Mondo has had its finger on the pulse of pop culture for over a decade, creating limited edition screen printed posters for a huge variety of cult classic and popular films by some of the best artists in the industry. The company also creates vinyl movie soundtracks, apparel, and other products – and each year, it trots out a few select pieces to San Diego Comic-Con. The pieces are so popular that Mondo typically doesn’t announce everything they’re bringing to the convention, choosing instead to announce random “drops” on Twitter, so only those who are fast enough to scramble to the booth can purchase while limited supplies last. This year’s offerings included several Guardians of the Galaxy pieces, from artists Kevin Tony, Mike Mitchell, and Tyler Stout, as well as a series of 7-inch vinyl records from Batman: The Animated Series.
For the first time, though, Mondo will be holding their own convention next month, called MondoCon, on September 20-21 in Austin, Texas at The Marchesa Hall & Theatre. Tickets are still on sale for $70 for the weekend or $35 for a single day pass, and attendees will be treated to “unique guests from a variety of areas to celebrate film, music, art, and toys from the world’s finest artists, designers, toy creators” and filmmakers, composers, and more – as well as screenings, live screen-printing for t-shirts, and of course, exclusive posters.
Mondo will be operating a pop up shop in the parking lot of The Marchesa Hall & Theatre, with several exclusives, including a 15×27″ Giclee print for The Iron Giant by Alex Ross, as well as the release of The Iron Giant soundtrack on vinyl for the first time, with “two incredible package designs from artists Jason Edmiston and Jay Shaw”. Artist Tyler Stout has also created an alternate cover of Boom! Comics’ Big Trouble in Little China #1 that will be available.
Here’s a look at the exclusives announced so far (with more still to be revealed):
Exhibitors and guests for the event include Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, Francesco Francavilla, Oni Press, Alex Pardee and Zero Friends, Kevin Tong, Scott C., Brian Ewing, One Way Static Records, and many more. You can view the complete list on MondoCon’s website.
The weekend will also feature several panels and screenings with some of Mondo’s top talent. Here’s a look at the schedule:
PANELS
Designing Movies
Panelists: Geof Darrow, Jock, Mike Mignola, Alex Pardee, William Stout and Bernie Wrightson
It could be as small as a weapon or as big as an entire world, but each part of a film is designed by an artist. Who does that? How are the creatures, ships and landscapes of our shared dreams created? MondoCon sits down with six artists who have given form to some of the most iconic imagery in film. They will share stories and art, including pieces that have never been released publicly from the design phase on films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ghostbusters, The Matrix, Blade 2, Dredd 3D, Return of the Living Dead and more.
The Art of Toy-making
Panelists: Mike Mitchell, Brock Otterbacher, Dan Willett
Go behind the scenes on the world of collectible toys! The panelists will dive deep into Mondo’s brand new toy line with photos and design images from the making of the first lineup of collectibles for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Iron Giant and Alfred Hitchcock. Artist Mike Mitchell will also talk about turning his Lil’ Mikey illustration into a 3D figure. The future of Mondo’s toy collectibles will be discussed with the announcement of a new vinyl figure from a beloved comic book property.
Geof Darrow’s Shaolin Cowboy
Panelist: Geof Darrow
Renowned comic book creator (Hard Boilded, Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot) and conceptual film artist (The Matrix trilogy) Geof Darrow will discuss Shaolin Cowboy, including presenting 8 minutes of never-before-seen finished animation from an unproduced adaptation of the beloved cult comic. In 2009 Variety reported that the Wachowski siblings and Circle of Confusion were producing an animated feature of Shaolin Cowboy, but no one has ever seen this footage publicly… until now. Darrow will discuss his history with the project and his experience working on the animation in Japan. This is a unique opportunity for the world to get a first look at a potential anime classic that almost was.
Shaolin Cowboy follows an unnamed former Shaolin monk who wanders the land with a talking mule named Lord Evelyn Dunkirk Winniferd Esq. the Third. Having been “asked” to leave the Shaolin temple, he has since had a bounty placed on his head, which many are eager to collect. Given the Shaolin Cowboy’s prowess in martial arts, however, this proves to be very difficult.
