Drilling the Fireman’s Throw from earlier this year. Please check out and consider my Kickstarter for my Catch Wrestling Comic Book here; http://kck.st/1O4Ersu
Currently browsing Posts Published in 2015
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The Wade Schalles Firemans
Posted by Sam Kressin in Catch Wrestling
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Two Guys Drilling the Same Two Leg Locks For Over Ten Minutes Straight
Posted by Sam Kressin in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Catch Wrestling
Also don’t forget to check out my Catch Wrestling Comic Book Kickstarter by clicking here!
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Strength Monsters Kickstarter is Live!
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
I have put up a Kickstarter to raise funds to finish the next two issues of Strength Monsters please check it out and if you can support the project I have a lot of cool rewards! Here’s the link; https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/683699354/strength-monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Comic Books, Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Darkwalker on Moonshae (Forgotten Realms-Moonshae Trilogy, Book 1)
Here’s a quick run down. The Moonshae isles are an archipelago located about 400 miles southwest off the Sword Coast of the Forgotten Realms. In this book an evil shape shifting beast of demonic origin called Kazgaroth takes on a human form to gain command of the Northmen a group of war loving roid raging men who want more than anything to raid and kill the Ffolk an agricultural monarchical society of pussies that live in the southern Moonshae islands. Thanks to Kazgaroth’s completely psychotic influence the Northmen wage war upon the Ffolk not just to fight it’s armies but kill all it’s people. Massive war breaks out between the Ffolk and the Northmen. Tristan an expert dog trainer who loves hunting and has a crush on his sister who although was raised by his father does not share a blood relationship to him has been judged by his dad as unworthy to rule the kingdom. Therefore throughout this adventure Tristan fights to prove his worth to his father and win the romantic affection of his sister while discovering some of his own talents and abilities.
I give this book an overall rating of three stars two for an awesome title and cover and one for having all the cool things I listed show up in it. Beyond that it was just ok.
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
The Forgotten Realms
Posted by Sam Kressin in D&D, Personal Journal
When I first discovered Dungeons and Dragons the Forgotten Realms published by TSR was in full swing. What intillitally drew me into D&D was the art work. To this day the illustrations, covers, paintings and drawings found inside the pages of many D&D manuals, books, supplemental materials and more are still some of my favorite. A major campaign found on the shelves of every gaming shop and many comic book stores was The Forgotten Realms.
Forgotten Realms is a complex fantasy world and literally an entire world with a complete history geographical maps and more. When I discovered this thing I had acquired the Advanced Dungeon’s and Dragons 2nd Edition Dungeon Masters Guide and the Players Handbook. I had some major problems with it both these books. First interior pages of the book aesthetically did not hold up to the cover. I wanted to study this game despised the disappointing interior design of the books. However the game described within its pages was very complex and beyond the abilities of my young brain at that time. I still ran a number of campaigns but more or less made up the rules as I went.
Today I prefer a less restricted D&D campaign. One in which the DM and players can wing it as they go. I find myself getting really board when every character move has to undergo an ability check or some other type of dice roll. To this day I’d say I probably enjoy reading the campaigns and studying the worlds of D&D more than actual game play.
Back to my early encounters with The Forgotten Realms. Both the Dungeon Masters Guide and Players Hand Book priced in at $20 back in 1989 that would mean working and saving a lot of money as well as passing on a lot of comic books. The Forgotten Realms campaign books and supplemental materials weren’t much cheaper. As awesome as The Forgotten Realms looked and as badly as I wanted to read those books I ultimately passed.
A few months after forgoing “The Realms” I was scouring though a used book store where I came across The Forgotten Realms Novels. Written by various authors TSR began publishing The Forgotten Realms Novels in 1987. These Novels existed to enrich the history and the stories of The Forgotten Realms (and to cash in on the popularity of the campaign) but the number one thing these novels had, Bad Ass Covers and Bad Ass Titles! I’m talking about titles like “Black Wizards,” “Darkwell,” “Iron Helm,” “Curse Of The Shadowmage” and more. This is the kind of stuff I wanted to learn about! Now just take a look at some of the cover art;
There was one major problem with these books. They were all novels 300+ pages each with small type and no pictures! I was a slow reader and couldn’t spend more than 30 minutes at a time reading something without getting bored. As gnarly as these books looked as much as they appealed to me I would have to pass.
