Bret 'The Hitman' Hart in ink

 

Bret "The Hitman" Hart. Micron pen (03, 05 and 08) and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen in a 5.5" X 8.5" Daler-Rowney sketchbook. Art by Coyote Duran.

A couple of weeks ago, Tracy and I were re-watching Vice TV's "Dark Side of the Ring," this time re-packaged as something tantamount to a "director's cut"-style limited series featuring cutting room floor scenes, new interviews and commentary by host Conrad Thompson and series creators Evan Husney and Jason Eisener.

The topic was legendary Canadian professional wrestler and three-time WWE Hall-of-Famer Bret "The Hitman" Hart, son of the late patriarch of the Hart Dynasty and founder of Calgary, Alberta's Stampede Wrestling, Stu Hart.

The Frankenstein Monster in ink

 

   The Frankenstein Monster. Micron pen (03 and 05), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Faber-Castell PITT  B-Series Pen and Speedball Super Black acrylic ink in a 5.5" X 8.5" Daler-Rowney sketchbook. Art by Coyote Duran.

Once upon a time - I was in single digits; I reckon - my parents, younger brother and I were at a Halloween family gathering at my maternal grandparents' house in Romeoville, Illinois. My cousins Ryan and Darcy and their mom, my aunt Rita were there as well and we kids were watching "Frankenstein" on a UHF channel (probably 32, the most prominent in Chicago and its suburbs). I killed the lights in the living room and someone protested - I can't remember whether it was a cousin, my brother, mom, grandma or grandpa - but Aunt Rita interjected, "Oh, these movies are much scarier with the lights off!"

And although I've always thought that no old Universal Monsters film would ever be scary, with or without any lights, nostalgically, she was absolutely right.

See, the classic monster films were always best viewed in darkness because the manner in which they were filmed, produced and presented handled half the battle. Not unlike any other film enjoyed in the cinema, they were absolutely meant to be seen in the dark. And, honestly, who knew 94 years ago, that we'd either be watching this film in perpetuity, via reruns, streaming and home media?

No one.

Michael Hutchence of INXS in ink

Michael Hutchence of INXS. Micron pen (03 and 05), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen,  Copic marker, Japanese ink and Speedball Super Black acrylic ink on 11" X 14" Strathmore Art Bristol board. Art by Coyote Duran.

 

When I learned Michael Hutchence, lead singer for Australian rock band INXS, died by suicide, I was shocked and equally down, not unlike his and his band's legions of fans. The news came out of nowhere in November of 1997 and detailed that Hutchence, 37, was seemingly despondent about the inability to see his and partner Paula Yates' daughter Tiger Lily. At the time, Yates, who shared three children with ex-husband and Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof, had to postpone a trip to visit Hutchence while the latter was on tour in support of the Elegantly Wasted album. The postponement was on the heels of Yates having to wait until after December 17, the date of a custody hearing between her and Geldof, to be able to take their daughters with her to see Hutchence.

This turn of events deeply upset Hutchence, who already had a history of drug abuse and mood swings, the latter due to a head injury he suffered after being assaulted by a cab driver in 1992. 

On November 22, 1997, Hutchence was found dead, a result of suicide by hanging, less that two hours after pleading with ex-girlfriend Michele Bennett to come see him.

Our Uncle Al Medina in mixed media

Uncle Al Medina. Micron pen (03 and 05), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, watercolor paint, Sharpie marker, Sharpie acrylic paint pen, Copic marker, Prismacolor marker, Japanese ink and Speedball Super Black acrylic ink on 12" X 16" Strathmore cold press watercolor paper. Art by Coyote Duran. (Please click to enlarge.)

Back in 2015, Tracy, Makayla and I had the opportunity to drive across country to Fresno, California to visit Tracy's aunt and uncle, Helen and Al, and cousin Bud. This would be our first vacation as a family and we couldn't have picked a better destination.

We agreed to make the trip by car because it reminded us of our childhoods when every vacation was built upon our dads behind a wheel, often consulting a huge road map our moms would hold, unfold and fold back. Nowadays our mobile devices are far more valuable as substitutes.

