, Sorpresa, Dragon Rojo Jr, Rayo X, Tsetse Fly

    Los Campeones one-of-a-kind custom figures! Note that we neither asked for nor paid for these.  The talented Tom Rebello customized these figures himself, based on our character designs, and sent us the set because he is too cool and too kind. Thank you so much, Tom! You rock!!!!

  • Cool L.A. Eats - Lili

    Eddie has mentioned CLIFTON’S CAFETERIA before in a previous post. I went there for the first time last week and it was pretty amazing. Three levels of faux woodland decor -  trees, deer, rabbits, bears, moose; including a cave chapel with a “forest path” diorama. Push a button and listen to the voice of God, who unfortunately, was off-duty that day. I had oxtail stew and mashed potatoes but was too full to fit in any jello-desserts. (To think that Clifton’s used to be a Polynesian Paradise…)



    TIGEORGES CHICKEN. This little hole-in-the-wall Haitian restaurant has to be one of LA’s best kept secrets! My friend Wes and I got there early at 5.30pm (they shut at 7pm) and there was a live band playing afro-carribean jazz. The Island Combo chicken and the aphrodisiac Conch (which tastes like abalone/clam) were delicious, and the owner of the place entertained us with stories while he danced alongside our table. (Read a review here)

    The LOS ANGELES POLICE ACADEMY is up in the Elysian Park hills near Dodgers Stadium and believe it or not, their old-school museum-like diner is pretty cool. (open only on weekdays) We were here for breakfast and snapping photos of stuff on the walls. Photography was only permitted because there were no undercover cops around at the time. We also visited the Academy Gift Store which sells stuff like LAPD pins, german-shepherd plushes and Locsters/Homies figurine sets.Unfortunately the shrine to “Dragnet” was no longer there because someone had stolen Jack Webb’s gun.





    …the wall next to our booth – with a display of brass knuckles!


    And as for some cool bars…

    CHA CHA LOUNGE on Glendale Blvd, Silverlake has a groovy Tiki-Mexican theme. How can you go wrong with sombreros, marraccas and dia de los muertos skeletons hanging from the ceiling, a straw-hut bar, black velvet paintings and big booths?

    BAR 107
    Downtown. Another interesting interior (more moose heads!) When I was here about 2 months ago, a “little person” (aka midget) street performer showed up and breakdanced for the crowd. I think that might’ve been a one-time thing, though…

  • Cuba 1959!


    Recently we both saw LOST CITY, the new film by Andy Garcia set in Havana 1959 during the Cuban Revolution. Though it was worthwhile seeing for it’s ‘tribute’ to Havana in its heyday as “Pearl of The Carribean”, in no way does it compare aesthetically with Communist propoganda film – SOY CUBA with its breathtakingly beautiful cinematography and memorable nightclub scenes. Like this famous long tracking shot….

    Thanks to Mr. Bali Hai (tiki expert) we have just learnt that the SOY CUBA nightclub scenes were shot in Trader Vics, Havana!

    I know it does no justice to the film, to view these segments out of context, but anyway… here are some freshly-uploaded video clips from the Trader Vic’s nightclub sequence.

    …which inspired my illustration below. Another personal project that Eddie and I are researching/experimenting with in our spare time. (ha, WHAT spare time?)

    “Our Comrade In Cuba” (#2 of a series) by Lili.
     Eddie is writing the story of Kaspar Kasperovich, soviet secret agent.
    The target on the right is Colonel Tom Parker.