Today as an adult I have the capacity to understand and comprehend a lot more than I did as a child and with audio books abundantly available I have decided it is time to journey through The Forgotten Realms. Therefore I have decided I will begin reading / listening to every single forgotten realms book in chronological order of publication. Beginning with the first one. Upon finishing each book I will write a short review and give my opinions of it. My objective is to get through the entire library within two years time!
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Halloween 2015
Posted by Sam Kressin in Personal Journal
Perry’s Eye Ball Monster
Posted by Sam Kressin in Personal Journal
I was at San Diego Comic Con in 1993 and there was this guy there named Perry. He looked to be in his mid 30s and said he was a punk rocker. He had never been published but sat at a table and did these Monster Sketches. He would take his paper crumple it up then lay it out flat. After that he’d throw down his illustration with a brush and ink. I bought this one from him for $3.00. It’s still in my collection today.
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Billy Robinson, Catch Wrestling
Billy Robinson Approved Grovit Illustration
Posted by Sam Kressin in Catch Wrestling, Comic Books, Drawing and Illustration, Pencil Drawings, Worlds Deadliest
Illustration I did of the famous Catch Wrestling Hold Known As the Grovit circa 2012. As Jake Shannon gave testimony to here in his review of my Catch Wrestling Comic Book Strength Monsters I used to tell Billy about my ideas for comic books all the time.
Here’s the illustration in its entirety;
Two Illustrations From When I Was Around 17yrs Old
Posted by Sam Kressin in Personal Journal
A couple of days ago I posted some photos of my friend Kyle and myself illustrating when I was around 17-18 yrs old. Fortunately I have archived most of my work over the years and am able to post two of the illustrations that can be seen in those photos.
This first one is the illustration I did it. It can be seen in the photograph sitting on the table off towards your left (my right hand side).
This is the illustration Kyle was working on.
Worlds Deadliest Sketch For Unpublished Strip
Posted by Sam Kressin in Comic Books, Pencil Drawings, Worlds Deadliest
Here is a sketch I did for my Worlds Deadliest strip circa 2014 I have not yet published the strip that goes with this illustration. Stay tunes as I will be bringing the comic strip back by the end of the year!
Illustrating When I Was Around 16-17 yrs Old With My Friend Kyle
Posted by Sam Kressin in Personal Journal
Little Nemo Illustration Part of the “110 Years In Slumberland”
Posted by Sam Kressin in Drawing and Illustration
This Windsor Mckay tribute illustration I did was accepted to be part of the “110 Years In Slumberland” show at the Pop Secret Art Gallery in Glendale California. The opening of the show is Today October 24th! Also in the show is work by Dan Riba (Director of the acclaimed Batman: Animated Series) and Dreamworks story artist Peter Paul. Also in the show will be some original animation cells from 1989s animated film Little Nemo: Anventures in Slumberland.
To learn more about Windsor Mckays Little Nemo you can check out and read all his original strips online for free on Comic Strip Libary here to really study Windsor McKays work there’s nothing better than holding a fullsized (the size the Nemo Strips were orginally printed) hard copy of McKays work in our hands. For this I highly recommend picking up a copy of Little Nemo in Slumberland: So Many Splended Sundays!
Superman Will Punch His Way Through The Universe!
Posted by Sam Kressin in Superman
Not long ago I wrote about how Superman is Immortal and can do anything not only in comic book but also in real life. There are no limits to absolute absurdity of Silverage Superman which is probably why it’s one of my favorite eras in this characters comic book history. This 1979 Corgi Supermobile Diecast Spaceship is no exception!
