MTV @ Rambo Rough Cut Premiere

Larry Carroll over at MTV.com takes a look at Sly Stallone's rough cut presentation of "Rambo." You can check out the article by clicking HERE. - Craig

Not to be Messed With

SZoner, Bill Pruitt checked in with... Hi Craig, Here's my latest creation combining graphics in photoshop and a teaser of my latest oil painting which will be revealed soon. I wanted to convey in this ad that Rambo means business and that he will NOT be messed with.
Bill
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Another great piece, Bill. As always, thanks for sharing. - Craig

Let the Fun Begin!

John Hutchins at UGO.com attended an advance showing of "Rambo" and Sly was in attendance. Sly spoke before the screening about why he choose to revisit Rambo now, the push for realism, and concluded with... "Maybe it's the last time I visit John Rambo, but I'm very glad you showed up tonight because we're proud of the film, and I'm proud of everyone who was involved with it and...well...let the fun begin!" For the full report, click HERE. - Craig

Rambo @ Times Square

A huge, nearly 80-foot-tall, "graffiti-inspired" poster for Rambo is currently on display at Seventh Avenue north of 47th Street in Times Square. You can read more about the poster HERE. - Craig

Burt Young Reflects

Stephen Williams wrote a great little piece on Burt Young for Newsday.com. Here's what is said about Sly and appearing in the Rocky movies:

"Rocky" soon followed. Young had worked with the original's producers, Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, which led to Stallone selecting the plucky Young to play the character - Paulie was Rocky's cinematic brother-in-law - that would span all six "Rockys."

"I'm not Paulie," said Young, "but there's a part of Paulie in all of us ... cowardice, bravado, false bravado. And I knew how to beat the drum to make the guy interesting and ugly and pathetic."

Young initially balked at the invitation to do the first sequel - "I didn't want to be part of an ensemble," he said - but eventually agreed. "It wasn't the money," he says. "It don't mean that much to me, I find a way to get by, and I find a way to blow it."

Will he see the new "Rambo" with Stallone when it opens Jan. 25?

"You know," he said, and this is why you have to love Burt Young, "I've never seen a 'Rambo.'"

Burt Young on Paulie, Rocky, and Sly:

"I first met Stallone, I was in the studio commissary, he comes to my table, he says, 'Mr. Young, I'm Sylvester Stallone, I wrote "Rocky." You gotta do a part, you gotta do a part.'

"I says, 'Shush, whaddaya doin'? Let me twist their arms [the producers] a little bit, lemme make a buck.' And he lit up. Turns out I was the highest-paid actor in the first one.

"Stallone wrote exquisitely; he wrote street prose. I think he saw me when he wrote it. Like Arthur Miller, he'd cut the commas off. You'd say, hey, he saying somethin' without the commas.

"Seventeen years after 'Rocky V,' we came back [for 'Rocky Balboa'], and it was pretty sentimental for me. Stallone was [...] Michelangelo painting the chapel. He wouldn't let anything alone. He was a force. It was touching."

For the full article click HERE. - Craig

Bruce, Piven and Sly

Bruce Willis, Jeremy Piven and Sylvester Stallone attended Ricky Hatton's recent fight against Floyd Mayweather. - Craig

...And Lookin' the Way You Do.

Bill Pruitt sent in the photo of his latest Stallone painting above and this message:

Hi Craig,

Here is a new painting I just completed. It's my first one from "First Blood". I am very pleased with how it turned out. This is a pivotal scene in the movie. It's exactly the moment that sets up the whole movie. He is making the decision right there to get in the car with Teasle. After that, of course, is pure classic Sly action. The title of this piece is "Wearing that flag on your jacket and lookin' the way you do......"
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Bill - not only is it another great painting, but you did hit the EXACT moment when you can see Rambo deciding he's not going to be pushed again. Perfect! Thanks as always for sharing your talents with us! - Craig

Adam Shippee's Rambo

SZoner, Adam Shippee sent in the art above and this message:

Here's a piece of Rambo art, but it is not colorized yet. I am trying to change the way I approach a drawing, and the way it looks. well, I hope you like it

Adam
ashippee1@cox.net
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I do, Adam and my guess is SZoners will as well! Thanks for sharing. - Craig

Rocky Gets Grand Visual Treatment

Earlier this week I received the following e-mail:

Hi Craig,

Wonderful site!

Thought you might like this, we did it to promote the release of Rocky Balboa and it was really popular with Rocky fans everywhere – including us!

Best Regards,

Sabeena Love
Strategist
Grand Visual
-----

Thanks Sabeena for the kind words and the link. You guys did a great job in picking a perfect scene! - Craig

Sly Saved Dolly

Dolly Parton says that when she was at the lowest point in her life it was Sylvester Stallone who saved her!

In 1984, prior to filming on "Rhinestone" Dolly learned that she would never be able to have children and it devastated her. Dolly recently told an interviewer for The Globe, "It was an awful time for me... Every day I thought, 'I wish I had the nerve to kill myself." Then Dolly started filming "Rhinestone" with Sly. Dolly still has fond memories of the filming, "Even though the movie didn't do that well, that was one of my greatest projects because Stallone was so full of life and so crazy and funny, and he made me laugh a lot, which was really healthy for me. That got me back on track."

Click HERE to read the full report. - Craig

Access Hollywood Interview

Click HERE for a nice little Access Hollywood interview. - Craig

Two New Stallone Sites

Oskar is from Poland and wanted us to know about his Rambo website. - Craig

Andrey is the administrator of the first unofficial Russian site about Stallone . The cake was a gift from his sister on his 23rd birthday [December 3rd]! - Craig

John Rambo is Everywhere!

The above photos were sent in by SZoner, and buddy Chris! - Craig

Rivera's Rambo

Paolo Rivera is a painter for Marvel Comics. Paolo recently attended a comic book convention where he was asked to sketch Rambo on a Death of Captain America cover. So what other fan is collecting Stallone Art? - Craig

MTV on the John Rambo Bandwagon!

MTV has a movie blog and they have started to proudly promote "John Rambo." - Craig

TMZ: "Sly Gets Sketchy"

Today, TMZ posted a larger version of the above photo. - Craig

SZ Exclusive: PH Opening Coverage

StalloneZoner, Randy Rousseau was able to attend the recent Planet Hollywood opening in Las Vegas. Not only did he and his family get to go, but they also met several celebrities including Sly!

