MONSTER BASH RE-IMAGINED

Pinball News Website·article·analyzed·May 24, 2019

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.029

TL;DR

Artist Brian Allen creates officially-licensed edgier Monster Bash backglass retheme; plans future Williams/Bally titles

Summary

Brian Allen of Back Alley Creations created an officially licensed re-imagined Monster Bash translite artwork that debuted at Texas Pinball Festival 2019. The design modernizes Kevin O'Connor's original with a darker, edgier aesthetic featuring characters like Jason and Freddy Krueger in the mosh pit, and transforms Frankenstein into a DJ. Allen produced 125 limited edition translites at $225 each and plans to create rethemes of other classic Williams/Bally titles including Attack from Mars and Medieval Madness.

Key Claims

Brian Allen created a re-imagined Monster Bash translite that was displayed at Texas Pinball Festival 2019
high confidence · Article opens with direct statement of display at TPF; image evidence provided
Allen produced 125 limited edition translites and 100 smaller signed prints
high confidence · Direct quote from Brian Allen in article: 'This new Monster Bash translite was produced in a limited run of 125 units along with a run of 100 smaller 11" x 17" signed prints.'
The design is officially licensed through Planetary Pinball, which holds Williams/Bally IP rights
high confidence · Direct quote: 'I'm really happy that we were able to officially license these' and 'Brian contracted with Planetary Pinball who license the Williams/Bally pinball intellectual property'
Allen had only ten days to complete the translite artwork before Texas Pinball Festival debut
high confidence · Direct quote: 'I had a ton of client work on my desk, so this I had to plug away at this on my weekends and evenings' and 'Brian said he only had ten days to work on it'
Allen plans to create rethemes of Attack from Mars, Cactus Canyon, Dracula, and Medieval Madness
high confidence · Direct quote: 'We are planning on doing at least two more this year. I'd like to do Attack from Mars or Cactus Canyon next. I've also received a lot of requests for Dracula and Medieval Madness.'
Allen previously designed the backglass artwork for Heighway Pinball's Alien Limited Edition
high confidence · Direct statement: 'Brian is no stranger to pinball, getting his first commission from Heighway Pinball where he designed backglass artwork for the Limited Edition of the Alien machine'
Allen has rethemed a Judge Dredd machine into a custom Breaking Bad game
high confidence · Article states: 'rethemed a Judge Dredd into a custom Breaking Bad game'
The design removes the Monster Bash title, Williams logo, and 'IT'S ALIVE!' text from the original composition

Notable Quotes

“I've always loved the unapologetic and over-the-top bold artwork on classic pinball and arcade machines. I love the bold colors and fantastical, sometimes politically-incorrect themes.”
Brian Allen — Explains Allen's artistic philosophy and what drew him to pinball design
“Monster Bash just really spoke to me because I love all things horror and monsters. Nothing spookier or goofier than monsters playing in a band.”
Brian Allen — Rationale for selecting Monster Bash as his first retheme project
“I have not – I'm too much of a weenie to reach out to him. I've had people redraw my artwork before, and it can feel both flattering and violating at the same time.”
Brian Allen — Acknowledges the sensitive nature of rethememing existing artwork and hasn't contacted original artist Kevin O'Connor
“I'm really happy that we were able to officially license these. And with the future titles, we will be able to actually put the title text on the artwork, which we weren't able to do with Monster Bash due to a timing issue.”
Brian Allen — Explains licensing approach and indicates future titles will include official title text
“Sometimes having a tight deadline like that produces better work, because there's less time for second-guessing and noodling around.”
Brian Allen — Reflects on working process and the 10-day deadline for the translite
“The printing process itself is quite long for each backglass, because the printer lays down two passes of white, and two passes of color. The ink is so thick that if you scrape it off, it's like a thick decal.”
Brian Allen — Details the technical production process for translite backglasses

Entities

Brian AllenpersonBack Alley CreationscompanyMonster Bashgame Texas Pinball Festivalevent Kevin O'Connorperson Heighway Pinballcompany

Signals

?
business_signal: Brian Allen's experience with Heighway Pinball Alien commission demonstrates market risk for artists: company dissolved shortly after completion, preventing planned second artwork version and limiting use of commissioned work
high · Quote: 'I was really disappointed that the company dissolved just a couple weeks after I had finished. We had originally planned on doing a second version that would allow a space for the optional LCD screen, but Andrew left the company before that could be finished so the backglass wasn't used much, or at all'
?
community_signal: Overwhelmingly positive community response to Brian Allen's Monster Bash retheme at multiple pinball festivals (Texas Pinball Festival and PinFest in Scranton)
high · Direct quote: 'I'm very lucky that the response was very positive overall' and 'I met a lot of really nice people at Pinfest in Scranton that saw it in person and really liked it'
~
sentiment_shift: Minority critical feedback on specific design choice: some pinball fans disliked transformation of Frankenstein from keyboardist to DJ, though Allen found the humorous interpretation fitting
medium · Quote: 'I did get a couple of comments from folks that did not like that Frankenstein was a DJ. I didn't really have a motive behind that – I just thought it would be funny, him scratching discs with those massive stiff arms'
?
design_philosophy: Allen's retheme strategy balances tribute to original artwork with modernized style: keeps core concept but changes instruments, characters, backgrounds, and adds modern horror movie characters (Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers) to create edgier aesthetic
high · Quote: 'I wanted to pay tribute to the original by keeping the concept generally the same, but modernize it with my style' and 'I added the images of some modern horror movie monsters in the foreground moshpit'

