Our fifth anniversary was a week ago today!
--C
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Baltimore
The Gaijin Studios(and friends)Booth with Cully Hamner, Brian Stelfreeze, Me and Karl Story
September 8 & 9 we attended the Baltimore Comic-Con for the first time. We flew in the day before the convention and had a fine fun day filled with sight-seeing, record-shopping(of course) and crab cakes(crab mac & cheese for Xan). I've lived in Ohio for so long now that I forgot exactly how disgusting the humidity is in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, but overall we had a good time. Saturday I set up at the convention, sharing some space with the guys from Gaijin Studios. It was great seeing Brian and Cully, and getting to hang out with Karl Story again after 3+ years of just email and phone calls was a high point of the weekend. During the show I did my usual signing and sketching, plus I was fortunate enough to talk to lots of cool people like fan and and nice guy Mike Fogg, who took the photo above of the Gaijin booth (Mike, if you don't want me using the picture, let me know and I'll take it down--it's just better than most of the shots I took at the show), as well as other comics pros like Jose Villarubia and a few others who stopped by to say "Hi." The show was incredibly crowded and I was constantly busy, pretty much stuck at my table from beginning to end. Xan, on the other hand, was able to make the rounds, shopping and talking and getting new sketches in her sketchbook, including a wonderful Owly as Tom Strong drawing from Andy Runton. If you haven't seen Andy's Owly books from Top Shelf Comics, you're really missing out! After the show, we had dinner at a local off-the-beaten-path crab restaurant with Karl and several other comics pros and friends before attending the tribute to the late Mike Wieringo (a fellow comic artist and friend who passed away recently) organized by Cully Hamner and writer Mark Waid at a nearby bar.
Sunday was a day full of surprises, with friends I hadn't seen in ages dropping in, like Kip Talbot, the only other guy I knew in college who read comics. Walter Simonson also came by on Sunday, which was a big deal for me, as he's one of my idols and influences. We chatted about the Spirit story we did earlier in the year and marveled at Karl's inking as we looked at the original art from that story. The biggest surprise, though, was a visit from my parents, who had never been to a convention or seen me at work (and, as I overheard my Mom telling someone, they hadn't seen me in glasses before either). It looked like Mom and Dad had a good time--they shopped, talked to other artists and writers, saw lots of stormtroopers. My dad even collected autographs in his con program book. Xan kept them company and even took them to lunch when they weren't watching me draw. When the show ended, we said our goodbye's and my parents were kind enough to drive us to the airport where we had dinner together before heading back to Columbus.
Next convention: Mid-Ohio Con on Thanksgiving weekend.
--C
On our Friday sight-seeing trip around Baltimore, we saw this building,
where the late great TV series Homicide was filmed
Friend of Gaijin Chris Donio and the Saturday night crab carnage
Walter Simonson stops by
Xan's wonderful Owly drawing from Andy Runton
Xan and Mom & Dad with Franchesco!
The Gaijin Studios(and friends)Booth with Cully Hamner, Brian Stelfreeze, Me and Karl Story
September 8 & 9 we attended the Baltimore Comic-Con for the first time. We flew in the day before the convention and had a fine fun day filled with sight-seeing, record-shopping(of course) and crab cakes(crab mac & cheese for Xan). I've lived in Ohio for so long now that I forgot exactly how disgusting the humidity is in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, but overall we had a good time. Saturday I set up at the convention, sharing some space with the guys from Gaijin Studios. It was great seeing Brian and Cully, and getting to hang out with Karl Story again after 3+ years of just email and phone calls was a high point of the weekend. During the show I did my usual signing and sketching, plus I was fortunate enough to talk to lots of cool people like fan and and nice guy Mike Fogg, who took the photo above of the Gaijin booth (Mike, if you don't want me using the picture, let me know and I'll take it down--it's just better than most of the shots I took at the show), as well as other comics pros like Jose Villarubia and a few others who stopped by to say "Hi." The show was incredibly crowded and I was constantly busy, pretty much stuck at my table from beginning to end. Xan, on the other hand, was able to make the rounds, shopping and talking and getting new sketches in her sketchbook, including a wonderful Owly as Tom Strong drawing from Andy Runton. If you haven't seen Andy's Owly books from Top Shelf Comics, you're really missing out! After the show, we had dinner at a local off-the-beaten-path crab restaurant with Karl and several other comics pros and friends before attending the tribute to the late Mike Wieringo (a fellow comic artist and friend who passed away recently) organized by Cully Hamner and writer Mark Waid at a nearby bar.
Sunday was a day full of surprises, with friends I hadn't seen in ages dropping in, like Kip Talbot, the only other guy I knew in college who read comics. Walter Simonson also came by on Sunday, which was a big deal for me, as he's one of my idols and influences. We chatted about the Spirit story we did earlier in the year and marveled at Karl's inking as we looked at the original art from that story. The biggest surprise, though, was a visit from my parents, who had never been to a convention or seen me at work (and, as I overheard my Mom telling someone, they hadn't seen me in glasses before either). It looked like Mom and Dad had a good time--they shopped, talked to other artists and writers, saw lots of stormtroopers. My dad even collected autographs in his con program book. Xan kept them company and even took them to lunch when they weren't watching me draw. When the show ended, we said our goodbye's and my parents were kind enough to drive us to the airport where we had dinner together before heading back to Columbus.
Next convention: Mid-Ohio Con on Thanksgiving weekend.