After a couple of days making it through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah (the town of Green River is a trip, man. That's a story for another blog post!), Arizona and Nevada, we finally wheeled into California's Central Valley, landing at Bud and his girlfriend Cynthia's place, where they graciously asked us to stay. (And Bud makes one helluva breakfast. You should try it!)

Now I know every place in America has its detractors but we loved Fresno. There were plenty of amenities and we could get around easily. It felt like home, something we were seriously considering at the time, along with Las Vegas. The following day, I, Tracy, Makayla, Cynthia, Bud and Bud's younger daughters Noelle and Joelle all hopped into Bud's ride and spirited off to Santa Cruz to visit the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (home of "The Lost Boys"! Dude, it felt just like walking around in the movie!)

Dr. Valentine Duran: A tribute in ink

Dr Valentine Duran. Micron pen (.03 and .05), Sharpie marker, Sharpie acrylic paint pen, Copic marker and Prismacolor marker on 9" X 12" Strathmore Bristol board. Art by Coyote Duran. (Please click to enlarge.)

 

Makayla (in 2014): "Daddy, is Valentine a doctor?"

Me (in 2014): "Uh...YES! Valentine IS a doctor! A board certified physician, at that!"

That question came out of nowhere but it certainly was entertaining, considering it was asked by our then-four-year-old daughter. I mean, how could I answer otherwise, especially since we loved fueling our little girl's imagination from a very early age? The fact that Makayla was a big fan of Disney Junior's "Doc McStuffins," at the time, was a contributing factor; we're certain.

From then on, our newly adopted cat Valentine was known as "Dr. Valentine," or "Doc," as I liked calling her, for short.

We adopted Valentine in 2014 when she no longer fit in her previous home, with Tracy's cousin Jeremy, his wife Angie, her children and pets. For a while, we were looking into welcoming a pet into our family...well, one that wasn't a turtle, at least. At the time, we had two turtles: Shelldon, a three-toed Eastern box turtle, and Super Steve Irwin McQueen ("Steve" for short), a common snapping turtle. When Jeremy and Angie asked us if we'd like to give Valentine a new, permanent home, we jumped at the chance after meeting her.

Mitch Hedberg in ink

Mitch Hedberg. Micron pen (.03 and .05), Faber-Castell PITT "B"-series brush pen, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Copic markers in a Daler & Rowney sketchbook (8.5" X 11"). Art by Coyote Duran. (Please click to enlarge.)

"I bought a donut and they gave me a receipt for the donut. I don't need a receipt for the donut. I'll just give you money and you give me the donut, end of transaction. We don't need to bring ink and paper into this. I can't imagine a scenario where I would have to prove that I bought a donut."

                                                         - Mitch Hedberg

Late one night, a couple of weeks ago, while toiling away (and by "toiling away," I pretty much mean "staring at the wall if I don't have any entertainment") at my lonely third shift Joe job, I fell into one of my many YouTube wormholes when I came across a video of one of my absolute favorite stand-up comics, the late, great Mitch Hedberg. Naturally one video led to another, then another and staring at the wall was replaced by laughter. Good times, man.

I'd always been a big fan of Mitch's and his unique brand of humor, laced with one-liners and non-sequiturs, frequently taking the obvious to new levels of surrealism.

Consider:

"An escalator can never break; it can only become stairs. You should never see an 'Escalator Temporarily Out of Order' sign, just 'Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience.'"

(I told that joke to my daughter Makayla, who wanted to know more about Mitch, a few mornings ago and she agreed that it just plain made sense.)

After a long artistic dry spell, watching these videos inspired me to dust off my trusty art supplies. I had the itch to draw some Mitch...

Spider-Man in ink

Spider-Man. Micron pen (03), Faber-Castell PITT "B"-series brush pen, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and red ultra-fine Sharpie in a Daler & Rowney sketchbook (8.5" X 11"). Art by Coyote Duran. (Please click to enlarge.)

