Monday Morning Art: More Giallo

Today's art is another digital painting from last week's edition of Dr. Sketchy's.  That's KB as the killer from the Italian-thriller-based ssession.  Next month the first anniversary of Dr. Sketchy's sees Kitty Killton return along with the debut of Bellarosa for a night of classic pin-up poses.  That's March 18 at The Kanawha Players Theater.  As always, click to see the image larger.

Sunday Evening Video: Coming Attractions

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What the headline says. Radio Free Charleston 150 is coming soon, and 151 will follow a week later, with the full video that is briefly previewed above. See how lethargic we are after taking two months off!

Phone Follies, Face Off, Fun Weekend Stuff And Vacation Slides

The PopCulteer
February 24, 2012

This week, your PopCulteer brings you a suggestion for a law what there oughta be, Face Off photos,a rundown of several really cool weekend events which all appear to be happening simultaneously, and part one of a photo essay on what I did on my Winter vacation.

A Modest Proposal

This week, the FCC announced that they were tightening the rules on robo-calls.  It seems everyone is getting those damned annoying recorded messages about lowering your interest rates or selling you a security system or some other scam.  These calls are a major nuisance, being made by people who obviously don't care one whit about the Do Not Call List.  In fact, the theory is that the only reason these calls are even being made is to send referral calls to poor saps who have been stupid enough to pay money for "work at home" kits that basically include a Magic Jack and a guarantee of a steady stream of incoming potential sales calls.

Monday Morning Art: Giallo

Last night, Dr. Sketchy's paid tribute to Giallo, the Italian film genre of horror/crime thriller noted for the artful and copious use of blood in the murder scenes.  Last night's models, Dolly Dagger and KB, demonstrated, and today's art is a digital oil, taken from last night's session. Dr. Sketchy will return on March 18 with their first anniversary show at Kanwha Players Theater.

Starstruck On The Web, Collaborators On The Outs, Wrestlers In The Ring and Giallo at Dr. Sketchy's

The PopCulteer
February 17, 2012

Your PopCulteer brings you more comics news, including yet another discussion of comic book creator's rights, plus an interactive website launch based on one of our previous Cool Comics, and news of a surprise wrestling event and this month's edition of Dr. Sketchy's.

Starstruck Like You've Never Seen It

Today, a new website devoted to Elaine Lee and Michael Kaluta's graphic novel "Starstruck", goes live. "Starstruck," based on a stage play written by Lee, Susan Norfleet and Dale Place in the early '80's, has a thirty year publishing history, but was most recently presented in a re-mastered format as a thirteen issue mini-series and deluxe hardcover by IDW Publishing. There's also a really cool audio comic adaptation as well.I raved about the comic here (scroll down), and the audiocomic here.

For more on the website, we will quote directly from Elaine Lee, "The purpose of this site is to try and reach new audience outside "the comics ghetto." By this I mean the huge number of people who are interested in science fiction, space opera and web comics, but who have never walked into a comic shop.

Monday Morning Art: Valen Tine

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and if a blogger can't post a nice piece of art that incorporates a portrait of his girlfriend, then there's something really messed-up in this world. So there!

Click to see it larger.

 

UPDATE: As of February 15, that would be my fiancée, Melanie.

Sunday Evening Videos: The Aquabats Are Coming!

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To The Hub, that is. The Hub (formerly Discovery Kids) is the home of loads of cool stuff, from reruns of the 1960's Batman show, to classic and new GI Joe and Transformers cartoons and starting on March 3, The Aquabats bring their super-hero-ninja-ska moves to the network with "The Aquabats Super Show!" Check out these videos and stay tuned to PopCult for more information in the coming weeks.There's way more after the jump!

Way More On Comic Book Rights, Plus Weekend Events & Uncle Grandpa

The PopCulteer
February 10, 2012

You Gotta Fight For Your Rights To Comics

Revisiting last week's "Watchmen" item in the PopCulteer, I don't want it to seem like I'm completely coming down on the side of DC Comics in the whole creator's rights issue. There are a few facts that can't be denied. First, DC Comics, like most corporate entities, has a pretty dodgy history when it comes to treating creative people in a fair and ethical way. Second, recent changes in copyright law have greatly confused matters for everyone involved. Third, while DC Comics has treated Alan Moore exceptionally well compared to other creators, that's mainly because he's made them a buttload of money over the years. Creators are still running into a brick wall at times with DC.

