Shell-Shocked!

A couple months ago, Springfield Museums hired me to create a commercial for its upcoming exhibition Turtle Power! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Samurai Heroes, which will feature original TMNT art, as well as samurai swords, armor, and Japanese prints from its collection. Of course I yelled "cowabunga!" at the opportunity. 

Although I went to college in Hartford and have been working in Western Massachusetts over the last decade, I had never been to this fellow cultural organization, referred to as the "Quadrangle" for its assortment of museums in one central location (a new museum dedicated to Dr. Seuss, originally from Springfield, MA, will be opening in the new year). In late September I had a quick tour of the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, which is where Turtle Power! will be exhibited. A successful 19th century businessman (carriage manufacturing), Smith had quite the collection of European, American and Far Eastern objects — the oriental arms and armor are impressive, and will make up a good part of this new exhibit.

Turtle teammate Steve Lavigne
at Albany Comic Con, Oct. 2016.
Photo: Jeremy Clowe

As for the Ninja Turtles, I admit: I'm old enough to remember them as an edgy black and white comic book during late high school/early college. Shortly afterwards, they mightily morphed into the Turtle Power rangers that became a sensation in their own animated TV series, and toy stores (I had a suction-cupped Turtle on my car/apartment window during college). I wouldn't say I followed the franchise too carefully... in fact, I only just watched the 1990 movie (directed by Steve Barron of A-ha videos fame, with puppetry by Jim Henson). Like a good slice of pizza, I understand the Turtles' appeal. 

While working on the trailer, I also decided to watch Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a documentary that came out a few years ago. It was interesting to hear how this modest late-night creation by two comic book artists, then based in the Springfield area, exploded into such a global, merchandised phenomenon (in the UK they were known as the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, due to a ban on ninjas in the media of that part of the world). The doc also provided several interesting interviews detailing the Turtles' history, including illustrator Steve Lavigne, who was part of the early creative team.

So, imagine my surprise when I attended the Albany Comic Con last weekend, and Lavigne happened to be there! I spent a good amount of time speaking with him, and learning more about their creation (there actually used to be a TMNT museum/gallery in nearby Northampton). Peter Laird, who developed the characters with fellow artist Kevin Eastman, apparently still lives in Western Massachusetts as well. Maybe I'll run into them again during the run of the exhibition.

Turtle Power! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Samurai Heroes opens November 8 at Springfield Museums, and my commercial will start airing on TV stations in Massachusetts starting next week. Totally tubular, dudes!

Take My Breath Away

Stay tuned... David Aja's cover to issue #18 (don't
even get me started). Courtesy blog.david.aja.com

It's Wednesday! Which means...

A. It's Hump Day.
B. It's bloody cold outside.

It's also "New Comic Book Day," the day of the week when all the new releases are shipped to comic book stores around the country (yes, I'm geek chic enough to know that). 

I keep looking on the schedules to see when the next issue of Marvel's Hawkeye book is coming out. Launched immediately following the successful Avengers movie in 2012, the monthly book has been highly acclaimed for the quality of its art and story... perhaps because of the high standard, the book is also notorious for being delayed. So I got a little excited when I saw the book listed on Earthworld Comics' collection of titles coming out this week... but issue #16? Did #15 even come out yet?... No, in fact it hadn't (can they do that?). Turns out I'll have to wait another month to see the beautiful illustrations of artist David Aja--this month it is Annie Wu, who has started rotating the slot with Aja... presumably so he could get it done! Being a purist, I think I'll wait it out (this is sequential art, after all). 

I'm good anyway... a couple hump days ago I scored big time, finally locating Hawkeye writer Matt Fraction's first work with artist David Aja: The Immortal Iron Fist. Currently out of print, I picked up the first two volumes of these new tales of Marvel's old martial arts hero, which show the beginning of Fraction and Aja's creative collaboration. In addition, I picked up the latest issue of Afterlife with Archie-- I know, it sounds like I'm crazy... but this book, which turns the Archie characters into a honest-to-goodness horror graphic novel, is an unexpectedly fun read (I always was a fan of monsters as a kid). Truly creative work by writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Francesco Francavilla, which keeps you guessing which of the Riverdale gang is going to get zombiefied next!

These books are, of course, exceptions to the current norm. Maybe it's the deadlines, but most of the monthly comic books aren't that interesting... reminding me why I left the scene in the first place. 

