SHOP TALK: Rob Schamberger Newsletter 18MAY25
I'm on a wavelength far from home.
Hi. My name's Rob Schamberger. I'm that guy who paints rasslers. And other stuff. I understand just a little. No comprende--it's a riddle.
WORDS
Ink and wash on 14” x 17” bristol, colored digitally
Here’s a developmental piece I drew up for some supporting characters in the graphic novel I’m putting together. They’re a group called The Algonauts and work for the book’s main character. You’ll recognize my childhood creation Mystery Man in the back. They’re a fun mix of influences and while they look like a disparate band there will be a very obvious shared theme between them as their story is told. At first I was trying to color this like an early Image comic along the lines of Youngblood or WildCATs but those colors were too saturated for my sensibilities and I ended up doing a bit of a hybrid. The background and the rubble they’re on stays true to those roots, though!
I had a little extra time and also worked up this little watercolor of the green barbarian character chopping a skeleton in the face with a battle axe because that seemed like a rad thing to do. When you have an opportunity to do a painting like that, you go for it.
But seriously my friend, this book is such a daunting thing. I’m at the very beginning of the development stage on this and all of my inner critical voices are shouting in unison that I’ll fail spectacularly. But making this piece went a long way towards building up my confidence that there’s a chance I’ll pull it off.
Plus, ‘Algonauts’ is a fun name, right?
The idea of a national autism database seems like a very bad thing. Of course, going for a swim in a feces-polluted creek is also a bad thing, but here we are with a brainworm-riddled guy doing both.
UPCOMING AEW/PWT PAINTINGS
Kazuchika Okada
Speedball Mike Bailey
Konosuke Takeshita
Kris Statlander
Josh Alexander
Card subject to change.
Rob’s Art on ShopAEW
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Rob and Jason Arnett's novella Rudow Can't Fail!
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Rob’s prints and shirts at Pro Wrestling Tees
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Bluesky
Cara
YouTube
THE NOSTALGIA AWAKENS EXHIBIT
A few days ago I went to see the Kenner Star Wars exhibition at the Toy and Miniatures Museum here in Kansas City. It’s a comprehensive collection of all of the figures from the original trilogy of movies, with a lot of stuff I’d never seen in person before or even knew about.
It displayed all of the figures, vehicles and playsets, including the cardboard mail-in exclusives. It was fun seeing toys I’d played with nonstop as a kid in this sort of museum setting. The Hoth playset with the exploding bridge and the speeder bike are tied to some key childhood great memories. The Hoth set especially was central to my favorite Christmas memory, when I woke up to find my mom had put together this whole Star Wars scene. I must have been around four but I remember it vividly.
I don’t think I’d ever seen any of the Power of the Force figures or even knew about them. There was also the Imperial Shuttle, which looks incredible in person. Maybe the most impressive thing they made for the whole line.
There’s also a ton of rarities, like the wonderfully-named YAK FACE who kinda looks like Joe Camel with a genitalia-esque face.
This is a traveling exhibition, so if you’re not able to come see it here in KC keep an eye out for when it’s in your area. Really worth the trip.
A new addition to my lexicon.
YOU GOOD?
Oh! One more thing from the exhibit: MEXICAN SQUID HEAD. If you guessed that I’ve had a lot of inappropriate texts about this with my friends, you know me very well.
I wish you well in your travels and hope that you don’t come down with a bad case of Mexican Squid Head.
Love you more,
Rob