Monday Morning Art: In Like A Lion

This week's art is a digital painting of a big ferocious beastie, the king of the jungle, in fact. Why post a painting of a lion? I guess all the political coverage inspried me.  To see the image larger, just click on it, right in the darn face, if you dare.

Sunday Evening Video: Emily Dickinson Returns

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Last night I saw the Contemporary Youth Arts Company production of "The Belle Of Amhearst," a play by William Luce that uses the poets own words to weave a narrative that lets us spend an evening with the much-loved innovator of verse, Emily Dickinson.  This is a one-woman show, and it is an amazing performance by Mandy Harper. This George Washington senior pours herself into the role and becomes Emily Dickinson for over 90 minutes. It's quite a feat of theater, and something that should be witnessed by every patron of the arts in this town. Our video tonight is a brief snippet of the show.

Harper manages to act and embody the words of Dickinson. She does not merely recite them, instead making them come to life in a delightfully vibrant way.  I've seen Mandy in CYAC shows for almost two years now, and it's wonderful to see her shine like this. Kudos to director Dan Kehde for guiding this production to the stage.

You have three more chances to see "The Belle Of Amhearst," February 9-11 at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers Street, Charleston. Produced by The Contemporary Youth Arts Company. Performances start at 8 PM. Tickets are ten dollars for adults, six dollars for students and seniors.

 

Who Watches The Cool Weekend Events Before Watchmen?

The PopCulteer
February 3, 2012

We have some cool stuff in The PopCulteer this week, from cool local events to a big comc book controversy. So let's jump right into the thick of things.

The Belle of Amherst

The Contemporary Youth Arts Company is presenting a show that's a bit of a departure for them beginning this weekend. Last night saw the opening of The Belle of Amherst, a one woman show about Emily Dickinson. This 1976 Broadway play written by William Luce is a tour de force performance by George Washington High School senior, and CYAC veteran, Mandy Harper, who plays the poet, along with fourteen other characters.

Monday Morning Art: Vortex Ritter

We kick this week of PopCult off with an abstract digital painting that has a funny name. It's an exercise in combining organic and mechanical techniques into the creation of something new and artificial. Sort of like the Chicken McNugget, only better tasting and better for you. As always, click the image to see it larger.

Sunday Evening Video: Rubber Soul

Last year, Charleston's own Beatles Tribute Band, Rubber Soul, performed The Beatles (White Album) in its entirety at The Alban Theater in St. Albans.  This year they're back to bring the classic album, "Abbey Road" to the live stage.

Friady and Saturday, February 3 and 4, at 8 PM, Rubber Sould will once again grace the stage of The Alban Theater,  65 Old Main Plaza, St. Albans, with all of Abbey Road, from start to finish!

Tickets are $10, and the show is a benefit for The American Heart Association. Sponsored by Brooks Run Mining Company.

An added treat on Friday night is The Tom McGees, a hot Ska outfit, who will be performing sort of across the street after Abbey Road wraps up. For a mere five bucks, you can help David Scarpelli (his dad, Mark, is the man behind Rubber Soul) celebrate his birthday with a mad Ska meltdown at The VIP Lounge, 54 Olde Main Plaza, St. Albans, WV.

To remind you how much fun Rubber Soul is, tonight we're bringing back episode 117 of Radio Free Charleston, which previewed last year's White Album show. Enjoy, and come out to see the show.

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Back In The Random Saddle

The PopCulteer
January 27, 2012

Brain Stew

Last week your PopCulteer was missing in action for the first time in nearly three years. Circumstances beyond our control, including a computer virus and a real-world illness, conspired to knock yours truly out of commission. We are feeling better this week, and the PC problems are just about resolved, so we're going to tenatively climb back on the blogging pony and bring you a column of random images, news items and odd bits of information..