Randy was especially excited to hear that John Rambo will premiere at the Las Vegas Planet Hollywood on January 24th! Hopefully Randy will be able to attend and send us back pictures and a report!

Randy's kids were able to get a photo with former N'Sync band member, Dancing with the Stars celeb and host of The Singing Bee, Joey Fatone!

Criss Angel was on hand for the festivities.

The great Sugar Ray Leonard posed for a shot with Randy and his son!

Milio Ventimiglia ["Rocky Balboa" and tv's smash hit Heroes] signed autographs...

... and posed for photos!

And of course Sly was there to kick off the festivities [He introduced Earth, Wind and Fire before their concert]...

... posed for photos with fans...

... spoke with friends and fans...

... and signed tons of autographs...

Thanks to Randy for another great StalloneZone exclusive! - Craig

Official John Rambo Site Live

The Official John Rambo site is live and updated. - Craig

Bill Pruitt Checks In

SZoner, Bill Pruitt checked in with the photo above and some words about it:

Hi Craig, Here is a photo of how my studio looked while working on my Rocky Balboa spiritual painting about a year and a half ago. You can see the pile of references I used on the left and another pile of references on the floor on right. At least 125 different photo references were used for extreme accuracy and to make it a very original image. - Bill

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Thanks to Bill for sharing! - Craig

Sly, Druan and Mosley II

Actor Sylvester Stallone, center, poses with boxers Roberto Duran, left, and Shane Mosley before a Super Middleweight championship fight between Ricardo Mayorga and Fernando Vargas at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, Nov. 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Sly, Duran and Mosley

From (L-R) former boxer Roberto Duran, actor Sylvester Stallone and boxer Shane Mosley pose ringside before the WBC super middleweight championship bout between Fernando Vargas against Ricardo Mayorga in Los Angeles November 23, 2007. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES)

The Stars Come Out

In this photo provided by Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, celebrities meet with Barbra Streisand following her private performance for the grand opening of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007. Pictured, back row left to right, Sylvester Stallone, James Brolin, Tracey Edmonds, Bruce Willis, Eddie Murphy, Kevin Spacey, Ashton Kutcher. Front row left to right, Rhea Perman, Danny DeVito, Barbra Streisand, and Demi Moore. (AP Photo/Albert Ferreira, Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino)

Punchy vs Butkus

SZoner, Paul Winter recently added another great piece to his Stallone collection. His buddy, the extremely talented Randy Martinez created this cool painting of Punchy [with Paul in his corner] stepping into the ring to go a few rounds with Butkus [cornered by Rocky].

Cool idea and great execution! Thanks to Paul for sharing it with us! - Craig

USA Today Scores 1st Look

USA Today scored the first look at the Rambo photo above and some words from Sly about the film. Here's some of what Sly had to say:

Rambo "realizes his entire existence has been for naught. Peace is an accident, war is natural. Old men start it, young men fight it, everybody in the middle dies, and nobody tells the truth. He says, 'You think God's going to make it all go away? What has he done and changed in the world? He has done nothing. We are an aggressive animal and will never be at peace.' That's how he feels."

For the full report click HERE. - Craig

Rocky Musical in Development

According to Playbill On-Line, the long discussed Rocky Musical is now in development. It will be based on the original Academy Award Winning movie written and starring Sylvester Stallone. Although Sly will not star in the musical, he has "given it his blessing."

Already attached to the project are Tony Award winner Meehan who will adapt the musical (he also took on the writing chores for the musicals Annie, The Producers and Young Frankenstein) along with the Tony Award-winning team of lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty.

Fans will be happy to know that "Gonna Fly Now," by Bill Conti, Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins [which was nominated for an Academy Award] - will be a part of the score! For complete details click HERE. - Craig

Frank Stallone a Surprise Hit

Frank Stallone a Surprise Hit in "Fred Claus"
Tuesday November 13, 2:11 pm ET

LOS ANGELES, CA--(MARKET WIRE)--Nov 13, 2007 -- Frank Stallone ("Barfly," "Tombstone") has been getting rave reviews for his appearance in the Christmas Hit "Fred Claus."

Stallone, a Grammy and Golden Globe-Nominated Artist, was asked last year to appear in the film as himself.

Stallone says, "At first I was a little leery because of the bad experience I had as a series regular on the TV sitcom 'Movie Stars' in which I played myself."

Frank goes on to say, "I had all but given up on the film business after almost 60 films. I wasn't getting any work and I couldn't find an agent and no one seemed to show any interest, so I rededicated myself to my music full time."

Stallone was nominated for Best Song for the Film "Staying Alive" and for best sound track for the same film.

Stallone was also highly considered for a Best Supporting Actor nomination by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences for his role as Eddie The Bartender in "Barfly."

Frank continues, "I must say working on 'Fred Claus' was a delightful experience. I wish all film sets were as joyful."

Sly @ Planet Hollywood Opening

Sylvester Stallone and Roger Clemens arrive at the grand opening of the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, Nov. 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

Rocky, Bruce Lee, Tarzan and More

Here is an article about statues of pop icons such as Rocky Balboa, Bruce Lee, Tarzan and others are being erected across the war-torn Balkans. - Craig

Sly Stallone has a "Death Wish"

Hey SZoners!

Variety broke the big news of the day that Sylvester Stallone is in serious talks to direct and star in an updated version of "Death Wish."

Sly would take on the role made famous by Charles Bronson of an ordinary man who, after his wife and daughter are savagely attacked, becomes a vigilante. Michael Ferris and John Brancato, best known for their "Terminator 3" script are set to do the screenplay.

Although Paramount Pictures has an option to partner on the new "Death Wish," MGM plans to make the movie even if they have to go it alone and hope to get it started before March! MGM chief operating office, Rick Sands was quoted as saying, "We are looking at our library to determine which potential franchise properties make the most sense for us to produce, and 'Death Wish' was clearly one of that jumped out... We hope to get a deal done with Sylvester Stallone to direct and star, and like the 'Rocky' and 'Rambo' films, we see this as another potential franchise for him."

This is great news for Stallone fans around the world! - Craig

Rocky Statue Contest

Hey SZoners!

I wanted to give you a heads-up on a contest that Schomberg Studios is going to run starting tomorrow and the prizes include free and discounted personalized Rocky Statues! Here are the details...

Win a ROCKY Sculpture Contest

All who purchase a 12" or a 20" ROCKY sculpture from November 5, 2007 until December 31, 2007 will be automatically entered into the contest plus all shipping costs on the 20” sculptures are free!