Breaking out the Spidey tie for the opening of LitGraphic
(with artists Marc Hempel and Mark Wheatley). November 10, 2007.
Photo by Sarah Clowe. ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

I blame Norman Rockwell Museum, which reconnected me with the genre with their LitGraphic: World of the Graphic Novel exhibition back in 2007. That show introduced me to many creative artists, who loved this kind of visual storytelling... names like Lynd Ward, whose stunning wordless novel Gods' Men from 1929 can be seen as a precursor to the work of such modern day graphic novelists as Peter Kuper (The System) and Art Spiegelman (Maus). 


I had the great fortune of interviewing about half a dozen of the LitGraphic artists for a video I created for the exhibition. Two of the most entertaining of the bunch were Mark Wheatley and Marc Hempel, whose 1990 mini-series Breathtaker (created for DC's Vertigo line) is an example of the high standard that can be achieved in this art form.

Breathtaker tells the story of Chase Darrow, a woman whose affections are known to kill. A mutant pursued by the government because of her ability to drain life from her lovers, she is hunted by The Man, the world’s first superhuman, who is willing to bring her in dead or alive.

Reading the book during my research for the video, I was really drawn in by the pulp-like storyline and expressive artwork. As I learned, the longtime collaborators blended their talents, with Hempel conceptualizing, pencilling, inking and lettering the book, which was scripted and colored by Wheatley. Hempel's strong graphics were reproduced on clear acetate, providing a framework for Mark Wheatley's vibrant watercolors, which lies beneath it.

Of course that was 1990, and things have certainly changed. For instance, Hawkeye artist David Aja does all his drawing on computer, and most coloring for books is done digitally as well. Mark Wheatley contacted me a few months back to inform me that he and Hempel are looking at "remastering" the Breathtaker project, and even possibly looking at a sequel. Here is a video, which gives a little more background on their exciting news: 

Time flies... I can't believe it has been seven years since we hosted this exhibition, and a whole year since we had comic book artist Alex Ross' work on display. I actually received a call the other day from a reporter from The Wall Street Journal, looking for information about Ross (who I also interviewed for an award-winning Museum exhibition video). It turns out that his exhibition of masterful superhero paintings is heading to Paris (the Mona Bismarck American Center for Art & Culture) this March. Well, if the bon vivants are starting to take note, then you know that comic book art has reached a new pinnacle... keep it coming, I say (this means you, Aja!). 

Related Links:

Mark Wheatley and Marc Hempel's Breathtaker Remastered (indiegogo Campaign)

"Exclusive First Look: Hawkeye #15," January 15, 2014, comicvine.com

Earthworld Comics, Albany, NY

Never-Ending Battle

"With great power, comes great responsibility."− Uncle Ben, 1962

Since I wrote about the subject in such detail last year, I thought it made sense to give a nod to PBS's excellent new documentary on superheroes, which aired last week. Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle is a three-hour look at the origins of today's modern myths, and how they have mirrored the times they were created in. For a comic book and pop-culture fan, it's a fascinating and surprisingly thorough look at our favorite caped crusaders, kicking off with the creation of Superman by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster in the 1930s: 

Siegel and Shuster were Jewish, and it is really interesting to consider that the history of immigrants coming to America inspired the concept of the "man from Krypton."

The documentary continues to have a wonderful flow, detailing how current events and pop culture served as the true origins of earth's mightiest heroes: World War II (Wonder Woman, Captain America); The Atomic Age (Fantastic Four, The Hulk); Civil Rights Era (Black Panther, X-Men); Post-Watergate (The Punisher, Wolverine, The Watchmen) and so on. The filmmakers obviously have a love for the genre, as they go on to include such seminal comic book stories as Green Lantern/Green Arrow, The Dark Knight Returns, and Marvel's Civil Wars... and interviews with such experts as Marvel Comics' Stan Lee, and historian William H. Foster III (who spoke at our Museum last year)... what's not to love?

Superheroes was produced by historian Laurence Maslon and director Michael Kantor, who has worked with documentarian Ken Burns. The well-researched tone makes it feel like something Burns himself might consider putting together... as Lee points out in the documentary, comics and supermen are "sort of like jazz... it's an American art form!"

Another bullseye... "Hawkeye #13"-
Aja and Fraction explore the topics of death 
and family relations. ©Marvel Comics.

But as we know, comic books are still fighting their way towards respectability− I have written about this before, so I hardly need to repeat it. Since the Alex Ross exhibit at Norman Rockwell Museum, I have found myself popping back into the comic book stores... but I must admit to being disappointed about the general quantity over quality of books produced. Having said that, like any art form I know that it can still produce true, creative work.

Last week they finally released the latest issue of Marvel Comics' Hawkeye. Written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by the Spanish artist David Aja, it continues to be a gorgeous series, certainly standing out from the typical superhero fare. It's been about three months since their last issue hit the stands, but I guess the time and care these creators put into their storytelling makes it worth the wait (the European, storyboard style is a winner).

