Promo card for the CON! www.RANKINBASS.com back on track!

Here is a card layout I did for a giveaway postcard for the WIZARD WORLD CON to advertise our various sites. The artwork is by veteran RANKIN/BASS Artist PAUL COKER, JR.! There will also be a color photo holder with a photo of the RUDOLPH & SANTA 'ANIMAGIC' figures that will hold a digital photo of you with SANTA! Also, Good NEWS....www.rankinbass.com is back on track with UPDATES. Look for NEWS updates and stories from MARK SYKORA through this weekend. I know many e-mailed that they missed them. Sorry for the delay.

ARTHUR RANKIN, JR. Says Hello!

I heard from ARTHUR RANKIN today from his home in BERMUDA and he sends his best! He is looking for toys related to their Productions of THUNDERCATS and SILVERHAWKS. If anyone can help him out, PLEASE let me know. THANKS!

WIZARD WORLD CONVENTION AUGUST 5th and 6th!

It does appear that I will be at the WIZARD WORLD CONVENTION both weekend days entertaining RANKIN/BASS fans and signing books and CDs at the TIME & SPACE TOYS tables at the front of the covention at the ROSEMONT CONVENTION CENTER. I will be bringing some very RARE clips on video and showing them during the course of the con. Come out and ask questions and overindulge in the world of RANKIN/BASS and have your picture taken with SANTA CLAUS and take photos of the original ANIMAGIC figures of RUDOLPH & SANTA CLAUS from RANKIN/BASS' RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER (1964). This is a RARE opportunity...they have not been seen in public since their television debut! They are also newly restored by www.screen-novelties.com and I can't wait to see them myself. THANKS MARK and SHAMUS for doing the world of ANIMATION a big favor!

EARLY ANIMAGIC!

!!!!!!!!ANIMAGIC!!!!!! This is one of my favorite subjects! Early RANKIN/BASS ANIMAGIC! The designs were partly TONY PETERS (A young R/B New York Animator on staff), part ARTHUR RANKIN, JR. and part JAPANESE ANIMAGIC technician designers like KYOTO KITA. and PINCHAN! These were Pre-Paul Coker, Jr. and post the wonderful designs of UPA and 1950's commercial art design. RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO and WILLY McBEAN & HIS MAGIC MACHINE are all classic examples of the early RANKIN/BASS 'ANIMAGIC.' I have the Re-Mastered WILLY McBEAN that was intended for DVD release and it is pure RANKIN/BASS Eye candy. Come out and see 'ANIMAGIC' in person at the CHICAGO WIZARD WORLD CON at the TIME & SPACE TOYS booth!

GIN BLOSSOMS in West Dundee, IL 07-22-06

Check www.myspace.com/ginblossoms for TOUR DATES and a GREAT FENDER contest for a signed STRATOCASTER!

NEW GIN BLOSSOMS CD out August 8th!

NEW CD! #3 from GIN BLOSSOMS will be available AUGUST 8th! As you may know, GIN BLOSSOMS are like brothers to me. They were gracious enough to appear on my CD and they are quite frankly, a GREAT Rock band! It took about 10 years for their 3rd CD to be released. I have heard the tracks over the past few years both in ROBIN's studio and at their live shows BUT that didn't prepare me for the polished CD release that JOHN HAMPTON assisted with. This CD is 100% Solid ...all 12 tracks are GREAT! Some standouts include "Long Time Gone," "The End Of The World," "Supergirl" and of course the single "Learning the hard way." Just a GREAT CD! Check the tracks out at www.barnesandnoble.com and check the Blossoms site at www.ginblossoms.net !!!!

SHAG in the ENCHANTED WORLD OF RANKIN/BASS!

SHAG visits THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF R/B (CHICAGO)!

SHAG (AKA JOSH AGLE) paid a visit to me and THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF RANKIN/BASS with his brother Piet (Who also works www.shagmart.com) while he was in CHICAGO doing a Gallery show 07-16-06. Check out his website www.shag.com (Formerly www.shag-art.com) for some GREAT images and prints. He promised to dig out a CHRISTMAS card he did for his wife of the HEAT & SNOW MISERS in the SHAG STYLE! We also paid a visit to friend MITCH O' CONNELL's HOT PAD pictured below. MITCH is also very Shag these days. Visit his site at www.mitchoconnell.com and Enjoy his wonderful world of KITCH (With MITCH). We all had a GREAT day visiting in the 100 Degree weather that hit Chicago suddenly!