I am artist and designer Alex Pardee, co-creator of the horror film DIGGING UP THE MARROW - AMA!

Favorite Lithuanian American rapper?

A$AP Rocky

What were the best/worst/funniest parts about working in a mall toy store for 9 years?

One time a guy in a wheelchair shit himself and it poured down the chair and onto the wheels, and he wheeled himself around the whole store so we had to scrub human shit off of a carpet all day one time. That was funny!

I think the customers at the mall were some of my biggest inspirations, both visually and emotionally. A lot of them were such shitty mean people that I knew what I DIDNT want to be when i grew up. And i am fascinated with different unique shapes. and most of the customers were all different shapes.

Hey Alex, huge fan of your art. Do you think the ability to draw/paint/produce art on your level is something that you're born with or is it something you can achieve through practice?

I think the passion you are born with. the ability most people (me included) have to learn. still learning!

Hey Alex! Huge fan, proud owner of several of your pieces. Love the Instagram too. What artist would you say has inspired your work the most?

Early on, Sam Kieth, McFarlane, Giger, John Pound, Barry McGee, EC COmics guys. Later: Craola, Jon Wayshak, Tomer Hanuka, and still Sam Kieth

Hi Mr. Pardee!

If you could put yourself in to any horror movie universe which would you choose? How would you survive/how would you be brutally murdered?

Keep up the weird work!

I would love to explore beneath the Cabin in the woods. And i would love to get murdered by that beautiful Merman

Which Sucker Punch character was your favourite to design and why? 

I LOVED putting some extra "bunny" touches on the Bunny-mech, and it was so surreal to see that thing come to life on screen

For Digging Up the Marrow, was there a monster you wanted to create but couldn't (for whatever reason) due to the fact that it was going to be on film?

Also, did you do it for the lulz? do it for the lulz? do it for the lulz?

We originally wanted to create a full version of "BRELLA" specifically for the story that Dekker tells. We got into early production on it but we didn't quite finish it. And i do everything for the lulz, smiley!

Great job with Marrow Alex. I was up at the NY show earlier this week. I had such a good time.

Question is, is there any chance of you maybe working with someone to get some figures of the creatures made? I'd absolutely LOVE to have these monsters taking up space on my shelves

Thank you ! NY Was super fun. As a fan of all things toys and sculptures, i would love to, and so would Adam Green. So we are working on it:)

Who's your favorite superhero?

Spider-Ham

Hey Alex, first of all thank you for doing this AMA.

You and Ralph Steadman showed me that music, art, and literature are virtually inseparable. I stood in awe at your work on In Flames' A Sense of Purpose and it helped me enjoy the album that much more.

Do literature and music help greatly to inspire your art? If so, how?

Graphic storytelling and movies inspire me more so than literature, at least nowadays. I used to be a bigger reader. One of the most inspiring books I read as a kid was Geek Love, which was kinda fucked up for a 13 year old to read i think maybe.

You're obviously a huge fan of horror films of all sorts, what character or movie series influenced you to make this movie and character the way you did?

Im assuming you are talking about The Marrow. In which case, the original art exhibit that i created was definitely loosely inspired by Clive Barker's Nightbreed. But i have always been fascinated with the idea that monsters (or something) lurk where we can't see them and have been successfully hiding amongst us forever

Love your stuff man. The contrast in your themes and your style are inspiring to say the least. I would some day like to become an artist as well so I figured I would go to you for advice. Do you think that having a loud vibrant style is essential to success due recognition? Or do you think your talent whether you style is subtle or obvious will lead you to success? Have always had such distinct style or did it sort of find itself over time?

thank you! I don't think there is one thing that is a secret to success, especially not a conscious effort. Its just repeatedly doing what you love over and over and over until maybe someday something happens. its like the definition of insanity. But if it keeps you sane by being insane then you're ok. HI!

Hey Alex, I met you at last years comic con. I brought you some cookies and I want to say thanks for the nice words. I've been keeping up with your move it's crazy, I hope all goes well. My question is if you had to be in an Eddie Murphy trading places scenario w/ another artist who would it be?

An artist who has a lot of time on their hands! I feel frazzled constantly! :)

Hey Alex,

So a long time ago, when I was a freshman in highschool, I was in a shitty metal band that went nowhere. The sacred duty of designing a flyer for some local show at a bar was given to me, and being huge into your art, I decided to toss some of it on the flyer. However, I didn't want to do that without asking you, so I emailed you on myspace and asked if it would be cool to use your art.