Similar to Aja, I am drawn to the work of Italian comic book artist Francesco Francavilla, who illustrated one of the better fill-in issues of Hawkeye and is the creator of Dark Horse Comics' The Black Beetle. Francavilla has a brilliant, cinematic quality to his lines and layout, and he is obviously takes a cue from the daring style of Fraction/Aja. But I was hardly prepared for his latest book... a re-imagining of the Archie Comics' characters as a horror comic. Afterlife with Archie takes Archie, Veronica, Betty, Jughead and the rest of the gang, and merges them with the current zombie craze that has infested pop culture. Writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has a background in horror as well as a love for Archie, and surprisingly this collaboration with Francavilla really seems to work. One of my big gripes about comics is that they tend to shy away from trying anything that different, so you can imagine my shock in looking forward to these new tales of the gang from Riverdale!



On that note, kudos to PBS for airing the Superheroes documentary. As a fan and creator of documentaries, I found a lot to learn from here. I'm actually in the midst of working on my next short video for the Museum and, as always, it's a struggle... but I remember that the love and care I put into my own superhero documentary for the Alex Ross exhibit last year, which resulted in some very favorable reviews and top awards... so like Ben Parker's nephew, I'll try and summon that old spider-strength once again.

Hey, I realize that PBS is where I first met Spidey back in the day (Electric Company), proving that it once again comes full-circle and anything is possible. Hell, maybe I'll even get the chance to create my own PBS documentary some day...

Well, halloween is right around the corner...
Photo ©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights
reserved.

Related Links:

Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle 

Comic-Con 2013 Panel for "Superheroes," PBS Channel, YouTube, October 11, 2013

"'Superheroes' Interview: Filmmakers hold mirror up to American culture," Washington Post, October 15, 2013

"World War R: New Comic Pits Archie and Friends Against the Undead," NPR, October 18, 2013

The Art of Francesco Francavilla

David Aja's blog

Comic-Conned!

It's funny... I lived in San Diego for a short time, so I understand how appealing its climate and geography might be. What has surprised me is how popular its yearly Comic-Con has become, making the Southern California city a yearly destination for more than just its beautiful coastline. 

Yikes! I'm back in the "comics game?" With "friend" at
The Albany Comic Con, October 2012. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.

The San Diego Comic-Con was founded in 1970 (same year I was born). When I lived in the city (early 90s), I don't remember as big a fuss being made about it as there is now. How times have changed... this past week the media has been bombarded with coverage about the Con, including a cover story in Entertainment Weekly which included details about the upcoming Spider-Man film (more on that in a bit). Over 125,000 fans were expected to descend on the convention this weekend--a number that apparently keeps growing each year. 

I remember a time when it was somewhat embarrassing to admit you liked comic books. Now it seems there is no end to the movies and media being influenced by them. The San Diego Comic-Con celebrates that... in all its geeky glory. Granted, SDCC is more than just comics, with equal attention being paid to science fiction movies and other fantasy-type genres... but as artist Alex Ross told me last fall during my video interview with him, there is something vindicating about the fact that this overall medium has finally gained mainstream respect.

I've come around as well. Can you blame me? I told a friend recently that I think comics were my first entry into art appreciation. The visual storytelling definitely had an influence (even more than film), and I sometimes think about revisiting my old comic book creating days (cheaper than film, no doubt).

The fact is that there is some really smart work being published right now. Here are some of the things that have been turning my head:

Hawkeye 

From the infamous "Pizza Dog" issue
of Hawkeye #11. Beautiful artwork
by the Eisner Award-winning David Aja.
© David Aja for Marvel and Subs.

Hot on the heels of last year's Avengers film, Marvel Comics kicked off a new series focusing on the off-duty events of the team's resident archer, Hawkeye. I don't think this character ever really got a lot of respect, but I always dug him (especially in the 1980s). With this book, writer Matt Fraction and artist David Aja have consistently produced a very different kind of superhero comic, both thematically and graphically... and it has been noticed by the public. I take pleasure in knowing that I have been along from the beginning of this series, and have first printings of each of the books. Really, they are that special... Aja's artwork is just so stunning. He worked as an illustrator and comes from a Spanish background--maybe that is the difference. I find myself so excited when I see his work, and the team has done some very creative stories, including a book where Hawkeye's dog is the main character. Great graphic design... a lot of humor... and refreshing that you don't need to follow the rest of the Marvel books to understand the plot. I hope they keep at it, because this book is a "bullseye" success.