First Prize Winner

choice of a full refund of the sculpture they have purchased or a second free sculpture signed and personalized by the sculptor, A. Thomas Schomberg

Second Prize Winner

choice of a 50% refund of the sculpture they have purchased or a 50% discount from a second sculpture signed and personalized by the sculptor, A. Thomas Schomberg

Third Prize Winner

a 25% refund of the sculpture they have purchased or a 25% discount from a second sculpture signed and personalized by the sculptor, A. Thomas Schomberg plus all shipping costs on the 20” sculptures are free! The cast bronze limited edition sculptures are not included in the contest
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With the holidays quickly approaching, this contest couldn't come at a better time. Let family members know what you want now or consider the perfect gift for dad... heck, just buy one for yourself since you deserve it. Click HERE for ordering instructions.

Hopefully SZoners will take all three places! [And you know we'll post your pictures of you and your statue!]

Rocky Fan Art

SZoner, Gerardo Jemio from Chile, wrote in to say: "Your page is wonderful! I drew this Balboa all time fighter concept a couple of weeks ago, it is a natural size poster done with pencils, golden paint and inspiration, I hope you like it!"

Wow! What a nice piece of art! Thanks for sharing your talents with us, Gerardo. We hope to see more in the future. - Craig

New Stallone Fan Site

Jim Crater has started a new Sylvester Stallone site and he's off to a nice start. You can check it out by clicking HERE. - Craig

Sly and Fan

SZoner, Robert Federico from the London, wrote to say that he visits the SZ every week without fail and thinks its great. Robert is a huge Stallone fan and attached the picture taken on the set of "Rocky Balboa." Robert is also a collector of Rocky/Rambo lobby cards and plans to send in a picture of his collection. - Thanks to Robert for sharing! - Craig

Rambo: Official Site Live

The official Rambo site has gone live with the first official trailer. Rambo walks softly and carries a huge knife -- check out the background picture on the official page. - Craig

Interesting Company

A Palestinian woman walks past a wall decorated with photographs of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, bottom left, late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, bottom right, Cuba's revolutionary leader Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, center right, Barcelona soccer team, top left, and U.S. actor Sylvester Stallone, top right, displayed for sale at the center of the West Bank city of Ramallah, Monday, Oct. 22, 2007. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

SZoner Meets Sly & Frank

SZoner, Stephen Isa recently attended Seriesse International and was able to speak with Sylvester Stallone. Stephen also was able to take these pictures with him in Las Vegas on 10/20/07 at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

About a week earlier Stephen got a picture with Frank Stallone when he performed in New York City.

Stephen sends out a big thank you to Frank and Sly and we send one to Stephen for sharing the photos! - Craig

Randy Martinez's Rambo

Paul Wintner turned me on to the art of Randy Martinez, a Lucas film illustrator. Randymartinez.net is his site and you can see much more of his very cool art. Hopefully we'll see more here as well! - Craig

Moreno Rambo Poster

SZoner, Gerardo Moreno sent in another nice digital piece! Thanks to Gerardo for sharing. You can check out his site by clicking HERE. - Craig

Rambo Fan Poster

Here's a fan poster for Rambo made by SZoner, Jacob. - Craig

SlyCollecting.com

Last week SZoner Paul Winter sent in some pictures from his Sylvester Stallone collection. Now Paul is back with more photos of his very cool memorabilia as well as a link to his SlyCollecting.com site! - Craig

Evan Bryce's Rambo

Evan Bryce is an illustrator and colorist. I discovered his work through his sketchbook blog.

Recently Evan posted this cool black and white illo of Sly as Rambo. He later colored it.

You can see more of Evan's work in Negative Burn #6 from Desperado. Evan will also have a pinup in the Crimeland graphic novel coming in November. Of course you can also check out his site! - Craig

Rambo Fan Art

SZoner, Sherry Hutchison is back with her latest Stallone painting. She welcomes comments to Sherry_Hutchison@yahoo.com - Craig

1st Official Rambo Poster

IGN.com was the first to post this beauty. Rambo is back. -- Sorry, but I had to say it. - Craig

Rocky for the Holidays

Hey SZoners!

The holidays are quickly approaching and I wanted to remind everyone that Rocky sculptures are still available through A. Thomas Schomberg studios. These statues were created by A. Thomas Schomberg [who created the original Rocky sculpture seen in the Rocky movies] in collaboration with Sylvester Stallone and MGM studios. The sculptures make great gifts and there's a sculpture for every price range! I've had mine for nearly a year now and I smile with pride every time I pass it [several times a day]!

I've stayed in contact with Mr. Schomberg and his wife since my interview with him [part two of the interview is here] for the SZ. I recently checked to make sure that statues are still available and they are! In fact, with the holidays coming up, they are expecting a surge in sales -- so I thought it would be a good time to get your order in SZoners!

Remember, if you've purchases a statue, I'd love to post a picture of you with it! - Craig

EW: The Things They Carried

The October 19, 2007 issue of Entertainment Weekly has a piece by Tom Schierlitz and Josh Rottenberg entitled "The Things They Carried". It looks at some of the great props from motion pictures. The article leads with a two page spread of Sly's boxing gloves from "Rocky". Here's what they have to say:

Rocky Boxing Gloves The sleeper hit of 1976 and a surprise Best Picture winner, the underdog-palooka fable kick-started the career of writer-director-star Sylvester Stallone, launched a six-film franchise, and roused untold millions of couch potatoes with dreams of "Eye of the Tiger" glory. Stallone donated the gloves from "Rocky II" to the Smithsonian, but he wore these gloves in the first "Rocky", where he duked it out for 15 rounds with Apollo Creed. This pair clearly has a strong sentimental appeal for him - it has remained in his private collection for more than 30 years.
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- Craig

New Shippee Rambo Art

SZoner, Adam Shippee is back with a new painting of Sly as Rambo. Adam's e-mail is ashippee1@cox.net if you'd like to drop him a line. - Craig

Sly Fan's Collection

SZoner Paul Winter is not only the owner of Winter Talent Agency [check out his site], but also a fan of Sylvester Stallone movies.

Paul sent in a photo of him with Frank Stallone, as well as some pictures from Paul's collection: glasses from Rocky Balboa, autographed gloves and a ring signed by Sly and all of his opponents from the Rocky movies!





