Here's hoping Glen Brogan gives us a 'Video Game Console Guys' calendar in 2015

So, artist Glen Brogan (aka Albino Raven) recently decided to concoct a calendar that features female pin-ups "inspired by the design aesthetics of classic video game consoles."

A few of the consoles that inspired Brogan while he illustrated the above-mentioned pin-ups: Atari 2600, Commodore 64, Game Boy, NES, Sega Master System, SNES, Vectrex and Virtual Boy.

The final product is 8.5 inches by 11 inches in size and can be purchased at albinoraven.com for just $20 (plus shipping).

As much as I like Brogan's style, and as much as I support this particular endeavor, I really hope that next year he gives us a similar calendar featuring male pin-ups.

(Gaming) sisters doin' it for themselves

I've said this before, and I'm going to say it again: I want another Super Princess Peach game, damn it!

I'd want said sequel to fix some of the problems I had with the original, of course, but even if this new title retained the first one's issues--too easy by far, and with a some-call-it-sexist gameplay hook--I'd still probably pick up a copy (especially if it were released for the 3DS).

Anyway, I bring up all of that because the following illustration, produced by artist Glen Brogan, reminds me of that much-maligned platformer--or maybe I should say it makes me ponder some of the improvements I'd like to see in its make-believe follow-up.

Brogan worked up the illustration for the recently opened 3NES Show at Brooklyn's Bottleneck Gallery (in runs through Sept. 22), by the way. Two others were produced along with it: one of which stars Samus Aran and Mother Brain and one of which stars Zelda and Ganon. (Both of them can be seen at albinoraven7.blogspot.com).

"My thoughts going into these pieces were that I wanted to stick closely to the original NES games, as opposed to branching out into subsequent games," Brogan says, "and I wanted to base them around the female characters in each game."

I'd say he did a pretty bang-up job in both regards, wouldn't you?

Ready Player Two

The following game-inspired illustration was produced by artist Glen Brogan of the Albino Raven blog for his just-closed Gallery1988 show.

The focus of this stylish piece isn't a tanooki-suited Mario, by the way; it's a fox-suited Luigi--or whatever the hell it is Mario's main bro turns into when he grabs a Super Leaf power-ip in Super Mario 3D Land.

Why did Brogan devote an entire canvas to the most famous "player two" in all of gaming? Here's what he had to say in a recent blog post:

"As a kid I often found myself playing video games as player two, usually either because the other kid was older or because I was (and am) pretty shy and non-assertive. Because of that I still to this day have a fondness for Luigi, the ultimate second player character."

For those who may be interested: Brogan's selling 8-by-10-inch digital prints of this piece via Gallery1988's website for $35 each. (Mounted versions of the print can be picked up here for $55.)

Is Link more interested in finding rupees than he is in saving Zelda?

Artist Glen Brogan (aka Albino Raven) seems to think so, and after reading the story behind the piece, below (and here), he produced for the upcoming 8-Bit Champions show in Paris, I have to say I agree with him.



Here's the above-mentioned story, by the way: "I've been playing a lot of Zelda lately as I unwind in the evenings, so it was the game I chose to illustrate. There's a lot of funny stuff you can point out about Zelda games, and one of my favorites is how there's always an amazing amount of side quests to undertake while you're supposed to be saving the princess from imminent danger.

"The dialog in the game usually reflects this, with lines like 'Hurry, Link, was must head to the next temple! There is no time to waste!' And yet if you want to get a few extra goodies to aid you in that temple, you'll need to spend a couple hours at the pond leisurely fishing. All the while Princess Zelda is presumably suffering at the hands of Ganon.

"So, I tried to illustrate that idea, showing link more interested in finding money than saving the princess. I also tried to work in the fact that it's funny to me how Link goes around breaking stuff in people's houses and stealing what's inside."

To see more examples of Brogan's art, check out his blog and his store.

Another day, another Nintendo-inspired t-shirt design (or two)

There are a lot of things I'd blow my money on if I ever won the lottery. A PC Engine LT would be one such thing; a copy of All Night Nippon Super Mario Bros. would be another.

Also, I'd buy every game-inspired t-shirt that caught my eye--with t-shirts bearing the designs below (created by artist Glen Brogan) being among my first post-lottery purchases.

The top design is called "Bottled Fairy," by the way, while the bottom one is called "Great Shelled Dragon."

If you've already won the lottery and you'd like to add either or both of the above-mentioned shirts to your wardrobe, pay a visit to Brogan's Split Reason store.