ILM artist John Dykstra with a Darth Vader costume concept circa 1975. Plus some design sketches by Ralph McQuarrie. My aunt thought Darth Vader was genuinely terrifying. Not in a "scary villain from a children's movie" kind of way-for some reason Vader really disturbed her.



Popeye meets Bluto for the first time. From the story, "The Eighth Sea" (1932).


Cartoon by John O'Brien for NEW YORKER magazine, 1991.

Animation art from the very first Tom & Jerry cartoon, PUSS GETS THE BOOT (1940).

Transgender synth pioneer, Wendy Carlos (1939). She composed the TRON score-one of my favorites. She also composed music for A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and THE SHINING (you remember the main theme & Rocky Mountains). Much more commercially successful perhaps was SWITCHED-ON BACH (1968).

Italian artist, Dino Buzzati (1906-1972). 1963.

Concept art by Claire Keane for unmade Disney feature, MORT.

Zombie designs by William Stout for RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1984).

Art from the Rankin/Bass version of THE HOBBIT (1977).

Illustrations by Tove Jansson for a Swedish edition of THE HOBBIT. 1962.

Halloween card by Jack Davis. 1959.

Art by Iwao Takamoto (1925-2007). After working for Disney (where he assisted Marc Davis & Milt Kahl), Takamoto went on to work at Hanna-Barbera, where he designed the Scooby-Doo gang, among others. Image 1 shows his pitch art for that show, 2 is pitch art for Penelope Pitstop.


Geof Darrow concept art for THE MATRIX series.