chumpchampion

Once again the Secret Headquarters of Silver Lake bring the goods with tonights opening featuring Mark Todd’s latest works on paper. His previous illustrations I’ve seen of iconic “bad asses” ranging from Mr.T to Miss Piggy and reconstructions of comic book covers from our youth, make Todd’s lo-fi sensibilities a perfect fit for our friendly neighborhood comic book shop.

From the secret heads of the Secret Headquarters:

Painter, illustrator and author Mark Todd took his first creative cues from comic books and Star Wars: worlds of inventive fantasy that still inform his art. His latest work involves intense scrutiny and alteration of classic comic covers from “Fantastic Four,” “X-Men,” “Iron Man,” “Spiderman” and other series, including the work of legendary illustrators like Jack Kirby.

“I love the type, the heavy shadows, the colors and the way they seemed to use every inch of the page,” says Todd. “I sit and study them, and my brush reconstructs them.”

Todd is referencing the past, waxing nostalgic about it and simultaneously lending his own post-modern sensibility to it, employing a limited palette, repetition, distortion and mixed media materials including spray paint, cel-vinyl, glossy varnishes and dusty stains. The pieces are rounded at the edges, appearing as prized objects; tablets encoded with civilization’s most iconic collective wisdom.

His work has appeared in scores of publications including Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly, Spin, New York Times, and for Country Music Television. Todd graduated with honors in 1993 from Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design, where he has also taught since 2003. He has also written several books, including “Whatcha Mean, What’s A Zine? ” co-authored with his wife and fellow artist, Esther Pearl Watson.

Join Mark Todd for a drink at Secret Headquarters
from 8pm - 10 pm TONIGHT, May 30th.

Secret Headquarters will feature Todd’s one-of-a kind original works of art through July 2nd, 2008

www.funchicken.com

Secret Headquarters is located on 3817 W Sunset Blvd. LA 90026 and is open Monday through Friday from 11am-9pm and on Sundays 12pm-7pm for all your geek book needs.

As I alluded to in a previous post, Secret Headquarters is one of if not the best spot for funny books in Los Angeles and also doubles as a great gallery space for affordable one of a kind artworks. This Saturday they will leave their doors open for you well into the evening to come enjoy an alcoholic beverage and check the latest works by San Francisco artist Scott Campbell, who recently made this print for the King of Kong DVD release.

From the good folk over at Secret Headquarters:

Opening Reception:
This Saturday, May 3rd
Join Scott for a drink from 8 - 11pm

Scott C. is Scott Campbell, art director for Psychonauts and Brütal Legend at Double Fine Productions. Scott has done numerous comics that have appeared in such anthologies as Hickee, Flight, Beasts!, and Project: Superior. His story, Igloo Head and Tree Head, was awarded the silver medal from the Society of Illustrators. He draws/writes a daily comic strip called Double Fine Action Comics at
doublefine.com.

Scott C. has painted many clever little paintings that have shown in such places as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Montreal, and Japan.

Scott thinks you should go to the internet and look at more of his stuff. You will get super happy. These are some places that you can go: scott-c.blogspot.com and pyramidcar.com

Secret Headquarters will feature Scott Campbell’s one-of-a kind original works of art through May 29th, 2008.

TotallyNerdCore.com

Secret Headquarters is located on 3817 W Sunset Blvd. LA 90026 and is open Monday through Friday from 11am-9pm and on Sundays 12pm-7pm.

Secret Headquarters, known to some simply as a comic book store in Silver Lake, to others it’s one of the ten best bookstores in the world, but to me it’s the geek equivalent to the bar from TV’s “Cheers”. Now I may not go to my local joint everyday like those Boston lushes on the show, but I do take a leisurely stroll down Sunset Blvd. to pick me up some funny books every Wednesday where everybody (maybe?) knows my name. Not only do I get to enjoy some stimulating conversation with the comic book bartenders whilst I peruse their fine selection of comics, zines, graphic novels, and books by artists, on occasion I actually do get to enjoy a beer, or three, there as well. Those occasions being one of their art openings in their fantastic space that doubles as an art gallery. This Friday marks their latest opening featuring MATS!?

From the not-so-secret files of Secret Headquarters:

“MATS!? was born in France to itinerant Swedish parents. He commits his first artistic act in kindergarten in the form of a scatological graffiti on the blackboard. Rewarded as he was with corporal punishment, the artistic path was thus laid.

Mats!? past sporadic outputs of comic work, interspersed with commercial illustration work has given way to bouts of throwing paint on canvas as well as printing on glass. Through various mediums,the unifying factor in his work is his use of a visual vocabulary rooted in comics as means of expression.

Mats!? might be best known for his critically acclaimed book Asiaddict, an amazing cartoon travel log of his bizarre trip through Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Mats!? has also created art for Last Gasp comix, Comix 2000, as well as the magazines Real Stuff (Fantagraphics) Buzzard (Cat-head comics), Hustler, Screw and BLAB!

The artist will attend the opening from 8pm to 10pm.

Secret Headquarters will feature Mats!? one-of-a kind original works of art through April 30th, 2008.”

Secret Headquarters is located on 3817 W Sunset Blvd. LA 90026 and is open Monday through Friday from 11am-9pm and on Sundays 12pm-7pm.