Early Worlds Deadliest Concept Illustrations
Posted by Sam Kressin in Pencil Drawings, Worlds Deadliest
These are some early concept illustrations I did for Worlds Deadliest Circa 2011. I hope to bring this comic book out of Hiatus by the end of the years. Currently I have several project I have to wrap up until I can bring Worlds Deadliest back but mark my words it will come back!
The Double Wrist Lock DVD
Posted by Sam Kressin in Billy Robinson
A few days ago I posted the photo we took right haver our conclusion of filming the Double Wrist Lock DVD with Billy Robinson circa 2011 here. This is the trailer that was cut for this DVD that is still avaiable over at Scientific Wrestling. Working with Billy on this project was one of the highlights of my martial arts career.
Posted by Sam Kressin in Pencil Drawings, Strength Monsters
After Filming the Double Wrist Lock DVD With Billy Robinson Circa 2011
Posted by Sam Kressin in Billy Robinson, Catch Wrestling
If you don’t have the Double Wrist Lock DVD you can get a copy here. If you’re interested you can read my about my experience filming this DVD with Billy Robinson here.
Superman Is Immortal And Can Do Anything!
Posted by Sam Kressin in Comic Books, Superman, The Buiness of Comic Books
ORIGINALLY POSTED MARCH 15TH 2009
Action Comics # 1 featured the first appearance of Superman and has been recognized by historians as the beginning of the modern-day comic book superhero.
The book was published in 1938 and cost 10 cents.
A high-grade original copy of this comic book closed in auction this past Friday evening selling for $317,200.00
The winning bid was placed by John Dolmayan, drummer of the band System of a Down, on Friday evening, on behalf of an unidentified client.
This is one of the highest prices ever paid to date for a comic book.
Not to say see I told you so but anyone in my family can attest to the fact that years ago I predicted at many a dinner table discussions that a high-grade golden age key issue comic books would hold up better in a down market than any stock.
I stand to be corrected. Notice I said Golden Age and Key Issue.
Further more this is why I love Superman because not only can he do anything in Comic Books but he can also do anything outside of comic books. Many people dislike superman for the fact that he cannot be killed. But it is true he can’t be. The character is now more than 70 years old and he will be around long after you and I are far gone.
UPDATE POSTED MARCH 2010
Since the time of my original note posted on March 15th 2009 another issue of Action comics # 1 sold recently for exactly $1,000,000.00 dollars this is LESS THAN A YEAR LATER and in the middle of an ongoing economic recession. Then following month March of 2010 another copy of Action Comics # 1 sold for 1.5 million.
I can’t even count the number of people who have laughed at me when I have told them time and again for years that Key Issue Golden Age comic books will out perform, any stock, real estate, silver, yes even GOLD (and I am a big fan of investing in both Gold and Silver). And yes people have literally laughed at me an as if I am completely crazy for making such a statement. All I have to say to every one of you who have ever rolled your eyes or chuckled in any condescending manner what so ever is “BOYAAA! I told you so!”
Of course all the financial advisors are now saying that this is a record that will not be surpassed for some time. However the same thing was said last year when several Golden Age Comic books (All Key Issues) Surpassed the 1 million dollar mark.
The proof is in the history it will be a short time and I will be updating this note again with books selling for even greater prices. Yes you would be wise to sell off your 401K and buy Golden Age Comic Books as Crazy as that Sounds! Get rid of your financial advisor who does little more than leach off the success of others give wall street the middle finger and start investing in real commodities.
UPDATE POSTED DECEMBER 1st 2011
Action Comics #1 Sells for 2.16 Million! Creating a new record for the most money paid for a comic book. All I have to say is “BOYAAA! I told you so!”
