So I do a fair amount of conventions, not too many really, I dont like to travel so I keep them to about 6 months per year. This last week I was fortunate to be a guest at Amazing Comic Con in Houston, Texas. I was slightly nervous because my last show in Texas had been a disaster as the promoter had me buy my own plane flights, no one picked me up at the airport and I had no hotel room when I landed. Did I mention I was billed as special guest and no one returned numerous emails??? I was eventually reimbursed for my expenses but the show itself was another celebrity autograph show that I generally try to avoid. I did very well but I vowed to become even more stringent when applying due diligence to shows I attend. I love my family and hate missing any moments of my kids life, so if I choose to leave them, I want it under the best of circumstances to for everyone involved. Enter Jimmy Jay and his Amazing Comic Cons, Jimmy is the exact opposite of the negligent promoter, he is enthusiastic and invested in promoting his comic book shows with comic book guests to comic book fandom. I have done every Amazing Comic Con in 2014 and the results were spectacular. The halls are packed with excited comic book fans which, if I havent mentioned before, are important as I am a comic book creator that produces comic books. The panels are standing room only affairs, with fans that are engaged and excited. As a standard, Amazing Comic Cons are tops with me, and it goes beyond the fan response, it extends to the other guests on the roster. Through the Amazing Cons I have met and connected with childhood idols such as Herb Trimpe, George Perez as well as developed new friendships with Tom Scioli and Ed Piskor. At another fantastic show in Virginia last Thanksgiving, I was looking forward to meeting Herb Trimpe, an artist who electrified my youth, at the last minute Herb had complications and I couldnt meet him. Jump to Amazing Vegas Con and I nervously approached my childhood idol and was able to express my love of his work to him. This past weekend I hung out with Herb after hours, quizzing him on what comic books were like in the Bronze Age of comics. It was a mountain top experience, I was over the top with excitement. Herb illustrated over 80 issues of the Hulk as well as Godzilla, Defenders, Shogun Warriors and GI Joe. HE WAS MY YOUTH. Oh, by the way, he is also credited with creating and illustrating a little character called WOLVERINE. So, yeah, Herb is amazing, but more importantly, he hadnt been to many west coast or mid west shows until Jimmy Jay made him a headliner and man did the crowds show for Herb Trimpe! It was great to see him swamped with fans meeting him for the very first time. Amazing Houston Con also had Jim Lee in town for all of a Saturday, he was mobbed as one would expect. Did I mention that Jim Lee hadnt been to Houston in 19 years? Amazing Comic Con did their very best to bring the biggest and most dynamic COMIC BOOK CREATORS to their show and the fans were elated. There was not a single tv star/actor in attendance. If thats your thing, fantastic, I get it, Im just not sure why the cast of Mannequin should be awarded special guest status at a comic-con. But thats just me. Special thanks to each and every patient fan that waited in long lines for each of my signings. I try and give each fan an opportunity to interact, which usually includes a picture as well as signatures, so it can be a bit of a bit of a slog in line. Thank you to all the staff and Amazing Comic Con partner, Bill Jay for their support and help. I tell you, for all the flack that 90s comics receives online, it doesnt translate to the con floor as I signed literally thousands of Heroes Reborn Captain America, Avengers, X-Force, New Mutants, Deadpool, Cable, Youngblood, Brigade.... These books generate a deep passion and feelings of tremendous favor with fans, especially those who lived in that era. Thank you again, so very much, for supporting my career. It was great to see a group of artists from my Extreme Studios doing so well. Shelby Robertson, Karl Alstaetter, Marat Mychaels were all kicking serious butt, doing tremendous business. I either gave these guys their first shot or I published their most successful works, either way, to see them thriving 20 years later brings a huge smile to my face. Mat Nastos, writer/artist of comics and television, as well as collaborator of my upcoming BRIGADE comic, had huge crowds at his table, signing and drawing non-stop over the entire weekend. So thank you again Jimmy, Bill and Amazing Comic Con for putting on a great show. Thanks for putting comics and comic creators front and center. I know that there are many great shows that favor comic creators outside of the Amazing Cons, celebrate those as well. Lets give more support to those shows and keep them thriving!
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 16:18:23 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015