You replied! I was ecstatic. You even said my music wasn't that shitty, but I know you were just being nice.

Anyways, that was a really cool moment for me and I just wanted to share.

So, for a question...

Do you and Chloe wanna go to disney with me and my girlfriend? It won't be weird maybe.

Thank you!!! We love going to disneyland, so we will probably just creep around behind YOU and spy on you when you are there. don't be scared

every picture of you on splash mountain.. I will be there, in the last row.. waiting.

high five!

Is your level of pun-mastery a god-given talent or something you trained years under the Tibetan sun to achieve? And if you could be anyone from history, who'd you be!?

I learned my pun sharpening from 2 people. Vic Back and Chloe Rice.

I would be Abe Lincoln because I have always fantasized about being shot in the head at a play. that sounds fun!

Hey Alex, thanks for doing this AMA! Chadam will always have a special place in my heart. Any plans on expanding his story or bringing him back to the screen?

I love Chadam more than anyone. The entire project means the world to me, from start to finish. Unfortunately, I do not own any rights to the character so unless I hear otherwise, no.

Want me to poop in the kitchen sink of who ever owns the right to him until they agree to give you the rights?

Yah that would be fun!

The Used is one of my absolute favorite bands but they started going downhill as soon as they stopped using your art. Coincidence? I think not.

Nah, they are still great. But i appreciate the confidence boost:)

You have worked with some amazing directors, Zack Snyder, Adam Green, Stephen Reedy, etc. As a fan of your own directorial debut "Treeple" I'd like to know... Do you have any plans of returning to the directing chair yourself? Will there ever be a sequel to Treeple?

I need to go back into the redwoods and get some more inspiration! I love the Treeple idea. theres another short out called "Treevenge" by Jason Eisner thats cool too. thanks mike:)

I discovered your art when you did some cover art for Cage and have followed you since. I really want to see digging up the marrow but I, sadly, live in Sweden. Will there be any internet distribution that will be available over here?

Yes, overseas distribution will be later in the year! thanks man! And i love Cage!

I saw Digging up the Marrow last night at the NoHo 7 and it is amazing! How did it feel seeing your monsters come to life?

It still hasn't hit me. every step of the way, from the freedom to design, to seeing Greg Arwonowitz sculpt them, to seeing them come alive on the screen, to right now. I don't know what to say other than it is super surreal and cool.

Hey Alex, like the rest of us here I'm also a huge fan of your work. Im an illustration major attending SVA in NYC and was wondering if there was anyway for me to meet with you or if you had any internships. Also, how would you recommend getting to know your way around the business and networking?

I don't have any internships at the moment but thank you! The best way to learn is to throw yourself into the middle of the volcano and do your best not to get entirely burned, but understand that a little lava is going to scorch you and make you sad for a while. Embrace the internet, share your work, take criticism, don't ever say haters gonna hate and you'll be fine.

Hi Alex. I've been a huge fan since my high school days and your art has always had a way of speaking to me. I love your Doppelgänger series, and I have to ask:

What is your all-time favorite horror movie monster?

this question is WAY too hard to answer which is why i spent so long making that Doppelgängers series!!! But thank you! I think it may be easier to say which ones i like the least, like the Walrus in TUSK :)

Hey Alex, I heard you loved Tusk...like LOVED it.

Not as much as the dude that sat next to me. he had a champion boner over it from what I could see

Hey Alex! I always really enjoy when you're featured in juxtapoz! I was wondering if you have any plans to do another halloween issue or anything of that sort? Bonus owlex tattoo!! http://imgur.com/vhYbyEu

NICE! I love Jux and they have given me the best opportunities and platform as an artist, so of course I would love to do more with them. Who knows!? Hopefully!

Are you a fan of the Dark souls Video game series?

no way its too hard! I want to though

Favorite donut?

is "ALL" a flavor? that one.

Please if possible can I get your best TOPR story? Thanks and love the artwork. I hit up zero friends all the time for awesome prints

He slept on Dave Correia's and my couch naked and sick for a week and a half and it was disgusting.

Will there be a Zero Friends opening in central florida possibly??

probably not. but if so ill let you know!

What was the name for the film style of "digging up the marrow" you and Adam Green came up with for it? Also will the pamphlet for the movie be available online at anytime? I was at the showing in Boston and forgot to snag one.