Paul, thanks for sharing! - Craig

Gatlinburg Sly

SZoner, Rob Hoskins checked in with the picture above and the e-mail below:

Hi Craig, Rob Hoskins here from Lexington, Ky. I recently visited the Hollywood Wax Museum in Gatlinburg Tennessee and here is what I found. Thought you'd like a look.

By the way, the site looks great! Keep Up The Good Work! - Rob

----- Thanks Rob! - Craig

SZoner @ AFI "Rocky" Screening

SZoner, Joshua Tapia sent StalloneZone an exclusive summary of his experience at the AFI "Rocky" screening:

Hi Craig, Just wanted to write in and share my incredible experience at the AFI 40th Anniversary screening of Rocky. Sorry I could not provide some photos but they were restricted and security was very tight. If we were caught with a camera we would be ejected from the theater.

So after sitting in line for hours and finally getting into the theater lobby we were able to get our hands on a AFI 40th Anniversary collectors book. Finally as we all sat down in our designated seats a member of the AFI entered the room to tell us that all the Film Legends were in a theater for a photo shoot and that they would soon be coming in for the presentation. It was at this time he told us of the surprise guest who would introduce Mr Stallone....none other than Talia Shire. The crowd responded with cheers and applause.

Finally around 7:30pm Talia Shire entered the room to applause. She took the stand and talked about how while making the film they never really said it but they all thought they were making something special. After a few more words she introduced the man himself Sylvester Stallone. As Stallone emerged from the entrance the crowd stood up to give him a standing ovation. Stallone took stepped up to the podium and thanked everyone for coming. He shared a few stories from the production about how when they showed up for the Ice Rink scene that he was told all the extras were not available, he also told us about how Talia Shire had the flu and he knew when he went in for that first kiss he knew he'd be sick the next day but he was so lost in the moment that he just forgot everything and kissed her.

Stallone finished his speech and thanked everyone again as we applauded him. As he made his way out a gentleman ran out of his seat with a copy of Stallone's last book SLY MOVES. This caused several other people to jump from there seat with stuff to autograph. Stallone being the great guy he is stopped and signed everything that was put in front of him. I saw this as my chance, i got up from my seat and made my through the crowd. As I did this the theater started to lower the lights so that people would sit down. Right before he exited i was able to walk up to him. As i approached him he looked at my hands as if he expected me to have something for him to sign. I just stuck out my hand and said "I would just like shake your hand and thank you for coming." Sly shook my hand and thanked me.

The lights went down and we watched the film. This was one of the best film going experiences i have ever had. Second would be last year when thanks to StalloneZone I got to see Rocky Balboa a week before it was released in Tampa and if not for StalloneZone I would of not of known about the AFI screening. Thanks Craig and keep up the good work. Joshua Tapia
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Thanks for the write-up Josh. What a cool experience! - Craig

Rambo: A Comparison and More

This blogger posts about the differences between the Rambo of the movies and the novel First Blood and more. - Craig

SZ Exclusive "John Rambo" Photo

The picture above is a StalloneZone exclusive photo taken on location during the filming of "John Rambo". - Craig

Leinil Yu's Rambo

Leinil Yu is an amazing talent. I never believed that I'd have the opportunity to own a Stallone piece as nice as the one above. I met Leinil at OrlandoCon and actually won a raffle for a drawing from him. You can read about that experience here. Leinil is another artist who is as nice as he is talented. He has a limited edition signed sketchbook available through Kwan Chang and you can order it here. While you're at Kwan's site, you can check out more of Leinil's art.

Thanks again to Kwan and Leinil!

Joe Bluhm's Stallone Art

Joe Bluhm is an illustrator and character designer who specializes in caricature. He's an amazing talent. I've been a fan of his work for some time now after discovering Joe's blog. Imagine my surprise when I discovered him set up at OrlandoCon. Joe is as nice as he is talented. Not only did he hit a home run with his take on Sly as Rocky [above], but followed up with the awesome Sly as Sly [below].

If you're a fan of Joe's work [if you've seen it, you must be] or of caricature, then you owe it to yourself to check out his book REJECTS. The idea behind the book is that often the "most interesting and dynamic" caricatures are rejected due to the extreme exaggeration or cutting humor. It's a great idea for a book -- especially from a talent like Joe.

Now, Understand It

SZoner, Gerardo Moreno sent in another nice digital piece! Thanks to Gerardo for sharing. You can check out his site by clicking HERE. - Craig

Sly @ AFI

Actors and directors from left, Sylvester Stallone, Jack Nicholson, George Lucas, Angela Lansbury, Tippi Hedren, Clint Eastwood, Kirk Douglas, Rob Reiner, Billy Crystal, Warren Beatty, and Julie Andrews are seen at AFI's 40th Anniversary presented by Target Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

AFI Presents

Actors and directors from front left, Sylvester Stallone, Tippi Hedren, George Lucas, Kirk Douglas, Angela Lansbury, Jack Nicholson, background left, Clint Eastwood, Rob Reiner, Billy Crystal, Warren Beatty, and Julie Andrews are seen at AFI's 40th Anniversary presented by Target Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

AFI Group

Actors and directors (L-R) Sylvester Stallone, Tippi Hedren, George Lucas, Clint Eastwood, Kirk Douglas, Rob Reiner, Angela Lansbury, Jack Nicholson, Billy Crystal, Warren Beatty and Julie Andrews attend the American Film Institute's 40th anniversary event featuring screenings of classic films in Hollywood, California October 3, 2007. The actors each introduced their past films at the screening. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)

Ron Salas' Jack Carter

Ron Salas is an extremely talented artist. He is a t-shirt designer whose work can be seen in Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe, Yosemite National Park and other places including his website. Speaking of his website, it's where I discovered his work and is a regular stop on my internet excursions.

Ron was at the recent OrlandoCon and I was fortunate enough to get on his sketch list. He can through with Jack Carter and I couldn't be happier. Post a comment on Ron's site if you're interested in a commission. His prices are right and his talent is obvious!

Sly is Superman by Alex Saviuk

Alex Saviuk, perhaps best known for his work with Stan Lee on The Amazing Spider-Man newspaper strip first studied at Will Eisner's School of Visual Arts. He entered the realm of professional comics by landing at DC on such projects as Superman, Green Lantern and The Flash. From there it was on to Marvel and a long run on various Spider-Man comics. Since leaving Marvel, Alex has worked on the X-Files comic, The Spider-Man newspaper strip, The Phantom, as well as advertising and storyboards for motion pictures.

