You Damn Dirty Apes Prequel

A Planet of the Apes prequel called Rise of the Apes is going into production in July. The new movie is an origin story. Three of the original movies were prequels: Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and Battle for the Planet of the Apes. I’ve read plenty of comments stating that the real origin may have been changed by the events in Escape, and that this movie will tell what really happened. That may be true, but it seems to me that they make these movies for a new generation that has never bothered to watch the originals and not to enhance the existing ones.


Fox also plans on doing all of the apes in CGI ala Avatar. The only redeeming factor of Tim Burton’s “reimagining” was the makeup. You were able to accept the characters for who they were and forget about the actors underneath the makeup. That was how I felt about the apes in the original movies. I think Avatar did a great job of making us believe the Na’vi were real, but they were a totally new race, something we had never seen before. We know what the apes are supposed to look like, and unless they real change it up for this new movie (which could also be a mistake), all they are creating are CGI versions of the apes we’ve already seen. CGI characters have their place in movies; Gollum is a prime example. However, sometimes CGI becomes a crutch, or an easy fix.

Yes, I am a huge fan of this franchise: movies, TV series, comics. (I once dressed as Caesar for Halloween, and I still have my Mego action figures.) And yes, I am ranting right now. Maybe next summer, when the CGI apes are up on the big screen taking over the world, I will be cheering in the theater.  Maybe.

Frazetta the Legend

Legendary artist and painter Frank Frazetta passed away today at the age of 82. He was best known for his paperback covers of Conan and other sword and sorcery novels. His art was the definition of fantasy.

What most people don’t know is that Frazetta started out drawing comics in all different genres. He also drew funny animal comics and worked on such strips as Al Capp’s Li’l Abner and Playboy magazine’s Little Annie Fanny. In the mid 90’s, Verotik produced comics based on two of Frazetta’s characters – Death Dealer and Jaguar God. Most recently, Image Comics has several titles based on Frazetta’s paintings.

I first discovered Frazetta when I started reading Conan novels. I bought several other books and magazines just for his artwork. His paintings were so realistic and always had movement. You could easily visualize the action that was taking place, and you could imagine what was going to follow. The paintings themselves told stories.

I have never traveled to Pennsylvania to visit the Frazetta museum and gaze upon a Frazetta original. I think to do so would be like standing in front of the actual sun. You know it exists, you’ve seen pictures of it, but until you actually look directly at it, you do not realize the power it holds.

Free Comic Book Day 2010

Free Comic Book Day is the first Saturday in May each year when participating comic book stores across North America and around the world give away certain comic books absolutely FREE to anyone who comes into their stores.  Also, local creators make appearances at various comic book stores on this day.  Here are some Chicago creators and stores that you need to check out on FCBD.

Raymond Leonard will be at Alternate Reality Comics located at 3147 West 111th Street.  You can pick up his FCBD preview of Guytron.

Dave Losso of Great Sandwich Detective fame will be doing a Tour d' Chicago.  Here is his crazy schedule:

1:00 to 3:00 at Brainstorm Comics - 1648 West North Avenue

3:30 to 4:30 at G-Mart Comics - 2641 North Kedzie

5:00 to 7:00 at The Comic Vault - 1530 West Montrose

You can also catch Nino Mesarina, creator of The Unbelievable Laundry Detergent Man, at The Comic Vault from 5:00 to 7:00.

Finally, Rene Castellano and I will be at First Aid Comics located at 1459 East 53rd Street in Hyde Park.  Our latest book, Bride of the Wolfman, will be available.  We will also have some free comics.

Go forth and support all of these fine artists and comic book stores.

(Almost) Published Artwork

Okay.  I haven't been drawing anything new, like I said I would in my last blog.  So, I thought I would share some more old artwork.
After I joined up with Instant Press back in 2001, Rene wanted me to draw my own comic.  He told me that I could do a back-up for his Dorks comic.
I am a big fan of mythology.  Thor is my favorite god (no hate mail please, my religious friends) and one of my favorite comic book characters.  Hence, I created THORK.
He was a regular Dork, working at a construction site, when he gets struck on the head by a hammer that has fallen out of the sky.  When he holds the hammer high, he transforms into Thork.  His construction belt becomes a belt of strength, his gloves turn to steel and his head sprouts wings.
Below is a one-page preview drawn by yours truly and inked by Rene Castellano.  This was originally supposed to appear in Instant Press 2003, which was never officially published.

Thork is TM and copyright David S. Gruba

Check out Rene's version of Thork.

I Can't Draw

Rene "The Mexican Jesus" Castellano always yells at me when I say those three small words.  The truth of the matter is that when I was a younger man, I loved to draw.  I even studied art my first year in college.  But as time went on, I focused more on my writing and less on my drawing.
After Wizard World '08, I decided that I would start drawing again.  I haven't really done much since then, but I thought I would share some of my old drawings and a couple of new ones in hopes that this will spur me on to get the lead out.

Cerebus - 1981

Gravedigger - 1981

Cerebus - 1982

Leonardo - 1990

Bone - 2008

Craynobi - 2009

It's All About Me

It has been a while since I have written a substantial blog. I apologize in advance because this one is all about me.

2009 has been a good year. My story “When Death Came” was published in the first issue of the BAC Street Journal (available at the Beverly Arts Center in Chicago). My two comics White Knife (art by Dann Phillips and Stan Tanaka) and Bride of the Wolfman (art by Rene Castellano) were published by Instant Press Comics. I edited Dann Phillips’ StarBomb from Instant Press Comics. I have written a forward for Dave Losso’s Great Sandwich Detective No. 1 (coming out December 30th) and am currently working on my contribution to Rene Castellano’s 10th Anniversary Dorks trade (available in 2010).

I appeared at several conventions and signings, including Table-Con, the University Park Library’s March Madness Comic-Con, Art Baltazar’s Live Art Show Benefit for Ashley Baltazar, Free Comic Book Day at Alternate Reality, ACEN, Collectible Nation, Chicago Comic-Con, and Bride of the Wolfman comic book launch at Alternate Reality.

Here is what is scheduled for 2010. I am conducting a workshop on fantasy writing for teens and young adults at the Beverly Art Center. I will be one of the editors of the teen issue of the BAC Street Journal. Gondor, Son of Olympus – Deep Fried in Greece (art by Nino Mesarina) will be released as a full-sized one-shot comic from Instant Press Comics. I will be attending C2E2 in April with Instant Press Comics. Other plans include more White Knife books, Free Comic Book Day, ACEN, and FallCon (nothing will stop me this time). And, finally, I plan on updating GrubbMaster Pieces more often.



Here are some sites to check out:

http://www.instantpresscomics.com/

http://www.myalternatereality.com/

http://www.beverlyartcenter.org/

Bride of the Wolfman

It's the not-so-typical story of girl meets wolf as told by David Gruba (writer) and Rene Castellano (artist).  See what happens when the mother-in-law comes to visit and when the Wolfman goes out on his late night jaunts.  This all ages book will appeal to kids, married couples and joke book enthusiasts.

Bride of the Wolfman will be released on Halloween, Saturday October 31st.  Dave and Rene will be signing and selling at Alternate Reality at 111th and Western from 10:30 until 5:00.