Optic Nerve

For much the same reason I love Aja's art, I also dig cartoonist Adrian Tomine. I initially discovered his work through The New Yorker (his November 8, 2004 cover, "Missed Connections," has long been a favorite).

Photo of Adrian Tomine at WCMA. ©Jeremy Clowe.
The classic "Missed Connections" by Adrian Tomine.
©Adrian Tomine for The New Yorker. All rights reserved.

I have only recently started looking at his graphic novel work, including the long-running Optic Nerve, which contains very personal, off-beat, tales... no superheroes, mainly outsiders trying to find their way in the world. It's an introverted style, and the artwork has a sharp, design-like quality that fits perfectly. This past spring Tomine gave a talk at Williamstown College Museum of Art, and I had the chance to drive out and meet the artist. He produced a recent book called Tales of an Impending Marriage which I found amusing (his wife is also named Sarah).

FF / Batman '66

Cover of FF #5, artwork by Mike Allred.
©Mike Allred for Marvel and Subs. 

Another Marvel comic I have been getting into is FF. This is another book by writer Matt Fraction, and features a similar laid-back jokey kind of style. The book follows the exploits of a team of superheroes chosen to fill in for The Fantastic Four while they were on an intergalactic mission. Ant-Man, Ms. Thing, Medusa, and She-Hulk are called on to look after The Future Foundation, a group of kids with superpowers. Trust me, it's better than it sounds... and the artwork is by a comic book creator, whose work I have enjoyed for a long time. MIke Allred was the creator of a book called Mad Man, one of the few comics I enjoyed picking up in the 90s; he has a sort of retro style that is a lot of fun to look at... very graphic (sense a trend?). In the FF, there are many references to Jack Kirby, one of the most influential comic artists ever... and co-creator of The Fantastic Four. I think what I enjoy about these books is that bring back some of that good-spirited, colorful wonder that initially attracted me to comics in the first place... comics had gotten so grim and homogenized in recent years, that it is refreshing to take some inspiration from the old school.

Interior art from Batman 66 #1. Artwork by
Jonathan Case. ©Jonathan Case for DC Comics.

Speaking of which, there is a really fun DC Comic that was just released this past week called Batman '66 (with cover by Mike Allred!). The book is written and illustrated in the style of the old Batman TV show from the 1960s. I love the concept, and so far the art and story is a lot of fun... artist Jonathan Case draws the characters to look exactly like Adam West, Frank Gorshin, et al... and I love his very dynamic compositions. Writer Jeff Parker has written dialogue that you feel could have been plucked from that old series, yet it somehow manages to avoid some of the "campiness" of the TV show... not in a "nod and wink" sort of way, but in just presenting the material very straight-forward. You know the universe, and it just seems to exist in a natural way here. Fun so far...

Batwoman

Cover art for Batwoman #20 by
J.H. Williams. ©J.H. Williams
for DC Comics.

Holy Bat-a-rang! Another book I recently discovered is Batwoman by DC Comics. Ok, forget all I have said about my tastes up to this point... this comic book has a painterly, surreal quality to it, with story and art themes bordering on the mystery and horror genres. Credit must go to J.H. Williams, who writes and illustrates, telling the story of Katherine Kane, a wealthy heiress who was inspired by Batman to fight crime. The character has apparently been around for some time, but this book reads like a completely new creation. 

Rachel Rising

Sarah has really been getting into artist Terry Moore's work-- he has a new book called Rachel Rising, which I haven't read, but is apparently another horror-based book. The artwork looks great (detailed pen and ink, graphic), and I have been familiar with Moore's work in the past... accessible characters and art. He used to create a series called Strangers in Paradise, followed by Echo, and I actually interviewed him back in 2007 during the time of Norman Rockwell Museum's LitGraphic exhibition, which he was featured in. I need to post some of that interview, and finally read his new books...

Rachel Rising print by Terry Moore. ©Terry Moore Art.

Spidey?...

Interior art from Avenging Spider-Man #22.
Artwork by David Lopez.
©David Lopez for Marvel and Subs.

Eh, what have I gotten myself into with this blog... I need to pack it up for tonight. But I wanted to express a little of my newfound excitement about comic books lately. 

But what about Spider-Man? Yeah, he's always been my favorite. I'm not sure I have time to get into the movie that I alluded to at the beginning (interesting story there), but I'll do so in a future blog.

