Bob Boze Bell's Blog – February 2012 Archive (28)

February 29, 2012

Woke up this morning and it was a tad nippy for Arizona (low fifties) so started a fire in my Big Bug Creek studio stove and hunkered down to noodle some sketches for Paul Hutton's centennial piece wherein he makes a case for the roadrunner being a perfect mascot and metaphor for New Mexico. Actually, he contrasts and compares, what he calls, "The Badass Roadrunner" and Chuck Jone's famous roadrunner (Beep! Beep!). Here's a quick sketch and layout I…

February 29, 2012

Woke up this morning and it was a tad nippy for Arizona (low fifties) so started a fire in my Big Bug Creek studio stove and hunkered down to noodle some sketches for Paul Hutton's centennial piece wherein he makes a case for the roadrunner being a perfect mascot and metaphor for New Mexico. Actually, he contrasts and compares, what he calls, "The Badass Roadrunner" and Chuck Jone's famous roadrunner (Beep! Beep!). Here's a quick sketch and layout I…

February 28, 2012

Big weather, lots of wind and dust yesterday, sprinkles overnight. On my way into work this morning, I got a call from Juni Fisher who woke up to four inches of snow in Prescott. We were supposed to have breakfast here in Cave Creek, but she's running late.

Over the weekend I scored a postcard of an early Hollywood eatery where Wyatt Earp had lunch with several Western stars in the 1920s.

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February 27, 2012

Worked most of the weekend on Bob Paul images. Here is number 19:

And here's Bob Paul number 20:

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February 24, 2012

About a decade ago, right after we first bought the magazine, I motored down to Tubac for a historical weekend and encountered Mary Hartless, who had an authentic 1880s camera. Inspired, and utilizing the people on hand, she helped me art direct a faux tin type of Billy the Kid with his wife Paulita and their two kids.

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February 23, 2012

Western lovers take note: NBC has cast a new pilot The Frontier being billed as a "Western drama."

Meanwhile, Here's an update on the filming of The Lone Ranger near Silver City, New Mexico. According to our source, the production was postponed because Johnny Depp had personal issues, so that set things back by about ten days. Our good friend Jim "The Trainman" Clark is doing all the train sequences and according to our…

February 23, 2012

Here is our proud staff in front of the True West World Headquarters in Cave Creek, Arizona. We're just east of the Dairy Queen and a wee bit west of the Horny Toad. Please come see us and I'll give you the official tour.

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February 22, 2012

Still noodling Sheriff Bob Paul images. Here's a scratchboard image I whipped out this morning before I came into work:

Had lunch with the actor Peter Brown, along with with two friends of his at Tonto Bar & Grill. The friends are…

February 21, 2012

Still fretting over my cover assignment for John Boessenecker. So far, I haven't captured the massive frame of my sitter, but I'm getting there.

Last weekend in Wickenburg I met a guy at the parade who is almost exactly the proportions of lanky Sheriff Bob Paul. That is—six foot four and 270 pounds. I wanted to see how that massive of a guy would stand up to next to a Winchester. While the guy was not too thrilled about me taking his…

February 20, 2012

The True West motorcade made it's way through Wickenburg last Saturday past record crowds at the Gold Rush Parade. Here you can see the official True West extended-Checker Cab limo with my not-so-secret service escorts. I'm at the back of the car, in the green shirt, waving, in this very Zapruder-style photo.

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February 17, 2012

Still perusing the 16 issues of the Razz I received yesterday. My cartoon character, the Doper Roper, loped through each and ever issue, and it was interesting to look at all these years later. For one thing the writing is very weak (I thought it was so hip at the time), but there are a couple of action sequence that actually track in a decent way. Like this sequence where the Doper Roper encounters a hippy who can turn himself into a…

February 17, 2012

Working on an idea I've had for some time. What if the real Wyatt Earp ran into an Old West re-enactor in Vegas at Cowboy Christmas? What would the Sass-head say to the infamous lawman and legendary Westerner? I think I know:

Meanwhile, the…

February 16, 2012

Thanks to Kathy, I bagged a complete set of Razz Revues off ebay. Only set me back $275. In the first editorial, called "Regurgitation" I wrote, "On June 28th, 1972, we decided to produce something that would be a collector's item and worth a lot of money someday. We haven't decided what yet. In the meantime we created and published the first issue of Razz Revue."

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February 15, 2012

Timon Harper was at the Arizona Centennial party at the state capital yesterday and he took this image of me holding court from the stage.

I think I was in the process of describing the size of my ego. What's funny is I never even noticed there…

February 14, 2012

Went into the Beast early today for an appearance at the big birthday bash at the state capital. Big stage right in front of the capitol building. Met Karl Eller (the guy in charge of raising money for this year's event), Dave Pratt, Rex Allen, Jr. was there, as was Marshall Trimble and Dolan Ellis (the three musicians are flying to Prescott Valley for two shows tonight at six, then back to the Civic Plaza for the big Fandango tonight), Sandra Day…

February 13, 2012

One of my best friends and certainly a charter member of the Zane Brothers, is having a birthday on Wednesday. Took him to lunch today at the Keg Steakhouse in Desert Ridge. Laughed and laughed, like a couple of immature kids, which is redundant when you really think about it..

Okay, here's one of the pieces of art that will definitely be in the BBB Arizona Centennial package of tomorrow's Arizona Republic.Hint: if you've…

February 13, 2012

Working out the final details on tomorrow's big Arizona Centennial BBB page of cartoons in the Arizona Republic. Have several tweaks I am requesting. Part of a huge 32-page-behemoth section. Proud to be part of it. Here's a scene that didn't make the cut, I'm sorry to say.

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February 12, 2012

Had a speech last night at the Cave Creek Library. It was a fund raiser for the library. Sold out crowd. Had fun.

Over the weekend, one of the last remaining old school sign painters (meaning he does it by hand) started work on our building. Here is he is on the roof on Friday.

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February 11, 2012

Found this very large board in my flat files yesterday. It's 20 inches wide by 42 inches high.

These were ambitious scenes…

February 10, 2012

Just got the news Paul Bond died last night. Going to be a memorial service for the iconic, Nogales bootmaker next Tuesday.

Got a sneak peek at the script for the new Quentin Tarrantino Spaghetti Western: Django Unchained last night. Read half of it this morning and it is outrageous and very funny. Think Inglorious Bastards meets Jonah Hex. 

One of the most life changing films I have ever…