UPDATE POSTED AUGUST 25th 2014
Action Comics #1 Sells at auction on ebay for $3,207,852. Another record! I’ll admit it, I didn’t even think the book would go this high this fast. But am I shocked? No I’ve been following the sales of Golden Age Comic books for years. The physical scarcity of this comic book and the demand for it is actually real. I believe a copy of Action Comics 1 will surpass 5 million in my life time. Now here is a word of caution I have a small suspicion that Chuck Rozanski of Mile High Comics has several ungraded pristine copies of Action Comics Number #1 sitting in a vault somewhere. In fact I’ve heard rumors that he’s got one half of a short box full of them and should he suddenly flood the market with those books the price could drop exponentially. However these are all unconfirmed rumors.
Revised Sequence From First Story Board Assignment
Posted by Sam Kressin in Animation, Story Boards
This is the same sequence I posted yesterday here revised. Stay tuned in the few day or so I will post the entire scene.
Cut Sequence From First Story Boarding Assignment
Posted by Sam Kressin in Animation, Story Boards
I’m currently learning how to do story boarding for animation. This is a scene from my first assignment that was cut due the fact that I needed to show the entire action in one take. Stay tuned as I will post this same scene re-done tomorrow.
Posted by Sam Kressin in Strength Monsters
Posted by Sam Kressin in Catch Wrestling, Strength Monsters
Glenn Danzig Reads Mr. Monster Comics
Posted by Sam Kressin in Book Reviews, Comic Books
Just yesterday I made this post about Mr. Monster a comic book I discovered in the late 1980s and read for a number of years. Eventually I was able to acquire an original Michael T. Gilbert Mr. Monster Page from his comic book and it remains in my collection to this day. Years later I would learn that musician Glenn Danzig also read Mr. Monster comic books and in this video he talks about them at .54 of the video.
Michael T. Gilbert’s Mr. Monster Page
Posted by Sam Kressin in Comic Books, Personal Journal, The Buiness of Comic Books
This Michael T. Gilbert page is another one of my prized pieces of original art I’ve saved over the years. I found a number Mr. Monster Comics in the back issue bins of a local comic book shop in the late 1980s and loved book. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Monsters it is an over the top primarily black and white independent comic book from the 1980s about a guy who takes care of business when Monsters show up. Michael T. Gilbert based his character Doc Stearn on a golden age Mr. Monster character who appeared only twice created by a Canadian artist named Fred Kelly who left comics shortly there after and allowed his creation to fall into the public domain.
Men Of Action A Nod To Aicondo
Posted by Sam Kressin in Vintage Martial Arts Advertisement, Worlds Deadliest
Yesterday I published the Vintage Martial Arts Mail Order advertisement to be come a Registered Black Belt and learn Aicondo. Todays post is an illustration I did circa 2014 in nod to the, “simultaneous side kick and punch while neck chopping and opponent” behind you illustration in the Aicondo advertisement. Men of Action is just one of examples of many hidden nods and tributes I’ve embedded with in my Worlds Deadliest Web Comic. Many of them will go unnoticed to the lay person but for the real martial arts historians there is much to be discovered within the series. You can read my martial arts webcomic Worlds Deadliest online for free starting with Chapter 1 here.
Become a Registered Black Belt in Aicondo!
Posted by Sam Kressin in Martial Arts, Vintage Martial Arts Advertisement, Worlds Deadliest
Another classic mail order martial arts course that ran in comic books and men’s magazines nation wide. For only $6.95 Aicondo will turn you into a deadly fighting machine. It is a deadly self-defense system using the best of Karate, Kung-Fu, Judo and Aikido. If I can learn how to simultaneously punch and kicking the air while neck chopping an opponent behind me sign me up! I want to be a studly looking dude in a gi that can pose coolly while young women admire me! As great as the over the top ad copy in Aicondo is I love the illustrations in this ad the most. I’ve actually done original illustrations of my own in tribute to this advertisement in my Worlds Deadliest comic book. Check out Men of Action my nod to the simultaneous side kick punch neck chop double neck chop here. My nod to the guy standing in the gi with the admiring woman next him has not been published public yet. When I do publish it I will link to it here.