Regarding the comics, I'm not sure what they're doing with the character right now... Peter Parker is "dead," replaced in mind by his old foe Doctor Octopus who took over his body (long story). That feels sacrilege, but certainly offbeat. This past week I picked up one of the Spidey books (Avenging Spider-Man #22), because the artwork looked interesting. David Lopez has a nice, clean, dynamic style... similar to what I have been talking about before. Incidentally, like David Aja he is Spanish born... maybe there is something to this. The artists I find myself drawn to seem to be more international than I have previously experienced in the comic book world. Anyway, writer Christopher Yost kept an interesting story, that finds a more "aggressive" Spidey than we are used to. I'm not sure I have the patience to continue with the books and current story line, but there is another book due from Lopez, so I'll probably check that out. Would be interested to see his future work on the webslinger...

Ok, that's enough for tonight. But as you can see, my sense sense (or inspiration) is tingling... stay tuned.

The Final Chapter

Alex Ross, "Marvels #4" cover, 1994.
 Courtesy of the artist. SPIDER-MAN ™
& © 2013 Marvel and Subs.

Well, the day has finally arrived. It's the final hours for the exhibition, Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross at Norman Rockwell Museum. Long-time comics fan that I am, you know I'll be sorry to see this one go. 

This past week was school vacation week, and I spent it buzzing around the Museum dressed as Spider-Man and meeting the public. I was joined by several other caped crusaders... really, what other job lets you run around in your "pajamas" all day? 

I have said it before, but there was something sweet about having the chance to dress up as Spidey and entertain the kids... it's all come full-circle for me. It definitely gave me a chance to ham it up... you can view some photos from the past week on the Museum's Facebook page.

I also think we succeeded in attracting a whole new audience to the Museum with this exhibition. A photographer stopped in mid-week and was raving about all the marketing we had been doing... he was particularly impressed by the movie trailer we had playing at the local theaters... he went on and on, saying how it was as good as any trailer you see at the movies... until I mentioned that I was the one who created it. Funny how people sometimes find it harder to directly compliment someone on their work... I'm sure Spidey could relate, eh?

Avengers Assemble! Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

So... what now? Well, at the Museum we will be presenting an exhibition of the work of Hungarian-born illustrator Istvan Banyai--it's pretty interesting, expressive art, and seems like a good segue from Alex Ross' work (Banyai has also done graphic novel work, and it seems like a natural medium considering his style). As for me, well... I'm continuing with preparations for my play, and I have a couple other things in the works. So stay tuned true believer... you'll be sure to hear about it here... same Bat blog, same Bat channel!

Make Mine Marvel! Photo by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

New Year, New Heroics

A "captive" audience enjoys my exhibition video for
Heroes & Villains at Norman Rockwell Museum.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Hi again. We're already at the middle of January... can you believe it? I've been keeping busy as usual. This month actually marks my twelfth year of working in the Communications/Marketing department at Norman Rockwell Museum... I know, that's a long time. 

So I have been continuing to give quite a few direct interviews lately. Last week saw me as a live guest on Kingston, New York's WKNY Radio, talking about the Museum's latest offerings; and this weekend YNN News in the Capital Region is airing a segment about the Heroes & Villains exhibition, which includes an interview with yours truly. You can find the link here, but I think you need a Time Warner account to pull up the video.

Speaking of video, without further ado... here is the short documentary I created for Norman Rockwell Museum's exhibition of Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross:



I'm happy with the way this one came out, and the way that I succeeded in working on it alongside other duties for the Museum. Being a one-man band, these productions usually take quite a bit of time to do right, and I don't always have that luxury while managing the press department. In the past I have nearly "killed" myself, working literally non-stop from work and outside work to produce such videos... but this time I followed the methods that seemed to work in the past, and simply made revisions along the way. Hence, you are finally seeing a version I consider "complete."

Another great kick for me the other day was to finally see the movie trailer I created for the exhibition. It is currently playing before all main features at both the Beacon and Triplex Cinemas in the Berkshires, and what a thrill it was to see it unfold on the big screen (I even heard a few gasps of excitement from the audience!). I think Ross' artwork really lends itself to the movies... very cinematic.



On the topic of comic books, I finally caught up with some recent copies I had lying around. I have to say, I am not a fan with what they are doing with Spider-Man (artwork or story). Last month they published the last few issues of the long-running Amazing Spider-Man title. Leading up to the final issue of #700 (spoiler alert) was the revelation that Spidey's old foe, Doctor Octopus, had actually switched bodies with the web-slinger. Doc Ock was actually on his deathbed... which meant that it was actually Peter Parker who was on life support (I know, only in comics). The whole story line was very intriguing, but ultimately disappointing as the last issue revealed that Parker had actually died. The new "superior" Spider-Man is a version of Peter Parker who actually has the mind of Otto Octavius... with all of Parker's memories, but essentially a new character... still with me? Meh. It's like New Coke... why tamper with perfection?

