365 T-shirts - the reasoning

This blog should be sub-titled: a journal of my life in geek.

I get my geek on with things about which I am geeky: comic books, Baseball, Ultimate, science fiction, my favorite bands, books I have read and loved, and Jungian psychology to name some of the most frequently traversed subjects.

I began this project simply as a way to count my T-shirts. I own a lot of T-shirts. But how many do I have? Do I have 365? We shall find out.

When I started this blog, I thought about how each T-shirt means something to me. I bought it for a reason, after all. I set myself the task to post an entry about a new T-shirt every day as a way to simply write something every day, a warm up for writing fiction, which is my passion. Writing is like exercise. Warm ups are good for exercise. But after completing a month of blogging about T-shirts, I have learned that this blog serves as a journal; it documents my life in geek, sort of a tour of my interests in pop culture. The blog serves as a tool for self-inventory, for assessment and analysis of self and the origins of self, for stepping through the process of individuation in catalogues, lists, and ranks.

The blog also made me aware that I have some serious gaps in my T-shirt ownership, and I am in the process of collecting some new T-shirts for several of the great popular culture icons that I truly love. Stay tuned.

I was also a bit surprised that people checked out my blog and continue to check it, read it, and even comment on it. I am very appreciative of this readership. Please feel free to share your thoughts in my comments section. I will respond.

Also, please note that I have moved the original introductory text to the side bar. And now, I present to you the most recent entry of 365 T-shirts: a journal of my life in geek. Thank you for reading.
(Second Update - 1310.24. First Update - 1306.05 Originally Posted - 1304.25.)

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

T-shirt #146: The Big Guy & Rusty the Boy Robot

T-shirt #146: The Big Guy & Rusty the Boy Robot

Greetings. Another comic book artist today and another one tomorrow. Huzzah!

Perhaps I should have entitled this "comic book artist week."  I have avoided the theme weeks. I like variety.

I had another artist chosen for today, but as the day has progressed, Grading Robot needs more and more energy and that post needed more and more content. Tomorrow's artist is a bit of a bigger mouthful than today's: Geof Darrow.

In 1995, Frank Miller and Geoff Darrow published two issues of a portfolio-sized comic called The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot. Years later, they produced this large toy that you see me holding in the pictures.

Darrow has not done nearly enough work in comics for as brilliant as he is. Strongly influenced by the French artist Moebius (with whom he has collaborated) and showing hints of George Pérez, Darrow produced the aforementioned The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot via Dark Horse's Legend imprint in 1995. Despite completing many covers and pinups, his substantial work includes Hard Boiled (with Frank Miller - 1990) and his own Shaolin Cowboy (1995). He has worked with the Wachowskis on the Matrix films.

In the 1980s, he worked in television character design, contributing to The Super Friends and Richie Rich among others.

I would definitely list him as one of my favourite artists, even though I am not yet ready to make a definitive list. Would he make top ten? Maybe, but I feel like I do not have enough of his work to make a call compared to other artists who have given me many more pages of enjoyment over the years. I do like that Darrow is an inspiration to modern favorites of mine, like Frank Quitely.

Today is short because GRADING ROBOT is in GRADING HELL.

Final grades are due tomorrow morning. I will back with another comic book artist and much more text and the results of great thought and contemplation then.

However, if you like comics (or even if you don't), and you have not checked out these titles listed here, I strongly urge you to obtain as many as possible.

Hmmmmm... I actually have three copies of The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot #1.

Meanwhile, enjoy some great art and think of Grading Robot toiling repeatedly and with robotic repetition and with great effort.

Added note of interest: I call my Dad "Big Guy," and I did so prior to the publication of this comic book.

- chris tower - 1308.14 - 13:42



Retro Big Guy and Rusty by some artist - not Darrow


Page 8 from Big Guy and Rusty #1

Page 19 from Big Guy and Rusty #1

Panel from page 29 Big Guy and Rusty #1

Page 15  from Big Guy and Rusty #2
Pages 20-21 from Big Guy and Rusty #1



Hard Boiled love scene

Moebius and Darrow - City of Fire