There are always scrupulous jizzbuckets in every field. If there’s a way to make money off of something, chances are someone is looking to take advantage in some capacity. In the comic industry, a big problem that comic artist are facing is people using others artwork and claiming it as their own. There have been numerous incidents in recent years of a scuzzy vendor at a convention getting the boot due to selling prints of ”Original artwork” that does not belong to them. Usually they brighten or darken it or put some effect on it to make it slightly different. They trick unsuspecting buyers into buying something that they stole. It’s a shady tactic and I hate lying scumbags, so anytime I can confront one of these pieces of shit...I take the opportunity to do so and get a mega boner chumping the hell out of these clowns.
I recently came across some screenshots I took from an incident last year. I thought they were funny and that I would share the story with you all. I was wasting precious time on Facebook and came across an individual named Mike Sarandrea posting a particular piece of art I knew very well. It was part of a series of awesome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pieces by an artist I follow named Dave Rapoza. This is a series that I LOVE so much that I’m trying to land these as exclusive variant covers for my shop on TMNT books. He initially did them as promotional pieces for Nickelodeon years back and I fell in love with them then.
Anyway, the individual who posted it did so in an art group and claimed that he airbrushed it himself. My bullshit detector was on high alert and was tingling like crazy. So I naturally shot the douche a message. This is how it played out...
Within a minute of the realization that his cover was blown, he removed the post. Naturally I had to follow up through private messages where he at least made me laugh before blocking me. I was hoping we would go back and forth for a while as he at least seemed creative and willing to take chances in the writing department...even if he wasn’t in the ol’ art end of things. I would love to believe that this bag of mashed up assholes (for you @crimsonclad, courtesy of Eastbound & Down) learned his lesson but most never do. These artists work hard to produce something unique and special and then some bottom feeding zilch tries to take credit for it. I detest that and wish my friend Mike Sarandrea a lifetime of swamp ass and vinegar balls. Cheers to that!!!
I guess I’ll just pop up the rest of the series. As I stated before. I am trying super hard to get these as exclusive variant covers for a series of TMNT comics. Would be 15 in all. Wish me luck on that. We got permission from IDW which is the publisher & got the green light from Nickelodeon. All we are waiting on is the man himself, Dave Rapoza to grant permission and we can go forward. He responded once to me saying he’d love to see them as covers and then has yet to answer me again. I’ll get around to bothering him soon again. Wish me luck!!!
Leonardo & the piece in question
Michaelangelo
Raphael
Donatello
Splinter
April O’Neil
Bebop
Casey Jones
Rocksteady
Foot Soldier
Baxter Stockman
Slash
Metalhead
Wingnut & Screwloose
Shredder
So which one is your favorite from here?? Respond and comment below and let me know what ya think!!
Thanks for looking folks,
Blewitt