So, anyhow, that trip to Japan took place way back in 2009! It's already a long time ago! It has become a huge event in terms of my work, as you'll see as I update this blog. Unfortunately, due to all the work I had to do since then for Japan and the upcoming Best of PUNK Magazine book took me away from writing here, but the book is 99.9% done, things are going great in Japan and so I've got some time to bring this thing up to date. 

 As soon as I got back from the trip, my beloved Japanese team said they wanted me to enter the Rolling Stones "collaboration project." Every few years, the Rolling Stones hold a contest for Japanese artists to design something based on their tongue logo. Apparently this is a very prestigious thing over there, and they thought I had a shot to win a slot.

 So I sent a bunch of designs to Japan, and sure enough, many months later, I learned that my design (among others), won. Oddly enough my winning design featured a skeleton figure based on the t-shirt advertisement in PUNK's first issue. This skeleton character became very popular in Japan, so we named him "Oscar Bones," taken from a joke in my high school yearbook. I dressed him in some shorts and a t-shirt, and stuck the trademark Rolling Stones lips on his jaw (at the suggestion of Morrison, my Japanese team).

 It seems that my design (which can be seen in the middle of this photo) sold pretty well. At first it was used for a baseball cap, a top and some shorts, and a t-shirt, but since then lots more stuff has been produced! They used "Oscar" on hoodies, a bunch of different tops and shirts--even underwear!!!

Above: The shirt/top--for women. 

 

Above: the baseball cap.

 

 

Above: The official Rolling Stones underwear, with my artwork on them. I've never had my work on underwear before, so this was a bit weird for me. I never expected my artwork to be on "undies," but I am proud of my Rolling Stones underwear! I think it looks great!

The 12-year-old kid in me, who listened to their first album over and over again, and voted for them in the vote for best rock band in 6th grade (Herman's Hermits won, Beatles came in second, Rolling Stones only got my vote) is thrilled. The only thing that could be better for my 12-year-old self is if I could do something for the Fantastic Four, Thor or Spider-Man. And you know how it is, guys and gals... We never really grow up, do we?