At Long Last: Amazing Arizona Con 2012

Howdy all,

Back in January, I attended the Amazing Arizona Comic Convention at the Mesa Convention Center in downtown Mesa, AZ. I renewed some acquaintances and met some great people in the three-day event. Presented in this blog entry are a bunch of photos taken by Agustin Alanis. Sketches procured by yours truly from artists on the show floor are shown, where possible, right beside the artist who did the work! Click on images for larger versions.

Where appropriate, I've linked the talents and people shown. If you find you or your works are displayed, uncredited, in one of the pictures below, please contact me (at delusional honesty at gmail dot com) and I'll add your name and a link to your website if applicable.

If anyone enjoys Mr. Alanis' brilliant work and wishes to see more and/or hire him for a photography gig in the greater Phoenix area, look no further than his Facebook page.

One of the big draws at comic conventions today is cosplay, and this show was no different! On every day of the show, one could see any number of fans dressing up in the (sometimes extraordinarily elaborate) costumes of their favorite heroes and villains...as well as, well, judge for yourself! You asked for cosplayers--you got 'em!

 

 

 

 

Some of the cosplayers at the show were there to promote new comics, like Lindsay Elyse, dressed as one of the characters from Ardden's Knightingail:

Then, there was AZ convention fixture Cara Nicole, also known as AZ Powergirl! You can "Like" her fan page on Facebook:

 

Out on the show floor, a few exhibitors showed their terrific props and other goods, both for sale and for show!

The Monster Shop is a part of Hall of Fame Collectables in Mesa, AZ. They've got original props, autographs, collector masks, and other limited edition goods. You can visit their website or "Like" their Facebook page. And below you can see a mask of Doug Bradley as your favorite Pinhead!

Chainsaw Killers Anonymous Studios specializes in photography and prop construction. They had a setup at the show with armor like that shown in the Predator series of motion pictures. Check out the picture below, then visit CKA Studios' website!

If you're more in the mood for just looking at scary figures instead of buying them, perhaps Monsterland in Mesa, AZ is more your speed! At the show, they had some of their exhibits on display. Scary, well-crafted stuff! If you're in the area, stop by--I know I'll be headed there soon. For more information, visit the Monsterland website. They also have a presence on both Facebook and Twitter.

With the rest of the show out of the way, it's time to show you some of the many creators from around the show floor. Writers! Artists! This show had a bevvy of them, and some even had the time to indulge me and draw some sketches for my collection!

I finally had the chance to meet up with Joshua Hale Fialkov, writer of Last of the Greats and I, Vampire, both of which you should all be reading! Josh attended the show alongside artist Tony Fleecs, who had some great prints available, including a noir-styled take on Cyclops and Emma Frost that I just had to pick up. Visit Josh's website and Tony's Fleecs Design page, and do it now.

Next up--and the guy who was on the receiving end of my first demand request for a sketch was Los Angeles artist Gerimi Burleigh. Gerimi has written and drawn the original graphic novel Eyes of the Gods and is now hard at work on a new project, Morningstar, about Lucifer's fall recast as a western. If you like his work, visit his website here.

Across the way from Gerimi I discovered a kindred spirit in my historical knowledge of comics in J. Scooter Harris, a writer and artist who is the brains behind Studio Hadra. Scotter has a very distinctive style with heavy brush strokes, and had a number of original works--most touching on burlesque culture--with him. We discussed old Marvel and DC comics, we discussed Archie comics, we discussed "good girl" art--and I scored the below (rather terrific) Vampirella piece from him. Scooter's also the writer/artist behind Studio Hadra's True Crime Theater comic series, and his illustrations are often found in burlesque magazines everywhere. Pay him a visit, why don't you?

An aisle over from Gerimi and Scooter, I met up with Joel Gomez, who's currently background artist on Detective Comics. Joel is an affable gent, and he readily agreed to draw another in a series of unusual requests--Kirk Langstrom, the Man-Bat! Joel is everywhere online these days, having his own deviantART page, his own tumblr, and yes, he even tweets!

Artist Jon Hughes had some terrific examples of his work on display at the show. I remembered seeing his art the previous year. One of these days, I'm going to get a commissioned piece from him. In the meantime, you can marvel at his work below, plus find him at his website, JonHughesArt.com!

Image Comics alum and Hyperwerks co-founder Karl Altstaetter was also at the show. Karl is most notable for having created Deity, who fronted her own series of miniseries. Since Karl's always drawn some lovely ladies, I thought he'd be the perfect artist to draw the New Teen Titans' Starfire in her original costume. I don't know about you, but I wasn't disappointed with the final result in the least! Karl can be found online at both the Hyperwerks website and his own blog.

