SPECIAL AUCTION!! Doctor Who: The Time War (11x14 Color Art)

In celebration of the upcoming Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special DAY OF THE DOCTOR I am offering a special ONE TIME ONLY print titled THE TIME WAR.

At the end of this years series (or season for those of you in the United States) finale NAME OF THE DOCTOR, veteran actor John Hurt was introduced as a previously unknown incarnation of the Doctor. And there is speculation that he is in fact a regeneration between Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor and Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor. Whether Hurt's Doctor is the actual Ninth Doctor or an interim regeneration much like Michael Jayston's Valeyard from Trial of a Time Lord or Tony Garner's interim Doctor between the Second and Third Doctor from the famed fan film DEVIOUS is unknown.

However, there are a few clues that Hurt's mysterious incarnation maybe the Doctor that indeed ended the Time War by destroying both the Time Lords and the Daleks.

But we will have to wait till November to find out just WHO is this Doctor.

I am going on the theory that John Hurt's incarnation is an interim regeneration of the Doctor. So I placed him in between the Eighth and Ninth Doctor respectively as they would have looked in their television appearances. Although, Paul McGann has gone on to redefine his look in a series of audio adventures. I thought people probably recognize him more in his "Oscar Wilde in Space" look rather than in the leather pea coat (which I think looks sharp on him) which his Doctor has recently been photographed in.

THIS IS A SPECIAL ONE TIME ONLY AUCTION!! What that means is once the winning bid is met a print will be made on 11x14 high quality glossy card stock and SIGNED PERSONALLY to the winning bidder.

Then the digital file which the image was on will be deleted. This will ensure the buyer will be getting a ONE OF A KIND ILLUSTRATION.

Not only will the winning bidder receive the color art, they will also receive the pen and ink original of "The Three Doctor" which this image was based on.

The original artwork measures 9x12 and is illustrated in Deleter Black Drawing Ink. Although I will have to send both images separately, YOU WILL ONLY HAVE TO PAY SHIPPING FOR ONE!!

Click on the link below and HAPPY BIDDING:

Doctor Who: The Time War (11x14 Color Art)

Out in November: FROM WILDTHYME WITH LOVE by Paul Magrs

I had been asked by one of my favorite writers Paul Magrs (last name pronounced "Mars") to do the cover for his latest book FROM WILDTHYME WITH LOVE which will be out in November. 

The cover concept was inspired by the Snoopy book IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT which was suggested by Paul. It was a book I absolutely loved as a kid and I must have borrowed from both the town and school library countless times.

The back cover was actually what was originally considered for the front cover.

For those of you who are not fans of Doctor Who, Iris Wildthyme was a trans-temporal adventuress created by Paul for a series of fiction he wrote. She traveled through time and space in a red doubledecker London bus. Later when he started writing original novels for BBC Books line of Doctor Who adventures Iris made her debut as an "old flame" of the Doctor. Later when Big Finish began to produce a series of original audio adventures featuring some of the actors who played the Doctor on television Iris made the transition to audio as portrayed by Katy Manning who had originally played the Third Doctor's companion Jo Grant.

Initially Iris traveled with a young man named Tom but later traveled with a sentient stuffed panda named... Panda.

Which brings me to the book you see above. The book is a cheeky collection of postcards sent between Iris and "Panda Lovey".

You don't have to be a Doctor Who fan or familiar with world of Iris Wildthyme to enjoy the book. After you read it, however, you might find yourself wishing to get acquainted with Iris and her adventures.

The book itself will be available from Snowbooks in November. So be sure to keep an eye on their website for details.

Dream Project: Lost in Space

This will (probably) be the last stop in my short series of blogs of what I would I would like to do if I were given rights to do a television series based on the classic series LOST IN SPACE.

Although, the series always had that edge of campiness to it, the early episodes could be downright sinister and scary at time. In particular the character of Dr. Zachary Smith. 