So almost immediately after I posted my recent ink portrait of Art the Clown, I got a bug up my backside (pun fully intended) and thought it'd be pretty cool to render a brand-new Spider-Man piece. I wondered how I'd go about the design and I instantly remembered a Spidey piece done by the late Tim Sale. In the piece, Tim featured Spidey swinging in front of the Eiffel Tower but what spoke to me was the color palette used.

 

Simple red and black. It was striking. No musculature detail. No shading. No gradients. Pure and simple.

Art the Clown (of 'Terrifier') in ink

Art the Clown. Micron pen (03 and 05), Faber-Castell PITT "B"-series brush pen, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and red ultra-fine Sharpie in a Daler & Rowney sketchbook (8.5" X 11"). Art by Coyote Duran. (Please click to enlarge.)

 

A few years ago, when I started working my third-shift security job, I met a customer named Raul Cantillo. As Mr. Cantillo and I got to know each other better (via our shared love of horror films, as indicated by his many awesome horror t-shirts), he asked me one day about my thoughts on Art the Clown. I said I wasn't familiar with him.

"Dude, how can you be a horror fan and not know who Art the Clown is?" Raul asked.

That was a damn good question, actually.

Jimi Hendrix in ink

Jimi Hendrix. Micron pen (03 and 05), Faber-Castell PITT "B"-series brush pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on Strathmore Bristol Board (9" X 12"). Art by Coyote Duran. (Please click to enlarge.)

As any artist knows, inspiration comes right out of nowhere sometimes. One day, I woke up and thought, "A Jimi Hendrix" portrait would be neat!" So I cobbled some reference and got going with my layout on 9" X 12" Strathmore Art Bristol Board with my trusty "Blue Special" leadholder.

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After figuring out position and the route I wanted to go, (something many artists call, "figuring things out"), I really started moving. Mind you, at this point, I hadn't drawn anything in about three months (I know; I know. Shame on me. Nothing shakes an artist's skills more than inactivity), so it felt really good to shake off the cobwebs and flex the artistic muscles, so to speak.

My most important "commission," thanks to Makayla Duran

A composite of a character Makayla Duran is calling "Gabby." Continue reading to fully view each piece and the story behind them! Art by Makayla and Coyote Duran.

Just recently, Makayla was hip deep in creating a character and scenario, both based on the "Grimace Shake" online trend, most popularly featured (I guess?) on TikTok.

Last June into July, McDonald's celebrated the big purple taste bud (yes, this is how he's described) Grimace's 52nd birthday (yes, he and I are both 52, although I don't believe Grimace's debut was until November of 1971) with a purple, berry-flavored shake. For whatever reason - and who knows why anyone posts overly weird stuff on TikTok - folks everywhere began uploading videos of the "results" of drinking these shakes.

Some people shared how the shakes "killed" people, transported them to other locations or just changed them somehow. As the kids say, it was a weird "flex"; to me, it was random as hell. However Guillaume Huin, the social media director for McDonald's (per Wikipedia), seemed to get down with it.

So one day, our daughter Makayla put her own spin on this trend by not creating a video but her signature, manga-inspired digital art.

Makayla's character, tentatively named "Gabby," who's undergoing a possession of sorts after drinking a "Grimace Shake." Note Makayla's version of Grimace looming to your left. Art by Makayla Duran.

As you can see, it appears that Makayla's character is fighting off (or enjoying. The story is still developing...) a possession of some sort. (I love that kid. She won't watch horror films with me but shares a twisted bent.) On your left, "Gabby" seems to be a normal, six-year-old, little girl enjoying a shake and on your right, a delighted Grimace is enjoying her subsequent possession, as she transforms into a strange entity, drooling out a mouthful of this weird, frozen beverage.

After Makayla finished the drawing, she asked me if I wouldn't mind rendering this crazy character in my style. I had a few art things to button up but promised her I would absolutely tackle such a neat challenge. I broke out the Strathmore Art Bristol Board (8.5" X 11"), my trusty "Blue Special" lead holder, erasers and pens and went to work on this new, fun "commission."