Popeye Returns

In April IDW Publishing launches a new comic book based on Popeye The Sailor, one of my personal favorites, and not just because of the spinach.

Monday Morning Art: Back To The Peoples

This week your Pop.Culteer is rebuilding his computer after a particularly nasty virus. Today's art is the first thing pooted out while trying the reinstalled graphics program. It's a digital painting of The Peoples Building on Summers Street. Click to see the image larger, and expect PopCult to be back to normal this week.

Monday Morning Art: Substitute Art

Your PopCulteer is a bit under the weather this week. That's why there was no Sunday Evening Video last night, and why today's art is NOT from last Friday's Twin Peaks edition of Dr. Sketchy's.  Between a nasty computer virus and a real-world head-exploding sinus infection, I was in no shape to go out anywhere this weekend.

So in place of a Dr. Sketchy's piece, I am bringing you a digitally-assaulted vintage pin-up photo, glommed from somewhere's on the internet. As always, click the image to see it bigger.  The computer problem and swelling, itching brain are probably going to combine to delay Radio Free Charleston's 150th episode until February.  It's going to be a tribute to LiveMix Studio, and will be the first of at least five retrospective shows planned for 2012. I gotta go pill up now.

How TV Warps Reality

The PopCulteer
January 13, 2012

"But If It's On TV It Must Be Real!"

Reality is being warped. Television is to blame. I'm not talking about the kind of skewed reality you find on FOX News, where the bizarre notion that Republicans can be trusted to govern is pounded into viewer's heads 24 hours a day. I'm talking about the unreal world of Reality TV.

I'm not a big fan of reality television. In fact, you could probably safely accuse me of being rather snobbish about it. I think it's lowest-common-denominator programming that carries with it the bottom-line-enhancing quality of being dirt cheap to produce, mostly by non-union crews.

But it is booming. Reality shows have spread like a fast-growing cancer, mutating several formerly sophisticated cable channels into slack-jawed, drooling shadows of their former selves.

Monday Morning Art: More Dangerous Curves

This week we once again go back to Friday, December 29, when the Burlesque troupe, Dangerous Curves Ahead, came to town and participated in a special session of Dr. Sketchy's. Above you see Clams Casion. After the jump you can see more digitally-assaulted photos of Darlinda, Just Darlinda, Minnie Tonka and Anita Cookie. The next edition of Dr. Sketchy's is a tribute to Twin Peaks, Friday, January 13.

Click to see 'em bigger, and follow the jump for three more!

PopCult Instant Video: Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen

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Our video this week is a recording made last Friday at Taylor Books. Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen returned to action with a fun, confident set. Jonathan Slack and Laura Summerhill have been appearing on Radio Free Charleston since 2007, and it's always a treat to catch up with them. In this video, shaky at times, you'll hear the duo performing The Beatles' song ,"Across The Universe," and their original tune, "Getaway Lane." Meanwhile, your loyal PopCult blogger is still hard at work assembling RFC 150.

Also, yesterday was Jonathan's birthday, so happy birthday, and thanks for the music!

15 Random Bits Of Coolness To Ring In The New Year

The PopCulteer
January 6, 2012

We start a new year of The PopCulteer on an upbeat note as we look at 15 cool things that we're looking forward to early in 2012.

These are some of the cool items to spice up our lives as we face a year of dirty politics, extreme weather, fracking-induced Earthquakes, people insulting our state and, if the Mayans are right, the end of the world. So...at least there's this...

Absolutely Fabulous Returns

Absolutely Fabulous, which has to be ranked among the elite British comedy shows, is returning with two new episodes, the first in six years, this month. BBC America will debut a new episode, "Identity," Sunday night at 10 PM, with a second episode, "Job," to follow in a week. Of note: Jennifer Saunders, the show's writer/creator and co-star, has not missed a beat. Despite the six years since the last series, the show is as sharp and timely as ever. A new title sequence returns to the original recording of "This Wheel's On Fire," sung by Julie Driscoll and Saunders' husband (and RFC supporter) Ade Edmondson, of "The Young Ones" fame. And the shows already appeared on The BBC on Christmas and New Year's Day, so the torrent-minded among you can probably already find them now.