--C
On our Friday sight-seeing trip around Baltimore, we saw this building,
where the late great TV series Homicide was filmed
Friend of Gaijin Chris Donio and the Saturday night crab carnage
Walter Simonson stops by
Xan's wonderful Owly drawing from Andy Runton
Xan and Mom & Dad with Franchesco!
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Comics Update
This is my final Midnighter cover. As a matter of fact it's my final work on the Midnighter series. I decided to quit the book for various reasons a month or two ago, even though I've been considering it for far longer. I briefly considered doing work for Marvel, but Wildstorm offered me a project I just couldn't turn down. The good news is that we've begun the new project almost a year in advance of it's first issue shipping date--this thing WILL be on time! It's also just an amazingly fun book to draw, and the scripts are fantastic--very exciting! The bad news is that I have been asked not to talk about the specifics or show anyone any artwork until the project is announced in November or December. So, it'll look like I've dropped off the face of the Earth for a while, as far as my presence on the racks at comic shops goes. I'll be working away feverishly on this new thing, though, and I'm looking forward to finally showing off some of the new art I've been producing!
In other news, an actual big-time Hollywood studio has "set up" Ocean--not 100% clear on what that means, but basically it appears this studio has actually committed to making the movie with the Hollywood Gang production company(the guys who purchased the rights to Ocean). I'll give more details when the paperwork is signed and I actually know something concrete. And for those of you expecting me to pick up the dinner check at the next convention or give out really nice sportscars for Christmas presents, I should mention that absolutely no money has changed hands yet. I'm still just a starving artist.
Finally, if you're in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area next weekend(September 7-8), come see us at the Baltimore Comic-Con. Here's a link so you can get directions and a little more info on the convention. This will be the last con I attend for a while (Mid-Ohio Con in November is the real last one I'll do this year). Like I said above, I can't show anything from the new project, but I'll have lots of other artwork for sale and display, and--as always--will be happy to talk comics, movies & music or just shoot the breeze with folks I haven't seen in long time.
--C
This is my final Midnighter cover. As a matter of fact it's my final work on the Midnighter series. I decided to quit the book for various reasons a month or two ago, even though I've been considering it for far longer. I briefly considered doing work for Marvel, but Wildstorm offered me a project I just couldn't turn down. The good news is that we've begun the new project almost a year in advance of it's first issue shipping date--this thing WILL be on time! It's also just an amazingly fun book to draw, and the scripts are fantastic--very exciting! The bad news is that I have been asked not to talk about the specifics or show anyone any artwork until the project is announced in November or December. So, it'll look like I've dropped off the face of the Earth for a while, as far as my presence on the racks at comic shops goes. I'll be working away feverishly on this new thing, though, and I'm looking forward to finally showing off some of the new art I've been producing!
In other news, an actual big-time Hollywood studio has "set up" Ocean--not 100% clear on what that means, but basically it appears this studio has actually committed to making the movie with the Hollywood Gang production company(the guys who purchased the rights to Ocean). I'll give more details when the paperwork is signed and I actually know something concrete. And for those of you expecting me to pick up the dinner check at the next convention or give out really nice sportscars for Christmas presents, I should mention that absolutely no money has changed hands yet. I'm still just a starving artist.
Finally, if you're in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area next weekend(September 7-8), come see us at the Baltimore Comic-Con. Here's a link so you can get directions and a little more info on the convention. This will be the last con I attend for a while (Mid-Ohio Con in November is the real last one I'll do this year). Like I said above, I can't show anything from the new project, but I'll have lots of other artwork for sale and display, and--as always--will be happy to talk comics, movies & music or just shoot the breeze with folks I haven't seen in long time.
--C
Monday, August 27, 2007
Once More to Toronto!
So this week found us again in Toronto for the Fan Expo Canada. We drove this time, and while my ears were happy to be spared the loud whirring of a prop plane, I am not exactly happy with the decisions made by the United States State Department on whom to hire to police the border! Going into Canada was great, but coming home was a total pain. Nothing major, just the guy was a total ass. Usually when you fly back into the country, the customs agents are nice and say things like "Welcome home!" This guy said things like "The more you keep from me, the more I search you!" What we kept from him was the contents of a bag of trash, by the way, which had slid under the seat and we had forgotten about it. And if he wanted to search my suitcase for the Robocop trading cards I purchased, he is more than welcome!
The Peace Bridge, which is everything BUT peaceful for those of us afraid of bridges!
So State Department aside, the drive was nice. It only takes about 7.5 hours, which is nice to know because our friends Sara and Henning live in Markham, a Toronto suburb which is super cute! It is actually a better drive than the 9 hours it took to visit them near Raleigh-Durham! The convention started at 4 on Friday, so we drove up Thursday and spent the night with them. Sara made us a delicious ratatouille and cous cous, which after 7 hours of Gardettos and gas station hot dogs was the warmest welcome ever! We spent the evening talking, playing with the kids Gavin and Vala, and Chris made sure their dog Bonnie got some attention. Chris and I slept until 10 the next morning, and that afternoon he drove to the city (which he said took about 2 hours due to the traffic!) to be at the convention, while I stayed in Markham. Sara took me to the mall to find Pez, but I had all the dispensers the mall sweetie shop had in stock. Instead, Sara and I stocked up on various British and nostalgic candies. I sometimes think that as children, Sara and I were instrumental in keeping Ferrera Pan in business. Yum, LemonHeads...
I also dragged her to the mall's HMV, which we were both glad about due to their 1/2 half off sale which was a sale on some decent stuff. In a truly Toronto-centric experience, I was able to stock up on some Rush albums that I was missing, including Grace Under Pressure, which Sparky has convinced me to give a second chance.
