New Boris Karloff Print

My latest large, limited edition print of William Henry Pratt, aka Boris Karloff, the legendary horror film actor and English gentleman is now availble. Only 15 were printed and once they're sold out, no more will be available.

http://www.drewfriedman.net/prints/boris-karloff.html

"Face time"

The Newark Star Ledger and other Advance Media newspapers across Eastern New Jersey recently published this profile of my work "Face time" by journalist and author of the wonderful recent book "Monster Mash" Mark Voger, focusing on my latest book "Drew Friedman's Chosen People" (Fantagraphics Books)

This is the longer online version:

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/02/drew_friedman.html

This is the printed piece, the page also designed by Mark Voger:

click to enlarge

Shemp Howard's Official Portrait Unveiled

On Feb 12th, former president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama's official White House portraits debuted, the former presidents was painted by artist Kehinde Wiley.

I decided the Barack Obama portrait needed some improvement, it needed to be "Photo-Shemped". 

So I asked longtime Facebook friend and Photo-Shemp master Tom Hackett to replace Barack Obama's head with that of Shemp Howards. Tom accepted the challenge and within an hour produced the stunning results.

So, making it's debut today, presenting the official Shemp Howard portrait:

click to enlarge

My Boyhood Bedroom

These are photos I took with my new cheap, crummy polaroid camera of my boyhood bedroom in Great Neck, Long Island, (11 Gateway Drive), which I inhabited from 1966-72. I was between 11-13 when these photos were snapped in 1970-72.

At that time I was mainly obsessed with comic books, old comedy TV shows and movies, MAD magazine, TOPPS trading cards and especially old horror films, which I think is clearly reflected in the photos. Like many other kids, I was also fascinated by photos of Famous Monsters of Filmland editor's Forrest J. Ackerman's "Ackermansion", featuring his obsessive collection of rare horror and science fiction mementos displayed in photo features within the magazine for all to see and envy. Those photos were clearly an influence on my early bedroom decorating skills.

Postscript:
In late 1972, my family packed up and moved to Manhattan, my bedroom was disbanded, and I can only assume, returned to normality.

corner of bedroom (Danny O'Day sitting on chair)

door 

my drawing desk (guinea pig cage on the left)

"Big Frankie"

 door leading out to the hallway, a laundrey basket, and the real world

magazine and comic book collection

book shelf

comic books

Life Imitates Art

Life Imitates Art

I asked some of the subjects that I chose to include in my latest book of portraits "Drew Friedman's CHOSEN PEOPLE", (Fantagraphics Books), if they would be willing to pose for a photo holding up their portrait from the book.

These are the results:

Jimmy Kimmel, who contributed the front cover blurb

author Merrill Markoe, who penned the book's foreword

R. Crumb (photos by Andrew Cooke)...

Comics artist Chris Ware, whose portrait and blurb appears on the book's back cover

cartoonist Bobby London (photo by Karen Angelica)

comedian/podcaster Marc Maron

My younger brother, author/photographer Kipp Friedman

Librarian/Specialist at Columbia University Karen Green

screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski

Mel Brooks (photo by Scott Alexander)

comedy writer/producer/podcaster Frank Santopadre

Gilbert Gottfried (photo by Lily Gottfried)

Houston "Deli Man" Ziggy Gruber

Shemp Howard
(via Thomas Vasquez)

order the book here:

https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Friedmans-Chosen-People-Friedman/dp/1683960599/ref=zg_bsnr_3825101_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=V4RE0T4THGCKYHHKKDPA

Drew Friedman and Merrill Markoe at Book Soup, 12/02

Please join me at BOOK SOUP in West Hollywood on Saturday, December 2nd beginning at 3 PM. I'll be discussing my latest book of portraits Drew Friedman's CHOSEN PEOPLE (Fantagraphics books), along with emmy-award winning author and humorist Merrill Markoe, who penned the book's foreword. The talk will be followed by a book-signing.

Muddy Waters cover posters and Marx bros book Marx will be free to all who attend and purchase the book.

Book Soup, 8818 W. Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA

http://www.booksoup.com/event/drew-friedman-merrill-markoe-discusses-and-signs-drew-friedman’s-chosen-people

https://fantagraphics.com/flog/events/west-hollywood-ca-drew-friedman-chosen-people-signing-merrill-markoe/

Shemp Howard, who appears in the book 383 times, (including the endpapers)

 a Marx bros book Marx for all who purchase the book

Cover art for Dr. Demento Covered in Punk

The new CD box set "Dr. Demento Covered in PUNK" features my cover art.

From the press release:

DR. DEMENTO COVERED IN PUNK DUE OUT JANUARY 12, 2018

TWO-HOUR PUNK ROCK EXTRAVAGANZA FEATURING JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS, MISFITS, B52’s FRED SCHNEIDER, WILLIAM SHATNER, CLASSIC BATMAN ADAM WEST, WEIRD AL YANKOVIC AND MORE...

WILLIAM SHATNER’S COVER'S THE CRAMPS GARBAGEMAN!

COVER ART CREATED BY ICONIC ILLUSTRATOR DREW FRIEDMAN

http://www.coveredinpunk.com

cover (click to enlarge)

original art (click to enlarge)