In the middle of it all, I somehow found time to meet up with local artist made good Tony Parker, who's killing it right now on Aspen's Dead Man's Run alongside this site's very good friend, writer Greg Pak. With the #0 issue out--but the first formal issue not quite there yet--it was a terrific time to talk with Tony. Right around the corner, the Aspen booth did have preview copies of the first issue with an exclusive cover, which I snagged and reviewed in an earlier blog post. Since the second issue is coming out next Wednesday, there's no better time to pick up the series and enjoy Tony's terrific work!

Keeping up with the theme of sketches involving the women of comics, I noticed local creator Alfred Trujillo had some interesting pieces lined up at his table. I couldn't resist giving him an Incredible Hulks #635 sketch cover and asking him to draw Red She-Hulk. How d'you think he did? Alfred has his own web presence at his site.

Last--but certainly far from least--is another local artist, Val Hochberg of Bad Karma Productions. She has a manga-influenced style that caught my eye, and since I was already on a roll with sketches of the Hulk family, I thought why not see what she can do with Lyra, the Savage She-Hulk? It's the best piece of the show, in my not-so-humble opinion! Visit Val at BadKarmaProductions.com.

 

Last? Did I really say "last"? Au contraire, mes amis! Although that was the end of the sketches, there's no way I could end this blog entry on any photo other than this one, right here, right now, mutha#####s! It's the star of Twitter's #laymanvsscorpions hashtag--and, oh yeah, co-creator of Image Comics' Chew, it's...John Layman! (You can find him on Twitter, or on his blog.)

And, yeah, some schmuck in a Reverse Flash t-shirt. Who is that guy, anyway?

See everyone next year! Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!

~G.

In a Nutshell: New York Comic Con 2011

Okay, okay, I can't quite squeeze everything into a single post. More likely, you're going to get a trickle as I start to follow up on my many, many leads from this year's New York Comic Con. I don't know how the other press do it! Anyway, those of you out there who have my card: you'll be hearing from me sooner than later. Today I was back to the grind, working and slaving. In a few minutes from now, I'll be watching some TV I missed.

The show was amazing this year and I really have to give props to the folks at ReedPOP for a job well done. This was my second year attending NYCC, and if this is any indication of how the show is only going to grow, sign me up!

Of course, this year my enthusiasm was also heightened by the fact that I actually got to explore. No, I'm not talking about exploring the convention floor, although I certainly did my share! I'm talking about traversing the length of Manhattan Island! From my arrival at Penn Station with my friend Don on Thursday morning, I really took advantage of having that extra day to familiarize myself with the territory and see some sights. The subway took us from midtown, south to the Staten Island Ferry. The ferry brought us out near the Statue of Liberty before returning us to the isle, where once again we rode the subway a few exits.

Shake Shack for lunch!

After walking by the construction zone around the 9/11 memorial, more subway time...this time riding to Central Park, where I saw Strawberry Fields. And then, back to the subway until arriving in Times Square. There was a TKTS booth, and I wasn't leaving until we had tickets to Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark!

After we got the tickets but before the actual show, we attended NYCC's Thursday night preview. Surprisingly, the place was pretty busy! But it was only a small taste of what was to come in the following days. That night, I met up with FoxyArt's Kristin Allen, who'd drawn a terrific Scarlet Witch piece for me a few months prior (and one that you'll see soon on this very blog!). I also finally met the talented David Gallaher, writer of High Moon (which I'll review shortly), Box 13, and various Winter Guard projects from Marvel, all with his collaborator Steve Ellis (who drew a terrific Rom sketch for me in '10). I also once again found the artist Franchesco, who'd drawn a piece featuring Dracula's daughter Lilith nearly a decade prior, and who was just itching for a shot at outdoing himself. Then there was Gabriel Hardman, who'd drawn Morbius for me last year, and--well, we'll get there.

What about Turn Off the Dark? We'll get there. Suffice to say, I ran into another one of my friends from the west coast in the lobby during intermission. Things have a way of working out.

After a long train ride back to Jersey and a short night's sleep, Friday beckoned--the first full day of the show. The highlight of the day was IDW's presentation of a brilliant Fox pilot that sadly never went to series. That's right: I saw Josh Friedman's adaptation of Joe Hill's Locke & Key! (I'll share that in a few days, too.) Oh, and I also picked up Hasbro's exclusive "Composite Hulk" figure at their booth. Nice little item.

Saturday brought more chaos, including a rendezvous with Hulk Vs. Dracula and brand new Scarlet Spider artist Ryan Stegman. (The man threatened me with bodily harm if I don't buy and review his new series when it arrives in January. He actually looks like he might be able to carry through on that promise.) There's a sketch from him you guys'll also see soon, one that may or may not have something to do with his upcoming series.