Saturday, Sara drove me (the baby was again with us) downtown to meet up with Chris at the convention. Toronto has this privately owned highway, the 407 ETR, which stands for Express Toll Road. It is expensive, but because of that, it is empty. Each entrance and exit has cameras that take photos of your plates, and based on where you got on and off, you are sent a bill for your total toll. Chris and I took it while we were in a rental car I am not sure how our bill will arrive, but we probably owe about $36. Being a privately owned highway sucks a lot for commuters, but honestly, is a genius business move. Collecting tolls on a temptingly empty highway? Sounds like sweet sweet easy money to me. The owners also do a nice job of maintaining it as well, and due to it being empty, I could see myself budgeting for trips on the 407 were I a resident of the Toronto area!
Me hanging with Vala...
...and Chris hanging with Bonnie!
We were here last in April, and it was a small, comics-only event that only took up one conference room. But this August show is pretty much the complete opposite. Super crowded in a huge and echo-y convention hall with lots of other geek genres represented. Where the April convention was basically all comics, this August event is comics, horror, sci fi, anime, gaming both video and rpg.
The scene from above the convention hall.
Sadly, the list of media guests had dwindled by convention time. I was very excited to bring my 6th grade crush full circle by getting a Sean Astin autograph, but sadly, he had to cancel. But, still on the list were Adrienne Barbeau, David Prowse, George Romero and…wait for it…Malcolm McDowell. I spent a lot of time in line for them, but I was able to get autographs from all of them. Dario Argento and Charisma Carpenter were also signing, but were understandably swamped. I decided I would rather see the rest of the convention than stand in line for half the day.
Adrienne Barbeau was very sweet and talkative, and was not at all sore when I asked her about her thoughts on cartoon characters wanting to put their brains in an Adrienne Barbeaubot. She laughed and said she had never seen Sealab 2021, but lots of fans have been mentioning it to her.
Also a good sport on the subject of parodies was George Romero. He told me he was impressed with my buddy Kevin’s student film Night of the Living Bread and referred to it as “a hoot”. He sends regards to Columbus and the Drexel Theatres and the minions of the marathons.
David Prowse, while older and using a cane, is still quite the physical specimen. He is tall and still broad shouldered, yet fortunately, not as imposing as Peter Mayhew. He signed my Clockwork Orange program I got from Mama, and he talked about the movie and quoted with me. I think yelling out “TRY THE WINE!” with David Prowse has to be in my list of top 10 convention moments.
And, I am happy to say, the signature of Malcolm McDowell also graces the cover of Mama’s program. He was quite personable and enjoyed talking to the fans, although I had no idea what to say to him as he is a presence that renders you speechless. And giddy. And nervous. I was able to get a photo with him, and he put his arm around me and called me “Darling”. Yet another on the list of top 10 convention moments. Maybe even top 5. Maybe even above my Bill Mumy hug. I’ll have to think about this…
George Romero from afar...
Malcom McDowell, who put his arm around my and called me "Darling".
Saturday night was a dinner held by the convention staff which was fun, but after falling due to sitting on a broken chair, my head was killing me so we didn't stay too long at dinner. We got to meet people and talk to friends which was nice, but I was a little spacey due to my head. Around the corner from the hotel was a little travel shop that sold Excedrin, so after taking some of that I was fine. Excedrin has enough caffeine to help a headache, but not enough to bother my heart, so I was fine about an hour after taking it. But, I was awake. So I went down to the lobby to mess around online. While reading The Onion, I was approached by a Toronto police officer. A little freaky, but he just wanted my opinion on Macs as he had been thinking of getting one! We talked Mac for a while, but he had to run, I mean run out of the hotel lobby. After some online time, I went back upstairs to go to bed, but decided to get something to drink first. Canada still has 5 Alive, which was in the vending machines. However, the machine on our floor was totally empty. Since I was still awake, I checked other floors. Turns out the 8th floor still had some stuff, but it was the 6th floor I checked! I wasn't going to let the hotel vending beat me.
Mac-wanting cop
Sunday, the show was just as crowded, which was surprising! Usually, on Sundays, cons are significantly more empty, but it seemed no different than a Saturday. But, just like a Sunday, the dealers were cutting prices so they wouldn't have to carry so much back with them! I had done most of my shopping the day before, but I did get some stuffed pillows in the shape of Super Mario stuff. One was a one up mushroom, the other is a "?" brick which I keep putting over my head and punching. I still don't have firepower yet.
--X
So this week found us again in Toronto for the Fan Expo Canada. We drove this time, and while my ears were happy to be spared the loud whirring of a prop plane, I am not exactly happy with the decisions made by the United States State Department on whom to hire to police the border! Going into Canada was great, but coming home was a total pain. Nothing major, just the guy was a total ass. Usually when you fly back into the country, the customs agents are nice and say things like "Welcome home!" This guy said things like "The more you keep from me, the more I search you!" What we kept from him was the contents of a bag of trash, by the way, which had slid under the seat and we had forgotten about it. And if he wanted to search my suitcase for the Robocop trading cards I purchased, he is more than welcome!
The Peace Bridge, which is everything BUT peaceful for those of us afraid of bridges!