Topics

Fan artwork and rethemesprimaryBackglass artwork design and productionprimaryIntellectual property licensing for pinballprimaryClassic Williams/Bally game legacysecondaryPinball collector market and limited editionssecondaryArtistic process and digital design toolssecondaryCommunity reception of derivative artworkmentionedPinball industry challenges for freelance artistsmentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.82)— Article is celebratory of Brian Allen's artistic work and community reception. Positive throughout, with Allen expressing gratitude for licensing support and favorable feedback. Minor concern about respect for original artist Kevin O'Connor, but framed sympathetically. No criticism of the work itself.

Transcript

raw_text · $0.000

When we were touring the main hall at the Texas Pinball Festival earlier this year, one of the stand-out items on show was an edgier, scarier, re-imagined version of the Monster Bash translite which was on display at the Back Alley Creations stand. ![Back Alley Creations had their pinball mods and..](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/tpf-2019/097-texas-pinball-festival-2019.jpg) Back Alley Creations’ stand at the Texas Pinball Festival 2019 We needed to find out more about how and why it was created, and whether any other games could be getting the same treatment. So, we went straight to the source and spoke to the creator of the translite, Brian Allen. ![The framed Monster Bash translite](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/brian-allen-monster-bash/02-brian-allen-monster-bash.jpg) The framed Monster Bash translite Brian is no stranger to pinball, getting his first commission from Heighway Pinball where he designed backglass artwork for the Limited Edition of the Alien machine. He told us, “Andrew Heighway had reached out to me and needed something very quickly in time for Alien Day. At the time, I had no idea about the shaky history of the Alien machine, and I was really disappointed that the company dissolved just a couple weeks after I had finished. We had originally planned on doing a second version that would allow a space for the optional LCD screen, but Andrew left the company before that could be finished so the backglass wasn’t used much, or at all. I was devasted when that happened because it felt like a great opportunity had just vanished and I had no control over it. But as a freelancer, you learn that sometimes those things just happen, and you learn to just keep moving and don’t dwell on it.” Undeterred, Brian has also worked on logos for pinball clubs, rethemed a Judge Dredd into a custom Breaking Bad game, and created a backglass for the next Quetzal Pinball title, due for release next year. With a lengthy back-catalogue of clients such as Activision, Hulk Hogan, Rick and Morty, Harley Davidson, Hard Rock Cafe, Metallica, and the Philadelphia Flyers – where he designed their new mascot, Gritty – we wondered why Brian wanted to get back into designing for pinball, particularly after the disappointment with his Alien experience? He said, “I’ve always loved the unapologetic and over-the-top bold artwork on classic pinball and arcade machines. I love the bold colors and fantastical, sometimes politically-incorrect themes. I really wanted to be more involved in pinball, but frankly, it’s tough to break into. There really aren’t that many companies producing pinball machines, so the field is pretty crowded with some of the best talent working in any industry – the bar is extremely high.” Brian described to us the processes he uses to create his designs, from the initial ideas to the finished artwork. “I often do my rough sketches on paper“, he said, “but the finished work is almost always done digitally. I have a sweet Wacom Cintiq tablet that I spend most of my time hunched over. With that, and a program called Clip Studio Paint, the technology has grown to mimic traditional materials so much that I can’t really feel a difference. Working as a freelancer, it’s hugely beneficial to work digitally because of revisions, and outputting final files. But I’ll still ink on paper with brush pens for fun from time to time.“ Pinball has no shortage of iconic backglass artwork from a multitude of talented designers. With such a wide range of options, we asked Brian why he chose to reimagine the Monster Bash design. He said, “Monster Bash just really spoke to me because I love all things horror and monsters. I knew this would be a perfect one to start with because I really dig drawings things that are spooky and goofy at the same time. Nothing spookier or goofier than monsters playing in a band.“ ![Creature and Drac giving it their all](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/brian-allen-monster-bash/06-brian-allen-monster-bash.jpg) Creature and Drac giving it their all Brian’s Monster Bash design takes Kevin O’Connor’s original as the starting point but makes numerous changes, turning Frankenstein’s Monster from a virtuoso keyboardist to a headphone-clad disc-spinning DJ, adding a scarier feel to the Universal Monsters’ depictions, and adding some familiar horror characters to the audience, who no longer wield flaming torches and pitchforks, preferring chainsaws and knives instead. It also removes the Monster Bash title, Williams logo and “IT’S ALIVE!” text from the composition. ![The finished composition](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/brian-allen-monster-bash/07-brian-allen-monster-bash.jpg) The finished composition Despite those changes, to those familiar with the game it clearly still says Monster Bash and obviously resonates deeply with the original design. So, we asked Brian why he didn’t opt for a totally original composition. He explained, “For the future titles, I will definitely make an effort to create a completely different composition. For this design, I wanted to pay tribute to the original by keeping the concept generally the same, but modernize it with my style. I changed the instruments and the background as well. I also tried to add my own twist to the characters, and make them sort of edgier. In addition, I added the images of some modern horror movie monsters in the foreground moshpit (like Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers, etc). I also made the characters themselves much bigger, because that was my favorite part of the piece.