I also picked up a sketch from a longtime favorite artist. Geof Isherwood, who drew Dr. Strange when Roy Thomas was on the book in the mid-nineties, was ever so gracious, and I presented him with an interesting idea he couldn't pass up. You'll see it right here soon. (I'm full of teases, aren't I?)

Greg Pak even put in an appearance in the middle of Saturday, bringing with him a copy of his and Tony Parker's sure-to-be-a-success book from Aspen, Dead Man's Run. Expect a review of that "Zero" issue early next week.

There's more I could talk about. Like meeting a terrific Hulk fan who also used to be one of Marvel's editorial staff. Or trying not to gush like a fanboy when I met one of my idols after a panel on Sunday afternoon. There's also my secret project I've been seeding throughout the con. Yeah, there's all that stuff.

And, of course, I was one of a half-dozen souls outside the Marvel offices who were the first to read Jason Aaron and Marc Silvestri's Incredible Hulk #1. You'll get some of that early next week, promise. Can't spoil the details. Can't.

But enough with the teases. I leave you with two of the colorful costumes from the convention floor. Ladies and germs: Silk Spectre and Poison Ivy!

 

I do deliver the goods once in a while, don't I?

~G.

Double Shot O' Sketches: Spider-Man & One Of His Forgotten Foes!

Regular blog entries will resume as early as tomorrow if this cold doesn't keep me down. Meantime, I have two sketches for you! Both inspired by events from the fabled "Clone Saga" (soon to be discussed on an upcoming Spectacular Spider-Cast)!

First up: Rob Jones draws Ben Reilly, the amazing Spider-Man! From Pittsburgh Comicon 2011.

Rob was the protege of late DC Comics great Dick Giordano, and is currently working under the tutelage of Marvel and Valiant's own Bob Layton. You can reach Rob for commissions via his website, Perfect Storm Publishing! (Tell 'im I sent you!)

Next up is a forgotten Spidey villain from the same era. From New York Comic-Con 2010, here's artist Brian Shearer's take on Doc Ock's very own muscle goddess, Stunner!

Brian can be found online at the GravyBoy website. From there, you can see his comic projects including Vex and Deputy Witch as well as see if he's got any commission spots open. Well worth it!

Thanks, guys! More sketches and miscellany soon...

~G.

Sketch Time: Daredevil (Circa 1993)

The year was 1993, and writer Dan Chichester and artist Scott McDaniel were hard at work making major changes to the Man Without Fear! In "Fall From Grace," Matt Murdock's life was shattered. Add guest star after guest star to the mix, like Silver Sable, Venom, Morbius, and even DD's former flame Elektra, and you had a storyline that tried to be epic in scope. Early in the story, Daredevil obtained this new costume, an armored look, here illustrated supremely well by the talented Stuart Sayger at the Pittsburgh Comicon 2011.

The Daredevil: Fall From Grace graphic novel collection is sadly out of print, but you can probably find it cheaply at amazon.com or eBay. I hope one day Marvel re-releases the book, either in hardcover or softcover format.

So, who wants to show some love for 1990s DD?

~G.

Sketch Time: The Hulk - Mr. Fixit (Pittsburgh Comicon 2011)

By the inimitable Scott James, who's done a few pieces for me over the last couple years. This year's treat from Pittsburgh: They call him....Mr. Fixit!

This occasion marked the first time Scott, who's a HUGE fan of the Fixit incarnation, actually drew him in a sketch! Interestingly, this wasn't the only piece I got in Pittsburgh this year that featured the Hulk in one of his more notorious guises. Stay tuned!

On the way soon: more "Crossing"! More DC Comics relaunch criticisms! And Warren Ellis & George Perez' nigh-forgotten mid-90s collaboration!

~G.

Sketch Time: Meggan (Pittsburgh Comicon 2011)

I'm still hard at work on my "Crossing" piece, so I thought I'd show you all yet another of the sketches I've received recently. This one's from Pittsburgh Comicon 2011 and is courtesy artist Joe Pekar. Keeping up with my theme of non-standard pieces (i.e. characters not everyone would ask for), here's Meggan, girlfriend (or is that wife?) to Captain Britain, and Excalibur teammate. Done in watercolor, it's all I could have asked for! So glad I asked for this one! What do you think, sirs?

~G.

NYCC '10 Remnants: Morbius by Gabriel Hardman

Not much to say today, kids, due to other things going on. That said, I wanted to catch up with old sketches, so here I bring you one of my favorite pieces from New York Comic Con 2010, by Hulk artist Gabriel Hardman! Here, Gabe channels the days of 1970s Marvel magazines with this thrilling rendition of Morbius, the Living Vampire!

Thanks, Gabe! Now, I just have to plan what I want at this year's con...!

~G.

