The Kev and Muley Thread

theprawncracker

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2004
Messages
13,202
Reaction score
534
Fozzie Bear said:
Coming soon, a re-cap of our time in Metropolis, IL.
KEV! You were in Metropolis? Why didn't you tell me? I'm like, right there! :stick_out_tongue: We coulda taken embarassing photos in front of the giant SuperMan statue!

But the videos are FANTASTIC! TOO funny. That mule will never fail to make me laugh. (Love the background music, by the way.)
 

Fozzie Bear

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2002
Messages
13,372
Reaction score
148
Aw, man! It was in post #39! I wish you had come down to Metro, that would have been AWESOME! I think we plan on being there next year, too.
 

Ilikemuppets

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2005
Messages
15,138
Reaction score
25
Awesome interviews Kev! I especially loved the part with the news lady! LOL!:smile:
 

Fozzie Bear

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2002
Messages
13,372
Reaction score
148
Hi, Folks,

I've been editor for 12 years now of the epic stories of Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa--and due out soon is the newest story: "Revelations."

It's a very good story, more details of which you can see at www.toshigawa.com.



You can also see Muley discussing the book with its creator Martheus Wade at http://www.veoh.com/users/kevinmule

Thanks,
Kev
 

Fozzie Bear

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2002
Messages
13,372
Reaction score
148
2007 Superman Celebration Re-cap

www.supermancelebration.net

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Lin Workman and I left work (late) and headed immediately for Metropolis, IL, to help celebrate the 29th Annual Superman Celebration. All year long with other friends we’d helped plan the Comics Program which would be held again in the Metropolis Community Center--of course, all those plans were approved by the Chamber of Commerce’s Karla and Lisa (two wonderful ladies).

Steve Stanley (www.Stanleyart.com) and Martheus Antone Wade (www.Toshigawa.com) also were in the pre-planning stages of this event.

Anyway, on the way up to Metropolis, a 3.5 hour drive from Memphis, TN, we stopped off for an hour-long layover in Sikeston, MO, where Lambert’s Café-home of the Throwed Rolls-is. I suggest going there when you can because the food is down-home southern delicacies (even hog jowls!) and they throw the rolls to you whenever you’re ready for one. Lots of fun--a venerable Disney World for folks who love to eat because, in addition to your entrée with 2 sides, they also bring around fried okra, stewed tomatoes and macaroni, black eye peas, fried potatoes, molasses and apple butter, and more. A ton for your buck.
http://www.throwedrolls.com/

Well, about 10:30 pm we pulled into Metropolis and unloaded the car at the Community Center--aka Comics Building--and checked into our hotel rooms.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Woke up early and went downstairs to eat breakfast at the hotel (some pastries, cereal, and jelly). Lin was already down there and as I looked around he was introducing me to Len Wein, Jake Black, Jon Bogdanov and wife Judy, and I was thrilled! All these are good people (I’ll let you do the research, it’s worth it). I also found out that Jake is a fellow Blues Brothers fan! More than welcome to my family.

As we headed to the community center, I’m reminding myself that this year is Scott Cranford’s last year as the Official Superman. That makes me sad, because since I’ve been going in 2000 (he’s been there since 1999), he’s been Superman. I only got to know him as my friend the past 3 years, though--and he has a fantastic family. They’re all wonderful people. I have to admit that I have a bit of chill on my shoulder for whoever owned the decision to end that era (more on Saturday night’s recap). Anyway, I wanted more time to hang out with him because otherwise I’m not sure how soon again I’ll see my buddy Scott.

Every year, during the opening ceremonies, Scott has performed in a drama that he’d written. He comes over where I’m struggling to hang some art on the walls of the art gallery and says, “I don’t have a Lex Luthor this year.” I look at him and he’s got that “well?u201D look and I ask, “Do I have to shave my whole head?u201D Of course I don’t, I’m only 2 hairs from being bald anyway. Wow--this is so awesome that in his last year I get to be in a play with the REAL Superman! At least, he’s MY Superman. Lin also got to play the voice of Brainiac.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQkulGc2Bqs

Steve makes it into town and we all break with Shane McNicolls (sp?) of www.dcmegasite.com to the all-you-can-eat Kentucky Fried Chicken. I have some green jello as desert because just before we left to come here I’ve been honored by Scott!

