Imagined in the 1860s by Lewis Carroll, this young girl from Victorian-era Britain falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. I love the 1951 animated film and prefer to believe that the 2010 Tim Burton remake never happened. Remix!
In the Back to the Future motion picture trilogy, Doc Brown invents the first time machine, which he builds with a DeLorean DMC-12 sports car. The car could travel back in time via a “flux capacitor” when it reached 88 MPH—which seems appropriate for my 88th character.
Bettie Page was an American model from Tennessee who became famous in the 1950s for her fetish modeling and pin-up photos. After her sexual revolution days, she converted to born-again Christianity and spent time in a state psychiatric hospital.
A resident of Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood painted Page’s image on the side of a house just off of Exit 170 on I-5. It’s pretty cool.
The biblical first woman who began life in the Garden of Eden. The story of Adam and Eve forms the basis for the Christian doctrine of original sin. In classic male chauvinist form, it is written that Eve tempted Adam to eat of the fatal fruit. Quick, someone cover her up!
Hey, isn’t the second coming of Christ supposed to occur today? If you’re reading this, I guess you didn’t make the list.
According to the Book of Genesis, Adam was the first man created by Yahweh. Adam and Eve were used by early Renaissance artists to represent nudes. Later, modesty was preserved using fig leaves. Here’s an amazing painting: “Adam and Eve” (1964) by Enrico Baj.
This French professional wrestler and actor has a posse. Billed at 7′ 4″ and 520 pounds, he was born on this day in 1946 and died in 1993. Artist Shepard Fairey raised the Obey Giant image of André to iconic status.
Reigned as pope of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City for over 26 years. He was born on this day in 1920. His beatification ceremony took place just 17 days ago.
German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity and revolutionized physics. He’s a popular model for depictions of mad scientists and absent-minded professors.
Born in Kentucky as Cassius Clay, this cultural icon was one of the greatest heavyweight championship boxers of all time. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
Air Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. He won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and holds the NBA record for highest career scoring average (among many statistical feats).
In my childhood bedroom, Jordan’s “Soaring” poster is still on the wall.
Ol’ Blue Eyes died on this day in 1998. The American singer was also a founding member of a group of actors known as the Rat Pack.
A comic book superhero who appears in DC Comics. He can breathe underwater and communicate with sea creatures. He was humorously appropriated by South Park as Seaman. This 8-bit sprite completes the Super Best Friends religious group.
Founder of the Latter Day Saint movement and publisher of the English translation of the golden plates known as the Book of Mormon.
A central figure of Hinduism. He is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu and the protector of sacred utterances and cows. In some monotheistic traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being.
The author of the Torah, according to Hebrew biblical manuscripts. A prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea and acquired stone tablets at Mount Sinai. In South Park, he was drawn to look like the Master Control Program from the film Tron.
A mystic philosopher of ancient China and author of the Tao Te Ching. Considered the founder of Taoism. Also an important member of South Park‘s Super Best Friends group.
P.S. “If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.” – Wang Fou, Huahujing (but often attributed to Laozi)
Happy Mother’s Day, featuring a beloved mother who provided humanitarian care to thousands. A Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, she founded the Missionaries of Charity in India in 1950. She was made an Honorary Citizen of the United States in 1996. She died in 1997 and was beatified in 2003.
I’ve been working on creating 8-bit versions of all major religious figures (including every character depicted in South Park‘s Super Best Friends group) and want to be inclusive without potentially upsetting radical Islamist organizations. Thus, here is a censored (think of it as extremely backlit) visual depiction of a certain prophet from Mecca.
If yesterday was Cinco de Mario, then today is Seis de Luigi. Here is more Nintendo-based childhood nostalgia in the form of Mario’s twin brother.
Conan O’Brien – No. 90
I almost had to draw a bearded Conan, but Will Ferrell helped him out with his facial hair three weeks ago. In May of last year, Conan performed on The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour after his settlement with NBC. I am a fan of Team Coco.
I am attending WebVisions 2011 in Portland, Oregon this week.