Biker Werewolf

THIS 1985 SALE STARTED AS A COLD CALL I MADE TO THEIR ORIGINAL OFFICES IN AGURA, CALIFORNIA: I rendered this and licensed it to Paisano Publications while stationed at the old Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Santa Ana (Irvine), California in 1985-ish. Paisano Publications published such periodicals and glossy magazines as "Iron Horse, Easy Riders," and other periodicals. I drove up to Agoura on a four-day leave from the VMFA-314 Black Knights Squadron down at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

THIS BIKE: The bike was a 1972 Panhead Harley-Davidson belonging to a fellow Marine Corps corporal. I used a museum skull and two museum cutlasses as props to study.

LOCATION: This drawing was completed at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, California at the squadron hanger for the VMFA-314 Black Knights.

THE SERIES: I celebrated biker culture with a sixteen panel series with a working title of "Biker Werewolf." Assorted dragons, gods, apes, sasquatch hominins, and Neanderthals were joined by bodacious babes. The textures of bones, weed, blood, booze, cash greenbacks, filthy garage floors, logos and ball-bustin' wise cracks were celebrated. My series, scenes and skits were "Ideologically Sensitive" or "Insensitive" as my drawing grew more bold. Over the years I've sold over forty similar renders.

MEDIA: Four-color black&white Bic ballpoint pens, India ink, ballpoint ink rubbed all over my thumb, marker pens and Pentel colored markers.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: In 1979, Paisano launched a companion publication called Iron Horse, which would continue for many years under various owners.

HISTORICAL REFERENCE: "Easyriders" was an American motorcycle magazine, founded in 1970. The original publisher, until 2020, was Paisano Publications. When the magazine was part of Paisano Publications, LLC, it was published on a monthly basis.

In addition to its coverage of motorcycles (particularly Harley-Davidsons) and related activities, "Easyriders" is also known for including pictures of nude or topless women and paintings by David Mann who was a California graphic artist whose paintings celebrated biker culture.

The December 1979 issue featured an interview with Willie Nelson, who also appeared on the cover.

The Audit Bureau of Circulation reported that "Easyriders" had an average paid and verified circulation of 123,587 for the six-month period ending December 31, 2007.

In 1979, Paisano launched a companion publication called Iron Horse, which would continue for many years under various owners. In 2020 it was sold to Pepper Foster and is now published quarterly.