“I met Geof Darrow a year ago in San Antonio. During our talk, he mentioned that he once lived in Japan and was working on an anime. My brain broke at the thought of a Geof Darrow anime based on Shaolin Cowboy followed immediately by heartbreak when he said that funding was pulled and the project was canceled. I’ve always wondered what it would be like. What would a Geof Darrow drawing be like if animated? What would the Shaolin Cowboy look like in action? Good news. All of these questions will be answered at MondoCon,” said Mondo CEO Justin Ishmael.
2001: A Lost Score
Panelist: Brian Satterwhite
Mondo is releasing the lost score for 2001: A Space Odyssey on vinyl for the first time ever!
Stanley Kubrick’s seminal masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey is known for its classical musical cues as much as for its vivid imagery. What few people know is that those cues that are forever associated with the film were a last minute revision on the part of Kubrick. An original score exists, composed for the film by the late composer Alex North (A Streetcar Named Desire, Spartacus) that was abandoned during post-production. North did not know his score was discarded until he saw the film’s premiere screening.
Composer and writer Brian Satterwhite will host a panel on the subject, featuring a live presentation of several scenes from 2001: A Space Odyssey with the lost score meticulously reintegrated back to the film to show what could have been.
Working with North’s estate, Mondo will release “Music for 2001: A Space Odyssey” in a deluxe package, complete with liner notes by Jon Burlingame. The vinyl will be available for sale at the Mondo booth.
Godzilla 1983
Panelist: William Stout
Long before Gareth Edwards and even Roland Emmerich took on the iconic monster, Godzilla was set to make landfall on American soil, but it wasn’t his time. Writer Fred Dekker, FX artist Rick Baker and conceptual artist William Stout were just some of the big names involved in an early attempt at a US-produced feature film in the 1980s that few were even aware existed until now.
Artist William Stout will take the audience through the entire feature film with over one hundred storyboards and conceptual art designs that he created along with Dave Stevens (creator of The Rocketeer) and Doug Widley (creator of Johnny Quest)
Mondo Talk: Art Direct a Poster Live!
Panelists: Justin Ishmael, Mitch Putnam, Rob Jones
Mondo Creative Directors Justin Ishmael, Mitch Putnam and Rob Jones will discuss the creative process behind Mondo’s work, showing how the team works with artists to arrive at final images. The panel will include a presentation of alternate poster concepts from previously released prints and reveal new poster designs. The audience will also have the unique opportunity to “art direct” a project live during the panel, adding their feedback and voting on their favorite concept. Mondo will then produce the fan-created project.
SCREENINGS
Tickets for the evening screenings will be made available to badge holders ONLY via Eventbrite before the convention. Stay tuned to the MondoCon website and @MondoConAustin for screening times, ticket release dates and additional screening announcements.
FUTURE SHOCK! The Story of 2000AD (World Premiere Screening)
A long overdue documentary that tells the story of 2000AD, the unsung cult hero of the comics industry. This film will celebrate and pay respect to the comic and explore its importance and influence on contemporary pop culture. Through in-depth interviews with the creators, writers, artists and fans of the last 35 years, we will tell the story of how this irrepressible, independent weekly comic has survived to have such a widespread cultural impact, not only on the international comics industry but also in film, art and literature.
MondoCon will have the world premiere screening of this documentary on Saturday, September 20. The screening will be free to badge holders with the Mondo poster for the event sold separately following the film. The trailer for FUTURE SHOCK! The Story of 2000AD can be found here.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with Live Original Score
The most terrifying film of all time will be presented as you have never seen or heard it before. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be shown remastered in 4K with an original score performed live at MondoCon on Sunday, September 21. Composers Anton Maoif and Umberto created a completely new score for the film over the course of the last year after conceiving of the idea with Death Waltz records at Beyond Fest last October. This is the first time it will be heard anywhere. The film will also play with the live score at Beyond Fest in Los Angeles on September 27.
Death Waltz records has produced the score and will make it available exclusively at the two shows in Austin and LA. Only 800 copies will be created. The exclusive Death Waltz vinyl will be included in the cost of admission. View a trailer for this very special event here and listen to three tracks from new score on Sound Cloud.
Sci-Fi classics Ghost in the Shell and Total Recall (1990) will also have screening events on Saturday, September 20 at MondoCon with brand new Mondo prints included in the cost of admission.
Will you be attending MondoCon? Let us know in the comments.