A tribute to Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt in ink

Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt. Micron pen (.02 and .03), Faber-Castell PITT "B"-series brush pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on Strathmore Bristol Board (8.5" X 11"). Art by Coyote Duran. (Please click image to enlarge.)

Growing up, I fell in love with professional wrestling, thanks to my dad, who watched Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association and Bob Luce's "All-Star Wrestling" on Sunday afternoons. Dad wasn't hep to the WWF (now known as WWE) but sure loved following the exploits of Dick the Bruiser, the Crusher, Larry Zbyszko, Nick Bockwinkel and "Yukon" Moose Cholak, among so many others. I was practically hypnotized by such comic book-esque battles between good and evil, with shiny championship belts up for grabs amid it all.

My dad (who loved the heels. Still does, I reckon) was a big Funk fan, although he must've gotten attached during Funk's really short stay in the AWA. We didn't get much of the other territories in the late-1970s or early-eighties in syndication in Aurora, Illinois. But Dad sure knew who Terry Funk was, along with Terry's older brother Dory Jr.

Terry competed everywhere. including WWE on several occasions (although I didn't think much of the Funks' storyline "brother" Jimmy Jack Funk, portrayed by Jesse Barr. I just thought the added Funk was unnecessary, as well as Dory's change of his first name to "Hoss."). This brand of dedication to the art form is a top reason for Funk's legendary acclaim.

Funk, a Class of 2009 WWE Hall-of-Famer and former NWA world heavyweight champion (an honor he shared with Dory Jr.) passed away on August 23, at age 79.

Just one day later, Windham Rotunda - better known as former WWE champion and WWE Universal champion Bray Wyatt - passed away, at age 36, from cardiac arrest. Rotunda, who was sidelined after a bout with COVID-19 earlier this year, was supposed to make a comeback to the squared circle after having been absent from the ring since last February. The wrestling press was noted in articles stating Rotunda had dealt with a life and career-threatening illness. Many of us were feeling pretty positive that we'd see one of pro wrestling's most creative minds return and wondered what he'd have in store for us, this time around.

Upon further press releases, we all learned that Rotunda's bout with COVID exacerbated a pre-existing heart condition. As much as Funk's death saddened the business and fans alike, Bray Wyatt's passing evoked different emotions, mainly because he was so young. In addition, he was also a father of four young children, two of whom he shared with WWE ring announcer JoJo Offerman.

The tributes rolled in heavily. As a big fan of both gentlemen, I offer up one that pales in comparison to the global plaudits the business and non-wrestling supporters have given. Mine is an ink representation of both Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt (Micron pen (.02 and .03), Faber-Castell PITT "B"-series brush pen and Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on 8.5" X 11"Strathmore Bristol Board), complete with telling expressions.

Love that Danhausen (or be cursed!)...in ink

 

Danhausen. Micron pen (.02 and .03), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Copic markers and white Prismacolor pencil in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"). Art by Coyote Duran. (Please click to enlarge.)

If you're an all-around wrestling fan, you have to have seen Danhausen at least once!

A current member of the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) roster, Danhausen (who describes himself as "very nice, very evil") brings such new meaning to the word "character." A staple on the independent scene for most of the last 10 years, Danhausen's "human disguise," a guy from Michigan named Donovan Danhausen, describes his character as "Conan O'Brien possessed by a demon. Sounds pretty accurate as he's a huge fan of Conan, as well as "The Simpsons."

Danhausen's voice is said to be a combination of Conan and Mark Hamill's take on the Joker. When speaking, he often uses the suffix "Hausen" on random words. For example, in a Cameo-video I booked for Makayla, we were referred to as "Coyotehausen" and "Makaylahausen." The funniest thing about the video was, as a response to Makayla's desire to see Bray Wyatt and Alexa Bliss get their comeuppance, Danhausen cursed them! (Yes, he does curse people, so behave or you will be cursed too!)

And we think it worked. The Cameo was done in May 2021 and WWE released Bray two-and-a-half months later. Yikes...