We returned to the Comics Building to finish hanging the show, then performed in the play, then returned to finish hanging the art show and getting the Comics Building ready to open on the official day of the 8th. We met at Ferry Street Station for Hugh Troyer’s birthday party where I caught up with the real Lois Lane, Noel Neill (from the George Reeves‘ Superman TV shows) and her biographer and friend Larry, then took dinner at TGI Friday’s in Paducah, KY.

I’d also like to point out that Muley and I were in the Daily Planet discussing his event for Friday’s programming.

This day also saw me meeting 3 of my newest best friends Matt Sinclair, Craig Shannon, and Kevin James. They were in town filming a documentary, and we all hit it off just right. I miss them as much as I miss everybody I’ve known for years, like Bryan and Cookie Morris, Stephanie, James in car-4. The other thing I discovered about Metropolis’ Superman Celebration is that every time I go I make new friends and I think that’s what it’s all about! I love that town.

And I don’t recall if it was Thursday night or Friday, but Uncle Wayne and Aunt Shelby finally got into town with Michael Lee (our own Tom Welling look-alike), so the event was now ready to begin!

Friday, June 9, 2007

We open the building at 10am on the spot after a quick breakfast and go right into collecting art for the kids’ cartooning contest (there were about $400 in prizes, each of 4 groups of ages had $50 first prize, $30 second prize, and $20 third prize). Sunday morning would see the art show judged by Len Wein, creator of Swamp Thing, writer and editor and artist for comic books for years!

Also appearing was my buddy Andrew Chandler (www.Andrewchandler.net), and Jay Chuppe from Paducah. In the lobby of the Comics Building was Jerry Maren and his wife, and you’ll remember Jerry as the Lollipop Guild kid who hands Dorothy the lollipop in 1939’s MGM film “Wizard of Oz.” He sang the song during the opening ceremonies, too.

All the guests were fantastic this year.
Here’s the artists and writers official Q&A from www.dcmegasite.com’s Shane:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL0kUaYOlCY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcbjLZmn1Do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Dv7EtVZ3w

At 3pm Muley, as SuperMule, hosted the kids’ costume contest. 28 contestants. My arm and his back felt the length of that contest later. He started it by singing Five For Fighting’s “Superman” song. I didn’t realize it at first that Scott was there during that, but Joan was there as Capt. Jack Sparrow, and that left ad libbing wide open for some real fun with her! I don’t think we got it on video, but at one point Capt. Joan Sparrow says to Muley, “Superman is up here if you want to include him in the show?u201D Muley looks at him a second and says, “Um…how tight is them britches?u201D

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v6381432d87pqc9

Finally, mid-show, Jerry Maren and his wife, Elizabeth, showed up on the stage:

Tim Brown designed and bought material to build a 20x16’ portable movie screen and projector which he brought to Metropolis to show fan films. Some of those films were, of course:
Super Mule (the 2006 advertisement that Muley would be at the Superman Celebration)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQADoDkYYjU
Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jsaV4m4lVM
And BushiTales:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KixSMESZyNE
There were a few with Scott Cranford in them that were fantastic! Muley ‘sort of’ hosted this as he was announcing the winners of the door prizes.

The party in the Community Center ended, and we (who worked the Community Center) just hung out until 3 a.m. My favorite part was hanging out with Matt, Craig and Kevin, then taking a walk with Matt down Metropolis’ Market Street at 2:30 a.m. The company was great, and I reminded myself that I love that little town! Matt and I hung out in front of the court house on a bench some and it was time to roll on home.

