#guy Gilchrist

[jimhenson-themuppetmaster]

Artwork by Guy Gilchrist

[astronoglow]

[muppet-facts]

Muppet Fact #753

Robin the Frog got a merit badge in Frog Scouts for playing Pac-Man.

Source:

The Muppets comic strip. Guy Gilchrist and Brad Gilchrist. February 8, 1983.

[disneydelights]

Before They Were Famous

The following article is the first in what I hope will be a continuing series featuring famous people who have a connection early in their careers to Disney.

Guy Gilchrist known affectionately as “Jim Henson’s Cartoonist” has been a successful artist since he was in high school. At first working for local shops and businesses, making logos and advertisements and doing editorial cartoons for local newspapers. Then at 16 getting his first gig for Disney. Guy was contracted by Whitman Publishing and under the oversight of John Celardo, he drew Pluto and the rest of the Disney Characters for Coloring Books put out by the Western Publishing company. This began his 50 years and running relationship with Disney.

By the time he was 20,  Guy was working for Xerox Education Publications Weekly Reader. This was the work that Mort Walker, creator of Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois saw that led to Guy working for King Features Syndicate which ultimately led to Guy being hired by Jim Henson at 23 years old. Guy worked exclusively for Jim Henson until he was 28 at which time they began bringing in tons of Disney work. For nine years Guy worked on Minnie and Me featuring Minnie Mouse as a tween. Guy also drew Ariel for two years and the Disney afternoon characters: Darkwing Duck, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, TaleSpin and Duck Tales.

Guy’s career as an artist has had him working with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Looney Toones, Pink Panther, Tom and Jerry, Fraggle Rock, The Muppet Babies, The Muppets and many others.

He has published over 50 Children’s Books and has drawn several major comics for nationally syndicated newspapers, including Nancy and Mudpie. 

In addition to this many of you may not know that he is also a successful songwriter. After moving to Nashville, Guy became heavily involved in the music scene there and he is a respected member of the music community. His art is displayed prominently backstage at the Grand Ole Opry.

Guy currently makes appearances around the world at Comic Cons and his artwork is available for purchase at his website: guygilchrist.com

[taperwolf]

A lovely essay-style interview of Gilchrist, who wrote and drew the daily Jim Henson's Muppets newspaper comic strip from 1981-1986, about how he got the gig, about working with King Features Syndicate and with Jim, and about the process.

[B]efore we began production, Jim met with King Features and said, “The Muppets don’t belong to the United States, they belong to the whole world, so I would like everyone in the world to read the same strip in every language on the same day.”

The guys from King Features were on the floor — this had never been done before. But Jim said, “Whatever Guy draws that you’re reading in The Daily News, is the same one everyone will be reading.” They said, “Mr. Henson, this cannot be done.” And Jim just said, “Oh, I think it can.” Then he thanked them, said goodbye and returned to London. Jim was extremely gentle and soft-spoken. He didn’t say a lot, until there was something to be said. Jim would always listen, and then he would make a statement, to which everyone listened. Muppets producer David Lazer used to say, “Jim has a whim of steel,” which described Jim perfectly.

And so, King Features made it happen — the strip was in every country with a free press in every language. That was over 80 countries. We were the only comic that was ever like that. And that was because of Jim’s vision.

[rubbrcat]

[jedivoodoochile]

The crossover that still needs to happen. Awesome art by Guy Gilchrist.

[jimhenson-themuppetmaster]

Artwork by Guy Gilchrist

[acmeoop]

Jim Henson’s Muppet Comic Strips (1980s)

[astronoglow]

[muppet-facts]

I just wanted to tell someone, but I met Guy Gilchrist at comicon and he is so nice. He offered me a print. For free. He drew beaker on my shirt.

Suffice to say I can die happy.

Omg that's so cool! Thanks for sharing!

[fontasticcrablettes]

Interim Poll!

We've finished round 2, so now let's vote on the worst of the losers. Some of these guys only won because their opponent really sucked, so who's the worst of the disqualified contestants?