So State Department aside, the drive was nice. It only takes about 7.5 hours, which is nice to know because our friends Sara and Henning live in Markham, a Toronto suburb which is super cute! It is actually a better drive than the 9 hours it took to visit them near Raleigh-Durham! The convention started at 4 on Friday, so we drove up Thursday and spent the night with them. Sara made us a delicious ratatouille and cous cous, which after 7 hours of Gardettos and gas station hot dogs was the warmest welcome ever! We spent the evening talking, playing with the kids Gavin and Vala, and Chris made sure their dog Bonnie got some attention. Chris and I slept until 10 the next morning, and that afternoon he drove to the city (which he said took about 2 hours due to the traffic!) to be at the convention, while I stayed in Markham. Sara took me to the mall to find Pez, but I had all the dispensers the mall sweetie shop had in stock. Instead, Sara and I stocked up on various British and nostalgic candies. I sometimes think that as children, Sara and I were instrumental in keeping Ferrera Pan in business. Yum, LemonHeads...
I also dragged her to the mall's HMV, which we were both glad about due to their 1/2 half off sale which was a sale on some decent stuff. In a truly Toronto-centric experience, I was able to stock up on some Rush albums that I was missing, including Grace Under Pressure, which Sparky has convinced me to give a second chance.
Saturday, Sara drove me (the baby was again with us) downtown to meet up with Chris at the convention. Toronto has this privately owned highway, the 407 ETR, which stands for Express Toll Road. It is expensive, but because of that, it is empty. Each entrance and exit has cameras that take photos of your plates, and based on where you got on and off, you are sent a bill for your total toll. Chris and I took it while we were in a rental car I am not sure how our bill will arrive, but we probably owe about $36. Being a privately owned highway sucks a lot for commuters, but honestly, is a genius business move. Collecting tolls on a temptingly empty highway? Sounds like sweet sweet easy money to me. The owners also do a nice job of maintaining it as well, and due to it being empty, I could see myself budgeting for trips on the 407 were I a resident of the Toronto area!
Me hanging with Vala...
...and Chris hanging with Bonnie!
We were here last in April, and it was a small, comics-only event that only took up one conference room. But this August show is pretty much the complete opposite. Super crowded in a huge and echo-y convention hall with lots of other geek genres represented. Where the April convention was basically all comics, this August event is comics, horror, sci fi, anime, gaming both video and rpg.
The scene from above the convention hall.
Sadly, the list of media guests had dwindled by convention time. I was very excited to bring my 6th grade crush full circle by getting a Sean Astin autograph, but sadly, he had to cancel. But, still on the list were Adrienne Barbeau, David Prowse, George Romero and…wait for it…Malcolm McDowell. I spent a lot of time in line for them, but I was able to get autographs from all of them. Dario Argento and Charisma Carpenter were also signing, but were understandably swamped. I decided I would rather see the rest of the convention than stand in line for half the day.
Adrienne Barbeau was very sweet and talkative, and was not at all sore when I asked her about her thoughts on cartoon characters wanting to put their brains in an Adrienne Barbeaubot. She laughed and said she had never seen Sealab 2021, but lots of fans have been mentioning it to her.
Also a good sport on the subject of parodies was George Romero. He told me he was impressed with my buddy Kevin’s student film Night of the Living Bread and referred to it as “a hoot”. He sends regards to Columbus and the Drexel Theatres and the minions of the marathons.
David Prowse, while older and using a cane, is still quite the physical specimen. He is tall and still broad shouldered, yet fortunately, not as imposing as Peter Mayhew. He signed my Clockwork Orange program I got from Mama, and he talked about the movie and quoted with me. I think yelling out “TRY THE WINE!” with David Prowse has to be in my list of top 10 convention moments.
And, I am happy to say, the signature of Malcolm McDowell also graces the cover of Mama’s program. He was quite personable and enjoyed talking to the fans, although I had no idea what to say to him as he is a presence that renders you speechless. And giddy. And nervous. I was able to get a photo with him, and he put his arm around me and called me “Darling”. Yet another on the list of top 10 convention moments. Maybe even top 5. Maybe even above my Bill Mumy hug. I’ll have to think about this…
George Romero from afar...
Malcom McDowell, who put his arm around my and called me "Darling".
Saturday night was a dinner held by the convention staff which was fun, but after falling due to sitting on a broken chair, my head was killing me so we didn't stay too long at dinner. We got to meet people and talk to friends which was nice, but I was a little spacey due to my head. Around the corner from the hotel was a little travel shop that sold Excedrin, so after taking some of that I was fine. Excedrin has enough caffeine to help a headache, but not enough to bother my heart, so I was fine about an hour after taking it. But, I was awake. So I went down to the lobby to mess around online. While reading The Onion, I was approached by a Toronto police officer. A little freaky, but he just wanted my opinion on Macs as he had been thinking of getting one! We talked Mac for a while, but he had to run, I mean run out of the hotel lobby. After some online time, I went back upstairs to go to bed, but decided to get something to drink first. Canada still has 5 Alive, which was in the vending machines. However, the machine on our floor was totally empty. Since I was still awake, I checked other floors. Turns out the 8th floor still had some stuff, but it was the 6th floor I checked! I wasn't going to let the hotel vending beat me.
Mac-wanting cop
Sunday, the show was just as crowded, which was surprising! Usually, on Sundays, cons are significantly more empty, but it seemed no different than a Saturday. But, just like a Sunday, the dealers were cutting prices so they wouldn't have to carry so much back with them! I had done most of my shopping the day before, but I did get some stuffed pillows in the shape of Super Mario stuff. One was a one up mushroom, the other is a "?" brick which I keep putting over my head and punching. I still don't have firepower yet.
--X
Sunday, August 19, 2007
BRISBEELAND!!!