Training Journal 10-7-15 Dirty Boxing Forearm Smash and Hip Slam
Posted by Sam Kressin in Boxing, Training Journal
Early Strength Monsters Drawings
Posted by Sam Kressin in Comic Books, Pencil Drawings, Personal Journal, Strength Monsters
This a drawing I did nearly 20 years ago of Rawking from my comic book Strength Monsters. This is a character I had been drawing as far back as highschool. While I’ve improved and changed him a bit over the years (they say you need to draw a character at least 50 -100 times) I’ve kept his guitar which also transforms into a robot nearly identical.
Rare Night Of The Living Dead Original Art Work
Posted by Sam Kressin in Comic Books, Drawing and Illustration, Personal Journal
In the recent past I posted here about Fantaco’s 1991 comic book adaptation of the Night Of The Living Dead by Tom Skullan and Carlos Kastro. Kastro’s art in particular had a heavy influence on me. Posted here today is one of Kastro’s test pages for the series that had until today remained Unpublished. While at the San Diego Comic Con in 1993 I was able to buy this page off of Carlos for around $40. While I’ve sold most of the original art I purchased as a kid in order to raise money to take lessons in illustration and make my own comic books this is one of the few pieces I’ve held onto.
What’s On My White Board
Posted by Sam Kressin in Billy Robinson, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Catch Wrestling, Martial Arts, Opinion, Personal Journal, San Diego Martial Arts Seminars
Not too long ago I posted here about how useless and annoying white boards are when it comes to martial arts coaching. Since I am also guilty of having a white board in my private studio I thought I might as well post a current picture of what it looks like. Below is a brief and somewhat incomplete transcription of everything on it. What you’ll notice is I made a lot of lists. This is because the brain is attracted to organization and order and people have been trying to organize techniques for training purposes since the dawn of martial arts. In reality nothing in fighting is organized and response needs to be based on real internalized skill and application not just a theoretical list.
- UPCOMING EVENTS that have not been updated in nearly 2 years! Yes at one time I would write upcoming events such as seminars, workshops, we use to even set up training sessions with other gyms whose owners / coaches I’m friends with. Nowadays if something’s coming up I’ll just email everyone or tell them in person.
- Below UPCOMING EVENTS is BILLY’S SADDLE RIDE This is a list of techniques Billy taught me and wanted me to have down all pertaining to the Saddle Ride. I wrote them up there nearly 2 years ago as a reminder. Maybe I should practice that stuff.
- Next to UPCOMING EVENTS is Sparring Rounds. I have two younger kids training with me 17 / 18 yrs old who I required to do 50 rounds of sparring before I would teach them anything more in boxing. As you can see I checked off about 10 or 11 rounds before I just stopped keeping track. Today they’ve done hundreds of rounds and have learned a lot of new stuff.
- Next to SPARRING ROUNDS is Triangle Finishes. This is a list of about 7-8 ways to finish a triangle choke once you’ve captured your opponent in the position. Triangle chokes are one of the most difficult submissions to get really good at and also one of the easiest submissions to get caught in so I like everyone to have a real thorough knowledge base of it.
- Below TRIANGLE FINISHES is a list of fundamental boxing techniques I required those two young kids to learn first before doing their 50 rounds of sparring. It would be a good idea to make everyone do all that stuff again.
- RIGAN WORKSHOP Is a list of techniques we learned while attending a Seminar with Rigan Machado nearly two-years ago.
- Below RIGAN WORKSHOP is Submissions. This is a list of 6 submissions you can do from a triangle position in the event that you cannot finish the triangle. This was required knowledge and I’m pretty sure everyone who trains with me has forgotten all of it.
- Below SUBMISSIONS is the number 185. I have a client that trains with me privately once a week. He trains regularly at another gym chalked full of triangle masters. One of his goals is to be able to hit the triangle more often in sparring and get caught in the triangle less often. So I’m making him rep out a very specific triangle set up and finish one thousand times! So far he’s gotten to 185 yes we are still keeping track of this I’ll let you know what happens when he gets to a thousand.
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