Alex chose to draw Sly as Superman and I love the result. Alex is a big movie fan, and he knew that Sly had been in the running for the lead role. If you ever get to meet Alex ask him to SHOW you why that wouldn't have worked out so well!

Alex is available for commissions. He can be reached at actionart2004@yahoo.com -- tell him I sent ya! - Craig

Sly: Witnessed Myanmar Genocide

In an article posted today by the Associated Press, Sylvester Stallone says that he and his crew were witness to horrible atrocities while filming "John Rambo".

Sly goes on to say, "This is a hellhole beyond your wildest dreams... I witnessed the aftermath — survivors with legs cut off and all kinds of land mine injuries, maggot-infested wounds and ears cut off. We saw many elephants with blown off legs. We hear about Vietnam and Cambodia and this was more horrific."

Sly chose the location of Thailand and Myanmar [formerly known as Burma] for the location of his latest Rambo adventure because it had been identified as "the foremost area of human abuse on the planet". Sly made his feelings clear about the situation when he said, "The Burmese are beautiful people. It's the military I am portraying as cruel."

Sly is currently editing "John Rambo" for an early 2008 release. You can read the full article by clicking HERE. - Craig

Sly's First Fight

Sly talks about the first professional fight he ever saw in person over at SecondsOut.com. - Craig

Planet Hollywood: Don't Call It a Comeback

The New York Times reports that Planet Hollywood is on the verge of a major comeback! They didn't hear no bell! - Craig

John Rambo Fan Image

Here's a fan image created by SZoner, Gianno. - Craig

Sly in Burma News

SZoner, Anwar wrote in with the following:

Hi Craig,

I’m a big Stallone Fan, I came across this and thought I’d e-mail you the link.

http://www.irrawaddy.org/multimedia.php?art_id=8375

P.S. You do a great job with ‘StalloneZone’, keep up the good work!

Anwar, England, UK.

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Thanks to Anwar for the heads-up! - Craig

Rambo Support Group

The following information was forwarded to me by two operatives dressed in full military gear. Somehow I get the feeling that they are rouge agents.

Hey man check out this new Rambo fan site operationrsg.net.
It is for getting John Rambo to number one.
If all Rambo fans join the cause, we will shock the industry when the film is released.
Let your troops know.

SZoners, you now know. - Craig

New Fan Art

SZoner, Sherry Hutchison is back with her latest Stallone painting. She welcomes comments to Sherry_Hutchison@yahoo.com - Craig

First Blood Celebration Art Contest

I recently received information from Inge Wilson about an art contest for the First Blood 25th Anniversary Celebration. Here are the particulars:

• Enter to win $200 cash prize
• Enter original artwork that depicts the character of "John Rambo” as featured in the film “First Blood”
• Submit to Destination Hope & Beyond Services by 5PM on Thursday, October 4th, 2007
• All 2D media forms eligible (for example pencil, ink, charcoal, watercolour, oil, acrylic, pastel etc.). Mechanically produced or assisted artwork such as photographs or computer generated images will not be accepted. Minimum size 5” X 7”. Please do not frame entries.
• No entry fee.
• All entries become the property of Destination Hope & Beyond Services and will be exhibited during the “Rambo-First Blood” 25th Anniversary Event in Hope October 5th to 8th, 2007
• All entries must be accompanied by a signed release form.
• Minimum of 10 contestants or contest will be cancelled. Maximum of two entries per contestant.
• Judges decision is final.
• Entry forms & release forms available from the Hope Visitor Centre & Museum Complex located at 919 Water Avenue, Hope, B.C., V0X 1L0

We have several talented SZoner artists -- good luck to all! - Craig

Some Rocky Inspiration

Ehren Cheung, on his recent trip to Philadelphia couldn't help but notice the...

"...constant flow of tourists who flocked to the statue of Rocky. Posing with Rocky Balboa was one of the primary attractions but not only did it seem that Rocky inspired people to pose, people ran up the stairs of the Museum of Art reenacting the scene in Rocky, and people would applaud and smile each time a group of people raced up the stairs. Some people were so enthused that they almost fell down the stairs!"

It's amazing how Rocky continues to inspire so many people worldwide. I love how the Rocky statue has become a "must see stop" for those who go to Philadelphia. For Ethan's full blog post, click HERE. - Craig

Rambo Fan Art

SZoner, Adam Shippee is back with a new painting of Sly as Rambo. Adam's e-mail is ashippee1@cox.net if you'd like to drop him a line. - Craig

More on the First Blood Celebration

More on the First Blood celebration:

Craig – please see below for the “First Blood 25^th Anniversary Event” weekend plans but note that THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE! Please post to your website if possible

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Friday, October 5th - 7PM or so ... welcome evening for First Blood fans at the Silver Chalice Neighbourhood Pub featuring the premiere showing of the REEL PLACES documentary/travelogue of "First Blood". No cover charge. Must be 19 years old to gain admission. Introduction of the Rambo look-alike competitors - each Rambo look-alike competitor will receive a free ticket for the "First Blood" film screening on Saturday evening.

Saturday, October 6th - 10AM guided walking tour of "First Blood" filming locations within Hope. Starting location is the Hope Visitor Centre/Museum Complex at 919 Water Avenue. Admission to Museum by donation but no charge for walking tour. Must wear good walking shoes and be prepared for all kinds of weather - event proceeds rain or shine! (From 9AM to 10AM pre-bookings & pre-payments for a lunch at the Sheriff's Office can be made at the Visitor Centre & Museum Complex) Tour will include lunch stop at the "Sheriff's Office" where "First Blood" art competition entries will be displayed. Tour will conclude at the Visitor Centre/Museum Complex sometime in the afternoon.

Saturday, October 6th - 7PM doors open at the Hope Cinema for a special screening of the original "First Blood" film. At 7:30 PM anyone present that has stories or memories to share will be asked to speak at the microphone before the film begins. Rambo look-alike competitors will each be asked to voice one of the well known "Rambo" pieces of dialogue. The "Fan Favourite" and official first place winners of the Rambo look-alike competition to be announced & awards presented. Film begins once speakers & Rambo impersonators are finished. Cost per person is $8.00. Ticket will also include admission to the feature film (title unknown yet) being shown at Hope Cinema immediately after the conclusion of "First Blood".

