Interview with Jim Harold!

Check out my interview with Jim Harold of Paranormal Podcast. Jim Harold's show features professionals in the field of paranormal investigation, so you can imagine the honor it was to be interviewed about Flagler's Few.

Paranormal Podcast is a highly informative, entertaining and well respected podcast that both skeptics and true believers can enjoy. So make sure you subscribe to his show via iTunes. Your iPod will thank you!

PAGES! PAGES! PAGES!

Hey folks, just checking in and posting some of the pages over again on the site!

Some are new and some you may have already seen, I just like to keep my art on the top as much as possible so that new viewers can see what I'm working on.

Who you gonna call?

Previously on another post I mentioned one of the things that inspired Flagler's Fews for me was the art of Edward Gorey. I was exposed to Gorey's art via Mystery Theatre on PBS as a kid. However, another inspiration for the book was exposed to me right around the same time. 

That inspiration comes in the form of the 1980's TV-show, The Real Ghostbusters.

The series was based off the infamous movie of roughly the same name (The "Real" part came about due to some legal issues with another series that was entitled "Ghostbusters"). I was hooked at a young age and grew up on the series. It is in essence, what started my love for the paranormal and also was what had me dressing up as Ghostbuster for many Halloweens. 

The series, in my opinion was revolutionary. Both the art and stories were fantastic and original. The series managed to maintain dark and ghoulish atmospheres while taking care not to frighten its younger viewers. 

For Christmas, my mother got me the complete series (only available through Time Life's website). Words could not express my happiness. Now, as I sit in front of the TV, 20 years later, I still can't help but love this wonderful piece of childhood nostalgia. It's still a damn good series too, and holds up against much of today's standard cartoons...even surpassing them in many ways.

Much of the visual styles can be seen to parallel the The Real Ghostbusters in  Flagler's Few. The style is detailed, yet loose at the same time.  One piece of trivia for fans would be to notice that William Garring's hair is a sort of cross between Egons and Peter's 80-style dews. 

I ain't afraid no ghosts! ;-)

 

Mystery of Room 513?

Here are some long awaited pages to add to the blog site. Finished pencils and inked accordingly. They await the final touch of words.

One of the exciting things about doing Flagler's Few as a book after the movie, is the ability to go back and add new elements that I was previously unable to do (either due to lacking of actors, unable to secure "locations" or because my piggy bank ran out of money).

In the book, I've added some new characters to go along with some new sub-plots. For example, in these few pages we see William arguing with the landlord of the Spanish Quarters Apartments, the introduction of the landlord's daughters: Gia, Lia and Mia (who take a liking to William) and the mysterious mention of Room 513...

What secrets lay ahead for our brave, but skeptic protagonist? You'll have to stay tune!

Sketch Book Samples

Here are some concept sketches I did before setting out to start on the book pages. Some of the character designs have changed slightly, but for the most part I was pretty settled on these designs. These are just a few of the sketches I scanned from my traveling book. A lot of what is in this sketch pad comes from when I was on the Comic Con circuit in 2007.

WOW! Been a while! Came a long way though...

Enjoy!

New Additions

I've made some adjustments to the blog, added a few extra widgets. I got rid of the World Weird News (because they weren't updating) and replaced it with America's Hauntings. Also, I added a spooky sound widget.

I'm not sure whether I went over board or not, I like the spooky widget, but it might become a bit of a nuisance. So please let me know what you think by leaving your comments at the bottom of this post.

Thanks!

Albert Rene Frattino

On this day, 4 years ago, my father passed away.

It has been the most traumatic thing to occur in my life, as it would be in most peoples. Albert Frattino, was a very caring and devoted family man. He had a boisterous voice,  a pleasant demeanor and a friendly nature. Most people who met him instantly fell in love with him and he was often considered to be like a second father to some of my closest friends. Rarely a time goes by that a friend of mine won't mention some story that involved them with my dad, always a fond memory that people love to share.

I would be lying if I said my father and I were thick as thieves. Often we butted heads over even the simplest of things. There were at times I even resented my father, even becoming jealous of him. My father had a knack for making me look ridiculous in front of my friends, teasing me or making a joke at my expense. He always did it with a good spirit and never belittled me. 

My father, is in many ways responsible for who I am today. If not for him I would never have gone to SCAD, and my pursuit in the paranormal field would not have increased. Infact, the story of my father's passing and me going to SCAD could be considered paranormal in a way...

My father was a chef and my mother was a first grade teacher. Money was always tight and definitely not loose enough to afford a school with tuition fees as high as $35,000 a year.  When my mom and dad took me to Savannah to look at the college I was sort of limbo on what I wanted to do with my life. After we saw the college, I was certain I wanted to go to SCAD.  The day I was accepted was both a celebration and a sober reminder...that money was now the only issue.

Before my dad's abrupt passing he told me "No matter what, I will get you to that school."

At my father's memorial service people  kept saying "miracles will happen!" or " don't worry...your father's looking after you." It's nice words, but it was hallow at the same time. Who were these people to assume they knew my future? I tried everything though, scholarship after scholarship...I pushed on. 

It came to a point though, that I could no longer push forward, and so I decided I would give up the hunt for tuition, but I tried at the advice of my enrollment manager to make one final scholarship push, the SOS Scholarship. All I needed to do was write an essay as to why I wanted to go to SCAD. 

So I wrote of my father, and how much he meant to me, and how much this school was where he wanted me to go. I turned in the essay and decided to move on with my life expecting nothing to come of the scholarship.

A few weeks later...I was awarded a full tuition scholarship.

Now whether you believe in the paranormal or not, you can't say that my father didn't have a hand in my future right there and then. I am who I am, I am WHERE I am...because of Chef Albert Frattino, a man, a hero, a father.

So like the Flagler's Few movie before, I will dedicate this book to the memory of my dad.  If ever I had a ghost or angel looking over me...I'm sure glad it would be him.

CPR Banner

Christel Brooks, the Media Director for CPR just sent this along to me. It's the promotional banner for my interview on February 8th. Looks pretty good, can't wait to be on the show.

Crossroads Paranormal Radio

On February 8th, I will be interviewed by Kris and Mike of Crossroad Paranormal Radio. Crossroads (also known as CPR) is a highly popular online radio show that touches on all things paranormal, both in the scientific and spiritual realm. Most of their guests on the show are experts in paranormal investigation, accredited authors and known celebrities in the field. I consider it a great honor to be invited on and hope to make the most of it, speaking of my experiences and promoting Flagler's Few.

The show airs at 8:30pm EST on Sunday, February 8th, so please tune in and lend your support to both CPR and myself. The show is also available through iTunes (with a high download rating) so you can subscribe to the show there and download the interview.

One last bit of news, if some of you haven't realized yet, the website addy has changed. This blogspot can now be reached through ARFstudios.net and I've also uploaded a counter and a guestbook, so leave your comments and messages there.