Okay, not really, but it was the Ohio State Fair. This year we went later in the day than we usually do, but even though the sun was going down it was still super mega hot. As much as we love fair food, we barely ate any because the heat was so bad that it made us a little nauseous. But Chris had a brat, and I had what was called a roast beef sundae, seen pictured below. It sounds gross, but it was really just a "tastie fake" as I once heard on The Simpsons. It is basically roast beef and mashed potatoes and gravy creatively arranged to look like a sundae and a cherry tomato on top to complete the illusion. It was a hell of a lot of food, and to be perfectly honest, it was damn good. It was kind of nice to have actual food at the fair. This was like a pot roast dinner in a bowl, and I would get it again.
I thought about getting a funnel cake or some mini donuts, but it was so hot the idea of sugar was too much, so the only sweet fair treat I had was the bag of cotton candy that I took home with me. One of the food vendors was advertising "Deep Fried Coca Cola" but the line was too long to just go up and ask, "What the hell?" It looked like it was a cake mix made with Coke, but I was not about to find out.
Even though the food was a bust, the fair shopping was fantastic this year. Once again I passed up one of those cat bags (seriously, you put your cat in a fabric bag with a headhole rather than a carrier) since I wasn't really sure how Jess-Belle would react to it. I finally bought some soup from that Darby Creek soup and dip maker, and I made the Country Potato tonight and it was really good. I of course went through the bulk candy mazes, since being non-chocolate, the old fashioned candies are pretty much all I can eat, and these candy mazes have tons of it. There was also a dealer of purses made from record covers, so I now have a Tom Jones Live In Las Vegas purse.
And this year was the year of Pez! It started with the bulk candy dealer who sells Giant Pez having a special edition pearlescent stemmed General Grieveous. Since the special edition Giant Pez have soundchips that spout dialogue, I had to get that. The dealer is bulkcandystore.com, and he always has great Pez. Then when we finally made our way to the collectibles pavillion at the 11th Ave. end of the fair, I noticed that Colleen's Collectibles had more Pez than usual. Turns out, they just bought a collection from someone a few weeks prior, so I got myself a bagfull of Pez, including The Smurfs. So I got tons of Pez I didn't have, and I didn't have to pay for shipping. But now, I need to photograph the collection again.
So another summer, another fair. I regret not getting a funnel cake now. I wonder if the ones IHOP makes are any good...
--X
Sundae dinner.
The rain didn't cool anything off, but the rainbow was beautiful.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Ocean Optioned
It looks like it's finally official--the screen rights to Ocean, the science fiction graphic novel by Warren Ellis and myself, have been optioned by the producers of the movie 300. This has been in the works for a little while now and I didn't want to say anything until it was a done deal. Click here to be taken to the announcement on Variety's website for more details. I'll definitely post updates as I learn more.
--C
Monday, August 06, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Shameless Begging! Original Artwork Up For Grabs!
(I originally posted this on my MySpace page and I thought it couldn't hurt to post it here as well)
Okay, Brian K. Vaughan begged for an iPhone on his blog(and got one!), so I thought I'd put the word out for something I want but probably won't be able to get my hands on--way less expensive than an iPhone, though--don't worry. Specifically, if anyone reading who's going to the San Diego Comic Con can pick up one of Michael Golden's Exclusive San Diego sketchbooks for me, I'll give you a free page of original comic art. I'll send a list of what I have to whomever gets their hands on a sketchbook, and we can work out a trade. Thanks!
--C
Monday, July 23, 2007
Remembrance of Comic Cons Past
The San Diego ComicCon (SDCC) will begin this Wednesday. And I'm not overly excited about it, because I'm not going. And maybe this year would have been a good year to go because of The Simpsons Movie coming out the same week, but nevertheless, I'm not going.
I haven't been since the year I got married which was September of 2002, and from what I hear it has grown to epic proportions this year. They sold out. One of the biggest conventions in the world is sold out. You can't go to the door and say "Hi, I would like a ticket please" because they have none to give. Amazing, and I like what that says about the climate of acceptance for geeky endeavors.
It isn't that I haven't been because I didn't enjoy it. It is just a major time and financial committment. The hotel and airfare are pricey. And even if I got to tag along if chris was a guest, there is still the time committment and you cannot leave there without dropping some serious cash. There are too many dealers to make it a frugal affair. Having always gone with Chris my admission badge has been free, but that is a drop in the bucket.
It is also a 5-6 day show. And while you feel like you can miss some days of other shows, you never want to miss a day of San Diego. No matter what day it is, there is a panel you want to go to. Panels at San Diego are great because often they have free promotional stuff. I still have my Harvey Birdman Attorney At Law wall clock!
So many of my friends are going and everyone has been asking us if we will be at San Diego. But we're not going. Getting to San Diego also takes a lot of planning. You practically have to reserve your room for next year while checking out of the hotel this year. And we've had lots of other things we wanted to do this year.
And of course I am out of vacation time. I'm sure we'll think about it for next year, that is unless we decide to go to England again or someplace else that isn't work related for Chris.
So to Sean, Neil, Jeff, Kurt, and to everyone else who is going, I hope you have a blast. Try and grab some cool free stuff for me, willya? Stay away from the pretzels in the convention hall and if Pat and Oscar's is still there, eat a breadstick for me. And to all the pros, don't work too hard.
We'll catch it again some other year. What should those of us who remained home do to make our weekend super geeky too? I think I'll attack my way too large stack of unread comics while listening to my out of print and bootleg soundtracks.
--X
For my part this week while not attending the country's biggest geekapalooza, I'll get some work done in the nice quiet privacy of my own studio, read the heck out of my copy of Modern Masters: Michael Golden(hopefully), and share the following bunch of photos from past San Diego shows...