Muhammad Ali vs. Superman in ink

Muhammad Ali vs. Superman. Copic marker, Prismacolor pencil and Micron marker on 8.5" X 11" Bristol Board. Art by Coyote Duran. (Please click to enlarge.)

I've always said that if I ever had the opportunity to meet Muhammad Ali, I would've likely cried my eyes out. I suppose it was a good thing that I didn't before the "Greatest of All-Time" passed away because I would've certainly made a fool of myself.

Ali set an unmatched standard of cool that I only could've dreamt to attain but this isn't to say I didn't try. Socially and ideologically outside the ring and masterful within it, there was seemingly nothing he couldn't do.

Even challenge the "Last Son of Krypton" to a fight.

In 1978, DC Comics released a one-shot I wanted so badly but never got: "Superman vs. Muhammad Ali." Now at the time of the book's release, Ali wasn't the world heavyweight champion. Ali had lost the championship to Leon Spinks that February but would regain it exactly seven months later. This little variable didn't dull my desire to have this tome in my hot little paws. And naturally we didn't have anything close to an internet then, so it wouldn't be until many years later, when I would find out what happened within its covers, thanks to any trade magazine that took the time to revisit the story.

So imagine my delight and surprise when, 32 years later, in 2010, a gentleman from DC Comics reached out to me and several members of the boxing media, offering us a comped hardcover copy of the company's re-release of "Superman vs. Muhammad Ali. What was I going to say, "NO!"?

And there it was...an oversized edition in all of its Neal Adams-penciled, Denny O'Neil-scripted scripted and Terry Austin/Dick Giordano-inked glory. Wow. It was indeed GLORIOUS.

Just recently I was given the opportunity to revisit this truly fantastical story when my good friend Bernie, a true blue comics, boxing and music guy, proposed a commission idea celebrating one of his favorite stories featuring his favorite superhero. I would've jumped at the chance, were it not for not initially seeing the comment in my Instagram notifications. That said, I  responded with a resounding "YES"

Brooke Dierdorff-Millbrook in ink

Brooke Dierdorff-Millbrook. Copic marker and Sharpie on 14" X 17" Bristol Board. Art by Coyote Duran

One might see a professional boxer's record of 6-5-2 (3 knockouts) and make a snap judgment about how said fighter is a gatekeeper, "tomato can" or a "bum." (Man, I hate those terms and never use them outside of referencing them, as I've done here.) However, in the case of Brooke Dierdorff, this record is a culmination of a fighter who took risks in the pursuit of success.

After all, Dierdorff (now known as Brooke Dierdorff-Milbrook, her married name)) packed a considerable amount of accomplishment in a mere 13 professional bouts, which spanned over just four-and-a-half months, from September 2006 to March 2011.

Among Brooke's wins was a six-round split decision over one of the most recognized names in women's boxing, Mia St. John, whose record at the time was 43-8-2 (18 KOs) (and that was in Brooke's fourth professional fight), an eight-round unanimous decision over St John in their rematch (in Millbrook's 10th professional bout), which netted her the WBC international lightweight title, and a six-round unanimous decision over then-future IBF junior welterweight titlist Mary McGee - a surefire future International Women's Boxing Hall-of-Famer - who was undefeated, at the time, with a record of 17-0 (10 KOs).

Not for nothing, Brooke even beat David Morrison - yes, a dude - in her third professional fight, by first round stoppage. Now Morrison could've been a reversed version of the late, great Andy Kaufman, known for his intergender professional wrestling spectacles, but what really matters is he got his ass handed to him by a woman.

"Hit like a girl," indeed. I'll bet that hurt, Dave. Dude had it coming. Shouldn't aspire to hit women, man.

Art...I mean, ARN Anderson in ink

Arn Anderson. Micron pen (.05), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Sharpie roller pen (.05) and Copic markers in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"). Art by Coyote Duran

Boxing has always been my favorite sport...well, actually it's the only sport I watch. However professional wrestling has always held a very special place in my heart. I mean, you have a ring, physical combat and cool championship belts on the line plus villains ("heels"), heroes ("babyfaces" or "faces") and comic book-style storylines. Sure, it's theater-in-the-round but what's not to love?

