XFL 2020

Remember the XFL? Back in 2001, I remember it being hyped up like it would be some blood sport right out of 70s and 80s Italian sci-fi exploitation cinema. And that really is an entirely appropriate parallel given that, much like the aforementioned cinematic genre, the original XFL really overpromised and underdelivered. Hardly a Running Man or Kill-Bike, not even a Jump Ball.

Still, when I heard the XFL was coming back—and this time in the distant future of 2020 to boot—I couldn’t help but get a little excited about the potential, for although some aspects of our dystopia are well on track, we really are letting our future down in the whole sporting department. So I letterpressed a poster for the XFL of 2020 that we deserve.

The poster is 11x16 inches and was printed in 5 passes. The main figure design comes from a poster for the 1983 Italian post-apocalyptic film Endgame (the best Endgame). It was a three pass linoleum reduction cut, mostly carved by hand although the “2020” text was laser cut. Considering the most elaborate linoleum work I’d done before this was some zebra stripes, cutting this was a major step up. Two more passes were required for the red text and highlights.

I think it came out pretty well. Certainly a much better XFL that whatever arena football we’re going to end up. I’ll be posting a few these posters up around Seattle sometime.

P.S. While on the subject of football and Italy, I must add: God help this great country if the Italians ever do take interest in our national pigskin, for history has proven over and over again that Italy can America better than she can herself. We need look no further than Westerns or Disco or Slashers to see that a theoretical Italian Football League would without doubt be the most football of all American footballs. If nothing else, it certainly would have far more nudity. Let all Americans be forever thankful that Italy currently seems well occupied with a different sort of League all together.