Ah! One of the things I love most about comic conventions: Stormtroopers in anachronistic situations!
Doing time in artists alley, 2001... I love seeing all my long-distance friends, meeting cool fans, selling artwork, and talking comics. It's grueling work sometimes, though--lots of missed lunches and sore backs. Just look at Karl's posture! Oh, yeah--for the record, going down the table from nearest to farthest we have me, Brian Stelfreeze, Karl Story, Georges Jeanty, and Cully Hamner
Xan attending a panel, one of the cool things she does while I'm in artists alley. I think this one is the Cartoon Network Adult Swim panel in 2002
Me and Karl at the Adult Swim panel...I have the dreaded thousand yard stare going...too much artists alley time...
One thing that makes San Diego stand out from other conventions(besides its enormity and crowdedness) is the huge number and diversity of actors and musicians in attendance. Over the years, we've met or rubbed shoulders with everyone from Kevin Smith to Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo. Stephen Root has browsed through my pile of artwork, my brother was Jason Mewes' chaperone one year(!), and in 2002 Xan even got to be in a movie being made by Mark Hamill. Above is Xan meeting Maurice LaMarche, voice of The Brain(as in "Pinky and the...") and Kif from Futurama.
In 2001 my friend Gary and I met the lovely and awfully nice Erin Gray, who starred in Buck Rogers In The 25th Century back when we were 13 or so...
Another cool thing that one sees more often at the San Diego Comic Con than anywhere else are the dealers room displays of original movie and TV props like the Batmobile (above) and one of Yoda's little puppet hands below...
...and finally, the after-show dinners with other comic creators are always a highlight. We get to put down the pens and pencils, stretch our legs, and unwind at last. In this photo below from 2001, you'll find (among others) my friends Gary and Hiroshi, Brian Stelfreeze, and Cully Hamner
--C
The San Diego ComicCon (SDCC) will begin this Wednesday. And I'm not overly excited about it, because I'm not going. And maybe this year would have been a good year to go because of The Simpsons Movie coming out the same week, but nevertheless, I'm not going.
I haven't been since the year I got married which was September of 2002, and from what I hear it has grown to epic proportions this year. They sold out. One of the biggest conventions in the world is sold out. You can't go to the door and say "Hi, I would like a ticket please" because they have none to give. Amazing, and I like what that says about the climate of acceptance for geeky endeavors.
It isn't that I haven't been because I didn't enjoy it. It is just a major time and financial committment. The hotel and airfare are pricey. And even if I got to tag along if chris was a guest, there is still the time committment and you cannot leave there without dropping some serious cash. There are too many dealers to make it a frugal affair. Having always gone with Chris my admission badge has been free, but that is a drop in the bucket.
It is also a 5-6 day show. And while you feel like you can miss some days of other shows, you never want to miss a day of San Diego. No matter what day it is, there is a panel you want to go to. Panels at San Diego are great because often they have free promotional stuff. I still have my Harvey Birdman Attorney At Law wall clock!
So many of my friends are going and everyone has been asking us if we will be at San Diego. But we're not going. Getting to San Diego also takes a lot of planning. You practically have to reserve your room for next year while checking out of the hotel this year. And we've had lots of other things we wanted to do this year.
And of course I am out of vacation time. I'm sure we'll think about it for next year, that is unless we decide to go to England again or someplace else that isn't work related for Chris.
So to Sean, Neil, Jeff, Kurt, and to everyone else who is going, I hope you have a blast. Try and grab some cool free stuff for me, willya? Stay away from the pretzels in the convention hall and if Pat and Oscar's is still there, eat a breadstick for me. And to all the pros, don't work too hard.
We'll catch it again some other year. What should those of us who remained home do to make our weekend super geeky too? I think I'll attack my way too large stack of unread comics while listening to my out of print and bootleg soundtracks.
--X
For my part this week while not attending the country's biggest geekapalooza, I'll get some work done in the nice quiet privacy of my own studio, read the heck out of my copy of Modern Masters: Michael Golden(hopefully), and share the following bunch of photos from past San Diego shows...
Ah! One of the things I love most about comic conventions: Stormtroopers in anachronistic situations!
Doing time in artists alley, 2001... I love seeing all my long-distance friends, meeting cool fans, selling artwork, and talking comics. It's grueling work sometimes, though--lots of missed lunches and sore backs. Just look at Karl's posture! Oh, yeah--for the record, going down the table from nearest to farthest we have me, Brian Stelfreeze, Karl Story, Georges Jeanty, and Cully Hamner
Xan attending a panel, one of the cool things she does while I'm in artists alley. I think this one is the Cartoon Network Adult Swim panel in 2002
Me and Karl at the Adult Swim panel...I have the dreaded thousand yard stare going...too much artists alley time...
One thing that makes San Diego stand out from other conventions(besides its enormity and crowdedness) is the huge number and diversity of actors and musicians in attendance. Over the years, we've met or rubbed shoulders with everyone from Kevin Smith to Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo. Stephen Root has browsed through my pile of artwork, my brother was Jason Mewes' chaperone one year(!), and in 2002 Xan even got to be in a movie being made by Mark Hamill. Above is Xan meeting Maurice LaMarche, voice of The Brain(as in "Pinky and the...") and Kif from Futurama.
In 2001 my friend Gary and I met the lovely and awfully nice Erin Gray, who starred in Buck Rogers In The 25th Century back when we were 13 or so...