And anyone who knows me knows my favorite athletes in this genre will always be Hawk and Animal, the Legion of Doom themselves, the Road Warriors. But if I had to choose an all-time favorite singles wrestler, it would be the "Enforcer," once a member of the dreaded Four Horsemen, Arn Anderson.

Yes, Anderson was clearly recognized for his association with Tully Blanchard, with whom he held the NWA World Tag Team Championships twice and the WWF (now WWE) Tag Team Championships once but Arn might be best known as (as least, in my opinion) the greatest NWA World Television Champion ever.

Now although the belt itself did not read "world" in its inscription, it was coined thusly during Dusty Rhodes' first reign, However Anderson made it a world title by his own insistence and tenacity, defenses and possession (four times and the record for the most combined days - 870) itself. With that came prestige fewer "mid-card" championships could boast. It was a championship belt I desperately wanted as a pup (among many others we wrestling fans coveted but couldn't buy because 1) they were unavailable to the public and 2) even if they were, they'd be far too expensive to buy. That would late change with the emergence of really neat replicas. At the very least, I wanted one because Arn Anderson simply made that championship so damn cool.

Roy Jones Jr., acrylic on canvas panel

 

Roy Jones Jr. Acrylic paint on 12" X 16" canvas panel. Art by Coyote Duran

Years ago, my friend Brad Cooney contacted me about doing an acrylic commission of former pound-for-pound great, four-division champion and (as of next year!) International Boxing Hall of Famer - and Brad's friend - Roy Jones Jr. as a gift for Jones himself.

Hell, I jumped at the chance. I mean, who wouldn't? The problem was I didn't - couldn't, really - jump all that high at the time.

You see, back then, I was going through a divorce. I was damn near homeless without the grace and generosity of my parents preventing such an indignity and I drank anything that wasn't nailed down just to get through my day. (I still drink but back then, I think I drank a sandwich, a stapler and half a bicycle pump. It was rough.)

Days, weeks and eventually months went by and I was only drawing for me, just to remind myself that I could and so I could get my emotions out on paper. Rightfully so, Brad was disappointed but he understood. The piece never saw the light of day.

However life got better. I got better. My Tracy and Makayla came into my life and fixed what was broken. My art came back to life and so did I. Yet I still didn't do this piece.

Until last year.

Svengoolie in ink

 

Svengoolie. Micron pen (.05), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Sharpie roller pen (.05), Sakura Gelly Roll pen (.05) and Copic markers in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"). Art by Coyote Duran

Alas, October, "Inktober" and Halloween are sadly behind us. However we never lost the Halloween spirit in our home, so I took a short break from a V.I.P. ("Very Important Painting") to knock out a marker sketch of America's favorite horror movie host, Chicago's own Svengoolie (Micron pen (.05), Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Sharpie roller pen (.05), Sakura Gelly Roll pen (.05) and Copic markers in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"))!

"BERWYN!"

"No, Chicago..."

As many of you may already know, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday and its run-up all throughout the month of October has always felt special to me. The change in season and temperature, horror films of all sorts and eras, playing seemingly non-stop, and just the fun and imagination the season inspire are all take-aways I get from watching "Svengoolie" on MeTV every Saturday night at 7 pm, Central time.

It's a feeling I experienced way back in 1979 until the mid-'80s, as a pup, when the "Son of Svengoolie" first crept into our homes. One of my favorite memories (believe it or not) was when Sven played "Revenge of the Creature," which was to be presented in 3-D, on July 29, 1982. As an 11-year-old (the same age as our daughter today!), I was over the moon with the idea that we could watch a 3-D film in our own home! My dad rushed us over to the 7-11 in Oswego (our favorite one-stop shopping destination for comic books, microwave burritos and, later, VHS rentals) to pick up our special 3-D specs and returned home to adjust the TV.

I manned the vertical and horizontal on our living room TV as Sven gave specific instructions on fine-tuning until you "see one uniform color" (That's really the only instruction I recall at the time).