“ Creating the translite design wasn’t a simple task either. Getting the composition completed and printed in time for its debut was another challenge. Brian said he only had ten days to work on it before it would be revealed at the Texas Pinball Festival in March. “I had a ton of client work on my desk, so this I had to plug away at this on my weekends and evenings. Sometimes having a tight deadline like that produces better work, because there’s less time for second-guessing and noodling around.“ ![The Bride and The Mummy get a helping hand from Igor](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/brian-allen-monster-bash/05-brian-allen-monster-bash.jpg) The Igor “I gathered a lot of reference images of all the monsters, instruments, etc, and started sketching the loose poses and composition. Then I draw again and again over top in successive passes, adding detail and cleaning things up. I often get absorbed in the inking stage and spend way too much time on that. Then finally I color underneath the linework and add effects, shadows, and highlights. The printing process itself is quite long for each backglass, because the printer lays down two passes of white, and two passes of color. The ink is so thick that if you scrape it off, it’s like a thick decal. But the extra time is worth it because it produces a really vibrant result.“ ![The illuminated Monster Bash translite](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/brian-allen-monster-bash/03-brian-allen-monster-bash.jpg) The illuminated Monster Bash translite While altering a popular piece of art is fraught with dangers if not handled respectfully, wherever Brian’s translite has been shown the reaction has been overwhelmingly favourable. He told us what pinball fans had been saying. “I’m very lucky that the response was very positive overall. I’ve seen pinball fans tear things apart, so it makes their compliments even more rewarding. I met a lot of really nice people at Pinfest in Scranton that saw it in person and really liked it. I see a lot of flaws in the artwork myself though – it’s hard to unsee those. However, I did get a couple of comments from folks that did not like that Frankenstein was a DJ. I didn’t really have a motive behind that – I just thought it would be funny, him scratching discs with those massive stiff arms.“ ![Uncoloured, with Frankenstein's Monster hitting the deck](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/brian-allen-monster-bash/04-brian-allen-monster-bash.jpg) Uncoloured, with Frankenstein’s Monster hitting the deck We wondered if he’d heard anything from fellow artist Kevin O’Connor who created the original, and if so what the reaction had been? So far Brian hasn’t found out what Kevin thinks or ask his opinion. “I have not – I’m too much of a weenie to reach out to him. I’ve had people redraw my artwork before, and it can feel both flattering and violating at the same time. I don’t know if he’s seen it, but I hope if he has he knows that my intention was to pay tribute to his masterpiece. He did all the hard work, I’m just standing on the shoulder of a giant, as they say. If I ever found out he hated it, I’d probably never recover!“ This new Monster Bash translite was produced in a limited run of 125 units along with a run of 100 smaller 11″ x 17″ signed prints. Brian thinks limiting the number of translites to 125 is about the correct number for the pinball collector market, and with just a few of both the translites and prints still available to purchase it looks like he got the numbers about right. ![The full black and white artwork](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/brian-allen-monster-bash/01-brian-allen-monster-bash.jpg) The full black and white artwork Producing ‘derivative’ artwork from existing copyrighted designs is a thorny issue, especially when dealing with rights-holders who are eager to protect their brands and investments. In this instance, Brian contracted with Planetary Pinball who license the Williams/Bally pinball intellectual property. Brian explained the rationale behind that move. “I’m really happy that we were able to officially license these. And with the future titles, we will be able to actually put the title text on the artwork, which we weren’t able to do with Monster Bash due to a timing issue as we moved quickly to get things ready for Texas Pinball Festival. I think being able to advertise that these are officially licensed from Williams makes them more valuable, and gives us more freedom in the future to recreate more Williams/Bally titles. I hope that pinball fans can appreciate the credibility the license adds to these.“ ![The translite in a Monster Bash machine](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/learn/brian-allen-monster-bash/08-brian-allen-monster-bash.jpg) The translite in a Monster Bash machine There has been plenty of talk of future releases, so it’s clear Monster Bash is far from a ‘one-and-done’ project. In fact, we can look forward to more titles being released in the very near future. Brian told us, “We are planning on doing at least two more this year. I’d like to do Attack from Mars or Cactus Canyon next. I’ve also received a lot of requests for Dracula and Medieval Madness.“ You can find out more about Brian’s limited run of 125 Monster Bash translites and buy one for $225 plus shipping (if there are still any left), plus find out all about his other pinball artwork at this website. For more of his other work take a look at his website or follow him on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.