Hey you, get off of my wall!... Keeping Spidey real
at Norman Rockwell Museum.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Of course no one stays "dead" forever in comic books, so I'm sure if enough people disagree with the direction, the real Peter Parker will be back. However, I think they have harmed the overall story line for one of the seminal superhero characters... as if the Clone Saga, One More Day, and Brand New Day messes weren't bad enough! 

I remember talking with Alex Ross back in October about the challenges of sustaining comic book continuity. Played out in real-time (from the point of his first appearance), Spidey would be in his mid-60s by now... so unless you're going to write him as a much older character, you've got a problem. What is the solution... keep revising the history? Rebooting the series for new generations, or keeping the story line very much set in a particular time period? I might favor the latter. There is actually a comic book workshop coming up at a school in the area, which I'm thinking about signing up for... giving the old visual storytelling chops a workout. Whether you are working on ongoing stories in film or comics, I think that a clean narrative is essential, and there are probably smarter ways to work around such issues in a work of fiction (i.e. Terry Moore's books, which my wife loves).

Anyway, the Heroes & Villains exhibition continues at the Museum through February 24, and I am still finding new details in Ross' artwork that surprise me. As for the amazing Spider-Man, I am scheduled to don my Spidey suit once again for the Museum to accompany some upcoming programming... but believe me, I'll be portraying the classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko version of "Peter Parker," not some cheap imposter... because ain't nothing like the "real thing!"

Related Links:

"Comics in the Classroom," YNN News, January 12, 2013

"Events in landmark 'Spider-Man' issue have fans in a frenzy," CNN, December 31, 2012

Auld Lang Syne

Wow. It's hard to believe that I started this blog a year ago today, and still managed to meet my challenge of creating a post EVERY DAY to document this significant year! 

Looking back, moving forward! Photo by John Whipple. 
All rights reserved.

To be honest, this was also meant to be a way to get my name out there on the inter-webs (while I work on a professional website), and there were times when I literally groaned at the thought of having to come up with some creative, coherent post by the end of a long day... seriously, it's difficult to talk about yourself all the time! But I did manage to pull it off (often to the late-night chagrin of my patient wife), and must say that it's nice to have a real-time record to look back on the events from the past year. I think there is also something to the idea of putting myself out there to the "universe" because there were some truly great moments and opportunities that came my way. Without further ado, here is my personal Top 10 for 2012 (hey, I told you I liked creating these things!):

10. Connected (Writing's On The Wall)

NYC's Spoken Word Almanac Project (with visuals by yours truly).
Photo by Jonathan Weiskopf. All rights reserved.

As I mentioned, the goal of this blog (in addition to giving my Mom some daily morning reading material) was to get my name out there− seemed to work! A few professional contacts I made this year mentioned finding this site, or asked− out of the blue− about such endeavors as my improv group that they could have only read about here(!). I also continued my work with the Spoken Word Almanac Project earlier in the year, creating visuals for their "news in review" style format of performance poetry. 

"Troy Record," April 26, 2012

2012 also saw further work with Peace Action New York State, where Sarah and I helped out with a July peace march to commemorate the World War II era victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and I videotaped special lectures for the group on such topics as the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. 

I continued to land other interesting, independent video projects, although I had to be conscious of biting off more than I could chew up to and around the time of my July wedding. I didn't come as far as I had hoped this year in terms of advancing my career, but it was a year that saw me making significant strides and remain in the game.

9. King of All Media

Well, it was certainly a year where I stepped it up in terms of my outreach towards the media. 2012 saw me interviewed by such outlets as The Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal, The Springfield Republican, The Schenectady Gazette and New England Public Radio in regards to various exhibitions and programs at Norman Rockwell Museum. I took my Manager of Media Services title to new heights by leading the effort to launch our own page on the Google Art Project, and twice appeared as a guest on The Roundtable, produced by the Albany NPR station, WAMC. This past month I even went international with an interview for TV Tokyo's Bi no Kyojin Tachi, regarding the career of artist Norman Rockwell. It felt good to be able to use my experience and knowledge gained on the job in a creative way... after more than a decade of working at the Museum and in TV news, I certainly feel confident in my abilities.

8. We Are Family

  

Updating Norman Rockwell's "The Runaway" with
my nephew. ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

My family grew this year, and part of what made this year so memorable was being able to help celebrate their own milestones and achievements. First off, I became a uncle again... times three! Sarah's two nephews ushered in the new extended family by being the ring bearer and master of butterflies at our wedding. And although she was pregnant and couldn't attend our big day, my sister gave birth to another beautiful little girl weeks later... apparently she hasn't stopped smiling since she arrived! The smiles continued in October as my mother-in-law received a special honor for her ongoing efforts for peace.