Sunday, October 7th - 10AM Meet at the Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park parking lot for a guided walk through "Chapman's Gorge". Parking fee is $3 per vehicle (bring coins for the parking ticket machine). Must wear good walking shoes and be prepared for all kinds of weather - event proceeds rain or shine! Those who want to continue on with the optional hike should bring a bag lunch. No charge to participate.

Sunday, October 7th - 1PM Optional additional hike through the woods above "Chapman's Gorge". Must be physically fit, appropriately attired and sign a waiver. Parking fee for Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park still in effect. Hike proceeds rain or shine. No charge to participate. Sunday, October 7th - Pig Roast Dinner Wind Up. Location, time and cost not yet finalized. Both Saturday & Sunday the Hope Museum will be open from 10AM to 4PM. A small exhibit of "First Blood" photos and memorabilia will be featured. Admission by donation. A special "First Blood" 25th anniversary souvenir booklet will be available throughout the weekend. No organized events on Monday, October 8th - Thanksgiving Day - but visitors are encouraged to enjoy other points of interest in the Hope area like Hell's Gate Airtram, Minter Gardens, Hope Art Gallery, Hope Chainsaw Carvings, Yale Heritage Site, Kilby Historic Store & Farm, the Hope Slide and more!

Inge Wilson
Hope Visitor Centre & Museum Complex
Destination Hope & Beyond Services

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It looks to be like a lot of fun. If any SZoner is able to attend, we'd love to see photos and a report! - Craig

Hope Celebrates 25th Anniversary of First Blood

This came in the e-mail this week...

Hope Celebrates 25th Anniversary of First Blood

Over 25 years have passed since First Blood wrapped filming in Hope, British Columbia, Canada - but residents, local crew and Rambo enthusiasts agree it doesn't feel like a quarter century has passed. Back in 1981, British Columbia’s film industry was in itsinfancy when the Ministry of Tourism’s Film Promotion Office, helmed by Dianne Neufeld and Justis Greene, received a call from a production company interested in shooting First Blood, a $15 million action movie in B.C..

After scouting several different locations in BC, the producers found the exact look they had been searching for in the small town of Hope. Soon after, a crew of approximately 100 people (many of whom still work in the BC Film industry) began to transform the town of Hope into the birthplace of John Rambo. The Sheriff’s Office was constructed on the lawn of Hope’s District Hall, a gun shop and gas station were built and American flags, mailboxes, and US Army billboards were placed on downtown streets.

During the filming, the cast and crew had to deal with bitter cold, the theft of over 50 firearms needed for the movie, Stallone’s injuries and the escape of a wild boar on its way to set. Despite these challenges, First Blood, which was released on Friday October 22, 1982was a major box office success, earning a record breaking $14.8 million in the first 12 days of its release.

To mark the film’s 25th anniversary, the Hope Visitor Centre & Museum Complex (operated by Destination Hope & Beyond Services) is celebrating the occasion with a number of events and activities over the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend, beginning October 5th. The anniversary celebration plans currently include a welcome reception at a Hope pub, the premiere of the REEL PLACES “First Blood” travelogue/documentary by Seattle’s Gas Light Alley Entertainment, film location tours, a Rambo look-a-like contest, an art competition, a pig roast dinner, and the publication of a souvenir “First Blood” booklet as a keepsake.

Anyone that would like to contribute stories, photos or trivia for the souvenir booklet is invited to send them to destinationhope@telus.net. Plus anyone that was involved in this film project is encouraged to take part in the events celebrating this pivotal BC film project.

For further information, please contact: Inge Wilson, Manager-Hope Visitor Centre & Museum Complex Phone: 604-869-2021 or 1-866-HOPEVIC or E-mail:destinationhope@telus.net

Sly Movie Memorbilia

The photo above and e-mail below arrived in the e-mail this week.

Hi Craig, I just want to tell you what a great web site you have.

I am a movie memorabilia collector, and I collect Stallone stuff especially. I have a complete Sylvester Stallone outfit that he actually wore in the movie Daylight. It is complete with shirt, undershirt, pants, socks, and boots. I am sure you know the outfit. It is the one that he wears throughout the entire film. I have a bunch of photos with it. It came right from a Profiles in History auction, and has their tags. Profiles is one of the biggest auction houses in the world. I had the outfit on a mannequin with a Stallone mask. I just don't have the room anymore. I am asking $650.00 for it. I would also include all of the 8X10 photos, and the original movie with the box. I also have a Stallone face life cast that was made right from his head and neck for Cop land. I got that from Premiere Props, and it comes with their COA. I am asking $350 for that. Please let me know if you are interested, and if possible maybe you can list it on the Stallone Zone. I would be happy to give you 10% of the selling prices if you have somebody or can get me somebody to purchase. Thanks so much, Brett
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If any SZoner is interested in purchasing Brett's items you can contact him at BackDoor07@aol.com. Feel free to ask for the 10% discount that he offered me, since I don't know Brett or the authenticity of his items [he says he has Certificates of Authenticity], I wouldn't feel comfortable accepting a commission on the sale. - Craig

Sly Presents Rocky

From American Film Institute Press Release - Wednesday September 12, 1:48 pm ET LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/

The American Film Institute today announced a historic public event to mark the institute's 40th anniversary. Target Presents AFI's 40th Anniversary is an event of unprecedented scale -- even for Hollywood. Eleven classic American films will screen on a single night, in a single location -- each with a live introduction by the film's legendary star or filmmaker.

The event will be held October 3 at ArcLight Hollywood. All film programs will begin at 7:00 p.m. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on September 19.

The films and artists that are confirmed to take part in this momentous occasion are:

    Julie Andrews will present THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965)
  Warren Beatty will present BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)
  Billy Crystal and Rob Reiner will present WHEN HARRY MET SALLY... (1989)
  Kirk Douglas will present SPARTACUS (1960)
  Clint Eastwood will present UNFORGIVEN (1992)
  Morgan Freeman will present THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)
  Tippi Hedren will present THE BIRDS (1963)
  Angela Lansbury will present BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)
  George Lucas will present STAR WARS -- EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE (1977)
  Jack Nicholson will present ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975)
  Sylvester Stallone will present ROCKY (1976)

"What better way to celebrate 40 years of AFI than to bring together movie artists and movie-goers in the flickering light of these classic American films," stated Jean Picker Firstenberg, AFI's President and CEO. "We thank Target for their continued support of AFI, providing the opportunity to honor AFI's 40th Anniversary with an epic celebration worthy of America's national educational and cultural organization."

