A beautiful collection of paintings by Blanka Dvorak based on Lovecraft stories. For no good reason — other than, perhaps, the manic scribbles found throughout — they remind me of Stephen Gammell.

Apologies to H.P. Lovecraft [Artist’s Site] : MONSTER BRAINS

A stunning short film by the trio of South African artists known as The Blackheart Gang, The Tale of How is the story of a giant octopus who consumes the kiwi bird-like denizens of a tiny island. One of them places messages in a bottle, in the hope that someone will come to rescue them. But who?

It’s a truly beautiful piece of animation and they even have a book/DVD set and an upcoming series of prints available in their shop.

The Tale of How [vimeo] : Super Punch

Most of my nights are, blessedly, dreamless; vast stretches of blissful, barren darkness bookended by painful reality. Those nights on which my fevered brain decides to regale me with nightmarish visions, however, seem endless; the parade of grotesque images forced in front of my mind’s eye taking my last refuge from me. Now, do not misunderstand me, I have no delusions of grandeur. My dreams are certainly no worse than yours, dear reader. I do not pretend to assume that my mind houses apparitions any more terrible than anyone else’s. All I am saying here is that the nights in which I dream that Isaac Mizrahi has taken my beloved pet Velociraptor, Paul, hostage and is forcing me to murder women and collect their labia for the coats he plans to show for his winter line…well…

Those nights are bad.

The filthy warrens of my subconscious aside, I can say with some certainty that I have never conjured up anything as disturbing and wonderful as the Cthulhu Kitty doll pictured above. Fashioned by limeinmoloko, it has, alas, already been sold. Still, we can marvel at her spindly frame topped by a massive, feline cranium. We can gaze upon her horrific, tentacled visage, which belies her demure pose, those tentacle-like extremities crossed ever so delicately. We can try to catch the gaze of her eye with its milky, pearled cataract. Truly, it’s a fantastic piece, effortlessly walking the line between ghastly and beautiful.

Not like labia coats. No one wants those. I have no idea what Isaac was thinking.

cthulhu kitty OOAK art doll - RESERVED [Etsy] : Under Vhoorl’s Shadow

Stylish craniums by the artist simply known as Jim, using what appears to be twine, their visages adorned with long, hanging tendrils. A worthy addition to any worshiper’s domicile.

skullgallery [Artist’s Site] : who killed bambi?

The poster for the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art’s MoCCA Festival 2009 brought a smile to my face this morning, festooned as it is with sea creatures and dapper hats. Running from June 6-9 at the famous 69th Regiment Armory in New York — scant blocks from my alma mater — the festival features an impressive list of comic book heavy hitters including Seth, Gary Panter, Al Jaffee, Molly Crabapple, David Mazzuchelli, and Adrian Tomine. Passes are $10.00 a day or $15.00 for the entire weekend. Definitely worth a look.

MoCCA Festival 2009 [MoCCA] : Super Punch

Few people have done more for the state of Hawaii than Keanu Reeves. Even though he was born in Beirut and grew up in Toronto, Mr. Reeves’s forename forever ties him to the tiny string of islands, proving to America and the world that Hawaii is much more than a place to off-load your excess pork products and park your battleships. No, they also turn out respected thespians.

The evidence of this greatness can be seen in this clip of Keanu covering the first Canadian International Teddy Bear Convention for Going Great. Here we can see the beginnings of what would be a long and storied career. His ability to improvise with sunglasses, teddy bears, and young teddy bear enthusiast Graham Abbey — who absolutely, positively does not actually play with teddy bears but merely collects them and is every bit the man that you are, thank you very much — is a stunning example of the craft.

Indeed, even though Reeves expected for all manner of insanity; an orgy of stuffing and button eyes, he kept his cool throughout, even while walking the convention floor with superstar collector Graham Abbey — who, it should be pointed out, merely has an affinity for teddy bears and keeps them on display, never for one minute entertaining even the slightest urge to “play” with the ursine objects of his affection let alone stroke or fondle them in a manner that might be construed as inappropriate — Reeves stays a poised professional. Truly, one is witnessing the work of a future master.

Graham Abbey is happily married with five children and continues to resolutely deny allegations of cavorting with stuff bears.*

*This may or may not be true.

RetroBites: Keanu Reeves [YouTube]

Teun Hocks [Kagami]

For those with plenty of disposable income who wish to indulge their Gothiest desires, I suppose you could do worse than this piece by Delfina Delettrez Fendi. You’ll be the envy of just everyone as you sway to the strains of Sisters of Mercy, twenty-four thousand dollars of jewel encrusted carpals and silver metacarpals shining under the dim, dim lights.

Delfina Delettrez [Artist’s Site] : bioephemera : Haute Macabre

Giant Squid, 2006

I very much enjoy this particular piece by Nemo Gould although perhaps not for the reasons which he indented; for while I understand the idea behind it, and while I appreciate its sleek, shiny carapace and barbed arms it still strikes me as a squid riding a bicycle, an image that fills me with an almost indescribable glee.

Check out his YouTube channel to see this and his other sculptures in action.

Nemomatic [Artist’s Site] : Super Punch

Christopher Sickels uses puppets to create stark, emotive, and strange illustrations for various publications. It amazes me how surreal these are especially when one considers that the same image, rendered in the normal, two dimensional line drawings found in many magazines, would go largely unnoticed.

Red Nose Studio [Artist’s Site] : LCSV4

Cthulhu Thing sketch done at this year’s recent Emerald City Comic Con by Warren Ellis’s faux-hawked golem, Ben Templesmith.

Cthulhu Thing [Artist’s Site] : Under Vhoorl’s Shadow

Enkindu & Gilgamesh by Joao Ruas

Souvlaki Space Station [Artist’s Site]

OF WARS & WITS & POWER 02

Stunning bookcases by Daniel Loves Objects; your tomes encased in the silhouettes of towering missiles balanced on the backs of golden, AK-47 toting toy soldiers, frozen in time as they march off to face the enemy. I’m not sure how functional something like this would be, but then again I don’t particularly care, either.

DANIEL LOVES OBJECTS! [coroflot] : core77

Illustration from Don Quixote by Gustave Doré

Arte - Pinturas - Gustave Dore - Quijote [PENUMBRA] : kagami

hasenmenschen by Marcel Steger

Marcel Steger [Artist’s Site] : bunnylicious