The little art book will be on sale on both zerofriends.com and ariescope.com tomorrow. we didnt have an actual name for what it was called, for us it was just a movie:)

Oh gosh this is exciting. First I want to let you know that you have been my inspiration ever since I bought a Used album sometime around 2004. I admire your work so much and I have purchased an obscene amount of your stuff, which I have displayed proudly. Here are my questions.

• What is behind all of the bunnies? Why not another animal?

• Will The Marrow be released online at all? I am dying to see it but can not make it to the few theaters it will be screening at. Will you be working on any other movies in the near future?

• Will you marry me, please?

1. I love bunnies. 2 Its online now on iTunes and VOD. :)

Hey Alex! I've picked up a few of your giclee's over the years. As an artist that's looking into making quality reproductions, I'm interested... Do you still manage your own prints, or do you outsource this process now? What influences your decision either way?

Zerofriends, the company i co-own, still produces our own prints in house:). The t-shirts are outsourced to Bear Designz in temecula, CA they are the best.

Aha! I've found it! Hey, bud! Thanks for sticking around for hugs and a quick sketch even though they were turning the lights off on us at ECCC last year. If the qualification to be a part of Zero Friends means having zero friends then I'm in.

Question, I suppose. Favorite kind of pizza? Go!

Pepperoni all the way. Any kind. but i do love genuine NY pepperoni. Im actually wearing some on my beard right now. its gross. and delicious

What are the odds that you would come to my Senior Exhibition in April? I would probably drop dead on the spot if you did. Please? :)

If it is in Romania, the odds are pretty low.

Why do you smile so much when you draw things that probably eat babies? What is your favorite flavor of goat? Do you prefer more meat or ball in you spaghetti?

P.s. you're the best! So happy to have experienced the Marrow and stood awkwardly next to you in Berkeley! Hope Florida treats you well and the alligators don't eat your pets.

to quote my favorite elf, Buddy: "I like smiling. Its my favorite"

Big fan of your work!

My question is about your work with the bands In Flames and The Used, two of my favourite bands.

How did it feel to be approached by those bands for your work to feature on their covers? Did you ever get to meet them and if so were they nice? Are you a fan of those bands? And lastly, do you use music a lot to inspire your work?

Thanks!

Both In Flames and the Used were incredible humans to work with. I like music but mostly get inspired by watching movies when I draw.

Do any artists of the 1900's inspire you, or have they inspired you? For instance Francis Bacon

The 1900's was a terrible time to be alive. I don't know how they did it.

Always loved making art growing up but buying the first Awful Homesick and following you the last few years has helped me to decide to make it a career and now I'm releasing my first line for my apparel company in the summer. Just wanted to say thanks! And I hope to see you around in Orlando sometime collaborating with BoyKong. When will Digging up the Marrow be out for purchase!?

BOYKONG IS AWESOME! HOpe to meet him out there as well. Thank you and good luck with your apparel! Digging up the Marrow is out now on VOD and will be on DVD/blu march 26 i believe.

Alex,

Thanks for doing this AMA! I discovered your art at Comic Con this past year at the Zero Friends booth. I especially connected with "Escaped Convict(ion)" and promptly picked up a hoodie of it (which some asshole stole...)

It immediately made me think of the creative process and how pain can be turned into creative expression. My question is, can you tell me a little bit about what that piece means to you?

That piece is one of my favorites but probably for weird reason. That piece was originally created for the band "AIDEN" who had hired be for their album Conviction. When i turned in that piece, they thought it was too gory for their band, so i just kept it for myself and released it and it became one of my best known images.

If you could choose one artist to do a collaboration with who would it be?

The artist formerly known as PRINCE!

How do you feel about your art ending up as so many tattoos over the years? Is it flattering or nerve wracking as some of your more detailed pieces can't always be replicated line by line?

Also saw Marrow, great work. As always thanks for helping to decorate my home.

thank you!!!! I love your home:) Seeing tattoos of my work is really cool, and it doesn't bother me that some things i create don't translate to tattoos as long as whoever gets them likes them.

Who shot first greedo or Han?

Han. and thats not the first time he shot first

Years ago you exorcised the spirit of Danny Tartabull from your life, theorizing that it was the cause of the majority of, if not all of the problems in your life. Now that you're several years removed from Mr. Tartabull's Diamond Kings card, has your life improved?

DUDE I ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE A MOVIE AND NEVER DID. GOT RID OF DANNY TARTABULL 5 YEARS AGO. THEN I MADE A MOVIE! COINCIDENCE?!