Saturday, June 10, 2007

The morning came too early in the morning!

Back to the community center and hanging out with great people.

We had a few panel discussions that day, whether the gang from Memphis, or the special guests. I have to say again that Len, Jake, and Jon were all awesome.

At 2 p.m., we went over to get autographs from the movie stars. Noel asked for Muley, so I obviously ran back to grab him to hang out with her. She was so sweet and signed a picture of the two of them from last year for Muley!

I think because I was so sleepy, most of the day is a blur, but I know I took a lot of reference photos and just enjoyed hanging out with my friends from Memphis, friends from Metropolis, and making more new friends. There was another party that night and Muley did about the same thing as Friday night. This night, Scott Cranford won a prize, but wasn’t anywhere to be found, so Muley stopped calling his name when someone finally said, “He’s in the Comics Building!u201D Muley says, “You know, I’ve been hanging around here since 2000 and I have to tell ya, nobody anywhere could ever have played such a wonderful Superman as Scott has! He has been the embodiment of the character of Superman both in stature and personality. When you met Scott as Superman, you were meeting Superman, not an actor pretending! Though it’s his last year playing that character at the Superman Celebration, no matter who they bring in from now on, Scott will ALWAYS be my Superman!u201D The audience went NUTS! It was good to know that the sentiment of mine (and the Mule’s) was shared by so many.

Sunday, June 11, 2007

We opened the Comic Art Gallery at 10 a.m. and by 11 were announcing the winners of the Cartoon Art Contest. Sadly, nobody who drew Muley won (not even me!), but it was judged by the very gracious Len Wein who took out time from visiting the city to do this.

Two young fellows (who were upset that they didn’t win anything last year) won this year! I told them last year not to be upset, but to keep working at it. This year, as they got their winnings, I told them, “Take this money to the bank and go get you some savings bonds so, when you’re ready for college, you’ll have some money for tuition and supplies!u201D I don’t know, they may have spent it all on Coke and peanuts, but I hope they took my advice. Their art had advanced over the year, and I was proud of them.

The costume contest began at 12 noon, and there were very many ‘super’ looking super heroes and villains! With Michael Lee dressed as Superboy, Andrew dressed as the Joker, or any number of our other buddies in the show, it was a sight to be seen. Finally, “Chickenman” and friends shot this video. In it you can see those listed above, including myself as SuperMule and Lin as SuperKid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mfIama5EcU and it’s VERY funny!

Of course, I was very choked up as the rest of the moments of the evening went by and we had to say good-bye to many of our friends. I don’t know when I’ll get the blessing bestowed on me to see many of them again, but I hope it’s very soon and between now and then (if ever) I hope life only gives them happiness, health, and wealth!

Oh, and on the way home: LAMBERT’S again! Go us!
 

Fozzie Bear

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2002
Messages
13,372
Reaction score
148
Need some help: Can anybody direct me to a FREE mp3 (or e-mail me one) of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful (To Me)" song, karaoke style (no words)? I need it for a project.
 

Fozzie Bear

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2002
Messages
13,372
Reaction score
148
Muley and I are going to be at the Toshigawa/Bloodstream booth # 2002 at San Diego Comic Con at the end of this month. Come by and meet us!

Also, the latest issue of Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa "Revelations," which I edit this epic graphic novel series, is available on July 11.

So, any suggestions what Muley should do for his next video?
 

Fozzie Bear

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2002
Messages
13,372
Reaction score
148
This from one of my best buds, Antone, whose Jetta epics I've edited for 12 years now:
If you are in the Memphis or Surrounding area, pick up a Commercial Appeal this morning because there is a story on Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa and me in it. Shoot me a message to let me know what you think if you see it.

If you are not in the Memphis area, check out the web interview they did with me, Janet, and Kevin here.
http://www.appealtv.com/121_graphic_novel_jetta_releases_new_volume

Please excuse my voice. It was going out on me in mid interview.
haha

Martheus
 
Top