Another cool thing that one sees more often at the San Diego Comic Con than anywhere else are the dealers room displays of original movie and TV props like the Batmobile (above) and one of Yoda's little puppet hands below...
...and finally, the after-show dinners with other comic creators are always a highlight. We get to put down the pens and pencils, stretch our legs, and unwind at last. In this photo below from 2001, you'll find (among others) my friends Gary and Hiroshi, Brian Stelfreeze, and Cully Hamner
--C
Friday, July 20, 2007
Return Trip
Mom, Dad and the grandkids stopped overnight on the way back home after their marathon three week road trip out West. Dad and I tried to wear the grandkids out with a walk around the neighborhood after dinner(didn't work). Xan's parents came over later, and while the grown-ups talked downstairs, I doled out geeky toys(Star Trek communicators and a Doctor Who sonic screwdriver) and took the kids up to our "music room" so they could play and dance and jump around until they finally collapsed from exhaustion a couple of hours later. It sounds like everyone had fun, and we were happy to host them all on their final night away from home!
Shannon, Brittany & Aaron: getting crazy in the music room
Don't ask me...
Shannon plays with the off-screen Jess-Belle
The energy finally runs out!
--C
Mom, Dad and the grandkids stopped overnight on the way back home after their marathon three week road trip out West. Dad and I tried to wear the grandkids out with a walk around the neighborhood after dinner(didn't work). Xan's parents came over later, and while the grown-ups talked downstairs, I doled out geeky toys(Star Trek communicators and a Doctor Who sonic screwdriver) and took the kids up to our "music room" so they could play and dance and jump around until they finally collapsed from exhaustion a couple of hours later. It sounds like everyone had fun, and we were happy to host them all on their final night away from home!
Shannon, Brittany & Aaron: getting crazy in the music room
Don't ask me...
Shannon plays with the off-screen Jess-Belle
The energy finally runs out!
--C
Comic Book Update
Here are a couple of upcoming covers for Midnighter(in pencilled form, of course). Also, Wildstorm/DC Comics just announced a trade paperback collection of the first six Midnighter comics will be published in late November. I hope to have a few available at my table at Mid-Ohio Con on Thanksgiving weekend.
--C
Here are a couple of upcoming covers for Midnighter(in pencilled form, of course). Also, Wildstorm/DC Comics just announced a trade paperback collection of the first six Midnighter comics will be published in late November. I hope to have a few available at my table at Mid-Ohio Con on Thanksgiving weekend.
--C
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Pez Part 2
Just thought I'd add some other Pez photos of my weirder, or "non traditional" dispensers. But the weirdest thing about my collection is that I don't like Pez candy. I agree that this is odd, but I saw an episode of "Unwrapped" about a guy who doesn't eat peanuts, yet has the largest private collection of Mr. Peanut items. I'm sure there are more of us.
I also open them as I'm not much of an "original packaging" collector, since if I buy it, I want to mess with it. I also find the actual item looks a lot nicer on display than the package. I sometimes save the blister pack cards, because the graphics are usually specific to that line of dispenser. They also have fun little puzzles on the back like mazes, word searches or connect the dots. Pez also comes in generic little bags, and they can turn around or get hidden by the little paper inside that has the games on it.
Also, there is candy in the packages which can turn into powder and make the packaging cloudy. And, while some people collect candy packs, I think old candy lying around for decades is a little gross. And while Pez can survive a little bit of water, cardboard and candy cannot.
Besides, the earliest dispensers came in clear cello bags, so Pez started as an out of package collectible. I also didn't start the collection as a way to retire by eventually selling them. As a collector and packrat, I don't start a collection unless I plan to will it away.
This is a Pez-a-saur. This little car will dispense candy if you push down on it. The candy pops up from a hole in the rumble seat. This is the only one of these I have seen besides a Peter Pez who is the Pez mascot. I don't have too many Peter Pez items because he is a clown.
All of my NASCAR Pez are from my dad. He's very supportive of my collection and has been instrumental in it's growth. I'm always so touched when he picks up Pez for me, and if he winds up buying me something I have, I keep the one he gave me and sell or swap the other one.
This is my favortite in the line of Pez lunchboxes, and is one of the few Pez things I have that isn't a dispenser. My other non dispenser items include that pineapple bank, a mini puzzle, a Pez-A-Saur flashlight, and some floaty pens. This was a Christmas gift from my friend Troy and yes, it has a Thermos. I also collect lunchboxes.
These are pens that dispense Pez. Again, these are gifts from Dad. He also gave me my Marvin the Martian candy hander which is battery operated. Well, it CAN be battery operated, if there are batteries in it.
--X
Just thought I'd add some other Pez photos of my weirder, or "non traditional" dispensers. But the weirdest thing about my collection is that I don't like Pez candy. I agree that this is odd, but I saw an episode of "Unwrapped" about a guy who doesn't eat peanuts, yet has the largest private collection of Mr. Peanut items. I'm sure there are more of us.
I also open them as I'm not much of an "original packaging" collector, since if I buy it, I want to mess with it. I also find the actual item looks a lot nicer on display than the package. I sometimes save the blister pack cards, because the graphics are usually specific to that line of dispenser. They also have fun little puzzles on the back like mazes, word searches or connect the dots. Pez also comes in generic little bags, and they can turn around or get hidden by the little paper inside that has the games on it.
Also, there is candy in the packages which can turn into powder and make the packaging cloudy. And, while some people collect candy packs, I think old candy lying around for decades is a little gross. And while Pez can survive a little bit of water, cardboard and candy cannot.