Unfortunately it didn't work out so well but I still enjoyed the show, as per usual.

Jason Voorhees in ink

Jason Voorhees of "Friday the 13th." Micron pen (.05) Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, Sharpie roller pen (.05), red Sharpie and grey and brown Copic markers in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"). Art by Coyote Duran

Since I was able to make time for one more "Inktober" piece before October comes to a close, I asked myself, "How can you render a version of Michael Myers from 'Halloween' and not draw Jason Voorhees from the 'Friday the 13th' franchise?"

This time, however, I went more with an old-school comic book approach, adding flat colors (well, three. Red, grey and a lighter brown variant) to the finished inks (.05 Micron pen, Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, .05 Sharpie roller pen, red Sharpie and grey and brown Copic markers in a 5.5" X 8.5" Daler Rowney sketchbook.

Michael Myers in ink

 

Michael Myers of "Halloween." Micron pen (.05) Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Sharpie roller pen (.05) in a Daler Rowney sketchbook (5.5" X 8.5"). Art by Coyote Duran

It's October, kids, and you know what that means! Horror movies! And what better film to represent my favorite holiday (and my wedding anniversary!) than "Halloween"!

Now I'm sure you all have your favorite version of the original concept (mine is Rob Zombie's 2007 reimagining) or sequels (of which most have been retconned out of existence...with the exception of "Halloween Kills," which is coming out this Friday! I'll be firing it up on Peacock!) but I believe we can all agree on one thing: Michael Myers is and will always be one of cinema's most frightening and prolific murderers. Relentless, unfeeling and ice-cold with a soul as black as his eyes...

That said, October is also an equally fun time for us artists, whom participate on different levels (some daily - bless their hearts! - some sporadically - like Yours Truly!) in something we call "INKTOBER"!

Yes, Inktober. A month in which we grace paper, sketchbooks and the internet with scribblings of the inky persuasion. So, I combined two loves - horror and art - for my initial foray this year, an ink drawing of "The Shape" himself (done in .05 Micron pen, Pentel Pocket Brush pen and .05 Sharpie roller pen in a 5.5" X 8.5" Daler Rowney sketchbook)!

(It didn't even hit me until know that this is the second John Carpenter character - here's the first piece - I've rendered this year. That's pretty neat, man.)

If I can make the time (my plate is delightfully getting fuller, especially with cartooning commissions on which  I've been regularly working!), I'll do my best to get out some more "ink-only" pieces to share with you fine folks before the month ends.

Robin Williams in ink

Robin Williams. Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Sharpie roller pen (.05) in a Bob Ross sketch journal (5.5" X 7.75"). Art by Coyote Duran

The late great Robin Williams was one of my idols. By no means is this a revolutionary statement. Many of my childhood peers felt the same way. However, as opposed to their reverence of "Mork & Mindy," I saw an artist who possessed a wealth of wisdom. With every bit Mr. Williams fired off in 1986's "A Night at the Met," I felt like I was part of the gag, an insider, someone in his elite inner circle. I was privileged company.

When I was younger, my best mate coming up in our old neighborhood, Jeff Jacobson, once told me I reminded him of a young Robin Williams. Whether or not being funny, kinetic or simply annoying was the case will forever be unknown but I took that statement as a compliment of the highest degree.

After Mr. Williams passed away, I rendered a portrait for a local monthly pop-up gallery for the theme "Humor"...

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...and I did it in less than 24 hours before showtime. Why? Because I'm an idiot and a servant to procrastination. But no matter how much people liked the aforementioned piece, I promised to do better next time. An that time was nearly seven years later when I honored my Bob Ross sketchbook with an ink drawing of Mr. Williams (Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Sharpie roller pen (.05) 5.5" X 7.75")

And I guarantee this won't be my final Robin Williams piece. This one simply had to be done in my Bob Ross sketch journal, a sketchbook reserved for legends, some whom have left too soon.

Questions? Comments? Complaints? Commissions? Hit me up at artofthepaw@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @CoyoteDuran, on Instagram @CoyoteDuran and on Facebook @CDCreationNation.