On Adam Hughes, Con Sketches & Con Artists

We now interrupt this regularly scheduled blog to bring you a Delusional Honesty op/ed on current events!

Before we begin, a little about me: I've been attending comic conventions on a fairly regular basis since the early 1990s, when I was a teenager. I attended the Pittsburgh Comicon probably a dozen times, San Diego Comic-Con five times, Wizard World Philadelphia twice, New York Comic-Con once, and various other smaller shows. I own over a hundred unique pieces of original artwork obtained at these shows. I get them in hardcover sketchbooks, on comic backer boards, and on paper of the artists' choice. I've never sold one yet, and it would take a dramatic shift in my financial situation to get me to think of doing so.

But this entry's not about me...

Last weekend, at the Boston Comic Con in Massachusetts, Adam Hughes appeared, as he has at roughly a dozen conventions each year. And as he did at previous conventions, he opened up his "sketch list" so that lucky fans would have the chance to obtain a treasured piece of artwork from one of the modern masters. As he's one of the few true "superstar" artists out there whose reputation is rightly deserved, Adam finds himself swamped at convention after convention with legions of adoring fans, and he and wife Alison Sohn do their best to make each fan feel welcome. Even on some of his earliest work (like The Maze Agency, above) Hughes' work has always had that je nai sais quoi, that indefinable something that pulls you in and never lets go. Unfortunately, Mr. Hughes' personable quality, and the current comics convention market have combined to form the perfect storm, resulting in his ceasing all convention commissions in favor of auctioning off all further opportunities on eBay.

So, what happened? This decision has been a long time in coming to anyone who has spoken with Mr. Hughes at conventions past. Originally, when I first met him in the 1990s, he would simply take sketch requests on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the high quality of his pieces, fans would arrive earlier and earlier to convention halls, some staying in the entrance line for hours and breaking into a sprint when it was time to hit the floor just for the golden opportunity. Eventually, the story I'm told at conventions goes--and I can't verify its authenticity--that someone knocked over a little girl on the way to his table, and ever since, he changed his policy, turning to a lottery system to decide who got a sketch. That process has been in place for several years now and I hear it's worked reasonably well, but there's one force that still has worked against Mr. Hughes, and it's led to the most recent developments.

Since the advent of eBay, convention-goers have increasingly used the auction website as a hub for redistribution of artwork obtained at these shows. A certain contingent of "fandom" believes if they obtain convention sketches from popular artists, they will be able to pay for their trips and more by hocking the pieces for vastly inflated rates there. Now, I have to take a step back and say that I don't have anything against the genuine fan who must let artwork go to pay medical bills, or get out of debt, or even pay for a wedding or honeymoon a year or ten after obtaining said art. I do have a serious problem with these so-called "flippers," so named because no sooner do they shake hands with the artist and say thanks, they go home and start that auction because they've got something other people want, dammit. And even worse--and from what I understand, this is what befell Mr. Hughes last weekend--is the fake fan who begs, pleads, cajoles, even makes up fake stories and cries fake tears, to play on an artist's sympathies in order to secure said art which he will then hock.

The art in question, a sketch Mr. Hughes drew of Wonder Woman, was on eBay only scant hours after the owner obtained it. The owner also cajoled a "quickie" Black Cat sketch from J. Scott Campbell, and a Batman sketch from Neal Adams at the same convention. Although at first fetching premium prices, once the artists made a fuss on Twitter and elsewhere the owner promptly removed all the auctions. You can bet, however, that once the hubbub dies down, he'll once again attempt to sell. It's the nature of the beast. (Part of me wishes the winner would give back the artwork to the original artist if only so that they'd be able to resell and justly reap the benefits of the piece. Or, y'know, maybe he'd even be a nice guy and give the piece back since it's obvious he has to date only shown appreciation for its monetary value. But I'm weird that way.) I wish that some artists would team up to contribute to some online forum whose purpose was to expose these flippers. On Twitter, I suggested Mr. Hughes take photographs of his artwork with their owners in the case of flipping, so their face could be plastered all over with a stern warning for artists to not draw for these people.

These con artists (short for "confidence" and not "convention," natch) are shameless and they act unconscionably in pursuit of the almighty dollar--and they've cost all but the richest fans any remaining chance to own an original Adam Hughes artwork they've personally requested from the man himself. You see, Mr. Hughes doesn't take on that many commissions at conventions to begin with--he finished a total of three in Boston--and now they'll be all the rarer due to not one fool from this weekend, but a selfish pattern of behavior on the part of a particular class of so-called "fan." Now, all future commissions will be handled in advance through eBay. In the words of his wife (and accomplished artist in her own right) Alison Sohn from their Yahoo group: "[I]f eBay is where they will end up, then eBay is where they will start."