I don't know if they really kept in touch, but Dave C. and my sister Mandy used to be pretty good friends. I don't know if he knew, but she passed away a few years back. Dave used to send me new stuff from PlayWithKnives all the time. I still have a comic that was signed by him.

I guess I don't really have a question, but I wanted to let you know that it makes me really happy to see you and your crew finding success out there. You're all some really talented people, and you deserve that. Wanna grab a beer sometime?

Im sorry to hear about your sister. I will let Dave know. and thank you.

Do you think you might organize another group book signing on Haight sometime? I sadly couldn't make it last time

I think there may be one coming up on Feb 28th! not 100% sure but maybe!

Heya! Afternoon! :D

A question of mine is, if you were to dabble into video game production, what would be your games concept and/or plot? :D

Someday i want to make some kind of Mertroid-vania style game. I have always wanted to. I love that style of level-up/discovery game. Not sure the subject tho. Maybe an adventure inside a body, like a fucked up Inner Space or something.

Hi Alex,

Do you think that deflated balls had anything to do with the J-Walkers winning the Super Bowl?

And as a related question : What's the secret of your sex appeal?

The J-walkers have a really clever and sneaky owner so i think it wasn't JUST deflated balls that caused them to win.

Wanna hang out next time you come up to Sonora?

Is this Bigfoot? If so, yes

Hey Alex, happy late birthday. Do you remember being a beautiful Disney Princess a few years back? I just wanted to say thanks for being such a cool dude and an inspiration for me and the many other people you've influenced. Keep it up brother!

THANKS! I wish i still had that hair!

First, you are my all time favorite. I remember years ago watching a time lapse of you years ago over and over again. It was really inspiring.

Lastly, you and chloe are so cute. It makes me want to vomit. She is also a huge inspiration.

Question, do you ever plan on coming through atlanta? Dragon CON is and zero friends would be perfect together!

I love dragon con. I love zerofriends. and I love chloe. so hopefully the 3 will come together soon!

What made you think of the name ZeroFriends?

Originally our friend CW had a dog named zero and we will always be his friends.

How do I become a "zerofriend"??

delete all of your friends.

Hey Alex, I saw a lot of your work at SDCC last year. I picked up some gear from Zero Friends. Can we hope to see you again this year? I'm a huge fan of your work dude, please keep creating.

Yah i have been at SDCC for 15 years. ill be there again this year!

Hey Alex big fan.

Considering you are moving do you plan to keep up with the amount of in store sketch events you do? Also will there be another zero friends shop where you are headed?

And if this is too personal please just tell me it's none of my business. But are you moving so you can be closer to Chloe? You are the Jim and Pam of the real world and I feel awkward that I cheer for you all's cute relationship.

Ha! thanks. yes i am moving to be with Chloe<3 she's a cool PAM! And Zerofriends is staying in the bay and I will be back frequently:)

Hey man I just want to say that I'm a huge fan of your work and have been following you since high school.

My question is that recently I just got my first opportunity to show my work in a gallery but it doesn't really seem to be getting a lot of attention. What should I do besides whip my dick out?

just keep doing them. unless you don't like it. then stop.

Alex! You mention having depression and anxiety. how does that play into your work and your definition of monsters, both seen and unseen? Huge fan and I loved Digging Up The Marrow!

I don't think it consciously plays into anything, but it might exist in there somewhere. I don't know I'm afraid to get hypnotized The Crying Hulk might all come out!

Hi Alex, huge fan of your work, once i saw your cover for the Used I went for eyesuckink and made your art my computer background for years. I now almost exclusively wear zerofriends shirts (and some of the ones you made for Upper Playground) I wanted to know if you had one favorite piece? I'm sure it's been asked many times, but hey, worth a shot! Thank you for your work

its hard to pick a favorite but I like my Escaped Conviction piece and i like this 4-part piece that I did called West Coast Avengers because i was hired to create it for the YouTube corporate offices but when google bought them, they thought the painting was demonic so they took it down. I like that

If you could follow Dekker into the Marrow would you?

I have. I'd do it again!

Hello hello! Hope this fine Saturday is treating you well. It's lovely here in central Florida. Been a fan since buying The Used's In Love And Death. Still have the original crumpled album booklet from when it came out in an old shoe box. My boyfriend, Wallaby, is a much bigger fan of yours and will be super jelly if you answer me. For my question.. uhh shit. Where is one place you have always wanted to travel to and why?

New Zealand because of animals, Lord of the Rings and Flight of the Conchords.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Everything in the world except this question

Love your work!! What's your inspiration?

everything except this question:)