Proving that weddings are contagious, my two twin cousins announced their own engagements this past fall, and my sister-in-law just got engaged... I was happy to lend a creative hand in the planning of the latter, where my future brother-in-law took me up on my idea of proposing to his girl during the previously mentioned Japanese TV shoot that my nephew took part in... now THAT was a Norman Rockwell moment.

7. The Art of Improvisation

Another RBIT-ing performance. ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

At the beginning of this year, my friend/groomsman Frank announced that my old improv group was going to start performing in South County of the Berkshires again, which is where I continue to work. "How can I get in on this?" I wondered aloud, and suddenly found myself "back on the boards," playing gigs with The Royal Berkshire Improv Troupe at the beautiful new Spectrum Playhouse, located in my old hometown of Lee, Massachusetts. It has been a wonderful experience reconnecting with these old and new friends, and challenging myself with some performing again... the late night karaoke after-parties were pretty great too.

6. I Am The DJ, I Am What I Play

Broadcasting live from the WEXT studios!
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

I was fortunate to return to another favorite activity this year− during and after college, I had enjoyed being a music DJ (including a stint with independent rock station WBER in Rochester, New York).... well, thanks to Capital Region station WEXT, I found myself doing my best Casey Kasem on a couple of occasions this year: first during an hour playing some of my favorite songs on their MyExit program, and also earlier this month as I recorded a tribute show to the Norwegian band, A-ha. The latter program was in celebration of the band's 30th anniversary (and knighting in their home country!), and should be airing at the beginning of the new year. Hopefully there will be more on-air opportunities... did I mention that I'm a bit of a "ham" radio operator? 

home sweet home.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

5. New Digs

After an extended "transition" period, which included apartments in the Berkshires, New York City, and the Hudson Valley, I finally settled into a lovely old, renovated home in downtown Schenectady with my wife Sarah. In addition to enjoying the resources of "The Electric City" and Capital Region, it is just nice to finally have some room to spread out, get organized and creative again (bonus points for this past week's clean up). Yes honey... "feels like home."

4. Mr. Ed

One of the most satisfying moments this past year was the opportunity to continue furthering my education. I FINALLY took another graphic design course, which is something I have been wanting to do for some time now and made possible by the excellent Arts Center of the Capital Region. The class helped me understand key design principals, come up with ideas for creating a logo and website for my business, and learn the ins and outs of Adobe Illustrator. I also utilized some of this newfound knowledge in the design of our wedding invitations and thank-you cards... turned out beautiful (thanks to instructor Taylor Gillis of Troy's Design It Together for sharing his own knowledge and insight).

Invitation only... by design!
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

The Arts Center also gave Sarah and I a chance to brush up on our swing dancing during a course timed perfectly ahead of our wedding, and offered me a chance to play around with a DSLR video camera during two weekends of their video art course. This was a great, creative exercise... the DSLR takes a little getting used to, but the picture quality is fantastic. 

Extra kudos to the Center for letting me take the camera out on yet another afternoon (outside of class) to further acquaint myself with one of the newest tool for filmmakers, and continued appreciation for my friends at CTSB-TV in the Berkshires for letting me try out a number of other new HD video camera models for various projects. As they say: learning is fundamental!

3. Four More Years

Promo for Darian Dauchan's Obamatry,
a spoken word remix, featuring multimedia
design by JC. Courtesy Darian Dauchan.

The fiscal cliff, Obamacare, gun control... it was a tense 12 months, made more so by the fact that this was an election year. Although I don't approve of everything that unfolded during his first term (read: drones), I still supported President Barack Obama, and felt that he held the conviction and intelligence necessary to lead this country back to greatness. I felt a little guilty that I could not actively help his campaign as I did four years ago, and for a while it got to be a nail-biter... Republican candidate Mitt Romney made some last-minute strides this past fall that had many of us wondering if the country would be heading in another direction. What a relief it was to wake up on November 6th to the news that Obama had won a second term, and that many of the initiatives that progressives had been working so hard to advance (health care, marriage equality, immigration, etc.) would be saved. It's hard to believe that the state of the union was swaying precariously in the balance just over a month ago. Of course we've still got a long way to go, and I wish President Obama the best of luck over the next four years... forward!