I remember going to conventions in Pittsburgh, or San Diego, and talking with Mr. Hughes and Ms. Sohn for quite some time, about The Maze Agency, about Catwoman, about Power Girl and even Justice League International. They are terrific people, warm and welcoming. I've even had my name on the sketch list more than once, only to for one reason or another not walk away with an original piece (instead getting sketchbooks, which are always incredible). I've never given up on trying, even when the prices rose and rose, because Mr. Hughes' work is just that good. However, now it seems I must abandon the dream, unless I happen to get a job that triples my income, or I win the Powerball lottery. On eBay, the highest bidder walks away with the product--and bidders have been known to plunk down in excess of $3,000 USD for a single original Adam Hughes convention sketch, a figure that is certain to rise with these new developments. And yes, it's possible that with the new "highest bidder gets a commission" rules, the aftermarket on the sketches will also rise even further.

Do I fault Mr. Hughes for this compromise plan? (Immediately after the most recent incident, he stated on his Twitter account that he was finished sketching at conventions altogether.) Hell, no! I honestly believe he has more right to the funds his artwork can generate than anyone else, and certainly more right than any "flipper." Let's face it: everyone knows that $400 for an original Adam Hughes convention piece was the best convention bargain since God created comic conventions. If I had the cash, I'd definitely rather give the money directly to the artist; wouldn't you?

My only worry is that Mr. Hughes' actions may be only the start of a movement to flip the bird to flippers by having all the most popular artistic talent take their convention sketch opportunities to eBay where they may fetch similarly high prices. It's already happened before this situation, as I've heard Walking Dead, Punisher and Venom artist Tony Moore auctioned off one guaranteed sketch at the recent Comic Geek Speak Super Show in Reading, PA. I hope such activity is reserved for special situations and does not become the norm for superstar talent, else it severely diminishes the chances of other fans of lesser means to obtain that special piece of artwork.

Similarly, I feel like it takes something out of the convention experience to remove the traditional process of obtaining a commission from the convention hall. Just imagine the next comics fan who goes to see Adam Hughes at a convention, who may not follow him religiously on his website, or Yahoo group, or Twitter page, thinking they've got as good a shot as anyone else at obtaining an original piece, only to discover that the process has changed and to be eligible for a sketch, they must plan in advance and possess both Internet access and an eBay account, which in turn all but requires a Paypal account. Now, it's true that it's likely more the exception than the norm for a fan to not have these things, but still it's a likely source of frustration.

I'd take an Adam Hughes sketch in any medium, in any size--on a sketch card, on an 11"x14" Bristol board, on a comic backer board, or (my favored choice) in my sketchbook. That artwork, if ever I get it, would be safe with me. (Hey, how about that? I guess I haven't altogether given up!)

Good luck to Mr. Hughes in this new era of selling his artwork. I'm just waiting to see how The Law of Unintended Consequences applies...

~G.

Behold: A Dark Son...and His Daddy!

Tonight: Since it's too late to make anything resembling a terrific (or even passable) blog entry, I thought I'd share a third convention sketch. This one's again from New York Comic Con 2010, and it's by writer/artist Scott Reed of Realm of Kings: Son of Hulk and Incredible Hulks: Enigma Force fame! Since he'd only written the listed miniseries, but I knew Scott was also a terrific cartoonist in his own right (see The Last Odyssey), I thought he'd get a kick out of drawing Hiro-Kala, son of Hulk and brother to Skaar. I'd say he acquitted himself admirably, don't you think? (Thanks, Scott!)

More bloggy goodness tomorrow!

~G.

So, I've Been Busy... (It's Not Like a Dire Wraith Assumed My Identity!)

And if I were, I sure as sin wouldn't post a picture of this guy, on the off chance that he might, you know, come to life and send me to Limbo with that Neutralizer gizmo of his.

To whet your appetites until I return with Hulkish reviews tomorrow, here's another sketch!

Steve Ellis (of High Moon and Box 13 fame--available at comiXology!) drew this sketch of Rom, Spaceknight for me at New York Comic-Con 2010. I understand he and his frequent collaborator David Gallaher (who got hitched this past weekend to Valerie D'Orazio...congrats, ya lucky bum!) are big fans of the ol' toaster as developed for Marvel in 1979 by Bill Mantlo & Sal Buscema! Here he is, slightly smaller than life, ready to shine the crimson light of truth on all who might bar him from regaining his lost humanity. I hope this one's been worth the wait. He's been sitting in my sketchbook since October with nobody to keep him company but, well...a whole mess of esoteric characters! Please, give him some love!

(Oh! And be on the lookout for some Spaceknights in this week's Avengers #12.1 by Brian Michael Bendis & Brian Hitch!)

~G.

Pittsburgh Comicon - Yes, I've Been Busy!