"We are thrilled to honor 40 great years of the American Film Institute by celebrating the magic and artistry of the silver screen," said Laura Sandall, director, events marketing and publicity, Target. "By building relationships with leading cultural organizations like AFI, Target is able to foster creativity, promote learning and build stronger communities."

Tickets to all screenings are $25 and can be purchased at AFI.com or in person at the ArcLight box office at 6360 W Sunset Boulevard (at Ivar) beginning Wednesday, September 19. Event tickets include free popcorn and soda for all guests. The first 100 guests to arrive in each theater will receive a free copy of the special commemorative AFI 40th Anniversary Tribute book.
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What a great line up of films and presenters. Obviously "Rocky" would be THE one to attend, but it would also be cool to see Kirk Douglas present "Spartacus", Clint Eastwood show us "Unforgiven", or Jack Nicholson showcase "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". If any SZoner attends, please send in photos and a report! - Craig

John Rambo Returns on Jan. 25th

Lionsgate has set the release date of January 25, 2008 for "John Rambo". Written, directed and starring Sly Stallone, along with Julie Benz, Matthew Marsden, Graham McTavish, and Jake La Botz.

New "John Rambo" Footage

Harry, over at Ain't It Cool News received a call from Sly Stallone saying that he was heading back to Thailand for additional filming on "John Rambo". Sly also sent Harry some new footage and I need to warn you, it is "R" rated for violence. So, if you're in the mood for some Rambo mayhem, then click HERE.

"John Rambo" Fan Poster

SZoner, Brandon Hafiz sent in this simple but effective teaser poster for "John Rambo". - Craig

Legends Fan Art

M. Gerardo has been a SZoner for about a year now and has been a Stallone fan for 31 years. He sent in his iconic digital creation for SZoners everywhere to enjoy! Thanks to MG! - Craig

Rocky by Michael Nigro

Michael Nigro is a full time illustrator who is available for freelance commissions! His e-mail is bossk1138@yahoo.com. Michael works in pencil, watercolors, ink and digital paintings and would love to to hear any feedback on this painting. Michael says he has more Sly Art that he'll share soon. Thanks to Michael for sharing! - Craig

Rocky & Adrian UK Fan Art

Derek Nixon is based in the UK and was inspired to paint this after he and his girlfriend Jen ran up the Rocky steps in Philly to celebrate his 30th birthday! Any comments are welcome. Derek's email is mail@dmncreative.com (the website itself is a work in progress at the moment). The Rocky sculpture he's working on is nearing completion so hopefully he'll be able to send pics of it in the next few weeks. Thanks to Derek for sharing his talents! - Craig

Rocky Fan Art

Kevin Libal sent in this drawing that his brother Jason created for him. Thanks to Kevin and Jason for allowing us a look! - Craig

UK Rambo Fan Art

Michael Heather was cleaning out some files and came across some Sly art that he created years ago. Thanks to Michael for sharing! - Craig

Rocky Fan Art from Russia

Anatoly Zaprudnov did the pencil drawing above and is a Russian fan of Rocky. It's only the third portrait Anatoly has ever drawn! Thanks to Anatoly for sharing his talents. - Craig

First Blood Celebration

Hey SZoners, This came in and I thought many of you would be interested...

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Greetings from Hope, British Columbia, Canada … birthplace of John Rambo as a world renowned film screen character!

“First Blood” was filmed in our community in 1981 and the film was released into theatres in 1982 – so 2007 marks the 25^th anniversary of the film and we are celebrating that October 5^th to 8^th, 2007 with a variety of activities … do you think your website readers would like to know more about the special film screening, the souvenirs that will be available, the film location tours, the Rambo look-alike contest, the First Blood art contest & more!?

They can email me at destinationhope@telus.net and I will fill them in on the details….

Inge Wilson

Destination Hope & Beyond Services

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Hard to believe it's been 25 years! - Craig

First Blood Video Art

Ernest "Jazzman" Resendes sent in the following:

The current issue (August 2007) of Smithsonian magazine has got a cool write up on artist Takeshi Murata on page 37 and the connection to First Blood ...

NOT A HOLLYWOOD SEQUEL American video artist Takeshi Murata mutates footage from B-movies and action flicks, adding techno soundtracks to create hypnotic digital films (2006's Untitles ( Pink Dot) samples 1982's Rambo: First Blood). At the Hirshhorn through September 9. Here's a link the Pink Dot > http://youtube.com/watch?v=d87FaWdj3L0 Have a great one !
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Thanks to Jazz for the tip! - Craig

Rambo Fan Art

Stefano Rondinella is 33 years old and has been a fan of Sylvester Stallone since 1989. Stefano lives in Sicilia, Italy. Stefano's passion is painting and he sent us his take on Rambo. - Craig

Hutchinson's Rocky

SZoner, Sherry Hutchison is back with her latest Stallone painting. She welcomes comments to Sherry_Hutchison@yahoo.com - Craig

Belgrade Rocky Statue

A huge statue of the film character Rocky Balboa is prepared for unveiling in the village square in Zitiste, about 60 kilometers (36 miles) north of Belgrade, Tuesday, Aug.7, 2007. The village of Zitiste is planning to erect the statue of Balboa, to attract tourists and show a new face to the world. Local officials have already contacted Philadelphia, PA, where a monument to the actor Sylvester Stallone's film character already exists. The unveiling is scheduled for August 18. (AP Photo/Srdjan Ilic)

Workers cover with plastic sheets a statue of the film character Rocky Balboa, which is being prepared for unveiling in the village square in Zitiste, about 60 kilometers (36 miles) north of Belgrade, Tuesday, Aug.7, 2007. The village of Zitiste is planning to erect the statue of Balboa, to attract tourists and show a new face to the world. Local officials have already contacted Philadelphia, PA, where a monument to the actor Sylvester Stallone's film character already exists. The unveiling is scheduled for August 18. (AP Photo/Srdjan Ilic)

Workers secure with ropes the statue of the Rocky Balboa film character, which is set for unveiling in the village square in Zitiste, about 60 kilometers (36 miles) north of Belgrade, Tuesday, Aug.7, 2007. The village of Zitiste is planning to erect the statue of Balboa, to attract tourists and show a new face to the world. Local officials have already contacted Philadelphia, PA, where a monument to the actor Sylvester Stallone's film character already exists. The unveiling is scheduled for August 18. (AP Photo/Srdjan Ilic)

Fan Art

Renato Mundt is a Brazilian from Sao Paulo city. Renato has been a Rocky / Stallone fan since 1985 when he was 9 years old. Renato did the Stallone sketch to the left and this Rocky tribute.