2. Hero Worship

Interviewing acclaimed comic book artist Alex Ross
in his Chicago studio. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

2012 found me getting back in touch with my "inner comic geek," and thrilled at the arrival of our new exhibit, Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross, at Norman Rockwell Museum. I have been a fan of Ross' work since 1994's Marvels, so it was a great thrill to meet the artist again and see his stunning, original art. The icing on the cake: the chance to travel to Chicago and interview Alex Ross for a new exhibition video. I had to push for this one, but it felt great to utilize not only my video production skills, but also knowledge of a medium that I, like Ross, grew up with. 




(Above is a movie trailer I also created for the exhibition− good fun!)

Yours truly... your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights resereved.

Another idea I had was for my colleagues and I to dress up like our favorite superheroes for the exhibition opening and related programming... my childhood dreams came full-circle as I walked around in my own Spider-Man costume, with several admiring youngsters following in my footsteps! Did I mention the billboard?

By the end of the year, I had reconnected with an aspect of my youth that I have sometimes felt embarrassed over the years to admit to enjoying. However, the success this past year of such films as Spider-Man, Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, and especially The Avengers (♥) made it seem slightly less geeky to proclaim my superhero/comic book love... I even proudly represented the Museum's exhibit at the Albany Comic Con in October, and have become a frequent visitor to the area comic book stores... Bazinga! (must-read of the year: Sean Howe's Marvel Comics: The Untold Story). 

1. Our Big Day

Mr. and Mrs. Clowe!
Photo by John Whipple. All rights reserved.

Of course the highlight of the year was finally getting married to my long-time love, Sarah. The first part of the year was great fun, planning all the various details for the ceremony and reception− we both certainly got to use our creativity. It was challenging at times... I admit, it took me longer to find a tux than I would have expected, and it was tricky to figure out some aspects of an interfaith ceremony. However, the sheer joy of planning for our new life together made it an exciting adventure...

The big day arrived fast and was not only emotional, but a little surreal... to have so many of our loved ones surrounding us (and our friend Tom co-officiate the ceremony), and find myself standing at the alter as my new bride walked down to the aisle to The Beatles' "Here Comes The Sun"...

At that moment, the skies opened up on our beautiful outdoor ceremony, and it began to rain. I certainly wasn't expecting this, although it came as some relief to the summer's extended dry spell and intense humidity... but on my wedding day? 

Dance away... Photo by John Whipple. All rights reserved.

As a spiritual person, I couldn't help but wonder what the sign was... I struggled even more when one of my close family members had a bit of a health scare following the ceremony. The day could have taken a dark turn, but luckily things recovered, and we had an absolute blast during our reception (never seen so many people out on the dance floor at a wedding!). I should point out that the ceremony was also truly beautiful, filled with friends and family reading, singing, and even bubbles and butterflies... the intermittent rain showers let up towards the end of the ceremony, and we were treated to two magnificent rainbows later in the day. 

We followed the wedding with an absolutely magical week in Montreal and Quebec City, chasing after more waterfalls, and enjoying getting lost in Canada. Married life has been great! It's good on the other side, and I wonder why I waited so long...

***

As with any year, 2012 was filled with many highs and lows... laughter and tears... I sometimes found myself questioning my faith, wondering how a higher power could allow such tragedies to unfold as the summer shooting in Aurora, Colorado; the destruction from Hurricane Sandy; and the recent fatal shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, and Webster, New York (near my own hometown)... I made a point of going to church on Christmas Eve to have some time to reflect on this past year's events, and try to come to terms with some of my own personal anger at events that took place in my own life this year, which I felt I had little control over...

***

So, I literally just opened today's mail (snail not e), and found a late Christmas letter from my friend Tom, the reverend. At the top of his own yearly review, he noted our wedding and how beautiful it was to take part in the service... in describing the previously mentioned downpour, he referenced one of the scriptures Sarah and I had chosen for the ceremony, from Song of Solomon 8:7: "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it..."

"All You Need Is Love."--The Beatles. Photo by John Whipple. All rights reserved.

What a fitting way to end this memorable year: hearing these lines again and truly taking them to heart... because it's the end of another year, yet my love for life still burns bright. Thanks to friends and family who have joined me during this past year's journey, and here's to a happy and prosperous new year ahead...

Updated Soundtrack for 2012:

Port of Morrow, The Shins

Signs & Signifiers, J.D. McPherson

The Lumineers, The Lumineers

England Keep My Bones, Frank Turner

Laura, Diego Garcia

Django, Django, Django, Django

Boys & Girls, Alabama Shakes

Wrecking Ball, Bruce Springsteen

Delta Spirit, Delta Spirit

A Thing Called Divine Fits, Divine Fits

Making Mirrors, Gotye

There's No Leaving Now, The Tallest Man on Earth

Out of My Hands, Morten Harket