Saturday, December 17, 2011

Santa Claus aka St. Nick aka Kris Kringle aka Father Christmas

DID YOU KNOW...the image of Santa Claus, as we Americans know it, is based on the work of two artists over 70 years apart?
1) Thomas Nast, who illustrated the first published version of Clement Clark Moore's The Night Before Christmas in the 1860s
and
2) Haddon Sundblom, who took Nast's visual concepts, refined them, and used them to illustrate Coca-Cola's Christmas advertising campaigns from the 1930s onward!
TRIVIA:
Both Nast and Sundblom are equally famous for their other artistic accomplishments...
Nast was primarily a political cartoonist, whose illustrations of New York's "Boss" Tweed were considered the main reason the corrupt politician was forced from office!
Sundblom also created the image of the Quaker Oats man, and was a noted pin-up girl artist! (In fact, his last published artwork was a pin up girl semi-dressed in a Santa outfit for Playboy's December, 1972 cover!)


We at Atomic Kommie Comics™ offer a dozen different renderings of 'ol Kris Kringle which follow in the visual tradition of Nast and Sundblom, on a host of Cool Christmas™ collectibles ranging from tree ornaments to hot cocoa mugs to snugglies, sweatshirts and hoodies for kids and adults!
While they range from paintings to comic book cover art, they all feature the "classic" image of Santa known to Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials!
So give your "special someone", whether they're a spouse, lover, friend, or relative, a warm feeling this Christmas with a kool kollectible featuring the personification of the Christmas Spirit--Santa Claus!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

While I idolize Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes, I'm looking forward to seeing this flick...
 ...this weekend, after which, I'll be dining on fish and chips, stilton cheese fritters, and Guinness Extra Stout at a British-style pub!
For those who are into these (like me), HERE'S the Official Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Downloads Page with desktop/laptop, iPhone/iPod, iPad wallpapers PLUS icons!
Enjoy!
Support Small Business this Christmas!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Joe Simon (1913-2011)

One of the most important figures of comics' Golden Age, both solo and in tandem with Jack Kirby.
Writer/Illustrator/Editor
Check out his personal website HERE.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

YouTube Wednesday: A CHRISTMAS CAROL

The Definitive Animated version...
...starring Alistair Sim as the Voice of Scrooge!
It won both the Oscar and Emmy for best animated short subject...

AND...IT'S NOT AVAILABLE ON DVD or BLU-RAY!
Support Small Business this Christmas!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Holiday Reading Room: "Christmas in Many Lands"

Here's a kool illustrated text feature about...
...which appeared in Four Color Comics (Santa Claus Funnies) #205 (1948), illustrated by Arthur E. Jameson.

Support Small Business this Christmas
Visit the


Cool Christmas
Collectibles Shop