- Craig

Rocky Minimates

I really like this MiniMates replica of the original "Rocky" movie poster. Here's a page to tell you more about the Rocky Minimates. - Craig

Bill Pruitt Checks In

SZoner, Bill Pruitt checked in with the cool photo above and this... Hi Craig, Today I got to meet the stunt coordinator for "Rambo First Blood II," Diamond Farnsworth. Ironically, I was working on a new "John Rambo" piece at Universal Citywalk when he happened to be up there. He couldn't have been nicer and was very impressed that I knew who he was. (I've only seen him in Rambo II photos when Sly is doing bow and arrow target practice.) He said he taught Sly how to shoot the bow and arrow. Bill
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That's Diamond on the left and Bill on the right. Click HERE if you'd like a closer look at Bill's new Rambo painting! Thanks to Bill for sharing. Check out his site HERE. - Craig

"Behind the Scenes" from Russia

A Russian fan sent in these two behind-the-scenes pics from John Rambo. You can see larger versions HERE and HERE. Cool stuff! Thanks to our fan in Russia! - Craig

Sly by Adam Shippee

SZoner, Adam Shippee is back with a new painting! This time he's taken on Sly in the classic Joe Weider pose. Adam's e-mail is ashippee1@cox.net if you'd like to drop him a line. - Craig

Sly Night

Last night the Brooklyn Cyclones, a minor league baseball team, hosted Sly Night. Here's how they advertised it:

SLY NIGHT: On July 28th, the Cyclones will celebrate Sylvester Stallone -- one of the most iconic Hollywood stars of our generation -- on "Sly Night" at KeySpan Park.

Stallone has created some of the most long-lasting and legendary characters in pop-culture history, from Rocky Balboa to John Rambo, to Lincoln Hawk, to Marion Cobretti, to Snaps Provolone, to Ray Tango, and more.

The Academy Award winner's turn as the underdog fighter from the mean streets of Philly immortalized him to millions. On Saturday, July 28th, the Cyclones will pay tribute to him in a number of ways:

The team will show a variety of Stallone-themed entertainment throughout the night.

Fans are invited to dress up as their favorite Stallone character, with the winning costume receiving a prize pack.

Anyone named "Sylvester" will be admitted to the ballpark at no charge.

In commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the 1987 movie Over The Top (in which Stallone plays a struggling trucker competing in a Las Vegas Arm Wrestling Championship, and sporting a New York City Arm Wrestling T-shirt), the New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA) will host over 100 men and women competing that day for the 25th Annual White Castle 'Kingsboro' Golden Arm Wrestling titles, featuring a championship match taking place on the dugout during that night's game!

Anyone who participates in the arm wrestling competition will receive a Cyclones ticket to that night's game. For more information on participating, contact Gene Camp at NYAWA@aol.com.

In addition to all the Sly festivities, the first 1,250 kids that night will receive Thunderstix!

So join in on the fun, and help the Cyclones pay tribute to the Itallian Stallion on July 28th!
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It would have been cool to have been there for the festivities! - Craig

Sly and MGM Chairman

From the Associated Press AP - Mon Jul 23, 9:15 PM ET Sylvester Stallone and MGM Chairman and CEO Harry Sloan at the Los Angeles Team Mentoring (LATM) 9th annual Summer Soiree event. (PRNewsFoto/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., Eric Charbonneau)

Ringo's Jack Carter

Mike Wieringo's drawing of Jack Carter is one of my favorite pieces from this year's Heroes Con. I not only love the look and attitude of the piece, but I was able to watch Mike sketch it!

Mike was selling his latest sketch book and if you bought a copy, Mike threw in a head sketch for free! Talk about a great deal. I was worried that because Stallone isn't a character that Mike had drawn repeatedly, it might be more difficult and therefore he might decline my request. Boy, was I wrong. Mike proceeded to sketch it out in no time and like I said, he really captured the look and attitude of Sly as Jack Carter.

In my previous post, I suggested you check out Mike's Blog. I should have remembered to tell you about where you can buy Mike Wieringo original art. Now you have all the facts and links you need. Enjoy!

Ringo's Rocky

Mike Wieringo is one of the nicest and most talented artists you could ever meet. Soft spoken and humble, but oh man, what an artist!

Mike did this drawing of Rocky Balboa for his blog [which I read daily and suggest you do as well]. Mike knew about my Stallone art collection and told me it was mine for the asking when I commented about it.

Check out Mike's Blog when you have some time to spend. You'll be amazed and impressed with the amount that he's posted [but his insightful comments will also be part of what brings you back]. - Craig

Rocky by Andy Smith

My buddy, Andy Smith whipped up this cool rendition of Rocky Balboa. Andy is mostly known for his penciling and inking work for DC and Cross Gen comics. But I like to tell people is that when it comes to dynamic drawing, Andy wrote the book. You see, he truly did. Really! You can check it out HERE! You can also check out Andy's site by clicking HERE. - Craig

Balboa Band vs Red Elite

Sly Stallone and Rocky Balboa have provided inspiration to people around the world... and now they've inspired a band...called Balboa.

Here's what their press release says... At a combined weight of 1083 lbs., Balboa is a 6-man team of rock and roll warriors. With unfaltering determination, they play your favorite songs from the Rocky soundtracks. Songs included in the audio/visual spectacle will be "Eye of the Tiger", "Living in America", "No Easy Way Out", "Burning Heart", "Gonna Fly Now" and other training montage classics. The night of August 3rd, 2007 marks the band's live debut when they perform at The El Mocambo in Toronto, Ontario. Believe it or not, appearing with [against?] them is a band called The Red Elite [not Drago?].

Learn more about the Balboa Band at their myspace page. Any SZoners who can make the show should mention that they learned about it through the StalloneZone. Who knows, maybe they'll give you a break on the cover charge. - Craig

Rambo's Gonna Knock You

SZoner, Alain from France, sent in a link to Hollywood.com's article titled "Stallone: "Fourth 'Rambo' Will Be Goriest Yet.'" Sly is quoted as saying, "If you thought other movies were extreme. John Rambo's gonna knock you for six." For the full article, please click HERE. - Craig

ComingSoon Scores

ComingSoon.net scored these two new pics from "John Rambo." You can see them in high rez at ComingSoon.net. - Craig