Hip hip hooray!
El Rey Network Founder Robert Rodriguez is advancing is legacy, teaming up with the legendary creator of Mutant Ninja Turtles, Kevin Eastman. The two mavericks collaborated on the cover of Drawing Blood, a totally fictional true story about the comic book industry. Bringing the images to life is Ben Bishop who created the layouts inspired by Rodriguez El Mariachi movie poster, Eastman penciled the work and Rodriguez is inking this cover. This marks the second comic book cover collaboration for Eastman and Rodriguez, whose first passion was drawing cartoons before he started focusing on filmmaking.
Always a trail blazer this unique collaboration is a Variant Cover for Eastmans brand new Drawing Blood project which is in its final week as a Kickstarter campaign:
Described as a dark-comic look inside the life of a famous cartoonist on the skids: the story behind the stories from the co-creator of the TMNT, it features Shane Books Bookman and his stellar success after creating the Radically Rearrange Ronin Ragdolls global franchise. The Rodriguez and Eastman collaboration was just unveiled and is available as a
special pledge level in the KS campaign or can be added to any current pledge. The
campaign concludes on August 31
About Kevin Eastman:
Born in Portland, Maine Kevin Eastman began drawing at a very young age copying
childrens books and reading comics. Inspired by master comic storyteller Jack Kirby,
and later by self-publishing creators Richard Corben, Vaughn Bode, and Dave Sim, all
of his early work focused more on Science Fiction influences than traditional Superhero
style comics.
In 1982, while trying to sell some of his illustrations to local fanzines, he met Peter Laird
in Northampton, Massachusetts and the partnership studio; Mirage Studios was formed.
Less than a year later in the middle of a late night jam session, Eastman doodled a new
character he dubbed a Ninja Turtle to make Laird laughseveral sketches and a final
drawing of four characters later Eastman and Lairds Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had
officially entered the universe! Self published in May of 1984 the first issue sold out of its
3000 copies overnight and quickly became a fan favorite. Catching the eye of
Merchandising Agents and Hollywood Producers, Eastman and Laird maintained full
control of their creations while guiding them through Toy Licensing, TV Series
adaptation, as well as Feature Film exploitation, and by 1989 the TMNTs were number
one in all three categories. Kevin even enjoyed a small role in the TMNT movie as a
garbage collector in a fun dark alley scene.
Thanks to THE BEST FANS ON THE ENTIRE PLANET! according to Eastman, after 30
plus amazing years the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles STILL continue to find their way
into the hearts and imaginations of kids, large and small.
In between TMNT projects, Eastman found time to establish the Words and Pictures
Museum of Cartoon Art, created an artist friendly publishing company, Tundra
Publishing where projects like The Crow From Hell and American Splendor first
flourished, as well as purchased the world renowned Heavy Metal Magazine.
Currently spending most of his creative time working on a new TMNT series with IDW
Publishing and publishing Heavy Metal, Eastman resides in San Diego with wife
Courtney, son Shane, and a few insane Dachshunds.
About Robert Rodriguez:
Robert Rodriguez is a film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and
musician and founder and Chairman of El Rey Network, the genre-busting English-
language cable network. His first feature film, El Mariachi, was made for $7,000 and
won the Audience Award at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival. It became the lowest
budget movie ever released by a major studio and Rodriguez went on to write, produce,
direct and edit numerous successful films including Desperado, From Dusk Till
Dawn, The Faculty, the Spy Kids franchise, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Frank Millers
Sin City franchise Grindhouse and Machete.
In 2012, Rodriguez created El Rey Network, a 24-hour English language television
network. Curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective, the network launched in 2014
and is now in 40 million homes. El Rey's action-packed slate is anchored by signature
series including the original drama, "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series" based on the film by Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino and the one-on- one interview program hosted by
Rodriguez, & El Rey Network Presents: The DirectoR';s Chair. El Rey Network's lineup also showcases a wide range of iconic feature films and TV series including genre, cult
classics, action and horror/sci-fi. Rodriguez resides in Austin, Texas.