ADW AD ART DEPARTMENT WEEKLY ISSUE 96 VOL. 12
DAVID COOPER
INTERPRETS THE MOMENT
SHOW HIM THE BATTLE MAPS AND HE HAS A
Plan of Attack TIME TO GO SOMEONE NEEDED A NEW HAIRCUT
WHERE ARE THE
TOYS?
MINI BOARD
EMPTY AISLES I’m a big fan of the Major Wrestling Figure podcast. Listening to Matt Cardona, Brian Myers, and Mark Sterling talk about hunting for figures and what their collections look like brings me weekly enjoyment. This past weekend they started sharing what it’s like at their local Walmarts—empty shelves in three different states. Since then, their show account has been full of photos of various toy aisles. I legit haven’t seen a toy aisle since March (my CVS doesn’t even have one!), so this peek told me what my wife keeps saying every time she won’t FaceTime from a grocery run: The shelves are empty, you aren’t missing anything. Then someone in the warehouse confirmed her theory: Toys aren’t a priority. They posted a picture with palettes of figures way up high because the store isn’t restocking shelves. So I understand, but I am also envious of people taking pics in an “empty” aisle with Miss Elizabeth peeking out from behind AJ. —LV
ROBSERVATIONS My favorite new podcast to listen to is Robservations with Rob Liefeld. He does a deep dive on his history with comics, and it we learn how much of what was created in the infancy of his fandom is so relevant to the modern day—literally every major Marvel and DC film is rooted in books created from the late ’70s to the late ’80s. The best part of it all is that Rob doesn’t approach the material with a holier than thou approach, but as the ultimate fan. He truly lets his inner geek flag fly, and we get to hear about the books and runs that influenced a young Rob. It’s easy to see how such a passionate fan would be able to turn said fandom into a 30+ year career of top-selling comics. If you are a comics fan, give this podcast a listen. In the comics space, there is no single better podcast. —LV
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RECOVERY I forgot one book the last time I returned library books. The due date has moved automatically from March to July to November. The library doesn’t plan to open for returns until at least November...
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COMIC CON @ HOME With the pandemic affecting businesses worldwide, one of the industries that I think will have the hardest time returning is the convention scene. I’m a huge fan of comic conventions, but I’d be hard pressed to be talked into spending time with strangers in an overcrowded convention center to see comics, creators, costumes, and figures. While NYCC20 has not officially been canceled, this past weekend saw Comic Con International (San Diego) go the completely virtual route with Comic-Con@Home. While not nearly the same, I was incredibly excited for some of the reveals from the show. Specifically the DC Comics Tom King penned Rorschach book launching in October. Of the dozens of figures Mattel revealed from their WWE Elite collection the best (IMO) was Rhea Ripley who I’m a huge fan of (the attached image is of Rhea, who was one of the hosts of the event getting a first look at her figure). Special kudos go out to Entertainment Weekly for running a piece on their site where they interviewed major cosplayers to learn what they would have worn to the show. This weekend might have given us a peek at just what the convention scene will look like for the foreseeable future. —LV
“For the third time, who is Baby Kerry?” -Betty
“I love baseball” -Kal
“No, you don’t” -Madeline
“Do you miss those days of flinging your D all over town?” -Gwyneth
“They used to have a shopping round and there was always a $200 ceramic Dalmatian statue that no one ever chose, and I just didn’t understand why” -Laura
FAN FRIENDLY Wonder Woman verifies COVID 19 facts in a new DC house ad while Henry Cavill wears a tank top rebuilds a PC for a new video Luis has not watched.
“Mitch always sends a sweet message when a Black colleague dies because it’s one less person he has to keep from voting”
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-Trevor
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Well Protected
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PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID COOPER
My alarm clock since going into quarantine has been the sound of my one and a half year-old daughter yelling, “DADA, DADA!” through our baby monitor. Each day those words have gotten clearer, more confident and demanding. She is usually up by 6 a.m. She apparently hasn’t gotten the lock down sleeping in memo. I try to get her back to sleep, but I know it’s a done deal. The day has started. Usually everything else after that is a blur. I know making breakfast is involved, and then I sit down in front of my computer to check emails, followed by my zoom staff meeting at 11 a.m., and then assisting my wife with homeschooling our 5-year-old daughter if there is time. Like Groundhog Day, this has been the routine. However, at night I usually sneak into my studio to draw. Months before the quarantine started, I got into the habit of taking pictures with my iPhone that I’d filed away with the intention to draw, this was to create a visual diary of time spent with my parents, my daily commute and time spent with friends. The quiet time in quarantine helped me to actually get started on this idea. The act of flipping through photographs taken before the world went crazy has been informative, deeply therapeutic, and reflective. The challenge of course is to not just copy the photograph, which would result in a stiff and lifeless drawing. The photograph has become a starting point, a well of information to use at my disposal. I edit in what I need to tell the story and edit out what I don’t. The drawings are often done quickly to keep the energy and spontaneity they might’ve had if they were done on site. So, in the end, the final drawing becomes a representation of a moment and not an exact replication of it. The photograph becomes a means to an end, and hopefully the viewer will trust and believe what they see in the drawing because for them, that will be the only true record of the event. I’ve also included a drawing of my eldest daughter, based on a photo I took of her while on a walk during the early days of the quarantine. She told me at that moment that she hates the coronavirus and only likes wearing masks on Halloween. I can’t say I disagree with her. This has been a very strange time in our history. Living through a global pandemic and what I hope is a global racial awakening, while trying to keep up with normal has been challenging to say the least. Days have blended into one another as focus shifts in and out. Those are the moments I flip through my photos filed away on my phone, breathe, and pick up my pen to find my way back to myself.