[theamazingsallyhogan]

I hope people learn a little bit about the rich history of Nancy.

you guys there’s a new nancy cartoonist and she’s amazing

[triumph-of-adaptation]

Guy Gilchrist

[groovycat18]

The Muppets Comic Strip by Guy and Brad Gilchrist (January 22, 1984)

[adamwatchesmovies]

It Follows (2014)

When you think horror movies, you obviously think Halloween, but you probably associate the genre with summertime too. It, Friday the 13th, Sleepaway Camp, I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Burning, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and countless others take place during summer camps or warm summer months. It Follows captures the feeling of summer/end of school so well it’s destined to be a seasonal staple - and that’s even before we consider how well constructed or frightening it is.

After Jay (Maika Monroe) and Hugh (Jake Weary) have sex, he gives her a grave bit of news. She’s now the carrier of a curse. In the distance, invisible to everyone except those who've been infected, a creature is coming for her. It doesn’t move quickly, but it’s relentless. It won’t stop until it kills her. The only thing she can do is pass the curse to someone else before it's too late.

Writer/director David Robert Mitchell has taken an iconic horror idea and given it a fresh twist. When you hear Hugh explain to Jay about the entity and how she has to pass it on, you think of The Ring. It too has a supernatural creature coming after you - not right away, but eventually - that you have to pass to someone else if you want to live. The additional rule is that if the person you pass the curse to dies, you become the entity's target again. It’s not enough to trick some fool into taking the curse from you; you have to pass it to someone who will believe you when you tell them what happened and who can pass it on. You have to give it to someone you know, someone you trust… but how could you? The fact that you give the curse to someone by having intercourse with them - the most intimate kind of contact - creates this wonderfully twisted contrast. At one point, you can feel Jay’s desperation. She’s all alone and sees a boat in the water with three young men on it. What is she going to do? Will she approach them so she can have sex with one - or maybe all of them? - It’ll guarantee her safety, but only for a while, since convincing anyone of what’s happening is nearly impossible without proper buildup. And then what? Live with the shame of what she had to do to survive?

There’s more to be said about the shapes the monster takes - it can look like anyone - and the fact that the film doesn’t give you many answers about what the entity is, what it wants, or why. Even some details about the curse are hazy. We don’t have all day, so instead, let’s discuss how summer-y It Follows feels. While the biggest summer memories may be of hitchhiking, vacationing or camping, most of the year's warmer months are not spent on grandiose plans. You did a lot more floating in the pool, going to the movie theater, hanging out with your friends doing nothing and riding your bike. We see Jay and her friends Paul (Keir Gilchrist), Yara (Olivia Luccardi), Kelly (Lli Sepe) and Greg (Daniel Zovatto) do all those things. We see Jay go to class, but she already knows she’s graduating so going away for a few days on a whim doesn't raise any alarms. It’s not just the impromptu trips to the beach or aimless drives around town, however, it’s the movie's feel. The end of the school year/beginning of summer are milestones. Whether you're graduating or not, you realize you've gotten older. You're growing up and forced to think ahead, to the fact that you’re going to die - in this case, at the hands of some creature that no one can see coming but you. The entity in It Follows is not some boogeyman hiding in a closet, it’s something that’s coming for you all the time. There’s no banishing it by turning on the lights or hiding beneath the covers. Real life doesn’t work that way. Adults know that because to adults, summertime is not a break from everyday life, it's just a sign that the end is getting closer.

It Follows is a rewarding film to rewatch because there is so much that’s only hinted at (What really happened on that beach with Jay and those three guys?) and you’ll frequently look in the background in case you can spot the monster coming. The last shot, in particular, is one to sit and think about. Seeing it more than once allows you to further appreciate the story and the filmmaking - the different forms the entity takes, the incredible score by Disasterpiece, the themes, etc. It packs a lot but it's not overcomplicated. There’s a sequel coming and I’m anxious to see what it’ll be like. (June 20, 2024)