Hey all!

Greetings from the east coast! Yes, I've been remiss in posting lately, but I've been tremendously busy with family obligations and with enjoying the company of friends including the various writers, artists, and other talent assembled at the Pittsburgh Comicon over the weekend of April 15-17. I'll be gradually adding art I amassed from the convention floor both here at the blog and at my Comic Art Fans page (link on the right-hand column). It was quite a fun show as it always is, made even more special through meeting some folks I follow on Twitter (Hello, Amber!) and through some inspired sketches. I had the pleasure of chatting up some pros who have actually read this very blog (but who are somewhat poor at matching names to faces...no worries, time will change that!). Also there were some artists who enjoyed the sketches I was procuring to the degree that, every time I crossed within range of their booths, they stopped me to see my latest pieces and snapped pictures! How flattering is that?

I just want to give a taste of what to expect in days to come--though those of you on my Twitter feed have already glimpsed the names of a few subjects that were sketched. If you've seen the CAF page, you know I like to pick subjects not everyone knows about. I like unique sketches because it gives the artists the opportunity to journey outside their comfort zone, and it gives me a special kind of notoriety. (I can't tell you how many times I heard something along the lines of, "So-and-so warned me about you!")

The first piece I'm showing comes courtesy of Pittsburgh native Dave Wachter, who's drawing IDW's Robert Bloch's That Hellbound Train this June (which I strongly suggest you all pre-order, now!). I showed Dave a few potential subjects for whom I had reference, and let him choose. The winner? A hint of one of my other upcoming review posts: Rhodey's alien armor from during "The Crossing," the Eidolon Warwear version of War Machine. The original design is by Jim Calafiore, whom I've met at many a convention in years past (and who is doing fabulous things on Gail Simone's Secret Six). I believe there was some discussion of this costume being very unusual, yet really much ado about nothing in particular. Just so oddball a pick it was too good (or is that bad?) to pass up!

What do you think, sirs?

More on the way later in the week!

~G.

Gene Gonzales & Psylocke! (But Not THAT Psylocke!)

Guys and dolls--

I'm heading back east tomorrow night (redeye *yawn*) but wanted to give you all a taste of what I'm going to get when I arrive! The Pittsburgh Comicon will be in town, and I'm sure I'll meet a Twitter follower or two along the way. Also, I'll be getting convention sketches! I've prepared an interesting list which may not be totally fulfilled--hey, I still have NYCC in October, right?--but I'll be doing my best. I already have a few super-cool ideas! And yes, I do pick unusual subjects, just ask this guy...

Click the pic to see my commission at Gene's blog!

While you wait for the next post from me, head on over to Gene Gonzales' blog, where today's feature is my convention commission: the original 1980s X-Man, Psylocke--purple hair and all! This is where it's at, kids! Isn't she lovely?

~G.

A St. Paddy's Bonus For The Delusionally Honest: The Incredible Hulk Vs. Justice!

The story of this piece of original art is quite interesting all by itself. I lucked out at New York Comic-Con 2010 last year when I met Lee Weeks, a tremendous artist who's drawn several of my favorite characters. I thought up this piece when I thought he was going to be attending the Pittsburgh Comicon some years prior. The character on the left is John Tensen, aka Justice from Marvel's failed New Universe line of books. He's one of my favorite characters, and once upon a time I even wrote a fan fiction series based around him, posted on my original website (long ago lost, but I still have the stories). Interestingly, Lee worked on both projects--Justice and The Incredible Hulk--with writer Peter David, so it almost seems fitting to see these two titans pitted against one another here. Stunningly, Lee admitted during his work on this sketch (all done at NYCC) that he actually hadn't drawn the Justice character in nearly as many years as it'd been since the book's cancellation! Lucky thing I had reference for him--reference he'd drawn some twenty years earlier!

To the eagle-eyed who actually remember Justice, you might see an error on this piece, as the character is using both hands to erect psionic shields to ward off the fighting-mad Hulk. While it's true that ordinarily, Justice could only project shields from one hand, I think it makes total sense that he'd tax the limits of his abilities when faced with the indescribable dilemma above, don't you?

Thanks, Lee. I won't soon forget this occasion. And thanks also to Tom Smith for coloring this gem!

Happy St. Paddy's Day, all!

~G.

New York Comic-Con and more updates!

Hey folks--

Sorry I've been remiss in updating lately. Life gets in the way, you know? Anyway, you can expect a few things within the next few weeks, the first being my long-delayed review of The Vision Machine by writer Greg Pak. Next week will also see a few more Hulk reviews. I also want to review some old Hulk runs, so tell me whom do you want me to review--Len Wein, Paul Jenkins, or Bruce Jones?

