R. Black Scooterist Fave signing his book

R. Black is not only a kick-ass artist, he is also a scooterist. His work has appeared all over including Scoot! Magazine. See some examples, here. He recently published a book of his art called, Futura. He's embarking on a scooter/book tour and one of his stops is at my local Vespa Dealer, San Jose Vespa. If you are able to make it to one of his events, tell him that Scoot! sent you. ;)

From the press release about his trip:

This summer Futura artist R. Black, equipped with only a backpack of books, a pocket full of Sharpies, and a small ration of food, will wind his way down California�s historic Highway 1 on his 1979 Vespa. Making stops at scooter shops, record stores, and comic-book stores along the way before attending the San Diego Comic-Con, Black will engage fans about rock 'n' roll art and the many benefits of scooters in today's world of high gas prices.

Although a set date is yet to be determined, R. Black, along with Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, will attempt to jump over a pool of sharks in San Diego Bay before attending a rally at Arthur's Drive-In, where Joanie Cunningham and Chachi plan to wed. If, for whatever reason, fictional or otherwise, the shark-jumping event cannot take place, fans are encouraged to catch Black at the Dark Horse booth during San Diego Comic-Con.

Known for his sharp design and sleek eroticism, Black has created posters for some of the world�s hottest bands from Bauhaus to Elvis Costello to The Black Keys. Dark Horse Books was proud to release L� Art de R. Black: Futura in January 2008, which features over 100 pages of stunning, full-color images. Starting in Oakland on July 12, Black has offered to share the road with any scooter or art enthusiasts who wish to accompany him down Highway 1. To arrange a ride along with Black, fans are encouraged to send a message to Dark Horse Comics on MySpace (www.myspace.com/darkhorsecomics) where a complete list of stops and times will be available. As well, Black will be updating his progress along the way on the Dark Horse MySpace.

For those who don't know, R. Black hails from a sleepy, backwater border town called San Diego. After drifting around Japan for a couple of years attached to a small outfit called the United States Air Force he decided to call it quits and get a real job. So, he returned home and became an artist. Black got his start in 2000 doing club fliers and rock posters for his friends and their bands. After years of hard work, he achieved both a paycheck and national attention through word of mouth and strong followings in the subcultures of goth, industrial, fetish, mod, and punk. He has created posters for bands such as Ministry, Misfits, Blondie, My Morning Jacket, Billy Idol and many, many more. R. Black currently resides in Oakland where he recently finished a line of work for the prestigious Berkley Shotgun Players 2008 Season.