Besides, the earliest dispensers came in clear cello bags, so Pez started as an out of package collectible. I also didn't start the collection as a way to retire by eventually selling them. As a collector and packrat, I don't start a collection unless I plan to will it away.
This is a Pez-a-saur. This little car will dispense candy if you push down on it. The candy pops up from a hole in the rumble seat. This is the only one of these I have seen besides a Peter Pez who is the Pez mascot. I don't have too many Peter Pez items because he is a clown.
All of my NASCAR Pez are from my dad. He's very supportive of my collection and has been instrumental in it's growth. I'm always so touched when he picks up Pez for me, and if he winds up buying me something I have, I keep the one he gave me and sell or swap the other one.
This is my favortite in the line of Pez lunchboxes, and is one of the few Pez things I have that isn't a dispenser. My other non dispenser items include that pineapple bank, a mini puzzle, a Pez-A-Saur flashlight, and some floaty pens. This was a Christmas gift from my friend Troy and yes, it has a Thermos. I also collect lunchboxes.
These are pens that dispense Pez. Again, these are gifts from Dad. He also gave me my Marvin the Martian candy hander which is battery operated. Well, it CAN be battery operated, if there are batteries in it.
--X
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Since my birthday post about the Creature From The Black Lagoon, people have asked me about the rest of my Pez Collection. Today, I bought some more shelving and now have most of it on display so I thought I would finally take some photos! This isn't the entire collection, since I have a few things that I haven't found a good way to display yet. The NASCAR cars, the Pez-A-Saur car, and my Pez Pens have proven difficult to display in a way that satisfies me, and my Pez spaceman lunchbox is with the other lunchboxes. It has a thermos and is super cool. I also don't keep the holiday dispensers in with the main collection since we use them as holiday decorations. But this is most of it! I'll post the holiday photos when the holiday is upon us. I may post some other images later, or on my MySpace page later.
For some reason Blogger isn't putting the photos in the order I would like, and I am not in the mood to deal with the HTML code to make it happen.
These are my Muppet Giant Pez, standing guard over my Henson book collection. The Doozer is plush, not Pez.
And of course, the Star Wars Giant Pez. They all play the Star Wars theme when you tilt back the heads, except for the shiny C3PO which speaks dialogue. The Death Star lights up, making it my favorite, even though it is just a ball.
These are the rest of the Giants, plus the recent "box sets"-Elvis, of course (70s Elvis is the best as it has a lot of detail on the collar), Orange County Choppers and the Crystal Hello Kitty collection. Not really all that into the Crystal Pez, but I liked this one. There are 2 Homer's because one talks, one doesn't. The Marge talks, and so does the Alligator. The Spider-Man plays the Spider-Man theme, and the Lost in Space robot is my favorite of all the Giant Pez. The Pineapple is actually a coin bank. It is a reproduction of a very rare line of dispensers from the 70s.
I keep the Yoda Pez with the Yoda collection. Chris and I of course like to tell people that we collect "Yodas n'shit" when they see this collection. Yes, that is a copy of "April Fools Day" there on the DVD shelf.
These photos are of the main collection. It is hard to get the whole thing in one image because the shelving is on the walls at the bottom of the stairway. Since it is in the corner and to back up far enough to get it all in one shot would mean moving the refrigerator, I just took separate photos.
--X
For some reason Blogger isn't putting the photos in the order I would like, and I am not in the mood to deal with the HTML code to make it happen.
These are my Muppet Giant Pez, standing guard over my Henson book collection. The Doozer is plush, not Pez.
And of course, the Star Wars Giant Pez. They all play the Star Wars theme when you tilt back the heads, except for the shiny C3PO which speaks dialogue. The Death Star lights up, making it my favorite, even though it is just a ball.
These are the rest of the Giants, plus the recent "box sets"-Elvis, of course (70s Elvis is the best as it has a lot of detail on the collar), Orange County Choppers and the Crystal Hello Kitty collection. Not really all that into the Crystal Pez, but I liked this one. There are 2 Homer's because one talks, one doesn't. The Marge talks, and so does the Alligator. The Spider-Man plays the Spider-Man theme, and the Lost in Space robot is my favorite of all the Giant Pez. The Pineapple is actually a coin bank. It is a reproduction of a very rare line of dispensers from the 70s.
I keep the Yoda Pez with the Yoda collection. Chris and I of course like to tell people that we collect "Yodas n'shit" when they see this collection. Yes, that is a copy of "April Fools Day" there on the DVD shelf.
These photos are of the main collection. It is hard to get the whole thing in one image because the shelving is on the walls at the bottom of the stairway. Since it is in the corner and to back up far enough to get it all in one shot would mean moving the refrigerator, I just took separate photos.
--X
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Sprouse Family Visit
My parents just began a road trip across a pretty big chunk of the country, with many stops in the Midwest. They're bringing their grandkids along, and this weekend they all stayed with us on their first stopover in the Midwest. I caught up with Mom & Dad, while Xan and the kids had all kinds of Nintendo fun.
Wii party!
Wii boxing wears the kids out before bedtime
My parents just began a road trip across a pretty big chunk of the country, with many stops in the Midwest. They're bringing their grandkids along, and this weekend they all stayed with us on their first stopover in the Midwest. I caught up with Mom & Dad, while Xan and the kids had all kinds of Nintendo fun.
Wii party!
Jess-Belle inspecting the luggage
Wii boxing wears the kids out before bedtime
Jess-Belle and Grandpa taking a snooze...
sort of a companion photo to the one from last Christmas with Xan's dad
--C
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