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Subway 1
Subway 2
Subway 3
I met David at my current office when we learned we not only shared a love of Star Wars, but that we both were fans of @indeliblefunk (an original Dubbs contributor). I asked him to contribute to ADW because it goes back to the very origins of what we set out to do—give a voice to the artist and get the story of the art process. We are grateful to David Cooper for sharing so much with us. Dive into more of his amazing work at davidcooperart.com. —LV
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George Floyd
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Kal talks about why he now thinks he likes baseball after winning at a territory strategy mini game within MLB The Show 19 while listening to the Hamilton sound track in a costume his mom made.
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Conquest Madeline felt compelled to finish these costumes PHOTOGRAPHS AND STYLING BY MADELINE STRUM PHOTOGRAPHY
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ns Dad Because its fun-and also because it wi s your brain, ise Dear Mom, erc ex t I . cks pa of s nt ou am e siv ces ex onquest. e, and here. her There should be a board game like C e, her ack att to ed ne we , mm H e, lik but then it e to here. her m I was thinking all you need is a die, fro s fan e ov M e. her ce for ein uld need a lot R begins getting kind of crazy, so I wo ture of me changing songs? pic a k too it leg ou Y e her .T g isThe Room of little hexagon pieces to fill up the board son ite or fav my say d ul wo I it simple. You could really only be two teams to keep e It Happens. her W m, tea e blu : ied up occ re y’ could flip them over when the red team, blue team, red team... You’ would just have to remember how many fans because e I like the songs. I us eca B d. dee in es, Y . In I am not making that many variations ng is songs. Also thi ole wh the d an gs, son the e lik th this stuff, Conquest, it begins getting crazy wi its historical. se au bec g sin cau n, ago hex e on in 8 eventually you can have 12 e the blue and reverse it so you tak ld ou sh e W it to be youre just way too overpowered. a patriot coat? ve ha , les rib ter the th wi rt sta to u yo The game randomizes uld you need a lining? wo hy W es. Y e. tim ng which is Mike Clevinger every da I made costumes for the patriots, but the loyalists had all the drama.
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y go through the first time the t bu th wi r bee a ve ha Who is your favorite character? nt want to die did he t ha T t. den esi pr a g in lac rep ding! Hamilton himself. Actually, kid od-bye.The go say to ed nt wa e H . ice off in is funny. Jefferson. All the stuff he says ceful transition. pea a of rt pa ite or fav my s ha Washington ction of 1800. ele the of rts pa the all , eah Y ur tch yo conversation... Im from Virginia-wa ng-the president thi e on my ed ber em rem st ju I me ture of of, mouth. But why did you take a pic cannot do what Thomas Jefferson did switching songs? o comes in second wh son per the e ng cha can e W th the It’s the transition to you dancing wi I’m the is vice president. Why? ’Cuz rest of the coats. president works, the w ho t no t’s ha T t. den esi pr es fac re Imagine if we edited it so that there we ether. It people. and stuff and we’re all just dancing tog working through what the re we hey T ke ma ld cou he e seems like a Boom task, lik going to Executive Branch’s powers were them super cute. be, you know? . ats C ed R ke ma He could tution was made by sti on C the ht ug tho I to I could show him a picture and tell him eds to make the laws. ne ss gre on C the d an t, tha that. make it a cat, and he would totally do they needed the votes. The votes y wh t’s ha T enate. And it would be hilarious. in the Cabinet. The votes in the S e It That’s why The Room Wher otes for Happened. What’s the trade? V the Capitol. who comes in son per the e ng cha can e W u yo uld I honestly dont know. What wo vice president. Why? Cuz is d on sec want everyone to know? t how the president no ts ha T t. den esi pr the m I w ho g For the show, I think it is amazin works, people. gs hin T it. in re we re the es nc ere ref many timely gh what the ou thr g in rk wo re we hey T in. that were timely years ago are timely aga wers would be. po chs ran B e tiv cu xe E to e d lik Not just electing someone you woul
Sixth Graders come in all sizes, so we need a small, medium, and large.
Our best bet with no budget was to use bulletin board fabric—so hot and itchy.
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SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT BY MADELINE STRUM PHOTOGRAPHY
The original idea was to do dramatic pandemic before and after pictures with the boys, but Boom’s whole persona seems to be built around the rebellious amount of hair in his eyes. He didn’t want a haircut—until Betty started cutting her hair. Then he wanted only the bangs cut. Now he looks like the bad guy from No Country for Old Men, so no pictures. Meanwhile, Kal was game to cut his hair—until I put he got into costume. Betty, meanwhile, could have easily donated her hair if we had cut it all in one go, but I cut maybe three inches July 6, then a lot more after taking pictures, and then some more to get her the bob. —MV
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FIVE THINGS BETTY SAID TO JUSTIFY NEEDING A NEW WONDER WOMAN DOLL
MOVEMENT This version can straighten her arms, bend her knees, and turn her head. The tall one only punches, the little one’s hair stops her head from turning.
SECRET IDENTITY The new DC Super Hero Girls version comes with clothes to wear to school
Betty’s New Doll
SHE WEARS CLOTHES Not only do their boots with wings not come off, their shoulder pads also make it impossible to borrow clothes from other dolls.
THE SIZE She can fit Barbie and Monster High clothes, unlike the 6” figure.
SHE’S PRETTY But they’re all pretty...
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