And, oh yeah, there's this--from New York Comic-Con on October 9, 2010:


Ladies and gents, it's the one and only Greg Pak! Greg says he has some very exciting Hulkish things in store in coming months. We've got the book coming out twice a month through at least January, and hey, we're getting closer to the Hulk turning the big 5-0 in 2012! (And he doesn't look a day over...well, we don't want to make the Hulk angry now, do we?)

And yes, friends, I also met Gabriel Hardman, Fred Van Lente, Dan Slott, Scott Reed, Lee Weeks, and some other Hulk-related creators. I do have some sketches to share...another day!

Keep on Hulkin'!

~G.

San Diego Comic-Con: Too Big To Move?

As I sit in my apartment in the desert southwest, every once in a while loading something-or-other into my luggage for my forthcoming trip to the New York Comic-Con, recent headlines have grabbed my attention and made it necessary I address them. The San Diego Comic-Con International is staying in the town that birthed it through at least 2015. It's a frustrating decision, but at the same time, it unfortunately makes total sense given the relationship between Comic-Con International and the city of San Diego.


A bit of background: I have attended the San Diego Comic-Con International five times, with the first time in 1993 and most recently in 2007. I have seen the show grow from "just" the first major convention I had the pleasure of attending, to an event utterly unlike anything else I've found on this planet to date. The San Diego Convention Center has doubled in size over that time. I still have some sentimentality for the show, but it's been tempered over the last handful of years due to the explosion of popular non-comics media into the convention. And by explosion, do I ever mean the word!

See? Here's what I mean by "explosion"!

(CCI attendance 1970-present, Click to enlarge.)

The growth that the San Diego Comic-Con International has undergone since the Convention Center completed its first expansion in 2001 has been nothing short of mind-boggling. While you can correlate the growth to the expansion itself, keep in mind what else has exploded in popular culture: super-heroes and comic books have become Hollywood's darlings. True, Blade (1998) and the first X-Men film (2000) predated the explosion, but you can argue that 2002's Spider-Man truly broke the barrier and sent comics into that stratospheric next realm. Since then, Hollywood's optioned virtually every worthwhile comic book for a movie or TV show, and even some that are pretty worthless. And Hollywood took another look at this comic book convention that never attracted much of their attention before, and found they could gain a foothold and promote their comic-related projects. And their sci-fi projects. And their horror projects. And some other movies and shows that don't have a damn thing to do with comics? We'll throw them in there, too, and hope nobody notices.

Somewhere along the line, comics fell out of favor with Comic-Con, and the management of Comic-Con International decided they didn't really care so much. Sure, you'll find Marvel, DC, Image, and the other comic companies have a presence there, but they've been eclipsed by Warner Bros., New Line, Miramax, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney, and various other movie studios. And yes, they draw the crowds and put the asses in the seats in the now-legendary Hall H. But is that really what Comic-Con is or should be about?

Now, the door was ajar for years. I've heard many stories about how some film craftspeople would use Comic-Con for their own personal soapbox, but never in the scope as in recent years. The last decade's worth of comic book movies has proven the catalyst for the Hollywood takeover of San Diego Comic-Con. And Comic-Con International (the company who runs the convention) seems all too happy to let Hollywood take over. Revenues have never been so good! Demand increases, prices for booth space go up, and CCI makes money hand over fist to spend on non-profit type stuff. It all comes out great for everyone, doesn't it?

I don't think it does. You see, there's also the flipside of the coin in so many ways. At first, the comics fans enjoy Hollywood as a presence because they're bringing to life their favorite heroes and related projects. Then you have the trickle of fans who come to Comic-Con because of the movies or TV they're seeing, and CCI maybe hoped that those fans would find something they enjoyed of what birthed those movies or TV shows. Only, that doesn't happen, or happens only rarely, and people continue to come for the popular media, the chance to touch Hollywood.

The convention floor now reflects this loss of ground from a primarily comics-centered event to one mainly devoted to Hollywood in its totality, nearly to the exclusion of the elements that founded the event. The comics pavilions have become smaller and smaller as New Hollywoodland is now the fulcrum about which Comic-Con revolves. Booth prices continue to rise meteorically, making it increasingly difficult, especially in the current economic climate, for the very same kinds of comics retailers who began the show to have any kind of presence there. I've had discussions on Twitter about this phenomenon, and the pro-San Diego faction stated something along the lines of, "Smart comics retailers find ways to cut their budgets to attend the convention, even splitting and/or sharing their spaces." (And this is if the space isn't already taken up by the studios.) I found those comments to be truly abhorrent. It's like living in the same place year after year, but when they put in those nice new spacious condos for the top one-half of one percent and property values up, you have to either move out, or start taking on boarders and give up what was previously your own space to "enjoy" your "home"--if you can either call it enjoyable or home anymore.

