"Unscrupulous Usurper"

As a boy, I was a total fiend for The Transformers. I watched the cartoon from the very first airing of the pilot episode. Then my folks bought me a Bumblejumper* toy and a couple coloring books, thus cementing my addiction to "robots in disguise." Years later, right around junior high, I discovered The Transformers comic books that Marvel was publishing. And those ended up being the very first comics I would ever own.

In all of the series' incarnations, Starscream has been one of my favorite villains. He's a viscious, back-stabbing bastard with his eyes on Megatron's throne. And he craves power so unabashedly, it's nearly suicidal. Of all the Decepticons, Starscream challenges Megatron outright on a near-daily basis. Sure, he usually gets stomped out and ends up grovelling for forgiveness. But before all the sniveling and crawling, Starscream shows some Omega Supreme-sized robo-balls. Now that's some evil I can respect.

*Bumblejumper was this mixed-up Transformers toy. He was the Bumblebee mold, cast in Cliffjumper red. Oh, those zany 80's!

9 x 12 / mixed media on watercolor paper
$206 for US / $215 for international (includes shipping)
To purchase, email Dave Crosland

"Ruthless Robot Rampage"

I was instantly a fan of The Transformers. From the first episode of the cartoon to the toys to the old Marvel comics, I was simply hooked. I mean, what could have been cooler to a small boy in the 80's, than super-fresh vehicles that change into giant robots that love to fight?!

Heroic as the Autobots were, I was always a bigger fan of the Decepticons. And, whoa-boy, did those bad metal bastards take their evil to a whole new level in Transformers: The Movie. Sitting in that theater with my Dad in 1986, I was blown-away by how brutal the Decepticons were. All charged-up on robot cocaine (aka Energon), they blasted murder holes in damn-near every popular Autobot. And all within the first 30 minutes of the movie! And Megatron was in rare form, killing any and every Autobot in his path. No mercy... no remorse.

Of course, Optimus Prime showed up with The Dinobots and put a serious kibosh on the whole "bad guys seizing the day" moment. But I'll always have that pure robot massacre from the beginning of the movie, to soothe my villain-loving heart.

9 x 12" / mixed-media on recycled bristol board
Update: SOLD!