The character started out as a complete bastard but kind of downgraded into more of a silly comedy relief who had a tendency of being naughty.

Although, I don't think the character should be played totally for laughs, I don't think the character should be a total villain either. Somewhere more along the lines of how the character was nearer the end of the first season would probably be the way I'd have Dr. Smith approached.

The character is a selfish coward looking out for his own best interest. But despite all that, and the rest of the crews initial dislike and distrust of Smith, the character of Will Robinson somehow sees something good in this silly self-centered man.

Much like who I had in mind for Barnabas Collins I really think actor David Hyde Pierce would be excellent in the role of Dr. Smith.

Although, another actor I think might be interesting in the role is BIG BANG THEORY star Jim Parsons. I haven't seen him much in dramatic roles (although Lost in Space isn't really necessarily a drama). I think he could pull a part like this off. But David Hyde Pierce would be my first choice.

Much like my previous blog on DARK SHADOWS, I think that the key to any successful revival is while it is always important to take any property in a new and exciting direction, it is also equally important to remember exactly WHAT made that show's original run a success.

Which is why many remakes fail. Two examples. Look at the remake of King Kong. Trying t be too innovative and exciting (not to mention Peter Jackson's habit of making his movies twenty-six hours long) made it fall flat on its face. Then on the other side of the coin, when they tried to do a remake of Psycho note for note, people just found themselves saying "What's the point? Why don't I just go watch the original?" which is pretty much what they did.

Again, I use the current series of Doctor Who as a prime example of a production team doing it right. When Russell T. Davies brought the show back in 2005, he moved the show forward with many of the modern trappings of fast-paced story-lines and special effects that a modern audience comes to expect.

However, he kept the core quality of the character of the Doctor the same as he had been in the series's classic run from 1963 to 1989.

But the current series of Doctor Who is a continuation of the original show rather than a reboot. But I think those qualities can still be used in a reboot of a series as well. Even the reboot of Star Trek didn't go out of its way to alienate the series's original audience. Although, I heard the last movie wasn't universally enjoyed by everyone, I think creating it as a parallel timeline was actually a smart move on the producers of the show.

I don't think parallel timelines are necessarily the way to go. But just remembering elements of what made the show successful while going in an exciting new direction with it can help in reviving a classic series.

Also to keep in mind, you're not trying to be better than the original. Just different.

IMDb Pro Announcement: Seeking Concept Artist for Logan’s Run Sequel (Book Film Trailer)



Sorry Planktonbot. As much as I love ya, you're not the concept the current filmmakers are looking for...



Thought I'd pass this along to any potential concept artists out there. I loved the movie LOGAN'S RUN and this proposed sequel looks intriguing. And much like the current series of Doctor Who it looks more like a continuation than a relaunch. Which seems more believable as a relaunch than trying to pass off Brandon Routh as the same Superman as Christopher Reeves.

But here's the article as posted on the website along with the contact info:

We are seeking samples from concept artists who specialize in futuristic or visionary sci-fi with an industrial feel for a book film trailer to Jessica’s Run: A New Sequel to Logan’s Run due to be released September 14. It would also help if you are familiar with the very early sci fi silent work of Georges Melies. Any concept art samples can be of your own choosing, however, if you choose to base the concept art off of the Logan’s Run novel, it must be based solely on vision of the original novel Logan’s Run and NOT the 1976 MGM Motion Picture.

Again, only the novel. So, if you have not read the book, you must read it first. Again, the concept art must be solely based on the book and not influenced at all by the 1976 film.

Also, if you are an App designer please mention that in your CV. Send the material to concept@whittbrantley.com

 

If something gets our attention, we will contact you directly to discuss, so be sure to include up to date contact information. Send in .pdf format if possible. If the files are very large, use wetransfer or something similar.

Thank you.

 

Logan’s Run co-author George Clayton Johnson (Oceans 11, Star Trek, Twilight Zone and Logan’s Run) is represented by WBMT Literary, Film and Television.