The dramatic increase in exposure for Comic-Con has translated to greater revenues for virtually all businesses in the area surrounding the Convention Center, including the various hotels at which the tens of thousands of visitors stay, plus the restaurants and other shops making up the Gaslamp Quarter and surrounding Downtown areas. The convention was estimated to bring in over $163 million in revenue to the city of San Diego in 2010. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders freely admitted in a cbs8.com article that "The convention center is a huge economic generator, but it could literally double that economic generation once we expand it," referring to the current plans to increase floor space by another 200,000 square feet in the next few years.

Can you see where I'm going with this? If not, here's a bit more. Per the San Diego Convention Center's website, no other event held at the locale even comes close to the annual attendance of Comic-Con. The event that comes closest according to their 18-month schedule is the "Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Health & Fitness Expo," at about 40,000 people--still not even a third of the crowd Comic-Con attracts annually. And I think to myself, this is the same Convention Center that has committed to the aforementioned expansion? Why else do they need the expansion if not to keep Comic-Con?

I might go so far as to suggest the city needs Comic-Con. With Hollywood largely driving it, and the huge revenues it currently provides only hinting at the even larger revenues that could be drawn from the upcoming Convention Center expansion, and the absolutely insane room rates that are part of that revenue stream, letting CCI take Comic-Con out of the city would be tantamount to dropping an economic bomb in Downtown San Diego. In different economic times, I'd really waffle on whether San Diego would let the convention go, but Comic-Con is that proven sure thing that the city can't do without. Simply put, San Diego Comic-Con has become akin to the big Wall Street banks you heard about the last two years. It's "Too big to move." And as in the banking world, I find this idea truly saddening, considering what the convention has become over the last decade.

So, how do we undo the damage Hollywood has done to Comic-Con? Assuming, of course, that it can be undone--and I'm not convinced at all this is a genie you can put back in the bottle. I think two things can level the playing field a fair bit, if CCI were to seriously consider them. Sadly, I don't think they would, because the demographic for Comic-Con is shifting into that which really wouldn't like the same kind of show that it was before the floodgates opened. Anything that could potentially upset the goldmine the city of San Diego has going is too radical an idea to be considered.

First, I think that the huge displays at Comic-Con, as extravagant as they are, must go. To maximize space and find room for as many retailers and craftspeople as can attend, there should be a limit as to the size of displays. Hollywood's booths are too huge, and they force out those who are just trying to get a corner booth, or some small space. Ten or more smaller booths can fit into just one of the larger studio booths! Bigger is not necessarily better (in fact, hardly ever!), and studios and other companies can most assuredly find better, more inventive ways to use the space they are given.

Second, I don't think it's enough to limit booth size. I think it's also worth apportioning space, which is done a bit with Artist's Alley (which is still too small!). It can be done gradually at first so it's barely noticed, but I think a nice balance can be struck between the different kinds of companies and individuals who attend Comic-Con. Imagine only so much space allocated to Hollywood's setups, so much given to comic companies, so much to small press, so much to Artist's Alley, so much to some specific kinds of vendors. I haven't heard of any such plan, and it would surprise me tremendously if it did exist. It would go a long way toward reversing the unfortunate trend of forcing those who don't have deep pockets (i.e. those who aren't major comic companies or movie studios) to the background or offsite entirely.

There are other options I've heard, each with their ups and downs. I know the idea of making the convention a week-long affair has been floated as a cost-managing or cost-recouping measure, and would allow more people to visit the show on a daily basis, but it would involve radically altering how special guests and talent attend the convention. There is also talk about extricating the "comics" part of Comic-Con from the popular media part and setting them months apart, which is a slippery slope, a prospect that suggests that the two can't rightly coexist.

Is Comic-Con as we knew it dead? It certainly is no longer the show Shel Dorf intended it to be when he organized the very first show in 1970, with Forrest J. Ackerman as its special guest, and a small handful of talent and attendees. It seems the show is stuck in San Diego, a town that will do just about whatever it has to do to keep it there and to keep or increase the extraordinary revenue stream it brings. It's gone mainstream, commercialist, "Hollywood," and the management seems locked into keeping it that way so long as they can shout CCI is a non-profit organization that proliferates the arts above everything else. To make changes--anything other than making the show bigger, making it "more"--would be admitting that somewhere in the intervening years, the show's purpose erred.

I'll be anxious to see what the new round of renovations to the San Diego Convention Center brings. Will the smaller retailers be given a new entry into Comic-Con, or will Hollywood gobble up the space as soon as it's made available? Will a bit of the old Comic-Con find its way back, or will it be pushed aside, buried forever, presuming it hasn't already been? At any rate, it's going to be interesting to see what CCI does over the next few years.

~G.