A Cracking Good Review for the Ninnies

The British Fantasy Society wrote a great review on the Ninnies. Click on the link below to read it:

The Ninnies by Paul Magrs

Coming Soon: The Ninnies

The cover art I did for a book I illustrated for Doctor Who/Brenda and Effie author Paul Magrs's book The Ninnies.

Paul is an author whose work I have greatly enjoyed over the years. I first got into his writing with the Doctor Who series of original novels.

It bears mentioning that the strongest point of the Virgin and BBC Books that came out based on the show during those lean years when the series was yet to return was the fact that the writers were really good.

Many books based on television series are usually very weak by comparison to the original series. But not the Doctor Who series. And Paul Magrs's work I enjoyed in particular.

So, it's been great over the last few years to be able to artwork based on both his Doctor Who and non-Doctor Who work.

My wife absolutely loved the book and I had a great time illustrating it. To give you a general feel of the book, it's half Roald Dahl, another half Phantom Tollboth, yet another half John Bellairs and 100% fun!!

The book is getting ready to go to the printers so I will let you all know when it hits the shelves.

Sci-Fi and Fantasy Group Show at Dark World Gallery

Just wanted to pass along another great show I'm taking part in. Which just so happens to be taking place the same day as Free Comic Book Day on Saturday May 7th. Dark World Gallery on Grafton Street in Worcester MA is having an opened reception for their Sci-Fi and Fantasy Group Show starting at 7PM.

I will be unveiling my latest illustration Legend of the Turtleboy which takes Worcster's iconic Turtleboy sculpture and reimagines it as though it was something right out of The Dark Crystal or Never-Ending Story.

The idea for the show came out of a chat I had with artist Jonathan Hansen after the pin-up show. We had both mentioned our love for movies like The Dark Crystal and I mentioned it would be great to have a Sci-Fi show.

And now I hope you all can come and check it out because it's going to be great!!

Doctor Who news!!

My love for the classic science-fiction show Doctor Who has been well documented (mostly by me) and trust me it takes a lot to pull me away from the television on a Friday night to miss an episode.

Yes, I am that sadly rabid of a fan.

But for all of you who are fans of the show like myself have probably heard the news that series producer Russell T. Davies is stepping down from his role as producer and handing the reigns over to Steven Moffat.

Which has been done many times in the show's history with the moves from Barry Letts to Philip Hinchcliffe to Graham Williams to John Nathan Turner.

I suppose the transition from John Nathan Turner to Philip Segal's 1996 Anglo/American production of Doctor Who with Paul McGann can fit somewhere in there too. With that you had a good actor as the Doctor, good set design for the TARDIS and good special effects for the time.

But a really lousy script.

Nevertheless, each producer has brought something new to the table. Good or bad. And what Russell T. Davies did in his time is brought Doctor Who back and made it a hit. Without having it so mired in the past that the show is stale and not having it so far removed from what the show was about that it alienates older fans.

That made him perfect to bring the show back. However, many of the stories he wrote were far from that. But he is such an oddity when it comes to his writing. He can write some scripts that are absolute clunkers and then he would make a complete about face and write an episode that would leave me all wide-eyed and excited!!

Probably one of the best "season finale" writers in my humble opinion.

And now he's leaving the series in the very capable hands of Steven Moffat. Steven is no stranger to the world of Doctor Who. He wrote the very funny (and well written) Children in Need sketch in 1999 The Curse of Fatal Death starring Rowan Atkinson (along with Richard E. Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant and Joanna Lumley) as the Doctor. And he has written some of my favorite Doctor Who episodes in the current series The Empty Child, The Doctor Dances and The Girl in the Fireplace.

And lastly but not leastly Time Crash which was the first multi-Doctor story on television since The Two Doctors with Colin Baker and Patrick Troughton.

So, I will be very eager to see where he takes Doctor Who when the show returns for a full series in 2010.